A/N: This is really short, and unbetaed, and probably OOC, but please enjoy it anyhow.


She always wanted to grab a man by his lapels and kiss him. Kiss him thoroughly, deeply, romantically. Perhaps it was her younger self, yearning to be released again. As a girl, she had always loved romance. She had deeply longed for it, to be caught in her own tragedy. She sighed deeply, leaning forward on her elbows. She had caught herself in her own tragedy now, no doubt about it. She watches the sun, brilliant purple and pink cascading over the shore. It was too late for them. They were both so…cautious.

She blinked slowly, robotically. She couldn't cry. Not here. The ocean had enough droplets, had enough tears. She didn't need to add her own. Despite her efforts, they squeezed themselves out of the corners of her eyes. They fell down her cheeks, dripped onto the sand.

The heat warmed her soul to the core, and yet kept her cool at the same time. Occasionally, a breeze filtered through, reminded her of her life. She was alive. But she had never felt deader. Yes, when she was younger, she had always wanted to grab a man, preferably tall, by his long trenchcoat lapels, and plant a lingering kiss on him. She supposed that fantasy would never be fulfilled.

She slowly inches closer. The waves lap at the shore, pushing forward and receding. It is the nature of her life. It is the nature of her relationships. For every step forward, there are two steps backward. And they're back where they started. They're always back where they started. She can think of one person in particular. Her eyes immediately shut. She doesn't need to think about him. Not now. Not when her emotions are all over the place.

She stands, and brushes the sand off of herself. She's disconnecting herself. She needs distance. Distance is good. She had somehow managed to secure herself a job in New York City. It was a distant city, and it was far away, and hopefully, he wouldn't receive her letter of resignation until later. She didn't think she could bear to say goodbye to him, or even talk to him about this.

She begins to head for her car. There had always been this charged air between them. She released a rushed breath. Apparently it's nothing but static. Electricity, wafting in the air between them, with nowhere to go. She had once wished for him to kiss her, to embrace her, to show her something. She wasn't sure if she cared anymore. She stood by her car, admiring the slowly fading sunset. Everything fades. Everything dies. Even love isn't eternal. And she knew firsthand.

She finally moved to sit in her car, moving slowly and robotically. There didn't seem to be life left in her. New York City would rejuvenate her. And if it didn't, it would at least save her from her demons in the south. At least, she hoped so. Her cell phone, still sitting on the passenger seat, rang. She checked the number, and sighed. Horatio. Would this be about her resignation? Probably. She wished he'd come in person. Phone calls were so impersonal. It's better this way.

There was a time when she used to want to kiss him, to have his breath blend with her own. She wanted to grab his lapels and kiss him. But that had passed. And now? He was calling to tell her not to leave. Just in case it's not about that…She picked up the phone, and flipped it open. "Hello?" She started the car.

"Calleigh, about your resignation…"

"Goodbye, Horatio." The town was stifling. It was suffocating her, removing each breath slowly from her body. She needed to escape. She needed to get out. And with that, she turned off her phone, and began to drive. And she almost couldn't feel the pain of her heart splintering in two.