Title: (Series) The Secrets That We Keep- And It All Comes Crashing Down (Part II)

Author: Tamara

Summary: Grace and Eli's "relationship" unravels.

Rating: PG-13

Pairing(s): Eli/Grace, Grace?

Distribution: Anywhere else- Want. Ask. Take.

Feedback: Please. It's my only inspiration for continuing.

Storylines: After (Part I) "Unsung" and during "Tough Love."

The Secrets That We Keep- And It All Comes Crashing Down

"Every time I feel alone,

I can blame it on you,

And I do

You got me like a loaded gun,

Golden sun and sky so blue

We both know that we want it,

But we both know that you left me no choice

(Chaque fois qu tu t'en vas)

You just bring me down

(Je pr©tends que tout va bien)

So I'm counting the tears 'til I get over you

Sometimes I watch the world go by
I wonder what it's like
To wake up every single day
Smile on your face
You never tried
We both know we can't change it
But we both know we'll just have to face it

(Chaque fois qu tu t'en vas)

You just bring me down

(Je pr©tends que tout va bien)

So I'm counting the tears 'til I get over you…"

- "Til I Get Over You"- Michelle Branch

She sat at her vanity mirror, starring at her reflection and bracing herself for the upcoming performance. "This is it," she told herself. Do it for him."

"Do it once more. Do it for me."

She let out a deep breathe, and heard a small giggle come from behind her. She looked up into the brightly lit mirror to see Tad standing behind her, grinning, and looking amused.

"Why is Grace Manning actually nervous?" he asked almost mockingly.

"Shut up," she retorted with spite.

He put up his hand in mock surrender and started to back away. "I'm sorry. Didn't know you were so touchy. I was only playing around. But yeah, um, good luck. You'll do great. You have been great through this whole thing. See you out there," he finished and started to walk away.

"Tad, wait," Grace started at feeling some relief from his kind words, and feeling guilty at her behavior. That was the last thing she expected him to say to her. He paused in his footsteps and looked over his shoulder.

"What?"

"Um, thanks. I'm sorry I was such a bitch, it's just been a stressful month…"

"Enough said. Apology accepted and your welcome," he said and flashed a smile at her. She smiled back and turned back around to her mirror to do a final make-up check. He stood there and took a deep breath.

"Grace, I was thinking maybe afterwards we could go get something to eat or some coffee or something."

She froze in silence. Tad was asking her out? Well not like a date or anything, but still. She thought he only considered her a friend, and nothing potentially more. Besides there was always the Eli issue. Then again it's not like they were an actual couple. If he could see other people than so could she. Not to mention, even if he could seem like an ass, Tad was really cute…

"I'll take that as a no," he said responding to her silence and hesitance to answer. "oh well, thought I would give it a shot."

"Oh no Tad, I um, it's the cast party. The cast party is tonight. But I'd like to some other time," Grace reminded him and the look of disappointment was shed from his handsome face.

"Ok, perhaps I can give you a ride to your house then?"

"Maybe," was her answer and she left it at that.

Grace glanced down at her watch. 5 minutes until show time. She took one final look and closed her eyes tight and drew a deep breath. It still didn't help the butterflies in her stomach. Why the hell was she doing this? Oh yeah that's right. Eli. Grace decided to take a little peek and see where he was sitting. She moved her way to the curtain, and opened it a tiny bit. She spotted her mom, but suddenly there was an empty feeling in the pit of her stomach. He wasn't there. She scanned the entire auditorium in search of Eli, but no luck. He wasn't there. Grace told herself that maybe he was just late.

She closed the curtain and walked backstage. 1 minute to go, and he still wasn't there. He promised. He'll be here. She told herself the same thing for the next minute. But somewhere deep inside of herself, she knew she had set herself up for a fall.

a

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She rested her forearms on the kitchen counter and buried her face in her hands. Don't cry, Grace. You already cried once. It isn't worth it. Her eyes were still slightly red form the tears she had cried, and her throat was dry, and there was an ache inside of her heart she couldn't let go of. Grace sighed deeply, and opened the refrigerator door. She still couldn't believe that bitch had the audacity to show up here tonight. At least she knew what he had really been up to, and if he tried to lie she could call him on it. She needed a drink.

Orange juice? No. Soda? No. Then something caught her eye. "Why the hell not?" she thought. She looked behind her to make sure no one was looking, and when she saw there wasn't she grabbed the bottle of wine, and began filling the red plastic cup with the dark red liquid.

"I really don't think you should be doing that" a voice echoed through the air.

Her body tensed upon recognition of the voice. She continued filling the cup anyways. When she was done she put the bottle back in it's exact place and turned around, her eyes holding an icy glare to the. She was pissed. How dare he.

"And I really don't know what the hell makes you think you have the right to tell me what I should or shouldn't do, let alone talk to me," she retorted harshly, and raised the cup to her lips and took a sip. She never really drank before and the alcohol caused a slight burning sensation as it went down. And she liked it.

"Grace please let me explain, let me apologize, " he pleaded with her. He had never seen her like this. This angry, this cold, this distant, this hurt.

"No. you don't need to explain. I understand everything. And I should be the one apologizing. I'm sorry…for believing you cared about me and that I could count on you. I'm sorry for being naïve," she told him, and truth was she was sorry. She was sorry she let herself believe those things. Sorry for letting herself down.

Eli moved closer to her, his expression unreadable. He reached out to touch her. He had hurt her and he damned himself for it. He felt a pain shoot through his heart when she jerked further away from him, and stared at him almost cold and unfeeling. He saw it. He had pushed her too far away this time. Eli looked into the eyes that often lost him, and he realized she was gone. He clenches his fists to his sides, and could feel his muscles tighten and his stomach began to feel like a pit of nervousness and never ending despair.

Truth be told she was feeling to much. He had broken her heart. Not just tonight, but all the nights before where he held her afterwards, and kissed her passionately. All the times he told her she was beautiful, and more recently when he told her she was his. They were just words. And she knew that now. Some part of her hoped that he would change and see her, and she meant really she her inside and out, heart and soul. She had hoped the he would see what was right in front of him, but he never did. And tonight he proved that.

She knew what she had to do. For herself, for the sake of her sanity, and to prevent any further damage on her already bruised heart. She took a large sip, almost chugging the rest of the wine, and said what she didn't want to. The words killed her to say it.

"We're done," Grace said spitting out the words as if they were venom. She fought back the tears that were dwelling inside as she looked at the floor. She couldn't look at him. It hurt too much.

Eli swallowed hard at the lump in his throat, and felt like he was struggling to breathe. He couldn't lose her. He loved her, even if he never told her and didn't show her all the time. And now it hit him what a mistake that had been. No. It wasn't ending. He wouldn't accept that.

"Grace, look at me. Please," he pleaded as he stepped as close as he could be to her. His reached his hands out and placed her delicate face in his hands and forced her to look up at him. Her eyes were red, and her cheeks were stained with the silent tears she had cried. Her brown eyes met his hazel eyes and she placed her hands on his chest and pushed away from him as if touching him was an acid that burned through her skin.

"Get away from me, Eli. Just stay the hell away," she commanded as she furiously wiped away her tears.

"No. I can't. I won't. We need to talk about this," Eli spoke, his voice unstable as he choked back the tears he himself had been fighting. He had never felt this way about anyone, and he would be damned if he was going to let her get away.

Grace just shook her head and stayed silent. She didn't want to hear it. No excuses anymore. She had to get out of here and fast. Her feet began to move towards the direction of everyone else, but before she could get very far Eli's hand reached out and grasped her forearm forcing her to turn her head around and stop.

"Don't I get a say in this?" he questioned. Did it matter to her how he felt at all? He had to explain to her/

"Believe me, Eli, I know where you stand. Now let me go," she said as she jerked away from him again. A look of confusion spread across his face.

"What do you mean where I stand? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Don't play dumb Eli. It's crystal clear what I mean to you. Nothing. The same as the girl I saw you making out with at the mall, and Celia."

Eli's face fell and he looked dumbstruck. "Celia? How-"

"The barrette, Eli. Jessie said it wasn't hers and she showed up at the house looking for you and her precious barrette," Grace informed him, her voice dripping with anger and bitterness. The look on Eli's face said it all. He had been caught. Grace swore she saw guilt in his eyes and facial expression but she brushed it away. She was too angry. Too damn hurt to care about how he felt. She knew there had been other girls, but this had made it all too real. Real enough to knock Grace out of the fantasyland she was in and face reality.

"I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

"Save your apologies for when you actually mean them. I'm through. It's over. Now if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be." Grace pushed past him and was doing her best to conceal the look of hurt and anger on her face and prayed no one would notice she had been crying and upset. But before she could get far enough away, Eli practically yelled to her.

"Don't do this. I need you." Grace halted in her tracks, and spun around quickly.

"Don't yell. Everyone will hear you. And you don't need me. You never did. What you needed was someone to keep your bed warm. So why don't you call Celia? I'm sure she'd be more than happy to fill that void. Now for the last time, would you please leave me the hell alone?"

"Grace, are you okay?" a new voice interrupted from behind her. She glanced behind her and saw Tad standing there, a look of concern across his handsome face. She smiled at him, and then panic struck her. How much had he heard?

"Um, I'm fine we were just discussing something."

"Oh. I heard some yelling, and I also noticed you were missing from the party," Tad explained to her and then he saw a clearly upset Eli standing on the other side of the kitchen. "Did I interrupt something?"

"Yes," Eli shot at him with anger. Who the hell did this kid think he was? And the way he was looking at Grace disturbed Eli. He knew that look. Tad liked her, and the very thought of someone else who wasn't him with Grace made him want to strangle the kid.

Grace shot Eli, who was glaring at Tad, a dirty look, and looked over at Tad. She knew she shouldn't do this, but Eli deserved some of his own medicine, even if it made her look petty and childish. Maybe Eli would see firsthand how she had felt at seeing him with all those other girls.

Grace looked at Tad, who was glaring back at Eli while generally confused as to why the hell Eli was made at him, and she smiled. "No you weren't interrupting anything. We were just having a petty little disagreement. Actually I was about to go look for you and see if you would like to dance with me. And them maybe we can go get that coffee we talked about." Grace knew it was unfair to Tad to use him like that to get back at Eli, but it wasn't as if she hadn't noticed Tad before. She thought he was cute, and he could be funny too, and was genuinely a nice guy. And besides, he liked her too.

"I'd love to dance with you, and go out after," Tad replied excited and somewhat surprised too. "Come on," he said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him towards the living room. Grace willfully went and put a smile on her face, even though inside she felt anything but happy. She was dying inside, and her heart had shattered into a million pieces. She looked back to see Eli watching her walk away, tears falling down his face, and the expression on his face mirroring how she felt inside.

Eli stood there still trying to comprehend the whole situation, and when he did he wanted to die. He watched her walk away as he finally let the tears fall. He lost her, and it was all his own damn fault.

"I love you," he whispered into the air and she looked back and he could have sworn she saw him mouth those three small words that came way too late.

"…We both know that I'm not over you…"

End Part II

Well there's part 2. Not the best, but I couldn't keep all of you wonderful readers and reviewers for waiting. Hope you enjoyed this even though I was evil and broke up our favorite couple. But there's much more ahead. I have planned the next few parts in my head and there's a lot in store for each of them, but will they end up together? You never know laughs evilly. But if you guys want to throw some ideas out at me, feel free to do so. I love suggestions.

Please don't forget to review!