Told you I wouldn't take too long to get this up! I just hope people are still reading this (hint hint cough cough reviews please:-D) I should mention that while the injuries in other chapters weren't canon this one is. I've decided to make this story take place during season 7, and this chapter takes place after the Evolution episodes.

Lemme know what you think!

Chapter Five

What I Want Now Is To Be Alone

Kerri almost cried when she finally saw her house come into view. She pulled into her driveway and rested back into her seat.

Suddenly the tears started coming again. She couldn't stop them.

She didn't want to.

She didn't think she deserved to.

Though she knew she had to do what she did, she felt like her heard had been ripped in two. It was especially bad because she knew she had hurt Daniel.

That hurt more than anything.

/Flashback/

Kerri knocked eagerly on Daniel's door, bouncing on her toes. She hadn't seen him in a couple of days, and it was their six month anniversary.

She grinned as the door opened. The grin faded when she saw the crutches Daniel was leaning on for support and the look of apology that covered his face.

"What happened?" she asked genuinely, though the question was laced with a bit of irritation.

"I got shot." he said simply.

"Oh my god, how?" she asked, any trace of irritation gone, and worry taking it's place. She entered his apartment and followed him to the living room.

"Can't really tell you." he said, his face contorting into a wince. Oh, there it was again, evil irritation monster. Kerri took a deep breath and gritted her teeth to stop herself from saying anything.

"Kerri..." he placed his hand on her shoulder. She brushed it away.

"No, Daniel. I don't know if I can do this anymore."

"What?"

"I'm sorry." she shook her head. "I can't. All the lies and your injuries, Daniel. I know you're doing more than just consulting on languages in that mountain." he started to protest, but Kerri stopped him. "And I know you can't tell me about it either. And I thought I could be okay with that. And I was. For awhile. But I can't do it anymore."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I think we shouldn't see each other anymore. I'm saying that I'm sick of being lied to. I'm saying I don't want to have to worry about you anymore, wondering if one of these times you're going to go into that mountian and never come out and I'll never know the real reason why." she vented, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

"Kerri, please..."

"Daniel." she brought her finger to his mouth and shook her head.

"So this is it then?" he asked, his voice tight.

"I don't know, Danny. but I can't do this to myself."

"I'm in love with you, Kerri."

"I love you too, but I don't know if that's enough anymore."

"Of course it is." he said. Kerri shook her head.

"It's not like this is all of the sudden, Danny. This has been eating at me...at us...for awhile now. You promised me you'd never have the need to apologize to me again and I was a fool to believe it."

"Kerri, what can I do. Please. I'll do anything, just don't leave." he pleaded.

"The only thing you could do I would never forgive myself for asking you to do."

"What?"

"Quit your job."

"Then I'll quit. I can't loose you."

"And I can't let you quit because you love your job. And one day you'd resent me because of it. Danny, you need someone you don't have to hide from." Kerri paused. "Someone like Sam."

"Sam? What? I would never date Sam." he said.

"Then someone else you work with. You should have someone you can share your complete life with."

"I want to share it with you."

"Okay, then tell me what you do at Cheyanne Mountain." she said soberly. He looked to the floor. "See. You can't. And I can't live like this anymore. It scares me to think one day I'll get a letter from General Hammond telling me how proud he is of you, or that you gave your live in the service of the country, but I'll never really know why. Do you have any idea what that's like? I'm not cut out to be the girlfriend of batman." she told him as tears fell down both her and Daniel's cheeks.

"I'm not going to die."

"Can you know that?" she asked. He didn't answer.

"Please, Kerri. I will never leave you. Not like that." he rested a hand gently on her arm. She was almost taken in. She almost wrapped her arms around him, believing him, if only for a little while.

But she didn't.

She shook her head, sniffled, and wiped away the tears.

"No Daniel, not anymore. It's not fair to either of us. I need someone who doesn't have to hide his life. You need someone you can share your life with." He caught her eye for a second she looked down, biting her lip. "I...I got an offer today. A, uh, job offer." she looked back at him. He didn't say anything so she continued. "It's for a position at a college to teach Celtic history, among a few other things." she paused again. Daniel still didn't say anything. He just kept looking at her somberly. "I think I'm going to take the position."

"Where?" he finally spoke up, his voice sounded raspy.

"New York." a look of surprise covered his face.

"But you love your job now. You love working with kids."

"Yeah. I do. But they gave me an offer I can't refuse. Twice the pay and an apartment near the school." she paused for a second. "And there's nothing left for me here." she said the last part so quietly she wasn't sure he heard her. They sat in silence for a few minutes until Daniel spoke up.

"Did I screw this up so bad you have to move across the country to get away from me?" he asked, quietly.

"Daniel, it's not you..."

"Please. Spare me the 'it's not you, it's me' speech." Kerri winced at the bite in his voice.

"I'm sorry." she tried to catch his eye, but he wouldn't look at her. "I gotta go." she stood.

"I'll walk you to the door." he said, still not looking at her as he stood and leaned on his crutches for support. The walked in silence to the door.

"I'll always love you, Danny." she leaned in to give him a goodbye kiss, but he turned away. She took a deep breath to fight back the tears. "Goodbye." she whispered and opened the door.

/End Flashback/

By now, the tears were pouring out of her at an uncontrollable rate. Going over the fight again in her head put her over the edge.

She let out a few loud sobs and cried for another ten minutes, unable to leave her car.

As soon as she calmed down enough she dried her tear soaked face on her sleeve, took a few cleansing breaths and stepped out of the car.

Her nose was stuffy and her throat hurt from crying. She couldn't wait to crawl into bed and be alone.

She got to the steps of her porch and stopped.

A figure was sitting on her porch swing. As she got closer, he stood. Kerri swallowed hard.

"Daniel?"

Soooooooo :-D Whatcha think?