A/N: Here's another chapter, it took me 3 songs to figure out which one to use. I hope you guys like it. And as always please R&R! Thanks!

Briseis ran though the tunnel with Paris behind her. She was a person possessed. She made it outside and looked into the night sky. It was so peaceful and serene. She followed the river towards the mountains and there she saw the other Trojans that had fled. And her legs gave way and she collapsed onto the ground quietly.

Paris looked around for his beloved Helen who greeted him with open arms. Briseis could only look away as it pained her to know that she would never possess that kind of love again.

Adromache with her baby son in her arms walked up to Briseis and knelt down.

"What is wrong?" she asked

Briseis said nothing and cried.

Paris looked back at his cousin crying. He wanted to ask her what he had saw in Troy. He wanted to ask her about the exchange he saw between her and Achilles. In his mind he already knew, but he didn't want to believe it. Instead he wanted confirmation or rather a denial of it.

The group quickly made their way up the passage up the mountains. They would have to stay there a bit until the Greeks had left. It was nearly dawn, when Briseis saw the remains of her city burn. Nearly dawn, only a few hours after her lover was killed. She had begged Paris to stop, but he didn't, and so he killed him, just as he had killed Hector. Achilles was right, it never ends.

And by dawn Briseis looked out and saw the smoke emerge from her city once more. Except this time she knew it was Achilles funeral pyre. She wiped the tears from her eyes again as she pressed on, but the pain in her heart would now allow her to. She stopped and leaned up against the rocky side of the mountain.

Achilles had returned to Troy for her, and had died because she was unable to stop Paris. He died trying to get her out of Troy. He had died because of her. She felt numb and empty again, much like the time when Achilles returned to the tent confirming that he had killed Hector. She remember asking him if it would ever end, and he answered her truthfully, that it never ends. She had walked out to the beach and watched the waves roll by. And in that moment she felt nothing anymore. She was dead to the world. As she was dead to the world now. In her heart she did not know if she forgave Achilles, just that she loved him too much. And that enabled her to feel again.

Apollo's chariot began it's journey across the sky. Apollo the god she formerly served looked upon her no more. She remembered the last kiss on her lips he gave her before she fled the city. Gentle lips that kissed hers. Lips that would never kiss hers again. Would that be her penance for betraying Apollo? Never to love again?

"Briseis" Paris called out to her

"I am coming, give me a moment" Briseis said

"Cousin, I must ask"

"You already know the answer Paris, do not make me say it"

"Why then?"

"You wouldn't understand"

"You are my cousin, make me understand"

"No. You spared me no kindness in Troy, and I will not grant you this now. Not ever!" Briseis said as she walked away

Helen walked up to Paris.

"Something wrong?" Helen asked

"Briseis, she's been acting strange since we left the city. I suspect-"

"No Paris, you already know, why do you force her to say it. Her heart's broken, can't you see?" Helen said as she already knew the truth, as she had heard Briseis crying since she returned to Troy. As a woman she knew that Briseis loved Achilles.

"I know, but I don't know why"

"Why did we fall in love? It just happens. Why do you make her explain it? Why do you torture her so?"

"I killed Achilles in the city. I thought it would bring me peace, but Briseis, she begged me to stop, and then he and her, the-"

"Paris, give her some peace, please"

Briseis walked further up and saw the sun rise over the horizon. It was one of the few times she had seen the sunrise. She looked at the burnt city of Troy. She saw the smoke from his pyre and hoped that he had found peace in the afterlife.

Briseis closed her eyes and thought of him, the few memories she had of him that she clung onto. He was the first man that she had loved. And it would seem the last. Though it seemed her love was not enough to save him. She still remembered the blood, there was so much blood. But it didn't matter, as it was over. Achilles was dead and she was alive, still loving him still. She was weak and she knew it. She would never be as strong as Achilles was. She would never find someone like him.

if i speak my mind, will you hear me?
if i reach to you, will you feel me?
if i kissed you, would you love me?
one less moment to break your heart
one less love to tear apart

And like a traitor, she whispered out her lover's name.

"Achilles"

"What?" Paris asked stunned

"Do you always sneak up on people like that?" Briseis spun around quickly

"Briseis, why do you speak his name?"

"You know why"

"No I don't"

"It's the same reason why you took Helen and brought her to Troy"

"I love Helen"

"And you let our city burn for it"

"You cannot say you loved him. He killed Hector. Hector, my brother, your cousin"

"Don't you think I know that! Don't you know how my heart breaks each time I think about it? How about Hector? And about our city and my beloved uncle? And how I watched you kill him!"

"Briseis-"

"No! Speak of this again and we are not cousins. Leave me!" Briseis cried out

Paris sighed and walked away, he got his confirmation. Briseis was in love with Achilles. Or so she thought. He shook the image out of his mind and went to join the others.

Briseis crumpled down onto the ground. She cried again. She hurt. She couldn't make the pain go away. She couldn't make anything go away. It was her torturous existence the fact that she lived and he didn't that made it sting more. The fact that Paris had Helen. The fact that she would be alone, with no one to love, or anyone to love her. To make her feel safe, to feel protected, and alive.

don't want to be your lover
don't want to be your friend
the spell we've surrendered
so just let me pretend

All she had left were her memories of him, the few memories she had she clung onto desperately. She would not let him go. She could not let him go. He was everything in her world. She had forsaken everything for him, everything. And now her world no longer existed.

you don't exist
our connection is fixed
one more arrow to pierce your soul
one more chance to let go

She watched him die, she watched him bravely face death. She watched him on his knees die. She would have stayed with him and gladly gone with him, but he commanded her to go. He had sent her away again. Except this time he would not come for her again. He could not save her from whatever else was out there. She was alone.

in the mountain song, sing the echoes
in the long meadows, chasin' shadows
in the endless night you whisper endless praise
swear to god that you won't change

Briseis stood up and walked towards the edge of the cliff. She looked out before her. She touched the shell necklace she wore and gave up. She walked closer and closer. Never looking down only across at the smoke from the city. The same city she loved and grew up in, the same city that he died in.

don't want to be your lover
don't want to be your friend
faith takes me over
so just let me pretend

"Will you be on the other side, will you forget me? Will you still love me?"

Briseis reached out towards the horizon and felt nothing. Her body became numb, perhaps from fear, or from the certainty of knowing what she was doing. She heard Paris call out to her. She heard another voice call out to her as well. A familiar soothing voice, a voice that she longed for again. He was calling out to her.

"Briseis…" Achilles called out

you're not real
visions surreal
spirit channels

"Achilles" she said one last time. Paris ran towards her but could not stop her. She took her final step. He watched her fall and called out to her but it was in vain. She was gone. Briseis felt the breeze catch her almost and cradle her body. She heard the wind carry Achilles voice. His voice calling out to her. She looked up towards the heavens and reached up towards it. Achilles said in her mind. There was a snap and then darkness.

if i fall in love, will you forgive me?
if i lose my way, will you choose me?
if i change my mind, will you change me?

The name of the song is One Less Moment by the Smashing Pumpkins. They played it live one time, and only a live recording of it exists. It's a beautiful song really. One more chapter left. Please R&R! Thank you!