A/N: First of all, I'm alive. And I apologize soo much for not having updated ANYTHING in just about forever. I've been busy, I've been lazy, I've been unmotivated, you know the deal. Thank you guys for still reviewing this story even thoughit hasn't been touched... you have no idea how much it motivated me to update again.

Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait. I can't say for sure when I'll update again, but I guarantee you if I see some nice reviews it will be a LOT sooner then 5 months.

Chapter 6
From the moment Shane pulled her out of the locker room, Stacy knew it had to be for something of dire importance. He wouldn't risk barging into the locker room and receiving curious stares from her peers just to chat.

The walk to his office was completely silent, which did not set her mind at ease. Once inside, Shane darted his head out to the hall, checking to see if anyone was lingering around. When he was satisfied that the coast was clear, he closed the door and turned towards her. His heart shattered almost instantly as she stared at him with painful uncertainty. It was so clear now, the anxiety in her eyes. How had he not seen it before?

Before thinking it through, Shane did the only thing he knew would comfort her. He put his hands on her waist and kissed her hard, not stopping when Stacy threw her arms around his neck in response. Like it always had, the kiss turned hot fast, and suddenly he found his back against the door, her hips nudging his. Just as he was about to cave and let his inhibitions take over, he felt her sigh into his mouth. He gently pushed her away, his forehead wrinkling in a frown.

"Why didn't you tell me you were unhappy?" he asked bluntly.

Stacy's eyes widened just slightly. She turned her back to him and walked over to the couch, sinking into the cushion with another sigh. She remained silent, and Shane's heart fell.

"Stace?" he urged her, his arms crossing in front of him.

"It's not you," she assured him, though her gaze fell to the floor. His arms dropped to his thighs, and Shane shook his head. He strode over to her, sitting by her side. His eyes coaxed her to speak, but she hesitated. "Well, not you specifically. It's just that... well, I... it's just hard, ya know? I feel like... I feel like I'm going nowhere fast."

Shane's brow raised curiously, and he rested back more comfortably in his seat. His eyes still locked on her, he placed his hand on her knee, giving it an encouraging squeeze. When she understood that he was waiting for her to speak, she took a deep breath.

"I just feel like I'm in a rut, Shane. All the lying, the sneaking around, it's exhausting. And for what? For a relationship that's never going to be out in the open? For something that I can't even share with my closest friends?" She spoke quietly, but her voice was sharp with angst. "This is too much for me."

"Stacy, you know how I feel about you," Shane said, his tone calm despite the panic his mind was trapped in. "You know I love you..."

"Maybe that's not enough!" Stacy cried unexpectedly. She jumped up from her seat, surprising Shane as she stormed across the room and stared back at him. "Maybe just knowing isn't enough, Shane. Maybe I can't deal with the fact that no matter how many times you tell me that, nothing will ever change. Our relationship will never go any farther then it already has, and that's not far enough. I can't put up with this for the rest of my life! I can't be second best forever."

"You aren't." He sighed, raking his fingers through his short hair. Guilt pressed down on him like a giant boulder, pinning him to the couch. "You have to understand that you are the most important person in my life. I'm trapped, Stace, and I don't know what to do about it. But I do know that I need this. Stacy, I need you."

Her arms crossed firmly in front of her, and she snorted at him. All of her sadness and anxiety boiled over into unadulterated anger. Her eyes turned icy, and she stared holes in him.

"That is the most asinine thing I have ever heard. Shane, if you think for one second I'm going to buy into this crap forever, you're dead wrong. Stop fucking with my head." The bitterness of her words ripped at Shane's chest. They'd had fights about this before. But never had she raised her voice. Never had she stared at him like that, with cold, unfeeling eyes. "I want to know now, Shane. How long is this going to continue before you grow some balls and own up to it? To us? I want to know, Shane. When are you going to leave her for me?"

Her hands shifted to her hips as she awaited his answer. His eyes drifted away from hers, down her long legs and to the floor, where they settled. A nauseous feeling rose in his stomach.

"If I get divorced now, she'll wipe me dry. I'll have nothing left," he said weakly. And Stacy guessed by his pale color that he knew he should have kept his mouth shut.

"This is about money?" she asked, her words dripping with disgust. She shook her head in disbelief, anger being replaced by a brief moment of sorrow. "You greedy son of a bitch. Can't spare a penny for love, right? You are just like your father, Shane."

"Don't compare me to him," Shane bit back, a hint of frustration in his tone. "It's... it's much more complicated then that, you know that."

Stacy remained silent for what seemed like hours. Shane closed his eyes, trying to control his breaths as he listened to the seconds tick away on his Rolex. When she heaved a shaky sigh, he opened his eyes and looked up at her. The already destroyed pieces of his heart broke again as a stray tear slipped from her eye. He never wanted this to happen.

He rose from the couch, prepared to move toward her. But Stacy threw a hand in the air, stopping him after just one step. She approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Her wide, tear-brimmed doe eyes stabbed at him.

"Well then, I guess I'll make it real simple for you," she spoke, exhausted. "It's over."

She stepped away from him, and Shane grabbed her arm in a final effort to keep her with him. He clung to her arm desperately, pulling her back to him.

"Stacy, please..."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Shane. I can't let you do this to me any longer..."

She pulled away again... and this time, he let her go.