The night sky full of stars and planets lay over Meg on the back of Chris' motorcycle. She couldn't believe what she was doing.

"Chris," she whispered. He didn't seem to notice. She'd made the wrong decision, she knew she had. "Chris," she said a bit louder. "Can you pull over?"

They pulled over in the grass, three hours out of Philadelphia. She got off the motorcycle and sat in the grass. Before she knew what she was doing she started sobbing uncontrollably. Chris sat by her stroking her hair.

Meg pulled herself together.

"Chris," she said a bit hesitantly. "I love you more than I have loved any other guy. But…"

"There's always a but," Chris mumbled under his breath.

"Chris, no. Don't say that. I love you, there is no but about that."

"I didn't make you come Meg."

"I know that Chris, I know that! But I made a mistake. I can't leave with you! I have a family home. My nephew won't remember me; my sister needs me. And JJ just got back; I can't leave him. I love you, but I can't leave all these people for just one person, no matter how strong our bond is. I have friends; I have a future back in Philadelphia. There's no way I can live in hiding for the rest of my life. I'm sorry Chris. You don't know how much this hurts; I think I just felt my heart break in two. I wish it wasn't like this."

Meg started sobbing again. No one could understand how she felt right then. She took a deep breath.

"Say something Chris, please don't hate me."

"I could never hate you Meg, I hate this situation. I hate that you have to choose, and that I was drafted. But most of all I hate that I have to leave you." He leaned in and kissed her.

"There was a bus stop a little while back, could you take me there?"

They drove to the bus stop in silence, hanging on to every last moment they had together. Meg and Chris sat down on the bench next to the stop. Meg heard the faint sound of a bus and she burst.

"I'm sorry I have to leave Chris. But I will never regret my decision now or our time together. We weren't meant to be or there would be a way. Good-bye Chris." She went into hug him.

"I'll call Meg, I can't accept not being without you. Give it time, fate will find a way."

Meg nodded, waved, and boarded the bus. She sat next to a window, as the bus drove away, she couldn't take her eyes off of Chris.

She snuggled into her bus seat, preparing for a long ride home. She couldn't hold back the tears anymore; she sobbed silently, until all that was left were sniffles.

The bus stopped at the same stop she had said good-bye to Roxanne at just a few hours before. Meg reached to her neck, and fingered the gold locket Roxanne had given her as a token of their love. She had made the right choice, coming home. She wouldn't have been able to survive without her family and friends. But she couldn't go home yet.

Meg headed to a local diner for a snack. She wasn't ready to talk to anyone right now, maybe that morning. Though come to think of it, she mused, it is morning. The clock above all the coffee makers told her it was in fact six that morning. Meg took over a booth with some hot chocolate and toast, reading the newspaper until it seemed a decent hour, and the waitress had seemed to become very annoyed.

Meg made her way to the Vinyl Crocodile. The bell rang as she entered, her eyes locked with Luke's at the counter. He smiled at her.

"I knew, or hoped you wouldn't have the guts to leave. Roxanne would've died," he told her.

"Um, where is Roxanne?"

"She's over there," Luke pointed. "In her new 'salon.'"

"Thanks," Meg said making her way over to the room. She saw Roxanne sitting in a chair, teary-eyed staring into nowhere.

Meg knocked. "Uh, excuse me, Miss," she said in a fake deep voice. "Would you be Roxanne Bojarski? I was looking to get my hair trimmed."

"Um, yes, one moment please," Roxanne answered. Through the window, Meg could see Roxanne wiping tears from her eyes. A wave of guilt swept over Meg. How could she have even thought of leaving all these people? The people who had really loved her forever. She felt so selfish; she hated herself right then.

When Roxanne opened the door, her face lit up, and she screamed throwing herself on Meg.

"You were right Roxanne, I didn't have to leave. I'm so sorry, I was being selfish and bratty, and not thinking of anyone else. Will you forgive me?"

Roxanne nodded, but didn't say anything; she was so full of tears. The two hugged and cried.

"Come here, look what Luke got me!" Roxanne said, pulling Meg into her salon. "Sit in it, it's a real hair cutting chair!"

Meg and Roxanne spent an hour talking before Meg decided she needed to head home.

They hugged one more time.

"Best friends forever?" Meg said to Rox.

"Best friends forever, and no more running away with guys!" Roxanne confirmed.

"Deal!"

Meg's heart ached thinking about Chris, but she knew she'd made the right choice.

Heading out the door of the Vinyl Crocodile, Meg ran into Sam. So overwhelmed, Meg threw her arms around him. "It so good to see you!" she squealed.

Sam, smiling but puzzled, responded, "Yeah you too. Hey are you okay?" he asked noticing her tears.

"I'm fine," Meg said. "I think. I have to run now, but can we meet up sometime?"

"Sure," Sam said.

"Great," Meg said, and as a slave to the happiness that had taken over her body, kissed

him on the cheek.

Sam seemed a bit embarrassed at first, but Meg hurried towards her house before she could notice.

As Meg came to her street she began to get a bit worried. Her dad had been so mad when he found out she was leaving, could he forgive her?

Meg took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Meg?" her father answered.

"I'm so sorry, I made a mistake…"

"Damn right you did!"

"But I realized I love you guys more than anything. I could never give you up. I'm sorry a thousand times! Can I come home?"

Before Mr. Pryor could respond, a voice came from behind them.

"What about Chris?" Patty inquired.

"I'm trying not to think about that right now," Meg answered.

Will ran from the kitchen, "Patty! Can I have the TV now?"

"Will, those cookies were to stay in the kitchen! Come back here," Meg heard her

Mother's shrill voices say.

"Meg's home!" Will shouted, hugging Meg.

"Meg?" her mother asked, not believing it. As she came out to the antechamber, her

eyes filled with tears.

"Can I come home?" Meg asked cautiously. "Please?"

"You can always come home, Meg."

Meg hugged her Dad and ran into the house to see everybody. How did she ever think she could leave this? The tears started flowing down her cheeks again, thinking about what she gave up, but her heart smiled thinking of what she still had.