A/N: Aaaaaack. Lemme guess, this chapter looks familiar? That's because I have a few done and I accidentally posted this one early. So go and read the REAL chapter 1 (labelled as Présence) and then reread this. Sorry, sorry, sorry.


Goodnight Demonslayer

Over the next several days, I went out of my way to try and bump into her again. That evening, I alerted the front desk of the hotel that I'd be staying longer than originally planned.

I spent most of my time staking out areas where I thought I might find her. I guess I might seem a bit stalkerish, but I had to see her again. I just had to. I couldn't leave under those circumstances--especially thinking, no, knowing, that her idiot of a husband had killed her spirit.

I was at dinner a few days later when I finally saw her again. It was the place I least expected to come across her, but I suppose fate, or whatever the hell it is, has a funny sense of humour.

I walked awkwardly to the table and then stood there, fidgeting and shifting my weight from foot to foot as I tried to figure out what to say to her and her male companion. She gave me an exasperated look after a moment, and decided to be merciful.

"Tim, this is Sean. He's an old bo--an old high school friend. Sean, this is Tim. My husband."

I shook his hand and to my surprise, he invited me to join them. I know he didn't mean it--I know she didn't want me to be there, either--but I didn't care. I sat down anyway. After all, I'm not known to have perfect manners, am I?

I wanted to hate him. I mean, obviously he was the one who had done this to her, right?

But he wasn't. He was a nice guy. A good guy. The kind of guy that Ellie deserved. Compared to him, I looked like some worthless schlump. He was outgoing and a good talker and he seemed genuinely in love with her--so why did she look so bored with him?

I was trying to cling to my beliefs that this was all just pretend. I wanted to save her still. I wanted to have something to save her some. What else could have turned her into the shadow of herself? He had to be a con.

I stayed through the entire meal, with Ellie shooting dagger glares in my direction, and Tim oblivious to any animosity, or at the very least, polite enough to pretend to be oblivious. That in itself bothered me. Shouldn't he care that I was driving his wife--and I say the word with disgust--absolutely insane? Shouldn't he care that I was bothering her?

Okay, I know I'm grasping, but I didn't know what else to believe.

After buying them both dessert (I figured they deserved it by that point), I asked her again to join me for coffee. There was fire in her eyes but Tim was a trusting guy--he insisted she go. And that's how I ended up with a... meeting set up for the next day. I'd love to call it a date, but I'd be fooling myself.

I didn't want to leave them that night. Well, actually, I didn't want to leave her. I didn't give a shit about him. Our entire dinner had been filled with awkward conversation, forced along mainly by his polite inquiries.

Turns out, Ellie had mentioned my name about two times. He had no idea who I was, and she was content to leave it that way. I was merciful. I didn't mention our relationship. I didn't really want to get her in any trouble, and I didn't want to put her through any more agony.

But I'll be honest--it bugged me that she wouldn't acknowledge me. I bothered me that she didn't care enough to mention that once upon a time, it had been her lips on mine. Once upon a time, she'd jumped into my arms and smiled at me and gave me goosebumps as she ran her fingers across my arms and chest.

But in an instant, my hopes for a reunion were dashed. I was nothing to her, and from the minute I'd left her, I'd ceased to exist.

It turns out that they still play the same old infomercials as they did back when I was in grade 10. So not only was a miserable and sleepless that night, but I was flooded with nostalgia and shadows of the past--shadows of her, and shadows of what I'd done.