I don't even know what this story is anymore.

—The Rebound—

Andy leaned against the closed door, tears in her eyes as she looked at Milo. He had been doing paper work when she stormed in. It had been seven months since they broke up, six months since he had started seeing Sandra, 17 hours since dinner with his parents had led them to get engaged.

He knew exactly why Andy was here, had been expecting it all day. It had just been a matter of how quickly the news would reach her. All he wanted to do now was stand up and hold her, make everything better until he could see her smile once again. Not once had she smiled at him since their breakup and he missed it, he'd seen her smile at Lu plenty of times though and it hurt every time, a reminder of what had been the downfall of their relationship.

Andy looked at him, wanting to kiss him and talk everything out. She had heard the rumors that he was seeing someone but just figured it was a rebound, there had been no doubt in her mind that they'd eventually get back together. They had made out after the bachelor auction not three months ago and she vaguely remembered him mentioning that he was dating someone; she hadn't bothered to ask any questions. She had just been glad to be near him again, the way they used to be.

''Is this what you want?'' She asked, referring to his engagement. She wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know the answer but she needed to know if there was a chance something could happen between them again. The way he had avoided eye-contact, had his jaw clenched the entire time, it made her scared for the answer.

He picked up a pen from his desk, started playing with it. ''I'm getting married,'' he said.

She gave a nod, ''to the wrong person,'' she told him.

He knew it was true, but after the way Andy had hurt him the last thing he wanted to do was admit she was right. ''Says you.''

It cut like a knife. Communication had never been an issue for them; they could have conversations without a single word being uttered. But she didn't see this answer coming. From the beginning of their relationship it had just felt right, to think that he felt there was someone better for him, it was hard to wrap her brain around it. ''You know I lo-''

''Andy, please don't.'' He stopped her. ''I know.'' He knew this wasn't going to be easy, but she was making it harder than it had to be. For months he had been hoping that she and Lu would stop whatever it was they had been doing, and that she would come back to him. All he wanted was to be able to say 'I love you too'. But not now. He had committed himself to someone else. He wasn't the kind of person who cheated, he had been on the other end of that equation more than once and it had left him heartbroken each time.

Some tears rolled down her face and before he even had time to think about it he was out of his chair and had his arms around her. She quietly pushed him away. Feeling his warm embrace was making this difficult. She wanted him to know that she never meant to hurt him, that she missed him, that she loved him. In that brief moment that he held her it almost all came out, but he had made his feelings clear.

She threw one last glance over at him and then slipped out. All the way from his office to hers she kept her tears inside- it taking enough effort that she had a splitting headache when she finally came back- but let them fall the moment she was inside. Her hands over her mouth trying to keep from making any sound.

She didn't know what she had expected, but that wasn't it. The rejection hurt. She had always assumed they would get back together but now... The thought that he might actually marry someone else, that some other woman would get to have her happy ending with him- it broke her heart.

The office door opened and she quickly wiped away her tears before turning around to see who it was. She should've known who it was.

''Are you okay?'' Lu asked.

''Milo's getting married,'' Andy said. She had seen the unlikely friendship between Lu and Milo blossom; she knew that Lu probably already knew.

''I heard.'' She put her hand on Andy's arm, knowing that the latter woman wanted to keep her distance. Lately there had been some distance growing between the two of them and though she didn't like it, Lu understood why it was happening.

Their whole situation had been strange the past seven months. They slept together, even though she was still with Jonas. There had been more than just a few encounters between them at this point but neither of them actually knew what they were to each other. It was barely even a secret at this point. Sure, it wasn't as if she was discussing it with Jonas, but they both knew what she used their guest room for.

Andy sat down and ran a hand through her hair. ''I really messed up,'' she said. Lu looked at her silently. ''He was one of the best things to ever happen to me, and I messed it all up.''

''He can still change his mind,'' Lu said. It was strange to her how Milo nowadays would talk about private things with her before he would to Andy, but it gave her some insight to how he was feeling.

She had seen the fake smile he plastered on his face when Sandra was around, she had seen the way he had stared at Andy just as she did at him. The amount that he still talked about Andy didn't exactly cry 'I'm over you'.

But their friendship also meant that she knew that once he made up his mind he wasn't quick to change it, and getting engaged sure sounded like he had made up his mind about who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

Andy gave a slight nod. ''He might. But once he marries her it's over.''

''Then just convince him he's making a mistake before he marries her,'' Lu said.

Andy pursed her lips, ''I think the last thing he wants right now is to see me. I don't think he'll ever forgive me for,'' she waved her hands between Lu and herself.

''Who knows.'' Lu sat down across from Andy. ''Even if he does marry her it's not the end of the world.''
''I know.''

''Maybe you'll fall in love with someone else…'' Lu said. Andy looked up at her. ''You've still got your kids, your work, all of us… You know we all love you, right?''
''I know.''

''Especially me.''
''I know.''

''I don't think you do,'' Lu said.
''What do you mean?''
''You know I don't love you just as a-''

''Lu, don't.'' Andy stopped her mid-sentence, not wanting to hear what she had to say. They had been sleeping together on-and-off for over a year now, mostly the past seven months, and she had felt their dynamic change. And she wasn't ready for it. She could live with sleeping with another woman, but she wasn't ready to love one, not like that.

And she knew that if she admitted- even to herself- that that was the way she felt about Lu, there was no coming back from that. She certainly wouldn't get Milo back going down that route. ''I don't love you,'' she said, the sharp words hanging in the air between them, ''not like that.'' It was a lie. She knew that Lu knew that she lied. She knew that Lu knew why she lied. And they both knew exactly what this meant for the two of them.

Lu gave her a small smile. ''I know.'' She took a deep breath and got up, walking over to the door. Andy followed her. It was exactly like it had been a year before. They were closer to each other than they were supposed to be.

Lu was the first one to lean in, as she always seemed to be. Andy wiped a long strand of hair away from Lu's face, tucking it behind her ear, before her hand landed on Lu's cheek. She took Lu's face in her hands and tried to savor the moment best as she could, knowing this would be the last time. Their lips connected.

It was everything she didn't want it to be. It was loving and tender, the kind of kiss you want to make last as long as possible. The kind of kiss it was difficult to pull away from. She didn't want to end it; she didn't want to end things with Lu. She could feel Lu's hand on the back of her neck, holding her close.

Neither of them knew how long it was before they both pulled away at the same time. Andy's hand dropped to her side, Lu grabbed it and squeezed it before finally leaving. Watching that door close Andy had no idea if she had done the right thing.

She had to admit that they were a beautiful couple. And they looked very much in love; or at least Sandra did. Andy could tell one of Milo's fake smiles from miles away, and if this wasn't one of them she could never again be sure she really knew him.

It was some hospital fundraiser. There was a live band playing, lots of alcohol, and the two of them on the dance floor. She was unabashedly watching them, aware of the fact that she had already had way more to drink than she should in front of colleagues.

''May I have this dance?'' Nick asked, holding out his hand to her. She looked up at him; she had been so consumed in her own thoughts that she hadn't even heard him approach. She hesitated for a moment before taking his hand, allowing him to pull her out of the chair and onto the dance floor.

She wasn't much of a dancer and by the looks of it neither was he. It wasn't long before a slower song started and she sighed a sigh of relief, tempted to just leave. Watching the love of her life dance with another woman wasn't exactly how she had planned to spend her Thursday night. Before she could move Nick had pulled her closer.

His hand was on the small of her back, his hot breath on her neck. She froze for a second. Even whilst dancing with him she was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to notice him. Her eyes had been on Milo and Sandra, dancing just a few feet away, their arms around each other and they just looked so goddamn comfortable with each other.

Andy wasn't jealous often but this did it. Her arms were around Nick's shoulders, swaying to the music together, but she couldn't relax.

''Are you okay?'' He asked, his voice close to her ear. It was only when she heard his voice that she was reminded he was there at all. Being so close to him send a shiver down her spine.

She pulled away a bit, gave him a smile before leaning in again. It wasn't half bad. ''I'm okay,'' she said, she wasn't even lying. The hand on her back almost seemed to stroke a bit and out of nowhere she became overly conscious of where her hands were, how she was breathing, how close she was to Nick. A flashback of describing him as ''hotter than a Texas summer'' came up, and she could feel her cheeks becoming red.

Trying to focus on anything else, her eyes scanned the room. Looking over Nick's shoulder she tried to ignore his cologne as she looked at the life band, the other people slow-dancing, and finally she made eye-contact with Milo. Sandra had her head resting on his shoulder, and he was mindlessly looking around until his eyes landed on Andy.

Just seconds before ever fiber of her being had been consumed by every part of her body that was pressed against Nick, but now she was right back to being all-consumed by Milo. Nick's body wasn't too dissimilar to Milo's, and for a second it felt like she was dancing with him. That it was his body she was just a bit too close to. She knew that if it had been just a few seconds longer the tears would've welled up, but the song was ending.

She felt Nick pull away, applauding the band as the singer took a bow, but he kept his arm ever so slightly around her. Milo and Sandra followed suit, turning away from her and Nick. He looked over at her with a smile, ''care to do that again?'' He asked with a wink.

She licked her lips, ''I think I'm just going to go home. Have to start bright and early tomorrow,'' she told him.

He nodded at her, ''I'll walk you to your car.'' He had his hand on the small of her back again, guiding her through the crowd before she could protest.

In silence she watched him put on his coat and get ready to leave, before he followed her to her office and watched her do the same thing. It wasn't long before they were outside. She was stumbling ever so slightly and knew she had had too much to drink to drive. She was stalling, not knowing how to get rid of Nick without getting in her car.

She was already formulating a plan of sleeping in her office- more than glad that Kayla was home with her daughters- where she could sleep the alcohol off and get started with patient files first thing in the morning. They were talking about nothing, neither entirely sure of how to say goodnight. This wasn't a normal part of their friendship, if you could even call their relationship that.

He had seen her down a few drinks and knew she shouldn't drive, but didn't know how to bring it up. He didn't want to do anything that would make her uncomfortable, but he wanted even less for her to crash into a tree.

''Dr. Campbell,'' he stopped her mid-sentence, desperate to stop their disastrous conversation. ''Why don't you just sleep over at my house?'' She looked at him confused, ''we both know I'm not going to let you drive home in this state.''

''I'm fine.''

''You're drunk.''

''Tipsy,'' she argued.

''Call it whatever you want,'' he told her. ''You can sleep on my couch if you want.''

She shook her head at him, ''I don't want to impose.''

''You're not,'' he assured her, ''you can even sleep in my bed.'' She gave him a look, ''I'll sleep on the couch.'' She opened her mouth to argue again, ''I'm not leaving here until you agree.''

She let out a sigh. She was conflicted by the feelings she had had earlier, as well as thoughts about Milo swirling through her mind. ''Fine.''

His car was the most beat-up looking piece of shit she had ever seen, possibly only rivaled by Lu's car. Both cars were at least twenty years old. The door creaked as she closed it. ''The seatbelt is jammed on that side,'' Nick informed her. ''Just pull it.''

They had already left the parking lot before she had fastened her seatbelt. Despite its outward appearance it was fairly neat on the inside. ''Nice car,'' she said. It was just something to make conversation; they both knew she didn't mean it.

''Thanks,'' Nick said, focused on the road. ''I've had it since I was sixteen, invested every cent I made into it for years.'' She nodded at him, unsure of what to say. ''If you want I can also drop you off at Lu's.''

She looked over at him. After some of the jokes he had made about their… relationship, she wasn't sure she really wanted to discuss this with him. ''That's okay,'' she said, ''I don't think it's a good idea to go over there now.''

''Did something happen?'' Despite his teasing he cared.

''She and I aren't… doing what we were doing, anymore.'' The sentence had sounded a lot vaguer in her head.

''I'm sorry?'' He didn't mean for it to come out like a question but he couldn't pretend he wasn't interested.

''It's okay, it couldn't last anyway,'' Andy told him.

He raised an eyebrow at her, ''what do you mean?''

She looked over at him, ''well, you know… Delgado is... who she is who is she is, and I am who I am.''

''So?''

''So,'' she was struggling to find the words, ''she is a woman-''

''That you're in love with,'' he finished the sentence for her. He had seen the way they had looked at each other, and even though he didn't know how they defined themselves as a couple, he had always thought of them as just that. A couple.

''I'm not in love with her,'' she said.

''You're not?''

''No,'' they weren't quite close enough that she truly minded lying to him. ''I mean, she's a woman and-''

Her tone surprised him. ''And that means that you can't be in love with her?'' He asked. He could see her mind racing, ''it's okay if you are, you know.''

She readjusted her seat, too uncomfortable to just sit there. She wasn't ready for this, ''I'm not in love with her,'' she reiterated.

He nodded at her and they were silent for a while. ''So… when did you guys stop… doing, whatever you were doing?'' He asked. They had looked rather close not too long ago.

She narrowed her eyes at him. ''What does it matter?'' She asked. He was always asking rather intimate questions, he probably already knew way too much about her love life.

''I'm just curious about you two,'' he asked. She squinted at him. ''You know, Milo's not so discrete after a glass or two, and neither are the cleaning staff. I've heard some stories…''

Her jaw dropped, ''so what? You want me to tell you what we did in bed?''

He hesitated for a second, ''tell me, show me… whatever tickles your fancy.'' He said, only partly joking. She didn't look too happy. ''I'm kidding. I mean, I wouldn't mind hearing it, but...'' He left it hanging in the air. He pulled into the parking lot in front of his apartment building. He shrugged at her before exiting the car. He walked over to the passenger side, opening the door for her.

She pursed her lips at him, ''such a gentleman,'' she muttered.

''Actually, this door is somewhat jammed as well. Impossible to open from the inside,'' he told her as she got out.

She leaned against the elevator wall as they rode up. ''So why are you so interested in my sex life?'' She asked. He laughed at her, stammered something under his breath, and looked away. She tentatively took a step towards him, put a hand on his chest, he looked back at her. ''You can tell me,'' she said innocently.

In a flash her back was pressed up against the elevator wall, his lips on hers. She could feel him pressing up against her, feeling him against her thigh. At the sound of the ding as the doors opened, he pulled away. Her hand was in his as she followed him through the hallway. She couldn't quite remember how much she had had to drink, but she felt in a daze.

His lips were an open invitation waiting for her as she closed the door behind her, taking in the messy apartment in the split second before her eyes fluttered shut. It was a few minutes before she pushed him away. She was sobering up, the reminder that it had not been even a month since she had last kissed Lu.

With both Milo and Lu she had rushed into something while the previous relationship was just barely- or not even- over. Losing them had hurt. The last thing she wanted to do was rush into yet another person's arms and risk getting burned again. Especially not while drunk.

Nick looked at her confused as her hand on his chest kept him away. ''I should sleep on the couch,'' she said.

He backed away from her. ''Oh,'' he sounded disappointed and she felt bad for leading him on. After a few seconds he nodded, ''I'll get you some blankets, a pillow…''

She nodded. ''Can I take a shower?'' He handed her a towel as well, pointing out the bathroom door to her. She closed her eyes as she leaned against the cold tile, not believing how close she had come to being another notch on his bedpost. She stripped her clothes off, closed the curtain behind her. A cold shower was exactly what she needed.

He had looked at her through the door that had been left ajar. He swallowed hard as more parts of her body became exposed. He didn't know where he had gone wrong but at some moment between the elevators and entering his apartment she had changed her mind.

After all the stories he had heard she had slowly become more than just a colleague to him. When he closed his eyes he could almost see the stories he had heard play out on the black of his closed eyelids. The kissing, the touching, he wished he had been able to see it that night more than a year ago, and tonight as she kissed him the whole thing became just a bit more alive.

Watching the shower curtain close behind her he returned to his bedroom, landing face down on his bed with a groan.