Amy stood outside the door repeatedly raising her fist to knock, only to lower it seconds later unsure if she could go through with it. Looking back at the Corvette she had just returned to the parking lot she considered leaving it there and calling a taxi to pick her up. They would discover the vehicle sooner or later and she wouldn't have to endure what was sure to be a very uncomfortable situation.

It would be so easy to run away…again. But that was the problem. All of her running had cost her the one thing she wanted most yet had never been able to find: true love.

It had been right before her very eyes, but she hadn't seen it. More like, hadn't let herself see it. Sure, she had found Face handsome; it was hard to find a woman who didn't. And there was lots of playful flirting between the two of them along with some sexual tension. But it wasn't until that day on the beach that she felt something deeper…deeper than she had ever felt before for another man.

Face had been right; they had made love under the pier. And to say it was special…well that was an understatement. It was extraordinary; that is what scared her so badly.

That feeling of completeness…of absolute bliss…of being one with somebody. It couldn't be real. And if it was real, it couldn't last. Nothing that good could last, and she didn't trust herself to deal with the hurt of losing it…of losing Face.

But by leaving so suddenly that is exactly what she had done…she lost Face.

And by coming back the way she did, she not only caused him to be injured physically, she abandoned him yet again. Face saved her life and what had she done for him in return? Stole his car and wrote a newspaper article detailing her relationship with Gianni and taking full credit for his incarceration.

Amy knew the team never did anything for the accolades or attention; that was the last thing they wanted. And in the past they would have insisted that she leave them out of the story and write as she had done. But this time was different. This time it was too personal and the story should never have been written…or at least the version that was published.

Amy lifted her fist once more; she couldn't take back what she had done, but she could at least own up to it and give them all some closure.

Closure? Was there even such a thing when broken hearts were involved?

Taking a deep breath she proceeded to knock.

Hannibal was sitting on the couch reading a magazine when he heard a knock on the door. He looked over at Murdock and B.A., neither of which made a move to get up.

"You the closest, man," B.A. pointed out.

"B.A.," Murdock scolded with a wink, "have a little respect for your elders."

Hannibal hurled a pillow in their direction before rising to answer the door.

The already present butterflies in Amy's stomach picked up their pace as the door opened and she stood facing Hannibal.

"Ms. Allen," he said dryly.

'Ms. Allen…not Amy.' She swallowed hard. "Hannibal."

"Can't say I'm surprised…nothing about you surprises me anymore."

"I…um…brought back Face's car." Amy's voice sounded foreign in her own ears; a few octaves too high and strained. She held out the car keys in front of her trying to keep her hand from shaking.

Hannibal wordlessly accepted the keys, his hard blue eyes staring intently at her and seemingly through her.

After an uncomfortable silence he asked, "why'd you come here…I mean, why are you really here?"

Amy felt like a little kid who had been sent to the principal's office. "To…um…return the 'Vette…and um…to apologize." Hannibal said nothing and she could feel her palms begin to sweat. "Can I…can I come in…sir?"

'Sir?' Hannibal thought. 'The kid really must be nervous.' He moved away from the door allowing her entrance.

"Murdock. B.A.," Amy greeted the pair that remained perched on the couch wearing almost identical scowls. Coming from B.A. it was expected, but from Murdock it was unnerving.

B.A. twisted his rings on his fingers as he said, "Looks like you got that front page story you was after."

"Hope it was worth it," Murdock added grimly.

"No…no it wasn't," Amy admitted in a soft voice looking down at her feet. "And if I could take it all back I would."

"But…you can't," Hannibal retorted.

"I know…"

The colonel cut her off. "No…I don't think you really do, Ms. Allen. We let you into our circle…something we don't take very lightly. You became one of us; part of our team. But you hurt a member of our team…hurt him badly and more than once."

Amy nodded close to tears. "I'm so very sorry. I never wanted him to get hurt…for any of you to be hurt. How…how is Face?"

Hannibal shrugged. "He's coming along, but he's certainly been better."

"Where is he?"

Murdock pointed toward the bedroom. "Taking a nap. He just got back from physical therapy session and they take a lot out of him."

"Faceman nearly busted his hip savin' your hyde."

"Can I see him…I mean when he wakes up?"

Hannibal shook his head and was about to say 'no' when coming from the direction that Murdock had just pointed to Face's voice said, "He's awake…and he can answer for himself."

She heard him before she saw him. But her breath caught and her heart sped up as he slowly walked into the room leaning heavily on a cane. Pain was etched in his fine features and he was breathing hard as he stopped right in front of her. "Amy," he said simply and she crumpled. The tears fell and her shoulders shook.

"Oh, Face," she cried.

Face's stomach lurched at the sight; this was going to be one of the hardest things he ever had to do. He held out his free hand toward the brunette and said, "C'mon, we need to talk." He turned to his teammates and added, "alone."

Amy took his hand and they made the trip back to his room. Once inside he slowly lowered himself onto the bed and took some deep breaths trying to bring the pain down as well as steel himself for what was about to come.

Amy felt a pang of guilt as she took in the pasty pallor of the man before her. "Are you okay?"

Face held up a hand indicating he needed a moment and just continued to breathe. Finally when he trusted himself to speak he gave a crooked grin and said, "I'm okay...it only hurts when I try to do something stupid…like walk." Amy's face fell. "Hey...relax...it was just a joke."

"How can you find any of this funny? Look what I did to you."

"You didn't do this...Morandi did."

"But only because I came to you for help." Amy buried her face into her hands.

"I'm glad you came to me for help. I'm not sorry about what happened to me a month ago...I'd do anything to protect you. What I am sorry about is what happened to us two years ago."

"That was my fault too."

"Amy...look at me."

Amy lowered her hands and wiped at her cheeks before meeting his eyes.

"Placing blame isn't going to get us anywhere. The past is in the past, and the only way I'm ever truly going to heal is for us to part ways and move on."

"Move on?" Amy's heart sank.

Face nodded. "Yeah. It's for the best. I loved you and you threw me away and then used me to get a story."

Amy's heart dropped lower. 'Loved...past tensed,' she thought.

Face continued, "I've been hurt too many times in my life and you of all people should know that. I can't take it anymore."

"I just want you to know that I loved you too."

"You certainly had an interesting way of showing it." There was no bitterness in the statement, just sadness.

"I felt I had to finish what I started with Morandi before coming back again. I still do love you, Templeton."

Face felt his resistance wavering; if he was really honest with himself he felt the same way. "Please, Amy...don't call me that. What's done is done. I wish you nothing but the best in life...but that life won't be including me."

The tears began to flow again. "I understand. You deserve better than how I've treated you." Amy reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope. "Before I go, I want to give you this. This is the story that should have been published." She tossed it onto the bed beside him. "Maybe someday you can read it."

"Maybe…someday." Face stood with gritted teeth and reached for his cane. Not wanting Amy to have to go against his overprotective friends in the other room he said. "I'll see you out."

Once more Face limped out toward the living room, but this time not only did his hip hurt, so did his heart.

The rest of the team stood up; as much as to say their final goodbyes to Amy as in support of Face who looked as if he about ready to drop. Leaning on the cane his arm was shaking fiercely and droplets of sweat were starting to form on his forehead. But he kept his face a picture of calm; the epitome of the Faceman.

Face stopped when he was even with the team, but Amy kept walking until she reached the door. Turning she looked at each of them individually.

"Hannibal...Murdock...B.A." She was happy to see the hostility she was met with upon arrival had disappeared and was replaced with genuine care. It was bittersweet and almost too much for her to bear. She paused and closed her eyes briefly before saying, "Face."

"I'll always treasure the memories. Take care of yourselves." She opened the door took one last look. "Goodbye."

She was gone…and this time for good. The realization hit Face like a ton of bricks and all the strength he had been trying to portray drained from his body leaving him dizzy and weak.

Hannibal saw Face start to sway and quickly reached out to steady him. "Face?"

Face teetered for a few moments as the room began to swirl around him. He felt himself falling and waited for the impact of the hard floor. Instead, however, he was caught by Hannibal and lowered slowly down onto the ground.

"I gotcha, kid," Hannibal soothed. "Just take it easy."

The last thing he remembered were his friends by his side as his world faded to black.

TBC…one part to go!