Sarah looked at Chuck's face, at the earnestness and sincerity there. He truly believed he loved her. And, she had to admit, he probably did, for any definition of 'love' she could imagine. Did she love him, though? How could she answer?
She couldn't look at him as she answered. "I'm sorry, Chuck. No." She felt the tears running down her face. It would be so easy to love him, but she didn't. Not like he deserved. Not like he could be loved. She wasn't capable of that.
Through blurred eyes, she looked at him. Shock, pain, and infinite sadness etched his face. His smile, the special smile he reserved just for her, couldn't be seen anywhere. It didn't seem likely it would ever be seen again.
He tried to speak but choked on his own words. Drawing a deep, ragged breath, he tried again. "Then go. Leave, please."
"WHAT?!?" She should have expected that, but she didn't. And she simply could not leave him. She had promised to protect him from everything and everyone. That was a promise she intended to keep.
Tears ran down his face as he spoke. "I-I-I c-can't … do this anymore. Every time … EVERY TIME I see you, I just … I want … I can't be near you and not be with you. Can't you understand that? It's driving me crazy." His voice went from normal to yelling to near-whisper. And Sarah hung on every word.
"What if I won't go?"
Suddenly, a pistol appeared between them. Chuck was backing away, keeping his weapon shakingly aimed in Sarah's general direction. "You … you have to! I can't do this any more!" His voice was even wilder than his hair.
"Chuck," Sarah kept her voice very level. "You won't shoot me. Just give me the gun and we'll figure this out."
His eyes opened wide. "You're right. I could never shoot you. But if you won't leave, I have no other choice."
In a moment, he swung the gun around. Before Sarah could react, the trigger pulled and bone, brain, and blood splattered against the wall. Apparently, she couldn't protect him from Sarah Walker, and that was the fatal mistake.
By the time the police arrived, a second lifeless body had joined the first. The official report ironically listed the incident as a lover's quarrel.
Can't say I didn't warn you.