A/N: A lot of angst in this chapter, but a large amount of people like that anyways. I know Mio and Ritsu are a bit out of character, but everyone acts different when they're with the ones they love. And thanks for the reviews! I read them every time I hit a slump and the most recent one is what gave me the inspiration to finally get something out. Thank you for your continued support. And thank you to my advisor/beta BunnyNuggetz. Check her Deviantart. It's posted on my homepage. Her work is fabulous. Years of practice goes a long way. I may even get her to draw a scene from this story. Depends if I get enough feedback. So please review and look forward to the next and final chapter (which contains the M-rated content). Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own K-ON!

"If you don't want me anymore then maybe it's best we separate."

I let go of the door as if it were on fire and I staggered backwards in shock, trying to register what she said. I watched as Ritsu slowly made her way out of the closet. She avoided my gaze as she walked toward the window. I tried to find my voice as I tentatively approached her.

"Ritsu…" my voice cracked. I could feel the tears starting to fill my eyes but I held them back. "You…you can't be serious…right? You didn't mean it, right?"

"And what if I did?" I winced at the tone of her voice. "These days, I can't tell if you really love me the way I do you. Because lately… "

I saw tears start to form around her eyes as she tried to gather her next choice of words. I could have said something, and I wanted to, but I didn't know what to say. So I stayed silent and just looked at the floor. I jumped when she slammed her fist against the wall, and nearly fainted when I saw a trickle of blood go down her hand as she looked at it before giving a frustrated sigh. She looked at me and her eyes softened a bit with worry before she hastily wrapped her hand with a nearby tissue.

"My Mio. Always paling when there's blood involved…" I heard her snicker softly. I opened my mouth to spew out a retort but the sudden stern look on her face told me to remain quiet. I heard her let out a hiss of breath before she started talking again.

"You know…I've always done my best Mio. Perhaps you don't see it that way, but I really have. I know I joke around a lot and but that's who I am. I act like I have no worries but I do. Just like you. And I know what you worry about Mio. And I've tried my best to ease them, to help out both of us. But my heart is sick and tired of it, Mio. I'm tired of playing guessing games with you. We can't go on like this. You tell me that everything is okay, but I know it's not. I don't want to keep acting like we're friends pretending we're married. If that's all I wanted, I would have never told you how I truly felt and I wouldn't be here now, talking to you like this. But I did Mio. And you accepted me. You're the only one who loves me as I am. You always have."

The whole time she talked to me, Ritsu had made no attempt to move towards me. Suddenly she grabbed me and pushed me up against the wall and held my arms so I could not run away. Even though it hurt, I didn't let a sound come from me and instead stared at her angrily. I attempted to speak but the disturbing look on her face as she dug her fingers deeper into my arms frightened me more so than the blood that I noticed was starting to seep through her handkerchief. And it pained me to realize that for the first time in my life, I was afraid of Ritsu. And I knew it was my fault that she was acting this way.

"No. Maybe I should say 'loved? Because everything tells me that right now you don't love me anymore. Or rather, you never loved me the way I did you."

I thought I could hear both our hearts beating as she paused and slowly released her hold on me. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding and slid to the floor as I wrapped my arms around myself and silently cried, not fully comprehending what just happened. Ritsu turned away from me and went back to the window.

"Tell me, Mio. Did you feel sorry for me when I proposed to you? That you only said yes because you thought that's what a best friend would do? Tell me that you never really…loved me the way I do you. I've told you every day and more how much I love you, Mio, but I guess it was just selfish on my part to push my feelings onto you. But I can't deny how I feel. I will always love you and only you. I know you love me as a friend but that kind of love isn't enough for me anymore. We can't just be friends anymore. I don't want to just be friends."

This was all too much for me. In all the time we had spent together growing up, never had I heard her talk to me like that. So vulnerable. So direct. So mature. And here I was, speechless for once. She was right in all aspects except for one thing. Yes, I had taken advantage of her love without knowing it. Or rather, I tried to ignore the fact that I did, thinking that we were more close friends, but not quite lovers and she was okay with that. And I knew that she tried her best to not cross the emotional and physical barriers I built up after we were married. And I am grateful for that.

But she was wrong about me not loving her the same way. I was just too afraid to admit to it. Always worrying about what others thought. And time and time again Ritsu showed me that other people didn't matter. What mattered was how I felt.

I shakily made my way up to stand and mustered up as much courage as I could. I walked to her side and grabbed the hem of her shirt. She avoided looking at me and focused on the lights below the window. When she didn't push me away, I let out a faltering breathe of relief. I reached out toward her face and gently made her look at me. Her eyes flickered from the lights and with them the emotions and questions I knew were running through her mind. I wanted to do everything I could right then and there to prove that I loved her and how sorry I was that I was never as honest with her as she had been all this time. But before I could do anything, Ritsu spoke once more.

"I'm tired, Mio. I'm tired of everything. It hurts. I don't know what to do anymore. I just…I love you so much Mio. I don't know what else I can do to prove it to you. I know you're scared and so am I. But if you can't love me the way I thought you did, it'd be better we end this, before you get hurt too."

Even though it hurts her, she's still putting me first?

I realized at that moment that I could not run away from my insecurities or my own desires any longer. It was time to be honest with myself and with her, as she had always done. With shaking hands, I tenderly cupped her face in my hands and kissed her as soft as I could. When we parted, I could feel tears falling down my face but made no attempt to wipe them.

"My love has always and will always belong to you. I love you, Ritsu."

I wrapped my arms around her neck and closed my eyes, trying to calm myself as I breathed in her scent. Her arms wrapped around me as I felt my feet leave the floor as she gently laid me down on the bed. When I opened my eyes, I looked into hers as she silently asked me a question I knew she had held off asking since the day we were wed, perhaps even before then. Ritsu looked at me with such love and desire that I found myself crying again. Ritsu laughed softly and tenderly parted the hair on my face before giving me a chaste kiss.