The lyrics are from Paramore's "Decode."

The knock startled David from his light daze on the couch. The complex was not filled with the friendliest of neighbors. Which had been the key selling point in picking this place. The less people to pay attention to his and Samantha's comings and goings, the better. The fewer questions, the fewer lies they had to come up. The fewer people who noticed them, the fewer people who could point them out to their prey. Sure the neighbors looked nice enough, but David had been around long enough to realize evil resided in many locations, from the gutters of Courtland Street to the penthouses of Harborview Towers. Trust no one. It was one of the first things he and Samantha had agreed on.

He grabbed at his service revolver that he had laid down on the coffee table. Sliding the safety back, he held it behind his back lightly. No point in going to the door like a crazed mob bodyguard if it was no more than a lost Girl Scout selling cookies, David reasoned. Opening the door a slight crack, he stared, puzzled over the strange slip of a redhead that stood before him. She couldn't be more than ninety five pounds soaking wet and didn't look a day over eighteen. While she didn't look like the crowd they had been studying in Vermin's clubs, it was possible the light of day disguised how far she had fallen. David opened the door slightly wider, but kept his gun close to his back.

"Can I help you?"

"I hope so." She all but giggled at the sight of him. "My name is Jenny. Jenny Patterson. I just moved into 16A down the hall and my dog seems to have gotten lost. Have you seen her?"

"No. Sorry. Hope you find her."

"Are you sure? Annabelle Lee means the world to me. She was a gift from my granddaddy before he died."

"I'm sure. I haven't seen any dogs wandering around here." David assured her and he moved to close the door once more.

"Can I just give you her description? That way if you happen to see her, you can let me know?" She asked hopefully, her green eyes flashing.

"She's a French Bulldog. White coat. Black eyes. She's a little overweight but don't tell her that. She's a little sensitive about it." Jenny laughed. "You are really just too sweet. I just moved in a few days ago, but you are the nicest neighbor I've met so far."

Clearly his neighbors had better sense than to open the door for her, David mused. "Well welcome to the building. It's a little quiet," he stressed the word, hoping she would get the point that he valued privacy, "but it works."

"Oh totally. That's why I picked this building. It's so quiet I can study and not be interrupted. Not like the dorm you know?" She giggled even though he remained silent. Jenny offered up what he was sure she had found to be her best smile. "Let me just leave you my number in case you do see Annabelle Lee."

"You know I know where you live. I don't need..." David started to protest before she cut him off.

"Nonsense. I might be out and then where would we be?" Jenny moved closer and took his hand in hers. "Have a pen?"

"And here I thought you were allergic to Girl Scout cookies." Sam interrupted, coming from around the corner at a languid pace.

"I am." David pulled his hand away quickly. "This is Jenny. She moved in down the hall and lost her dog."

"Isn't that too bad. I had a dog once. Dumbest thing ever. He came to 'Here kitty, kitty,' but I loved him." Sam threw in her two cents before disappearing into the apartment. "I hope you find it."

"Thanks." Jenny called out after her disappearing figure.

"Yeah good luck with that search." David said hurriedly as he managed to get the door shut. Leaning against it, he feigned wiping sweat off his brow. "You have wonderful timing."

"Do I?" Sam asked flatly, sorting through the mail.

"You saved me you know. I might just be in your debt Samantha."

"Hmm." Sam answered begrudgingly.

"Samantha?"

"Yes David?" She didn't look up.

"What's going on? You've never been this disinterested in having me in your debt."

"I figured you'd have to pencil me in."

"Pencil you in?" David shook his head in disbelief. "You think I'd actually be interested in that nothing?"

"I only know what I saw."

"What? Me trying to get rid of her?"

"It's not a big deal. It's not like..."

"Not like what?"

"It's not like we're serious."

"We're not?" David moved toward her and grabbed the mail out of her hands. "Since when did we decide this?"

"It's better that we're not." Sam countered, reaching for the mail.

"It's better that we're not?" David parroted holding the mail just out of her reach. "Was I there when we talked about this?"

"I've learned that less is more when it comes to our discussions."

"Will you stop talking in riddles and start talking sense?"

"How should I know if we're serious or not?" Sam challenged.

"Do you see me seeing anyone else? Living with anyone else?"

"Well how much sense would that make? We're partners. We have to live in close quarters." Sam reasoned stubbornly.

"So we are back to just partners now?" David scratched his head in confusion.

"I assumed that's what you wanted."

"When? When have I ever implied that was what I wanted?"

Sam didn't say anything for a long time. She was noticeably angry and she didn't like it: she didn't like being out of control. They were facing each other like adversaries in a ring. And that's how she felt. Defensive.

David took half a step toward her. "I have been clear about what I've wanted with you from the beginning. It seems to me you've changed your mind, again, and I want to know why."

"Because I told you...I told you I loved you and you didn't say anything." Sam turned her face away from him.

David reeled back as if she had sucker punched him. She hadn't mentioned those three terrifying words since she had uttered them. He had always assumed, hoped, and prayed they were nothing more than the reaction to the extreme emotions of the day. When she had almost immediately moved to pretend she hadn't said a thing, David had assumed she had reconsidered her declaration and didn't want to make a big deal about it. Clearly, thinking like this was why he had such a hideous track record when it came to women.

"Samantha...I...I didn't..."

"That's right: you didn't. And you don't." Sam finished for him.

"That's not what I said."

"Now who's talking in riddles?" She still couldn't look at him. It was too hard. She didn't want to see the confirmation in his eyes.

"Samantha...that day...I just thought…I thought you didn't mean it."

"What?"

"You were all emotional. It was the anniversary of Vincent's death." He struggled to explain. "People say all sorts of things they don't mean when they are in extreme emotional situations."

"Not me."

"And how would I know that?" David challenged her. "Every decision you've ever made regarding us has been the result of one emotional roller coaster after another."

"I'm not expecting you to say it back okay? But it's kind of a double standard for you to expect me to feel on steady ground with our relationship when you're not being clear."

"I'm not being clear?" He sputtered indignantly. "Samantha I spend most of the time stumbling in the dark wondering what you'll decide we are today."

"Well that's what happens when you're part of a one-sided relationship. Things get tricky."

"I hate to tell you this Gorgeous, but we have always been more than tricky." He reached out and rested his hands on her shoulders. "I've always preferred to think of us as dangerous."

Sam shrunk away. "Please don't touch me."

"Just tell me what to do here Samantha. Give me some kind of clue." It had obviously been too long since his last attempt at a relationship David decided. He had no idea how to go from here, no map to consult.

"Don't worry about it. I'm a big girl. I'm going to bed." Sam dismissed him.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't want you to say it because you think I want to hear it." Sam told him. "And I'm fine with what we have now. There's no reason to change it because of one awful day and what was probably just an emotional outburst like you thought."

"Are you? Are you fine with this? With what we are?"

"Sure. Are you?"

"I wouldn't trade us for anything."

"Neither would I." Sam agreed. And that would just have to be enough for now, she silently added.

*****

"I can't believe you're not coming with me." Steven frowned unhappily, throwing his single carry-on over his shoulder. The rest of his luggage was already being loaded onto the plane.

"We've been over this. You have to go and the program doesn't start yet." Georgie placed her hand on his chest, struggling to keep her voice calm. She hated lying to him, but it was for his own good. Steven would never get on that plane if he knew the truth. "I'll be there before you know it."

"Are you sure? I miss you already." Steven admitted, brushing her hair off of her neck to place a kiss there.

"I promise. I miss you too." Georgie felt her eyes close involuntarily and let out a sigh. Whose brilliant idea was this anyway? Wasn't the entire concept of a career completely overrated anyways?

"Why are you crying?" Steven could tell he had caught her by surprise.

"I...I'm just going to miss you that's all." Georgie breathed out.

"Tell me to stay." Steven begged her shamelessly. "I will. I'll stay."

"You have to go. This could be it for you. The big break you've been waiting for. You have to go."

"Then you've got to stop crying. I can't leave you like this."

Georgie furiously wiped at the tears on her cheek. Smiling up at him, she tried to keep the remaining tears back by pressing her thumb into her palm. "See? All better."

"Georgie, come with me. I know it's selfish to ask, but I want you with me."

"I want to be with you too." She promised him. God did she want to be with him. Something she had failed to convince the Dean of Foreign Studies of apparently. He had just met her pleas to overturn her rejection from the school's Australia program with an indifferent shrug. She had to keep trying. There had to be someone she could appeal to. There was always the option of taking a leave of absence from school, but Steven would rather quit the project than force her to do that. "I'll get there. I swear I will be there."

"How am I supposed to leave you, huh?" Steven demanded, holding her face in his hands. "Can you tell me that? How? Tell me Georgie."

"Because we know this is the right thing to do. And you know that Steven. You know you have to go."

"It doesn't feel like the right thing. How can it be the right thing when it hurts so much?"

"If you don't do this you are going to regret it. And it's not forever. I'll be there in a few weeks." Surely that would be all it would take. Surely there was some sympathetic ear somewhere she could bend. It might not even take that long.

A bored voice came over the intercom to explain that his plane was boarding. "I love you." Steven whispered, tenderly stroking her face.

"I love you too. So much."

"A few weeks?" He repeated hopefully.

"A few weeks."

He didn't like it, but what choice did he have? She was right: he had to do this. He couldn't expect to support them if he didn't go. He tugged her to him and kissed her, firmly but carefully holding her in his arms. His eyes shut the instant their lips met and he was fighting a groan when the intercom announcer spoke again.

"Go. I love you." Georgie whispered, pulling herself out of his arms reluctantly. "I'll see you soon."

"You'd better. I know where to find you, Mrs. Webber." Steven teased.

"And I know where to find you. No forgetting about me over there."

"How could I? I can barely leave you now."

"Just go. Please. Just go. The sooner you leave, the sooner we can be back together."

"It won't always be like this." Steven promised adamantly. "When you get to Australia, I'm going to start putting my vows to good use."

"I'm going to hold you to that." Georgie smiled. Tears glistened in her eyes.

"Alright. Alright, I'm coming." Steven promised when the final call came over the intercom. He leaned in to kiss his wife again, just one more time. One more kiss and then he could survive the plane ride. What he would do after that, he didn't know.

"Goodbye." Georgie whispered as she pushed him toward the boarding area. "I can't do this another time so get on the plane please?"

"Okay." Steven nodded. "Bye." He forced himself to walk away from her and not look back.

"Bye." Georgie called to his retreating back before running in the opposite direction. She could send him onto the plane, but she couldn't watch him leave her. Not when she wasn't sure if she would be able to follow him yet or not.

I'm screaming I love you so. My thoughts you can't decode.