It started out just an ordinary day, no different from any other, for Chloe Beale.

The moment that she opened the door and stepped into her home she knew that was wrong. This was no ordinary day; something wasn't right. Walking down the hallway, it was only little things that she noticed at first. The shoes in the shoe rack by the door now belonged only to her, one of the photo frames on the wall was missing its picture. Stepping into their bedroom, she noticed that the door of their wardrobe was open and walked over to close it. It was half empty. Panic bubbled up inside of her and she frantically began pulling open drawers. Heart racing, blood rushing, she searched for any trace of her and came up empty.

But her keys were hung up in the hall where they always were, weren't they? Or had she just imagined it? Rushing to her feet, she barrelled back the way she had come in. Relief flooded through her body upon seeing the pair of keys (one to unlock the front door and one for the back) in their rightful place. The relief was only momentary though because something still wasn't right. The keys were indeed there but the keyring - half a heart, that fitted perfectly with the half attached to the keys that were still in her hand - was not.

"What's going on?" She whispered to herself.

Chloe found her perched on the arm of the sofa, a suitcase placed at her feet.

"Aubrey, what's going on?" She didn't look up. Her eyes didn't move from their focus on the floor. She slowly stood - the only sign Chloe had that she had been heard.

"I'm leaving." Aubrey spoke softly.

"What? What's happened babe?"

"I- I can't- I have to go." Her voice cracked as she spoke but she still didn't look up.

"Why? Where are you going? When are you coming back?"

"My parents- I'm going back to my parents' house."

"For how long? When'll you be back?" The deafening silence that the question was met with spoke louder than any words. "Oh," tears were welling up in her eyes, "you're not coming back." Aubrey shook her head slowly, sadly. "Why, Aubrey?" She asked the question so quietly, only a whisper, as if she wasn't sure is she was more scared of the answer or not knowing at all.

"Please don't ask me why."

"I love you Aubrey. I have a right to know why. Please. Just tell me what I've done wrong." She pleaded. "Tell me what's happened. Whatever it is, we can fix it."

Aubrey merely shook her head again. "It's too late. This is me fixing it." She reached down and pulled up the handle of the suitcase and began pulling it towards the doorway.

"But what's happened? What's changed?" Chloe tried to speak with more confidence than she truly possessed as she followed Aubrey into the hallway. "We're happy together. Aren't you-" Her certainty faltered, "haven't you been happy? You were happy - what's changed?" She rushed in front of the blonde, stopping her in her tracks. Too many emotions were racing through her body. Anxiety, confusion, fear, pain. They knotted together in her stomach and mutated into a sudden burst of overwhelming anger. "Answer me!" She yelled. Aubrey flinched but still she wouldn't look at her. Still she wouldn't answer. The tears that had been threatening to spill since she first laid her eyes on the suitcase began to pour down the redhead's face, taking her make-up with them and leaving ugly streaks down her cheeks. "You're doing this to me." She reached out one hand to grasp Aubrey's shoulder, anchoring herself, while the other attempted to pull the blonde's chin up to face her. "At least, please, tell me why?"

"Don't touch me." Keeping her eyes averted, she let go of the suitcase and pushed the hands forcefully away. Chloe held her ground. "Get out of the way."

"Tell me what's going on." Aubrey took hold of the suitcase once again and stepped forward. "Tell me-"

"Don't." She pushed Chloe aside, refusing to look at her, and strode decisively forward, reaching a hand out to the door handle.

"I love you." She sobbed. Aubrey's hand paused momentarily on the handle. Chloe watched as she took in a breath, held it for a beat, then released it as she turned the handle. Chloe could only watch as the love of her life stepped through the door and into the night, suitcase in hand.

As the door swung shut, Chloe sank to her knees, her heart heavy with grief. Her lover, her heart, her Aubrey had left her, with nothing but a question.

"Why?"