Sgdp1261, I did warn you this wouldn't be happy. ;) To be honest every time I post a new story or even chapter I'm a little bit terrified, so having people review my work really does help. And nah, angst and tragedy are perfectly normal things to enjoy... er, right? Anyway. Here's the next chapter, let me know what you think. :)

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February 14th

This time when he walks in, Spencer looks up. She even twists her face into something that, with a little more emotion, could pass for a smile. He smiles too, making sure to balance warmth and sympathy. He assumes his usual position across from her, and this time he just sits back and waits for her to speak first.

The other girls, Hanna and Emily, are still in the waiting room. When he'd finished talking to Delaney he'd gone to check on them, and he'd found that Emily had fallen asleep. Hanna was gently stroking her hair, still softly crying. She'd looked up at McDonald, so much concern and sadness in her eyes that he couldn't find it in him to go question them again. He can go back later.

Spencer is silent for so long that he starts to think he's trying to wrong tactic. Maybe she isn't quite ready to talk, maybe she's not going to open up unless he asks her direct questions. He opens his mouth to ask something else, but she speaks before he gets a chance.

"Things were good, there," she says, "for a while."

She doesn't say it with fondness, like she's remembering happier times. She says it like she doesn't quite believe it, like she's trying to convince herself. Her eyes drift downwards again, focusing on the table. She seems to forget he's there, getting lost inside herself. But she keeps talking, thinking out loud, and he listens with rapt attention.

"I think we were happy. Or at least, we could have been. If we'd had more time, maybe we could have worked it out. If she'd let me help, I could have -" Her voice hitches and she bites back a sob. "We could have been okay. I know she didn't love me, but… we still could have been together. I would have given up everything for her. I would have done anything if I thought it would make things better for her."

McDonald gets the feeling she hasn't talked to anyone about this before. She seems to be working it through in her mind, trying to sort out her feelings. And it's working, because she's sounding more certain. Maybe if she keeps talking for long enough, she'll explain what happened tonight.

"I know it was stupid. I thought it was just some high-school girl crush at first," she goes on with a touch of bitterness. "I kept hoping I'd just snap out of it one day, you know, just wake up and be over it. It didn't make any kind of sense. Me falling for her, I mean. I shouldn't have done it. I should have…"

Her words dissolve into sobs, and McDonald at last feels it's appropriate to say something.

"You can't help who you fall in love with." It's not original, it's not witty, but it makes her laugh. She seems startled at the sound, brief and quiet as it is, but he thinks it's a good sign.

"So you were happy," he prompts. "What changed? What happened then?"

She turns tear-filled eyes on him. "It fell apart."

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