What had once seemed so familiar was now so strange. She stared at his picture for a couple of minutes, blinking, trying to recall what had once seemed to be a part of her life for five years. She had been startled by his face on her computer--she didn't remember saving that picture. She thought she had deleted all of them.

It was scary how so much had changed within this one year. She smiled sadly at his frozen face in the picture. That picture would remain the same, and the memories would stay the same, but now a year had passed and... she knew they had both changed. Time had changed the situation as well.

Alas, she sighed with resignition and closed the window.

"Goodbye, love. I hope we'll meet again." She stared at the door, memories flooding through her mind. Him leaving, her crying and begging him not to go. She remembered his crestfallen face, the look of hurt and betrayal written so clearly. Guilt had strapped her to the floor, on her knees. Tears fell down his face--the first time she ever saw him crying. He shook his head and laughed bitterly, finally walking out the door with his luggage and slamming it shut. The sound of it echoed through the walls, straight through her hollow heart.

The sound of the kettle pulled her back into reality, away from those memories. She squeezed her eyes shut and put her head in her hands for a moment, then proceeded to turn off the stove. A knock on the door startled her to the point where she almost dropped the kettle of boiling water. She set it down hastily and opened the door. There he stood, his face guarded--but not so guarded that she couldn't see a hint of old affections rising in his eyes.

He cleared his throat and began to say, "Hello. It's been quite a while, hasn't it?"

All possible words had fled. Her heart pounded so thunderously it hurt. Tears began to well up in her eyes.

"If you'll allow it, I'm coming back," he whispered. "I don't care anymore. I tried living without you, but it's proved to be quite impossible."

She lowered her head. "I'm so sorry." She apologized over and over again, no longer able to control her sobs.

He hesitated, then smiled and murmured, "I forgive you." He put down his suitcase and embraced her. "I forgive you, love. I always will."

She sniffled and smiled at the irony. Just when she had said goodbye, here he was, saying hello. Still, they had vowed forever and always. And so it would be.