Karen's P.O.V.

A Few Weeks Later...

Phillip is dating a girl named Rebecca. Jimi is dating a blonde chick named Tiffany. And Kim's husband Steven is dead. I'm in my new home that I bought after Steven's funeral. I'm sitting on my couch thinking how in the hell did we get here? How in the world do we get better? How in the hell do I get better?

Phillip and Jimi looked happy with their girlfriends. Kim is getting better and a man named Steve is helping her deal with everything. And I'm sitting on my couch failing life... Again.

They started having band practices again but every time they call, I came up with an excuse not to go. I didn't want to look at Kim and miss Steven and see the sorrow in Kim's eyes. I didn't want to look at Phillip and see that he chose someone else over me cause there was no love. I didn't want to look at Jimi and see that I was just a toy and a no good for nothing. I looked down at my hands which are holding a mug of coffee. I though about cutting before, I thought about death. But I never went through with them. At least not until my life sucked even more. I tried cutting twice, the outcome didn't do much but for a moment it made me think that no one is here to stop me, so I must keep goin. It didn't help with all the feelings. It didn't help me forget or get over my feelings. If anything, it made them worse. And that's when I thought about death. Would that help me? Would all my struggles and problems be over? No. It would just let Kim, Phillip and Jimi see that I was hurting and they weren't there for me. It would make my problems their problems when they figured out or made scenarios about why I killed myself. I couldn't let them think like that. So I'll live in grief. I'll stay out of their way. I'll be someone I'm not.

My phone starting ringing and I look down at it. Its Kim. Dammit. I pick it up and answer. "Hello?"

"Hey Kare. What's up?"

"Nothing. Just sitting and drinking some coffee. Think I'm starting to get the flu though."

"Oh.. That's too bad. We were gonna have band practice tonight. Was wondering if you could make it this time?"

"I don't know Kim. I don't wanna get you or anybody else sick."

"Alright... We'll have one tonight and send you what we did. Do you want me to bring you over some soup?"

"That's okay Kim. I'm good. Enjoy your night. I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

"Okay Kare. See you soon"

"See ya..." I hang up and a tear falls down my cheek. I want to yell. I want to scream to them that I'm hurting. But they will probably just reply that 'we are all hurting'. But I'm not just hurting over the fact that Steven died. It did hurt to know he passed and still does. But it hurt when Jimi and I broke up. Even though Phillip and I ended on good terms. It still hurt to know he was seeing someone else. It just hurts.

A couple hours pass and I haven't moved an inch. I sat here for about three days. Not eating. Not sleeping. Only getting up to drink coffee and using the bathroom. I sit there and all of a sudden there is a knock on the door. I sit there praying they will go away. Then they yell. "Karen?! Its Jimi! Open up! The rain is awful and I'm soaked! Let me in!" I listen to him and think of the what could happen if I open that door. "Karen? Please. I didn't come here to give you a heart to heart speech." With that said I guess I could let him in. But why was he here? I get up and go to the door and unlock it and open it. Jimi is standing on the porch soaking wet. I didn't even realize it was raining this bad. I move aside and let Jimi in. He comes in and closes the door and takes off his shoes. "Can I have a towel please?"

"Yeah, I'll get you a change if clothes too."

"I'm not wearing girl clothes Karen. I ain't gonna fit in your clothes."

"They are your clothes smartass. You brought a change of clothes from when you helped me move in and spilt coffee on them. I told you I'd wash them but you left before I could give them back."

"Oh. Okay." I roll my eyes and go upstairs. Getting his clothes and a towel and come back down.

"Here..." I hand him his stuff and he takes them touching my hand. "Jimi you're freezing."

"I was standing in the pouring rain for a few minutes before I had the courage to knock."

"Why? Why are you even here?"

"Cause Kim told me you weren't coming to this band practice and I wanted to know you were okay."

"I'm fine. Go worry about your girlfriend. Stephanie..? Or Tiffany..? Whatever the hell her name is"

"Tiffany. And she ain't my girlfriend. She never was."

"But you... Okay, now I'm confused."

"She was a date. I dated her a few times but she wasn't you."

"Wasn't me? HA! I could give you a million reasons why that's a good thing."

"I only dated her to make you jealous. Cause were with Phillip and I was jealous."

"Make me Jealous?! I was jealous! I was with Phillip but we broke up the day Kim got the call about Steven! I went to Kim's to tell her Phillip and I broke up and that I wanted you! But she got the call and you showed up with... Uh.."

"Tiffany."

"Her! And I knew I'd never get you back! Cause you looked happy. You two looked like you would be together forever."

"I was happy."

"Then why are you here?!"

"Because she made me happy. But you made me love. I can't love her. I love you." I was speechless. I didn't know what to say. But then the bitch came out.

"You bastard! If you loved me why in the hell did you say those things to me! I actually loved you! You saved me from death! But then you were an asshole and ruin it. And now I'm back standing face to face with death! So leave! Go away!"

"Kiki..."

"Don't call me that! You don't have to right to call me that! You don't have the right to even be here! Leave!"

"No."

"Go!"

"Karen. You are a strong. Independent woman and I love you. I told you when we first got together that I was with you until the end! And that's what I'm gonna do. You can hit me, you can curse me, you can even get a restraining order against me. But I'm not stopping until I have you again. I was an asshole, you are right. I was a drunken idiot and to be completely honest... I don't know why I said those things... They weren't even true. I hurt you more then Mark ever did. I seen that. And I felt terrible. And I will spend the rest of my life proving and making it up to you. Whether you are by my side in marriage. Or I'm behind bars or across the earth. I'm not leaving you." I hate when he gets all sentimental. I feel for him.

"How?"

"How what?"

"How do we move past this..?"

"Karen Renee Fairchild. Will you be my girlfriend...? Again?" I look at him like he's crazy.

"You're seriously asking that?!"

"Yeah... Was I not suppose too?"

"You're an idiot."

"I'm an idiot for you." I roll my eyes.

"Goes change into something warm. I'll make you a coffee."

"Okay... Thank you..." He grabs his stuff and goes into the bathroom. I walk into the kitchen and make him a coffee. I bring it in the living room and I turn the heat up in the house a little more for him. I sit down on the couch as I was before and wait.

He comes out a few minutes later in dry clothes. He comes and takes a seat on the couch. I pass him his coffee and he takes it with a smile. He sips it and sets it down.

"I don't regret asking you to be my girlfriend."

"I wouldn't want you too."

"But you could have at least given me an answer." I look at him.

"You want an answer? Then promise me you won't tell me lies when you're drunk. Promise me that when we have a fight, we won't let the other leave until its resolved. Promise me that if we love each other this much, If we break up we won't get a "date" and we will try and fix us. Promise me that you won't break me like Mark did. Promise me everything is gonna be okay." By the end my eyes are glossy and his eyes are the same as he listens to everything I said. He knows he did everything I said. He knew he hurt me and this was the only way I'd get better. "If you can't promise me this then you already know your answer, and the door is over there."

"I promise." I look at him.

"But are you gonna keep that promise..?"

"I won't break you or hurt you again Karen." I sit there and stare at my hands.

"I still hate you for what you did."

"I know. And that's okay. I hate me too" I close my eyes and take a breathe.

"Jimi... I will be your girlfriend again. But if you break your promise... I'll never be your girlfriend or even your friend again." He nods in understanding.

"Okay." We sit there just thinking about the events of tonight.

An hour passes and Jimi started falling asleep on the couch. "Jimi." I shake his leg and he wakes.

"Huh..?"

"Go up to my bed. You're falling asleep."

"I'll just go home.."

"Jimi. You're tired. You already fell asleep. I'm not letting you drive. You could fall asleep and get into an accident. Go upstairs."

"Okay. Are you coming?"

"I'll clean up and I'll be up."

"Okay." He gets up and so do I. He goes upstairs and I pick up the mugs and set them in the sink. I go upstairs and into my room. Jimi is laying on top of the covers with his clothes still on. I walk over and shake him.

"Jimi." He doesn't wake up. "Seriously?" I roll him over and take off his pants leaving him in his boxers. I folded them and setting them on my dresser. I come back to him and try taking off his shirt. I can't get it because he's too heavy and if I lift him I have no arms to take off his shirt. "Jimi! Take off you shirt!" He rolls slightly and mumbles

"Take off yours" he says, I close my eyes and go to extreme measures.

"Jimi Westbrook. We are together again and if you want sex you have to wake up, take off your shirt and get under the covers." He does exactly what I told him to do. But now he's laying under the covers wide awake. "Thank you." I walk to my closet and change into a tank top and shorts taking off my bra and comes back getting in bed next to him.

"I thought we were gonna have sex?"

"I just said that so you'd get your clothes off and get in bed. Cause you're too heavy to lift."

"Rude."

"Mhmm"

"I think we should."

"You're joking. Right?"

"Nope. I am not. Cause I am sorry. And I want to make it up to you Kiki" I roll over and face him.

"I told you I Still hate you right?"

"Yes. Twice now."

"I can't believe I'm giving in..."

"Yes!" He moves on top if me and kisses me. And we had A LOT of make up sex.