Lennon looked up at Kade. He sat across from her on the floor, the image of him a kaleidoscope behind her tears. She wasn't sure how they had ended up on the floor. As their eyes met, she became aware of where she was and who she was with. Dropping her eyes, she pushed herself up into a straighter sitting position and hurriedly wiped away her tears. She took a few deep breaths and tried to get a hold on the memories of Hunter.

"Hunter was in a car crash," she finally said, her voice making waves through the silence.

She kept her eyes down, playing with the hem of her dress as the terrifying memories came back to her.

"A car lost a tire on the freeway and caused the cars around it to react and swerve. A big SUV merged right into Hunter. It pushed him into the car on his other side," Lennon said, repeating the words a police officer had used, his face still firmly etched into her mind.

Lennon felt the same vacant chill that had swallowed her back then begin to creep up her arms.

"The EMTs were able to get Hunter to the hospital and into surgery, but he had too much internal bleeding. There was nothing they could do."

Her voice shook and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop it.

"They were able to stabilize him. When he came out of surgery we got a chance to say goodbye. I already didn't like hospitals because of my mom. The smell of alcohol in the cleaners trying to mask the smell of death. Walking in the front doors was like walking into hell."

She shuddered involuntarily as she remembered the squeaking linoleum floors and fluorescent lights that made everyone look on the verge of death.

"They let Charlotte and Deacon in first to see him," Lennon said. "I can't tell you how long I had to wait because it felt like days. Trapped in a seat out in the hall, a few yards away from Hunter and unable to reach him."

A nurse had tried to lead her back to the waiting area but she had refused. The small distance between her and Hunter already painful enough. There must have been something in her eyes because the nurse hadn't fought her, but instead brought her a chair.

"I don't think I've ever felt so close to insanity as I did that day. Waiting outside the room where the person I loved was dying and being unable to see him. By the time Charlotte and Deacon reappeared, it felt like I had aged years."

She hadn't been able to look them in the eyes. She hadn't wanted to see their fear and grief.

"I tried to put on a strong front. I didn't want Hunter's last moments filled with worry. Looking back now, it seems like an empty and impossible thought, but impending death doesn't breed logic."

Silence fell over Lennon and Kade. Lennon hadn't pulled these memories from their box for a while. Faint echoes of Hunter still danced throughout her life. The line of a song or an old story inviting his ghost in for a short visit. But she hadn't called up the bad memories in a long time.

Lennon let her focus fall back on Kade. He wore a concerned look which softened when their eyes met.

"I got ten minutes with Hunter," she said.

Her mind pulled up images of the hospital room. The cold, metal machines. The beeps that seemed to scream the seconds that were slipping through their fingers. Hunter.

"How are you suppose to fit into ten minutes what you thought you would have a lifetime to say?" she asked.

Her resolve to stay strong for Hunter had cracked at the sight of his battered features, the face that had become as familiar as her own, swollen, cut and bruised. She had been scared he wouldn't even seem like her Hunter until she had looked into his eyes. Even in the pain, light hadn't left his eyes.

The moment their eyes had met, words had begun to pour out of Lennon's mouth, as she tried to say everything she suddenly realized she had run out of time to say. Hunter had given her hand a weak squeeze and it had silenced her frantic words.

"To this day I'm not sure I said the right words or said all that I should have," Lennon told Kade. "But I am grateful I was given a chance to say anything at all. To tell him how much I loved him one more time. After my ten minutes, Charlotte and Deacon came back in and then Hunter was gone. And the life I had planned on, disappeared."

Lennon pushed herself off the floor and began to move about the room. As she pulled herself out of the memories, she could feel their weight leaving.

"I'd never imagined life without him," she said. "Then suddenly I didn't only lose my fiancé and best friend, but I lost the life I thought I would have."

Lennon looked up and found Kade had moved to the chair. His gaze was fixed on her with an unreadable expression.

"Sorry, I'm rambling," she said.

"Don't be," he rushed to say. "I'll listen to whatever you have to say."

She could see he meant it. Lennon sat on the edge of the bed. Exhaustion washed over her, the day's emotions leaving her drained.

"I must sound crazy talking about a high school love like it was actually going to last," she said. "But I know we weren't crazy. I would have spent the rest of my life with Hunter and never once regretted my choice."

"I don't think you're crazy," Kade said softly, fixing her with kind eyes. "I believe you."

Kade's last statement caught Lennon off guard. She wasn't sure how to respond.

"I can hear it in your voice," he explained. "You really loved him. It makes it even harder to..." his voice broke off. "I can't imagine what you have gone through."

Lennon's eyes teared up at the sympathy in Kade's voice. Suddenly everything that had happened that day, her panic, the fight, all the emotions rushed to the surface and she couldn't hold back the tears.

They came out in choked sobs and Lennon buried her face in her hands. The remaining adrenaline and stress in her body escaped with each sob. The bed shifted slightly beneath her and Kade's arms slipped around her. They were hesitant at first, an arm encircling her shoulders gently, as if he was worried he might break her. But it was enough of an invitation that Lennon leaned into Kade. He responded instantly, wrapping his other arm around her, his hold on her tightening.

Lennon didn't know how long they sat there, Kade holding her, whispering soothing words. Eventually the tears stopped and Lennon pulled herself away. Kade grabbed the box of kleenex from the night stand and handed it to her. With a weak smile, Lennon accepted it, wiping away the last of her tears and makeup.

"Sorry about that," Lennon said.

"Don't be," Kade said.

She looked up at him and her eyes were drawn to dark streaks on his shirt.

"Oh no," she said, reaching out to brush at the marks. "I'm so sorry. It must have been my makeup."

"It doesn't matter," he said.

He took her hand to stop her from trying to wipe away the marks.

"And I'm sorry for crying."

"Don't be."

Lennon kept her eyes down cast, until Kade gently reached out and lifted her face till they were eye to eye.

"Lennon you never have to have a reason for crying. Especially not after today. Especially after I almost..."

"Kade none of today was your fault. If I had told you the truth in the beginning then it never would have happened."

"But..."

"I know you wouldn't intentionally try to spill my secret. I am so sorry for ruining today for you. Could you forgive me?"

"Of course I forgive you Lennon. It doesn't even matter."

"But it was the Grammy's."

"There will be other awards. I don't even care about that. Besides, compared to what you have been through, today was nothing. Lennon, I thought I was strong trying to put back my life after I screwed up, but now it feels pathetic."

"You're not pathetic," she said.

A smile spread across Kade's face.

"Thanks for the encouragement," he said.

She smiled. Kade's own smile slowly faded into a contemplative expression.

"Why have you kept Hunter a secret?" he asked.

"Because I didn't want him to be a some trivialized story people told to sell magazines," she said. "I didn't want people pulling apart my music and trying to guess what our relationship was like. I knew people wouldn't be satisfied just knowing about Hunter. I knew they would pry and want to know every detail. I wasn't willing to let them do that."

"That makes sense," Kade said. "I know how hard it can be in interviews. I'm impressed you've been able to keep it a secret. In this day and age there is little anyone can't find. I think my fans have gone as far as getting a copy of my birth certificate."

"Jordan is responsible for most of it," she said. "When we met I had already moved to Tulsa with my dad. Jordan spun the story so it seemed like I had grown up in Tulsa, so there weren't any connection between me and Asheville. I also took my mom's maiden name, Kayhill, instead of sticking with my dad's, Griffin. Even if someone was able to connect me back to Asheville, they wouldn't have my legal last name."

Kade nodded.

"You mentioned your music," Kade said.

Lennon realized what he meant.

"It's all about Hunter isn't it? Come Back to Me. Homeless Heart. Never Again. Minutes," he said, listing songs off of her album.

Lennon nodded.

"They all are," she said. "Even the happy ones."

Early morning light peaked through Lennon's curtains, alerting them to the time. It pulled them back into reality where they both had very busy schedules.

"I should probably get going," Kade said.

He grabbed his suit jacket and tie from the desk.

Lennon followed him to the door, becoming aware of her own formal wear. Throughout the night, she had slowly pulled pins from her hair and now it fell in a mess around her shoulders.

Kade turned back, his hand poised on the doorknob. They looked at each other, both of them unsure how to address what they had talked about.

"Good night Kade," Lennon said, leading the way.

"Good night Lennon," he said.

He gave a small nod. He turned to leave, but paused and looked back.

"I didn't tell you, but you looked beautiful tonight," he said.

Lennon smiled and he was gone.

**********************************************************************

Cześć! (Polish)

What did you think? And please, please let me know. Did you see this coming? Tell me if puzzles pieces clicked for you or if you were completely blinded by the whole thing. As a writer I really want to know! So please, be the angel that I know you are and tell me.

Question: have you ever looked celebrities up without their makeup? They look crazy different. They actually look slightly plain and pretty normal.

Vote, comment, follow. Go google stars without makeup, you will be thanking me, it literally is so much fun and reassuring. I'm serious. I do it for fun all the time.  Also remember you're beautiful! :)