"Thank you so much for everything this weekend Jonathan, we really appreciate it."

"It was my absolute pleasure miss," he responded, placing the final suitcase from the trunk on to the sidewalk. "And if I can be frank with you for a moment, I hope you return to visit us again soon. Mr. McBride has never been so...joyous, I suppose is the word, as he was when you were here. He asked that I give you this envelope." He pulled a blank white envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket and handed it to her.

"Oh," she said taking it, surprised and confused as to what it could be. "well thank you, I hope I can get back here one day."

"Safe travels to you both," he nodded to both Fallon and her mother as they entered the sliding glass doors of the airport.

Trent

It was early when Trent woke up, not long after they had gone to bed actually.

Fallon had rolled away from him, tangle in a mess of sheets and blankets, and with the time she still had before their flight, he decided he would let her sleep. He, however, was awake now and with her impending departure only a few hours away, he needed to burn off some of what was welling up inside him.

After brushing his teeth and grabbing a t-shirt from the dresser drawers, he headed down the long wing behind the bedroom hallways. This piece of the house, had been an add on, one he had built special for him. There were 2 doors, both needed a code to enter them. The door on the left, housed a full gym, treadmills, weights, machines, punching bags, everything and anything he needed to utilize getting rid of this anger inside of him.

And when the gym wasn't enough, there was the door on the right. It was something of a "smash room," as people called it. It was soundproofed from both the inside out and the outside in. Lately, it was filled with shattered glasses. There was something about throwing a glass cup, against a cement wall and watching it burst into a million pieces.

Last night, somewhere between Fallon coming to his room and the bath, she had taken her engagement ring off her finger, and left it haphazardly on the nightstand. And once she was on a plane, halfway home, to the asshole who felt like he could get her to literally buy into his proposal, Trent intended to smash it to fucking pieces.

For now though, he would settle on running until his legs felt like they would give out, or lifting enough weight that his muscle felt like they were on fire. It was like drinking a glass of whiskey, "if you put the pain on the inside, no one sees it on the outside." And right now he could settle for that.

The ring was in safely in his pocket for now, and if she noticed before she left that it was gone, he would of course give it back to her. But for now, the symbol of their undying love and commitment to each other, didn't seem to be in the forefront of her mind.

After he felt that his workout was complete, he checked his watch and started back towards the bedroom hallway to shower and wake up Fallon, who he assumed was still asleep. But when he entered the room and didn't find her there, he was somewhat surprised and worried. He quickly exited his space and walked down the hall to the room he had given her at the beginning of the weekend.

He turned the knob and made his way in, in hopes that she was there.

"Do you always enter someone's room when you knock before they answer?" She asked mockingly while standing at the foot of the bed, folding clothes into her suitcase. "Ew, you look sweaty."

"I was in the gym."

"There's a gym in this house?!"

"Of course there is, you feeling like a workout?"

"That sounds absolutely terrible. I'm just surprised at how much is in here, do you have Santa and his elves working in the basement?"

"Only October through December." He took a seat at the edge of the bed, next to the suitcase. "Do you have everything?"

"I think so," she folded the suitcase in half and zipped it shut. "What time did you get up this morning?"

"I think it was 6:30."

"Trent, that's only like an hour of sleep, how did you workout?"

"I just couldn't go back to sleep, it's a force of habit." He shrugged.

"You have to be exhausted, and you're going to work too?"

The concern she had for him was something that he knew he would miss when she was gone. While most people didn't like being questioned on their every move, when she did it, he found it endearing. He smiled slightly, "I'll be okay. Come on, I dunno about you, but I'm starving."

Finishing, their breakfast while sitting outside on the patio, Trent checked his watch and reached for Fallon's plate.

"Can I take that for you?"

"Thank you," she said putting her fork down.

He took both plates, stacked, and into the kitchen. After placing them on the counter next to the sink. He started back towards the patio and found Fallon sitting at the edge of the pool. He took a seat next to her, "Jonathan will be looking for you and your mom soon."

She nodded, "I know."

"Are you okay?"

He knew this was a loaded question, neither of them seemed to be okay with her leaving or how they were leaving off.

"I just wish things were different. I wish life wasn't so complicated."

"It doesn't have to be this complicated Fal," he put his arm around her.

She shook her head, "it doesn't have to be, but it is." She stood up from the spot she had been sitting. "I'm sorry we never got the timing right." She started towards the house.

He knew the timing wasn't the only issue the two of them were battling against.

Trent followed her, staying a few steps behind her, but eventually catching up once they got to the kitchen.

"Hey, just take a minute, take a breath. It's okay." He stood rubbing both her arms, trying to make her look at him. "Just promise me you'll text me, okay? That's all, go be where you need to be, do what you need to do, just don't go quiet on me. And I promise I won't go quiet on you."

"I promise," she whispered.

He lifted her chin with his fingers and kissed her lips quickly at first. "Fuck it," he said looking around at the empty kitchen, before returning to her lips and kissing her hard. His tongue found its way to her mouth and he could still taste the cinnamon and strawberries from breakfast. He snaked his hands around her waist and placed her hands on the back of his neck, and they stayed that way, until they heard someone enter the kitchen.

Jonathan, walking in to the kitchen and catching their final moment cleared his throat to announce his presence. "My apologies for interrupting Mr. McBride, but I've collected the suitcases and Miss Fallon's mother. However, I do also need her if they're going to make their flight. Please, walk her out once you're ready, I'll be in the driveway."

"Thank you Jonathan, I'll bring her out in a moment," his eyes never wandering from hers.

They heard Jonathan walk out of the kitchen, and the open and close of the front door.

"Is no one supposed to see you kissing me?" Fallon questioned.

Trent laughed at the inquiry, "I don't care if the people that work for me see us kissing, I care if your mother sees us kissing."

"Why?"

"Because Fallon, you're engaged to someone else. I'm saving you from having to do a lot of explaining."

Her eyes widened and she gently smacked her palm against her forehead, "Fuck!"

"Well, I guess I'm glad I made you forget." He leaned in once more to kiss her. "You have to go." He took her hand and started towards the front door. "I don't want you to miss your flight."

"If I did, would you still send me back home?"

He pulled her towards him, embracing her, "if it were up to me, you'd never go back home."

She stared up at him, both with sympathy and longing, "I'll let you know when we land."

"Thank you for being here for me."

"Anytime."

They held each other's gaze for a few seconds longer.

"Go." He ran his fingers through her hair one more time.

"Goodbye Trent."

"Goodbye Fally."

He watched as she quickened her pace towards the car and turned to wave one last time before ducking her head in and slamming the door closed. He watched the car drive up the driveway and turn off into the road before closing the front door, resting his head on it and sighing.

For the first time since building and living in this house, he felt truly alone.