Disclaimer: I don't own anybody in this chapter, but later on there will be a few new characters that I own. Will update later. And I don't own the song "The Lover After Me" Savage Garden owns it and it is on their newest cd "Affirmation" I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT CD!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!! I love it sooooooooooooooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!! Therefore..since I just promoted their cd they cannot sue me...but they an give me part of their profits!!

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In Your Darkest Hour

Ch. 1

"A tortured soul. A wound unhealing. No regrets or promises, the past is gone, but you can still be free. If time will set you free"

- A line from "You can still be free." On the Savage Garden cd

Scott Barringer stared at the phone sitting on the apartment on his table in his apartment in New York City and silently willed it to ring. He had started to pick it up himself and call her a million times, but he always chickened out. What was his problem anyway? It wasn't like she was going to slap him across the face over the phone for calling. However this was Shelby and anything was possible. He was scared of what she might say to him and even more afraid of what she might not say. It had almost been a year since he had seen her or even talked to her. She lived outside the city, still in the state of New York, but regardless, it was a long way away from him. Funny, he had once wanted it that way. Now it was one of his biggest regrets.

Here I go again

I promised myself

I wouldn't think of you today

It's been seven months and counting

You've moved on, I still feel exactly the same

It's just that everywhere I go

All the buildings know your name

Like photographs and memories of love

Steel and granite reminders

The city calls your name

And I can't move on

Scott had lived with Shelby for a year after the graduation from Horizon, and two people had never been more in love. They were engaged shortly after they had bought the house together. The future looked bright. Brighter than it ever had for him before, but that all changed.

They got in a fight. It had seemed like a big deal at the time, but now Scott couldn't remember what he fight had been about in the first place. He had packed all his stuff and threw it in the car. His last words to Shelby were "And this time I'm not coming back!". And he had gotten in the car and driven, never looking back. He didn't stop driving till he reached the city. And that was it. They hadn't spoken since. Scott knew, once her had calmed down, the fight really was his fault, but his pride prevented him from calling and apologizing, and Shelby's did the same. And now he missed her like crazy. He was writing letters to his trash can constantly. He didn't know how to put in a letter everything he needed to say, so they all ended up crumpled in his trash can. Nothing could make up for or explain what had happened that day. It just did, and he was miserable because of it. He slipped into a daydream about her.....

Ever since you've been gone

The lights go out the same

The only difference is

You call another name

To your love, to your lover now

To your love

The lover after me

The ring of the phone interrupted his thoughts. He grabbed it off the cradle. "Hello?" he asked, almost sue it was Shelby. His hopes dies when he heard the deep voice of his boss.

"Barringer!" he bellowed

"Hi, sir." Scott said rubbing his eyes.

"Hi, son. Listen, there's a meeting down in Springfield Gardens I need you to go to. Do you know that town?" he inquired. Scott's stomach jumped into his throat cutting off his breath for a moment. That was the town that he had lived in with Shelby. He only hoped she hadn't moved.

"Yes, sir. I know it well. I used to live there." He finally choked out.

"Well, isn't that convenient. It'd the day after tomorrow at the central office at 7:30 P.M. You need to come down to the office this afternoon to pick up the material."

"Ok, yeah. I'll be down there later today."

"Thanks kid." And he hung up. Scott got his coat on and instead of driving to the office he took a long walk there. Traffic was horrible in the city anyway. It would have taken him twice as long to drive there. Everyone was out in the cold today, bustling around in a hurry. People pushed and shoved saying stuff like 'Come on people let's move!' and 'I don't have all day!' And Scott's personal favorite, one that people had said to him many times while shoving him to the side 'Hey kid, get outta my way!'

Am I all alone in the universe?

There's no love on these streets

I have given mine away to a world

That didn't want it anyway

So this is my new freedom

It's funny, I don't remember being chained

But nothing seems to make sense anymore

Without you I'm always twenty minutes late

He reached the office, met with his boss and walked all the way home. It was starting to snow when he entered his apartment. He took off his coat and threw it down on the couch. His eyes immediately went to the phone and stayed there. He walked over and sat down next to it.

"Come on, Barringer, you big jerk, just call her!" he commanded himself. He grabbed the phone, dialed her number and lifted it to his ear. He shut his eyes tightly and waited. It rang three times. He was about to hang up when someone picked up.

"Javenson residence." A lady's voice said.

"Oh- - well, I'm sorry miss...the person I'm trying to reach must have moved. Sorry to bo-"

"Is that you, Scott?" she asked. His heart flipped. It was Shelby. He was sure of it.

"Uh- yeah. Shelby?"

"Yeah! It's me." And then it flopped.

"Javenson?" he asked hoping it wasn't what he thought.

"Yeah....I got married...." she said quietly, as if she were ashamed.

Ever since you've been gone

The lights go out the same

The only difference is

You call another name

To your love, to your lover now

To your love

The lover after me

"Oh. Well, congratulations..." he said. It felt like someone had ripped his heart right from his chest.

"Yeah, I guess." There was a long silence. "It's been a long time, Scott." She finally said

"I know." He confessed.

"Why didn't you call?" Shelby pressured.

"I was angry...and hurt....and stupid." He said. She giggled a little. "Can we talk about this in person?"

And time goes by so slowly

The nights are cold and lonely

I shouldn't be holding on

But I'm still holding on for you

Here I go again

I promised myself

I wouldn't think of you today

But I'm standing at your doorway

I'm calling out your name cuz I can't move on

"What did you have in mind?" she asked.

"I have to go down for a meeting. I'm driving down there tomorrow. Can I see you?" he asked.

"I guess that would be okay." Silence. "I've missed you, Scott."

"Yeah, Shels...I've missed you too. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Ok. Tomorrow. Bye, Cowboy." She agreed

"Bye." They hung up. And for the first time in almost a year, Scott was happy.

Ever since you've been gone

The lights go out the same

The only difference is

You call another name

To your love, to your lover now

To your love

The lover after me

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ok....PLEASE REVIEW IF U LIKE IT. IF I GET 10 I WILL PUT UP THE NEXT PART TOMORROW. SORRY ABOUT NOT POSTING IN SOOOOOOOO LONG. My computer was broken. Had to get it fixed. Also..went to richmond.