“Fuck.” Carmen mutters.  She then closes the door and walks slowly to the couch where there’s already a blanket on the armrest.  She takes it and spreads the blanket over herself as she lies down.  She sighs deeply.  The last thing she wants to do right now is sleep.

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

Shane was heading to Carmen’s house.  Soon she realized that it was a bad idea, on account of what just happened between them the night before.  She decided to go to the club hoping that maybe Carmen was there.

A wave of relief runs through her body as she enters the place and sees Carmen checking the sound on the stage.

“Carmen.”

Carmen looks at her shocked and shakes her head in disbelief.

“We need to talk,” Shane says firmly.

“do we?” Carmen answers sarcastically.

“Carmen, please.” Shane pleads.

Carmen sighs defeated, “Okay, okay fine.  Let’s go to the office.”

Once the office door closed, Shane starts talking.

“What’s going on Carmen?  Last night we…”

“Last night I went to see you as requested.  You explained yourself, and I heard all you wanted to say.” Carmen offers nonchalantly.

“And we made love,” Shane adds.

“And we had sex,” Carmen corrects her.

“Bullshit” Shane chuckles.  “You can’t lie to me, Carmen.  I saw it in your eyes and I felt it.”

“You felt what, Shane?”

“Love…  I love you.”  Shane looks into Carmen’s eyes, “and I know you love me too.”

“Shane I…” Carmen looks away “… I…. I don’t know what I feel for you anymore ok?”

“But Carmen I…”

“Look Shane…” Carmen takes a deep breath “I have to admit that I still have feelings for you… I can’t lie to myself, but I don’t know if I could take you back again.  It’s not that I don’t believe all the things you said to me, I do.  Yesterday I could see honesty in your eyes, but somehow I needed to prove a point to myself.  Yes, I almost got lost in your” she shakes her head “… I don’t know what exactly, but then all those memories came back to me and I realized I haven’t forgiven you… and probably never will.  That’s why I slept with you, to prove to myself that I was no longer under that magic love spell.  I was in control the whole time; I was aware of all that was happening, and I realized it’s gone… you and me… it’s gone.”

“Please Carmen don’t say that,” Shane says with a cracked voice.

“My place now is here Shane, with Nicole and Alonso.  They are my family; they make me happy and I want to be with them.  That’s the right thing to do.”

“No, Carmen your place is with me.  We love each other.  We can try again I know we….”

“Stop it Shane.  There’s no tomorrow for us anymore can’t you see?  That special something is gone, and there’s nothing we can do to bring it back.  I’m sorry.”

Shane approaches Carmen.  “No Carmen that’s not true, please we…”

“She made her choice now leave her alone” Nicole interrupts Shane. She then steps inside leaving the door wide open.

Shane looks at Carmen waiting for her to say something.

“Please Shane… just go” Carmen says looking at her.

That’s all Shane needed to hear. She immediately composes herself and leaves the office, stopping briefly at the door to look at Carmen before disappearing. 

Carmen sits in the chair looking down, letting the tears she was holding fall freely.