“Ally stop!” he scolded.

“You can’t make me,” she slurred.

“You’re drunk off your ass,” James said, rolling his eyes. “Stop it.”

“You’re not my daddy,” she shot back.

“I’m your friend Al,” he said calmly, looking at her hazel eyes. “Drinking is bad for you.”

“So is smoking,” she said.

“So?”

“Um…”

“C’mon Ally stop,” he begged.

“NO,” the brunette answered. “I can do whatever I want, and you can’t schtop me.”

“Ally, you are the most stubborn blind woman I have ever met,” he huffed.

“You won’t stay out of my business.”

“So you’d die to prove that point?” he scoffed. “NO. STOP DRINKING THE DAMN BEER!” Frustrated, he yanked the half full bottle out of her hands.

“HEY! That was mine…”

“Don’t give a damn Ally. This is shit,” he growled fiercely, pouring the rest of the dangerous liquid down the drain. “You don’t need it.”

“What the fuckkk J?” Ally McGinn garbled.

“You need help.”

“No I don’t.”

“YES like hell you do! I’ve been trying to stop you for years,” he said angrily. “But now is when I put my foot down. You are never going to drink again.”

“Get away from me,” she said, pointing him away.

“You can’t stay here alone,” he said, crossing his arms.

“Yes I can…I’m a big girl,” she said, falling as soon as she got off the stool.

“This is why I can’t let you alone.”

“I can do this thall by myself…go away.”

“I’m not leaving, you’re not drinking, and no one can make me leave,” James said firmly.

“You can’t tell me what to do…father,” she giggled.

“ALLY MCGINN,” he roared, shoving her down onto the couch. “YOU ARE DRUNK OFF YOUR ASS. I will NOT leave you in this house alone, you got me?”

“Get the hell outta my house you…”

“Stop drinking Al. It’s gonna kill you.”

“Ah shut up.”

His anger burst as he reeled back his hand and sent it flying across her face.

She appeared sober as she looked up at her best friend through glassy eyes.

“YOU listen to me Allison Marie,” he demanded, pointing at her face. “YOU are drunk. YOU are incapable of taking care of yourself. YOU are my best friend, which makes ME responsible for you right now. As smart as you are, you can’t even see you’re hurting yourself. You’re too blinded by that damn alcohol to see that you are slowly dying. I told you to stop, I did. But did you listen? NO. You had to go and drink and drink and drink your brain senseless. But I’m not gonna fight anymore. You’ve obviously made your decision. But you’re not gonna see me watching you. Damn straight you’re not. This will be the last time I try to show you right from wrong.” With one last jab, he spun around, sped to the door, and slammed it- hard.

Tears blinded her as she looked at the door after her best friend. Ex best friend. As Ally blinked the tears broke free and trickled down her cheeks slowly. His slap had stung her, but his words stabbed her. Never had she thought he would say that to her. Now she was drowning in remorse. It wasn’t her fault. It was just addictive…she wanted to stop, she really did, but the alcohol was too much for her to fight. But as the silence fell upon her, she burst into tears. Her wails could have been heard 2 blocks down. The sobs racked her body as she called out, cried out, for her best friend. Tears fell like rain down her cheeks.

“James…James come back,” Ally sobbed, rocking back and forth, covering her face with her hands. “Come back…I’ll stop…just come back…”

~*~

The rain fell heavily that night. The weather matched his mood. He was guilty, but glad he finally got it off his chest. Ally could be so stubborn and stupid when she wanted to be. He knew he loved her. He knew what she did was bad. But enough was enough for him.

James drove and drove to his apartment through the storm. The water came down in waves over his windshield. The wipers just couldn’t go fast enough. One second clarity, next second a blur.

The only thing he saw was the huge circle of bright light before he let out a shriek, crashing into the oncoming vehicle.

~*~

Sniffles broke the silence as Allison McGinn stared at the blank TV. Her cheeks, one swollen, were covered in dried tears. There was no more cry in her. All tears drained onto her shirt or the couch.

The high shriek of the phone made her jump. She ignored it, not feeling in the mood of talking.

RIIING…RIIING…RIIING…BEEP!

“Hi, this is Ally. Sorry I missed ya. Leave a quick message and I’ll get back to you ASAP. Thanks have a good day! BEEP!”

“Hello Ms. McGinn this is Dr. Price at the Mercy Hospital. We got this number from a man named…James Bassinger…”

~*~

“WHERE IS HE?!” Ally shrieked at the secretary. “Just tell me please…”

“He’s on 5th floor, room 498,” she relayed.

“Thank you.” With that, Ally bolted up the elevator, and it couldn’t get there fast enough. She ran down the corridors, looking for the room number.

“489…490…494…498! James…” she whispered shakily in tears. Luckily, she was sober enough to drive. She had James to thank for that.

Ally hurried to the bed and almost shrieked. This surely wasn’t James…he was… pulverized. Half his face was skinned into a bloody mess not even bandages could cover up. It seemed that all his bones were broken, his legs in casts and his arms in slings, his chest in bandages. There was a huge blood red bandage around his head, most likely covering up a gash in his forehead, and his lip was split.

“Oh no…no…” she choked out, more tears streaming down her face. She tried to take his hand…anything to have in contact with him…but everything was cut or bruised. “God I’m so sorry…I’ll never drink again…James…”

It seemed hopeless. There was blood everywhere. There was no way…

“Al…”

“James! James please listen,” she whispered, kissing his battered knuckles. “I’m so sorry…I didn’t mean for this to happen, I’m so sorry…”

“So am I…I’m sorry…I can’t…can’t…”

“James! Please don’t go!” she begged, completely blinded by her salty tears. “I can’t go on…not without you…I’ll never…”

“I…love you…Al…”

His hand went limp and cold in her hands, the machines blared, and Ally’s life crashed.

~*~

It had been 2 years after the accident. Ally’s life could never be brought back to normal. She stayed away from people, she only went out when she had to, and she never partied. All her other friends except for Jenn stayed with her. But even Jenn couldn’t fill the void in her heart. James was gone. And it was all her fault. If she would’ve stopped drinking…

Immediately after the doctors put down his time of death, Ally cried. She cried until she couldn’t do anything else. But most importantly, she put herself into rehab. She had sworn off any drugs or alcohol. Even at formal occasions. She would never look at it again. Ally would never look at the horrid thing that destroyed her and her friend…her soul.

After her shift at the local fashion boutique, Ally decided to go to the park. It had been ages since she had been there. The last time was…with James. It was the anniversary for his death that day, and she felt she couldn’t stay at the house. She needed some vast area…somewhere calm and inviting. So she chose the park.

After parking her red EXP, she strolled over to a bench and sat. Ally took in all that was around her…the nature, the animals, the cloudless sky…the peace. How she wished her life could be just as tranquil. Maybe to come a little closer to normalcy.

“Is this seat taken?”

Without looking up she shook her head no. Her memories enveloped her into her own little world, trying to make sense of her life.

“Are you ok?” the stranger asked. “Do you need anything?”

“My friend…” she choked out. “My friend…”

“What happened, if you don’t mind me asking.”

“It was all my fault,” Ally squeaked, tears brimming her eyes. “My fault…”

“I’m sure it wasn’t-”

“But it was!” she cried, staring angrily at the happy birds. “I made him crash…I made him die…”

The next thing she knew she felt a strong arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. There was no resistance left in her as she succumbed to her tears. Sob after sob after heart wrenching sob, Ally McGinn, a girl deprived of love, let out her sorrows to a kind stranger. Finally, she just lay against him, strength gone.

“Are you ok?” he asked, his low voice in a whisper.

“I will be.” Ally finally sat up and looked at him and her heart stopped. “James?”

“Hi.”

“James is that really you?” she asked, mystified as she peered closer.

He leaned back. “Yes my name is James…what’s yours?”

Ally laughed. “You should know…you’re my best friend…”

He stared at her. “I am?”

“You’ve lost your memory too? Jesus James…”

“What are you talking about?”

Ally looked at him and smiled through her glassy eyes. “I’ve missed you so much James…don’t leave me again,” she whispered, hugging him tight.

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Who are you?” he asked, pulling back.

“You don’t…know me?” she asked quizzically.

He shook his head no.

She felt as if she were punched in the face with a mace. “James…it’s me…Ally. Your best friend…”

“I don’t know who you are, I’m sorry.”

“But…you’re…you’re here…” then tears spilled from her eyes. “And you’re dead.”

“Ma’am…Ally…please I’m sorry…I think that you’re thinking of a different James…I’m not your James…”

She stared at him. His blonde hair…his striking green eyes…everything. “You look the same…you talk the same…but you’re not the same…how can this be?”

“Look Ally…I’m not sure who you’re talking about, but again I’m sorry. I’m not the James you thought I was.”

“How…” she was staring through space now. How could he be standing right in front of her and still be dead? How could it be that they looked exactly the same? “James…James…come back…”

Lance looked at the poor girl in front of him. He could see how heartbroken she was. Whatever happened before must really have hit her hard.

“James I’m sorry! I’ll never drink again just please come back…” she choked out, her tears incessant as she stared blankly into the sunset. Her visions of him lying on the hospital bed, dead, haunted her. “James I love you…don’t leave me…”

Lance could feel the tears welling up in his eyes as he tried his hardest not to cry. After all, it was a complete stranger. Yet she wasn’t. Lance did the only thing he could do- he hugged her. His heart broke with every cry she let out for “her James”. She must’ve been torn. He held her tighter as his tears let loose, dotting her shirt with his unspeakable words.

“James…James…god James…I love you so much…”

“It’s ok Ally…just calm down…it’s ok…” he soothed, trying to keep his voice normal and composed. But inwardly, he was guilty. He had made her cry. Indirectly, but still, he made her cry.

“I’m s-sorry,” she said shakily, breaking free of the security of his arms. “I just loved him so much…and I couldn’t t-tell him…”

“He’s watching you Ally…he’s making sure you’re safe,” Lance assured her, smoothing her brown hair. He looked at her glazed eyes sincerely, putting his hand on her cheek. He gave her a smile and kissed her forehead. “It’ll be ok.”

“Why? Why are you so nice to me? I don’t even know you…and yet you comfort me…like James did,” she whispered, hugging herself.

“We probably have a lot in common then,” Lance smiled, looking out at the setting sun.

“So much…you are practically the same…”

“Would that mean…you’d love me too?”

“I love you for being here…I guess that sounds silly. I just met you. But I do. Really I do.” She looked at him. “No one has been that nice to me…except for Jenn. And James…”

“I can tell you loved him a lot,” Lance said honestly. “He must be kicking himself for dying…”

Ally swallowed the lump in her throat. “I love you…James.”

“You just needed a friend.”

“Thank you.”

Lance thought for a while, thinking about his chances. ‘Hell why not’

“Ally?”

“Yes?”

“It’s getting kinda late…you wanna have some dinner or something?”

“That’s nice of you…but no…I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know,” Ally replied. “I don’t think James would approve.”

“That’s my name too,” Lance smiled. “I think he’d want you to.”

“Duh you’re saying that…you’re the one asking me.” Ally smiled.

“Your smile is pretty,” Lance said. “You should smile more.”

“You’re too kind…James. Please…I would like to…but not today. I don’t need to kill another James,” she said softly.

“You won’t kill me,” Lance said.

“James…do you have another name? Perhaps I could call you that…”

“Lance. My friends call me Lance,” he said.

“Lance. It sounds nice.”

“So you’ll take me up on that offer?”

Ally looked at him sternly. “On another day…Lance. I just need my time…”

Lance smiled and nodded in understanding. “I understand. But at least let me take you home.”

“I have a car you know.”

“Darn.”

Ally giggled.

“Then I guess I’ll see you later, huh?” Lance sighed, standing up.

She didn’t answer. Instead she stared out into the sun.

Lance hesitated, then started for his car, knowing his life had changed somewhat.

“Wait! Lance!”

He spun around and looked at her. “What?”

Ally ran up to him. “I think I *will* take you up on that offer.”

Lance smiled a thousand-watt grin. “Get in.”