Fade Away

He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so happy.

They had good days and bad, but they had always been happy.

He almost skipped back home, nerves in disarray just thinking about what he was about to do. He couldn't believe it had taken him so long to realise, but he had never been more sure of anything in his life.

She was the love of his life. His present, his future.

Tonight he would make her his forever-and-a-day.

He remembered the day they met - he had never seen a creature so beautiful, so ethereal, it took him three weeks to approach her to be his project mate. He had kept stumbling every time he tried talking to her but her amused chuckles and bright eyes made it all worth it. He knew then that he had fallen hard and it did not take long for him to ask her out.

It was the happiest day of his life.

At least that was what he thought until she agreed to move in with him.

Tonight would trump both those days for sure - until their next milestone of course.

He paced back and forth in front of their door recalling all their moments together, trying to calm his nerves. He was so sure on the way back but now his thoughts were filled with what-ifs.

Well what-ifs wouldn't get him anywhere so he squared his shoulders and decided everything else could go to hell. This was his forever and he would make damn sure she knew.

He opened the door and the ring in his hand dropped.

She was seated on the couch, her suitcase beside her.

When she noticed him she approached with her suitcase and gazed into his eyes, her own filled with guilt. She caressed his face, but it was not filled with love like it used to. Instead, it was one full of apology.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She disappeared after a lingering kiss on his cheek.

When he finally caught the time it had been 3 hours since she left.

He had been sitting right where she last was, still trying to figure out how did it all fade away.