Lost In Time: A Patriot Fanfiction **Revised!**

Chapter 20: Reconciliation

Thursday, 8:30 am

Banastre slowly mounted the steps of the apartment building, feeling quite horrible indeed. His mind was still reeling from the events not even a half-hour ago.

He awoke in Michelle's bed, tangled up in her sheets. Sunlight began to shine through the blinds in stripes across his spread out figure. This was not the first time he found himself there. Banastre has been coupling with the woman almost every night since his fallout with Elizabeth; it helped him forget his guilt, at least for a little bit.

Nearby, the girl stood upright and quickly dressed before him. He rolled over on his side and watched her cover up the tantalizing flesh that was marred with marks from his mouth. She looked very much like Elizabeth. The only differences that he noticed immediately was Michelle's skin; it was a signifigantly darker tone, as if she went outside very often. Her eyes were a different color as well, when he looked inside of them instead of Elizabeth's calculating steel blue gaze, he was met with warm brown eyes that nearly matched his own. That was a difference that Tarleton quite appreciated, really.

"Good Morning." He lazily smiled up at her.

"Hi." She rushed out the response as she pulled her shirt over her head, concealing the tiny purple undergarment that covered her voluminous breasts. He has really grown to love modern women's fashion. His grin widened as he sat up in the bed and started to go into a flourishing speech; the same monolougue that he had performed and perfected for every single one of his mistresses.

"Michelle, I may be a fool for saying this... and you would be wise to think me so. But these past few nights were the happiest that I could remember. I have never known... love... such as yours, and--"

It was then that he noticed that his speech barely affected her. She only continued to dress, the only signs that she was listening were a few guilt-filled glances from the side of her eye. Then she finally rolled them when she heard the word 'love.' He furrowed his brow in confusion.

"I shall not bother you with that now, darling, I can see that you have somewhere else to be." Although he was disappointed and perplexed, it wouldn't help to act rude to her. Instead, he stood up and took her hand, his bare body shamelessly exposed before her.

"When can I see you again, my love?"He detected an incredulous glint in her eye as she gazed upon him, she was fully dressed now. Her reaction felt like a bucket of cold water splashed upon his face.

"If I may say the word?" She shook her head.

"You really shouldn't... look, you're a really nice guy, and these past few days were fun. Just fun. That's it. Neither of us wanted it to be more than that, remember?"

"I realize we agreed upon that sort of relationship when we first met, yes. What if I have changed my mind?" Tarleton demanded.

"I know that's not true. You're still hung up on someone else, Banastre. Someone named Elizabeth. I know that because our first night you kept calling me that. And anyway, I still haven't changed my mind and I likely won't. But if you can't handle it, then it might be best if we just separated then."

He just stood there speechless and dejected, like a dog with his tail in between his legs.

"I'm really sorry." Michelle whispered, her gaze filled with sympathy. "I--I have to start heading for class now, and I'd like you to get out too so I can lock the door."