Our Supreme, Sarah Catherine Paulson

Lost Love?

In which Ellie is coerced to leave reader, and their reunion years later...

"So I'm being sent to The-Middle-of-Nowhere, Missouri? Just because I failed this one damn time?"

"Dr. Staple, with all due respect, the whole ordeal with Mr. Glass, the Horde, and the Overseer was a huge scandal. Your mistake risked the exposure of the entire Clover Organization. We're sending you to Parkville so you can get back on your game. And even though she lives in 'The-Middle-of-Nowhere, Missouri', that ninja girl is still a threat to humanity. She must be eliminated."

"What about Y/N?"

"Pardon, who?"

"My girlfriend. My housemate. The love of my life," I respond, muttering that last part for only my ears to hear.

"I'm sorry. Even if you had gotten married in the time that you were here, your duty is to this organization. Nothing can compromise its integrity, unless you can convince her to join. But, if you tell her about Clover, and she disagrees with our motives, our tactics, or our anything, she must be exterminated too."

I love her, and there's no way I would ever risk her life. Even for the possibility that she could come with me and we could have a future together. Clover will absolutely suck the life right out of a person. I just can't do that to her. She's sweet, and gentle, and perfect. I refuse to ruin her.

"Fine, I'll go. I clearly don't have a choice in the matter. When do I have to leave?"

"As soon as possible. Next week at the latest."

_________

"Y/N, again, I'm sorry. We just don't click anymore."

"What the fuck do you mean, 'we don't click anymore'? Yesterday, you told me you loved me for the first time, and now this?"

"What do you want me to say? That's why they call it the afterglow. Getting into this was a mistake, a lapse in judgement."

I regret the words as soon as they leave my lips. Actually, I regret all of my previous life choices that have led me to this moment, this heartbreak.

"A mistake? How can you even say that? A drunken one-night stand is a mistake. But this? We've been together for almost a year. You moved in last month. That's not a little slip-up."

"Again, I'm sorry for stringing you along for all this time. You were a distraction, and the sex was really good. I'll be out of your hair within the week."

I guarantee this is killing me just as much as it is her, if not more. But, I have to stay strong, for her protection. I feel the tears prickling my eyes.

Don't do it, Ellie. You can't let her see you cry.

"A week? So you've been planning this for quite a while now; you can't just uproot your life in a week... You know what? Fuck it. This was clearly your intention all along, so why not just go now? Why wait until next week?"

Shit. I should have waited, should have maximized the time I have left. But it's too late now; backtracking isn't an option.

I grab my already-packed bags, and head towards the door. The sight of her curled into a ball on the couch, crying, all because of me is absolutely heart-wrenching. She glances up, blood-shot eyes and all, one last time, and sniffles out, "You know what the real mistake was, Dr. Staple? Loving you."

Aaaaaand there's the final nail in the coffin, the stake through the heart. I burst into tears as soon as I close the door. I sob in my car for at least another half hour before I can pull myself together enough to drive. I start the engine, and head off to Parkville, resigned to my lonely fate. There's nothing else I can do. Love like that is a once-in-a-lifetime deal, and I've lost it, forever.

_________

A small bistro in New York City, six years later...

As the waitress brings over my food, the bell above the door gives a light jingle. It's natural for me to look over, and when I do, I can feel my heart stop.

No, Ellie. Stop it! It's not her. You know it's not. It's just some girl that looks like her.

Clearly I've never gotten over Y/N. How could I?

Okay. I'll reason it through like the rational psychiatrist I am. I've been seeing her in every city I go, ever since that fateful day six years ago. But of course, it's never her; just my mind playing its usual tricks. It's a natural way for the brain to get over loss, but apparently not for me.

What makes it worse is the fact that everything I'm doing is for her. All this traversing the country, killing people of the need arises... My heartbreak probably wouldn't have lasted nearly this long if I could just forget. Even so, I don't think I'd want to. It may be much more difficult this way, but I at least I've been in love, if only for a short while.

I just can't stop looking at this girl, though. Out of everyone I've seen, she looks the most like Y/N, just a little bit older.

I still can't peel my eyes away from her. Did Y/N ever mention a doppelgänger? My God! The resemblance is unreal.

I'm sitting close enough to the hostess that I can hear what she says. My heart has stopped, and now I can't breathe either.

"Hi! I made a reservation for Y/L/N".

"Of course! Follow me please."

Holy fuck.

Out of reflex, I immediately whip my head back around. My automatic response is that I don't want her to recognize me, but would that really be so bad? What if I still have a shot?

No... That's just wishful thinking. There's no way an absolutely perfect woman wouldn't have been snatched right up. Even when we were together, girls would hit on her, with me literally right there beside her.

She is led to a table in the same row as mine, but luckily she sits facing the other side. When a waiter comes to take her order, she asks to hold off, as she is waiting for someone. It could still be just a friend though, right?

No! Goddamn, just stop it, Ellie! You had your chance, it's over.

Even as these thoughts are running through my mind, I can still feel a small glimmer of hope in the deepest part of my being that I can never seem to shake.

But, all such notions are promptly shattered as another woman comes over, and puts her hands over Y/N's eyes to ask, "Guess who?" God, I hate her face.

"Soph, I know it's you, silly! We've had this planned for like a week!" I even hate her name.

"Well yeah, but still," 'Soph' says, pouting. As she sits down, she grabs Y/N's hand in the process, and leans over to peck her lips. Obviously that bitch isn't just a friend.

Remember that little fleck of hope? It's  crushed. I'm crushed. I just knew it. I had found my one and only soulmate, and she found hers in someone else.

A/N: Sorry 😬