They had been friends for years; anywhere you saw one, you saw both. Working or just hanging out. They both dated others, but it never lasted very long. Then things changed and he started lying about where he was or where he was going, and she knew something was up. When she heard on the scanner that he had been arrested, she knew it was bad. But as always, she went to him because she was always there for him. She was there through it all in court and even helped his mom get through the process of her youngest son being in jail. They let him out on bond, and she never left his side. She quietly sat with him and watched him withdraw. She knew he had gotten into the wrong crowd but knew he could fix it. He sat on the porch, and no one bothered him, as he would cuss at you if you did. She went out knowing how he had done the others but knew he wouldn't push her away.

"Eric?" She said, wondering if he was okay. Before walking slowly towards him.

"Babygirl! Your fine you can come out here. I'm ok. I was just thinking." He said, knowing she was the only one he couldn't cuss out.

He held his hand out for her, and she took it. He pulled her down in front of him. He held her knowing it probably be a long time before he could again. He had been sitting there for a while thinking not letting anyone near him until she came outside. He wondered how he had fucked his life up so much.

"We are all worried about you. I know I am. " She said sadly.

"I know, baby, I'm sorry. They want to talk and tell me everything will be fine, and there is nothing I can say to make it better. I messed up." he said while rubbing her arms. Wondering why she didn't leave.

"We are all here for you. Everyone makes mistakes, but this is hurting us all. We don't want you to go to jail. I know i don't. It kills me to see that you are leaving like this." she answered him, knowing they always could tell each other anything.

"I know, babygirl, I am sorry for putting you through this. I messed up, and you tried to stop me. I wish I hadn't gotten into that stuff. I wouldn't be losing you now." he said, trying not to show his anger at himself.

"Losing me....." She whispered, wondering what he meant. "What do you mean, losing me?"

"When I go to prison tomorrow," he said , wondering if he could be selfish enough to ask her to stay. Knowing he loved her but afraid to tell her.


"Eric, you are not losing me." she said wondering what or where his mind was tonight.

"Promise." he asked.

"yes i Promise, I love you. I always will." she answered.

"Im sorry for not listening to you, babygirl. " he said quietly, knowing she could hear him.

'Its ok, we all have to learn just some the hard way." she said knowing that he wouldnt take offense to anything she said because she only one that allowed to talk to him like that.

"True, is mom upset with me? " He asked wondering if she was going to be okay.

"She's scared; her baby boy is going away, and she doesn't know what to do. She sees your anger and wonders if she could've done something different to keep you on the right path." She answered him, knowing why he was asking as she always knew him.

"Its not her fault or yours." He said, "I messed up my life."

"I know that, but we love you, Eric. Seeing what has happened, we are all scared for you." She answered truthfully.

"I won't ask you to stay while I'm in prison, babygirl. I wont put you in that place." He said, not realizing a tear escaped from his eye.

"Im not going anywhere, Eric. I love you, and I will stand with you no matter what." She said, with tears escaping her eyes to.

"You don't think differently of me for what happened?" he asked.

"No, I'm not leaving." she said, knowing her heart wouldnt allow her to anyway.

"Babygirl, I love you. Thank you. I'm going to apologize to Mom. Will you be okay?" He asked, more then just asking if she was going to be okay at this moment.

"Im okay, She was in her room and upset. I think the best thing would be to talk to her and reassure her that your okay. I know you are strong, and I know you can handle anything. But you need to realize we love you and are always going to worry about you." She answered, getting ready to walk back inside.

"I love you, baby girl. Let's go in. Its getting chilly out here. I don't want you to get sick." He said, always worrying about her.

"I love you, Eric. I'm thinking of tea or hot chocolate to warm up." She said smiling.

"Hot chocolate. Then get under the blankets." He said smirking at her.

"I need a shower, then I'll make us some." She answered, knowing that she was needing a minute alone.

"Sounds good, babygirl. "You know where my shirts are," he smiled. He knew she always stole his shirts to sleep in. Not that he minded, as they looked better on her anyway.

They walked inside, and she went to his room, and he went to his mom's room. She took a shower and cried, as she knew it was going to be bad the next day and was wondering what would happen. She didn't want him to see her cry, but she knew he would the next day, as she wasn't strong enough to hide it. She wondered what she would do without him. They had been there for each other thru everything.


hour or so later


He came out of the bedroom and into the kitchen to see her sitting there with hot chocolate and cookies. She was still drying her hair. He walked up behind her and took the towel. He slowly dried her hair, knowing he was going to miss this, but he hoped she kept her word about being here when he got out. She smiled and tilted her head up when he was done looking at her. "Thanks Er." she said, smiling. She was going to miss this.

"Your welcome, babygirl." he said handing her the towel. He loved when she made hot chocolate for them.

"Does your mom want hot chocolate?" She asked.

"No, she laid down for the night. We talked, and she was tired emotionally. I told her to sleep and that you should keep eye on me." He said, knowing that he was being sarcastic.

"You know I will. Eric can i ask you something?" She wondered where his mind was.

"Anything." he said wondering where her mind was.

"Why did you ask if I was mad at you?" She said, wondering why she would ever be mad.

"Because out of everyone, you have always stood by me. I know iv hurt you with what i did and i dont think i can face you hating me." He said, looking at her wondering if what her eyes showed was true.


"Eric, I dont and I don't think I ever could hate you. I have loved and still love you. That not changing ever." she answered.

"Babygirl, your the only person i know who will tell me when I'm being stupid and not be afraid of what I do or say." He said truthfully.

"Eric, you are not a mean person by nature; you have a big heart, and you are very loving. We all make mistakes, but in the long run, its how we overcome the mistakes that matters." She answered him, wondering why she never told him she was in love with him.

He heard a car pull in and looked out the window. Seeing that it wasn't someone he wanted to see, he asked if she wanted to go to bed. She smiled and said yes. She could tell he didn't want to stay in the kitchen, so we picked everything up and went to the bedroom. As we went in, he locked the door as he shut it. She knew he wasn't planning on leaving the bedroom for a while. Dani wasn't his favorite person, and she had been very verbal about what she thought of him and what he had been arrested for. He didn't need that, and she straight away pointed out that she had no counted opinion on the matter.

We went into the bedroom. I sat the cookies on the nightstand, and he sat the hot chocolate down beside them. I watched him undress as I got under the covers. He put his pajama pants on, and I watched him. He always teased me when he knew I watched him. "Like what you see?" He flirted.

"Very much." she flirted back.

"He smiled I love you, babygirl." smiling he said/

" I love you to." She smiled.

He came to the bed and sat beside her after pulling the covers down. He watched her for a minute and took a deep breath.

He wanted to say something, and I could tell he did. "What is it, Eric?"

"Hmm, I wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I know it didn't fix what I did, but I'm sorry, baby girl, and I hope you forgive me." he answered.

'I'm not mad; there is nothing to forgive. I told you before that I love you, and I know that you were in the wrong place with the wrong crowd. I'm not making excuses for you, but if you hadn't been on those drugs, you would never have done any of it. right?" she said.

"Right. Thank you for not leaving or stopping being here for me, babygirl." he said.

"Won't you mean to much to me to walk away from you like that?" she answered.

"Let's watch something, or do you want to sleep?" He said .

"Let' watch something. Who knows how long it will be before we can do this again?" she said her voice cracking.

He turned the light out and gave me a remote to choose something to watch. As I was looking to see what was on, he pulled me to lay on him. I always used him as a pillow for as long as I could remember. I was going to miss him so much

I found a movie about two people who fell in love and were torn apart from each other before they found their way back to each other. He began playing with my hair half way through the movie, and my hand played with his stomach. I always ran my fingers up and down his stomach.I started falling asleep because he always relaxed me by playing with my hair. I was fighting my sleep, but it won out.


A couple hours later, I woke to a cold spot on the bed. I knew he had been up for a while, and I looked for him. I saw him standing in front of the window, and I walked over to him. I saw the sadness. All I wanted to do was hold him and hide him away so he didn't have to go, but I knew better. So i walked up to him, "Eric....

"Babygirl, you should be sleeping."

' I cant my pillow disappeared." She said .

He laughed, He pulled me into his arms. "Sorry. I just have a lot on my mind."

"Its ok. i understand. " She said, burying her face in his neck, knowing she was going to break down for him in court and trying my hardest not to. He kissed her head and hugged me tight.

"Im sorry, babygirl." he said sadly. He said back to her, tightening his hold on her.

'Dont be. " She answered.

"Babygirl, I know you are trying not to break down. I understand if you do, ok?" He understood.

'I dont want to break down but I'm going to if court goes way i think it will." she said

"I know, babygirl, it's going to kill me when you do. but its my fault." He said.

"Its not."

"It is; I never wanted to ever hurt you."

"I know. "

He placed his hand under my chin and raised my head to look at me. "I am sorry, babygirl. I love you and i hope you forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive I love you, Eric..

He kissed her full on the mouth, and she opened her mouth for him. He was kissing her, and she felt him. She wondered if he had always wanted to kiss her since the first time he did. He had been her first, and she had never let another touch her. She had always belonged to him.

"I want you Babygirl

"I want you, Eric

Before she realized it, we were both naked and enjoying each other's bodies. It had been so long since she had been naked in front of him, but she didn't feel vulnerable. She felt safe and loved. She knew she was going to be sore in the morning and marked, but she didn't care. They knew they both needed this.


To Be continued.