I Didn't Know I Could Break Your Heart

"Dude, no," Rudy's voice echoed through the din. He reached out a hand and caught the scotch that was sliding down the bar. Tyler let out a growl low in his throat. "How many have you had? How many has he had?"

The bartender shrugged, "It's been a busy night. It's a popular drink. I haven't been counting."

Rudy swore and turned back to Tyler, "Let's get out of here. If you get any drunker you're going to vomit all over the bar and we both know that that's never pretty."

He grabbed Tyler by the arm and tugged him gently towards the door. Tyler stumbled slightly off his seat, but pulled back and sat right back down. There was silence for a moment and then, his voice cracking, Tyler said, "She's gone."

Rudy blinked, "Yeah, Tyler... Jen's gone..."

"No... no... not Jen... Mary..."

"Are you high?"

Tyler shook his head despairingly. His hand shook as he reached for a drink that was not there. Grabbing at the air, he said with a shadow of a smile, "I'm not high, I swear... She was going to marry me, Mary was..."

"You're thinking of Jennifer, Tyler. Marrietta was never going to marry you," Rudy was worried now. Tyler had always had a firm, if dark, grip on reality. Rudy thought he was losing him. "Jen was going to marry you, dude. Not Marrietta." He was aware his voice was rising, but his terror made it impossible to control.

Tyler smiled, a real smile this time, and replied, "Marrietta agreed to run away with me to Vegas and get married. She cancelled on me. And she's gone... she's Rodger's..."

Rudy swore, "You don't need alcohol right now, dude. What you need is a distraction and I see one coming right now in the form of a pretty little blonde thing in a bright pink tube top and jeans that make her look like she should be in a Levi's add."

Tyler glanced in the direction Rudy was pointing and laughed. "That's a very easy target, if you ask me," He replied calmly, "Don't you think I can handle a little bit more of a challenge? Like... her?"

He nodded slightly as a tall brunette girl passed them. She shot them a smile and both of the guys smiled back. As soon as she had moved on, Rudy said, "No way. You're so out of practice from being with Jen, that you'll be lucky if you can get the blonde."

"Is that a challenge?"

Shrugging, Rudy replied, "Maybe."

A grin spread across Tyler's lips, "Even though I know you're trying to bait me here, I'll do it. Her and I will be making out by sunrise."

Rudy raised an eyebrow, "It's ten o'clock. By sunrise you should be able to sleep with her. Twice."

"Twice, by sunrise?" Tyler repeated, looking mildly interested. He would be lying to deny that this challenge interested him. He plucked the drink out of Rudy's hand carefully and downed it in one gulp. "Consider it done."

Tyler slipped off the bar stool elegantly, or as elegantly as he could while he was drunk, and headed for the blonde. Something about having a new target made him see clearer. Her blonde hair was streaked unnaturally with strands of chocolate and it was as straight as a pin. There was something familiar about the laugh that came from her lips... Something that had to do with Marrietta.

He shook his head. He would not think of her tonight. Reaching out, he tapped the blonde lightly on the shoulder. She turned around with the air of someone who had the perfect rejection speech planned, but her mouth dropped as soon as her eyes met his.

She was older now, but Tyler had no problem pulling those eyes out of his memories. This was the face that had haunted him in the dark of the night when he felt like all was lost. And he had not been mistaken before, she was connected indefinitely to Marrietta.

"You," Tyler whispered madly.

She pulled herself up a little straighter, "Tyler."

"You bitch!"

The whole of the bar turned to look at them. She raised one eyebrow at him curiously. She almost seemed amused, "I think I have more of a reason to yell at you than you do to yell at me."

"How could you possibly..." Tyler began. His voice caught in his throat. "I mean, to think you should be... You made my girlfriend think I cheated on her when I didn't! You made her break-up with me in front of the entire school. And I never even f*cking slept with you!"

The blonde rolled her eyes, "You're such a typical guy. 'I didn't cheat on her'. Yeah right. You cheated on her with me and then blatantly denied it! I had to talk to you that night and you completely ignored me! I didn't even know that she was your girlfriend! I wasn't trying to ruin your relationship!"

Tyler swore, "You are such an effing liar! I never slept with you, you whore!"

"You did and I can prove it!" She shouting, getting out of her chair. Grabbing her purse, she added, "Come on."

He followed her out of the bar, but not without a backward glance at Rudy. Rudy shrugged slightly and mouthed the word 'Go'. Tyler rolled his eyes and exited the bar behind the blonde.

They drove for a good hour until they were just out of town. She pulled up to a medium-sized suburban house and shut down the car. Tyler glanced up at the house casually, "Big home. Two bedrooms... One and a half baths..." She shot him a weird look and he shrugged, "I worked for a real estate business during college."

She shook her head and pushed open the car door, "Get out."

Tyler followed her instructions and left the car. He walked with her through the front door of the house and into the living room. She dropped her purse onto the couch and called out, "Edward! Edward, where are you?"

Tyler jumped back instinctively, "Is that like some crazy husband who's going to kill me for being here? Because that's not proof!"

The blonde shot him a glare and yelled, "Edward!"

A small sound echoed down the corridor. It sounded like tiny footsteps coming down the stairs. A minute passed and then a boy around the age of seven stepped quietly into the room.

He was dressed in light blue Buzz Lightyear pyjamas with bright red socks on his feet. Dirty blonde hair fell across his face with wild abandon. One eye peeked out from behind his bangs. It was an unmistakable bright blue that matched Tyler's perfectly. The boy stared at them blankly.

"I'm hungry," He said calmly.

The blonde smiled and whispered, "This is Edward, your son." There was a beat and then, "Anymore dumb questions for me?"

"Just one," Tyler murmured, "What's your name again?"