She held a single red rose in her hand, feeling inadequate when surrounded by all the beautiful bouquets of flowers around the casket. She knew some were staring, wondering why she hadn't brought a proper bouquet like everyone else, but Orlando had once told her about how he hated it when his fans surrounded him with huge scary flowers, and how he preferred the daintiness of a simple single rose, how it held more meaning than any floral arrangement.

"Everytime I try to fly, I fall without my wings
I feel so small, I guess I need you baby
And I everytime I see you in my dreams
I see your face; it's haunting me
I guess I need you baby"

As she placed the rose not outside, but inside the casket, she made the mistake at gazing at Orlando's face a second time, a moment too long. In that moment, she knew that she would never sleep again without having Orlando's spirit by her side in her dreams.

She wasn't sure if she was comforted by that thought or not.

"I make believe that you are here
It's the only way, I see clear
What have I done?
You seem to move on easy."

Barely a month later and Britney was already gazing hopefully at the knife that sat on the kitchen table. The newspapers had moved on to other stories, and the people had stopped their mourning. Britney had lost almost all contact with her friends, as well as Mrs. Bloom. These days, she was content to sit at home and allow the memories and guilt wash over her as she remembered how Orlando had died.

Died in a car accident on his way to see her.

She felt tears, hot this time, running down her face again, molding with the heat of her face as she directed her anger upon herself. Words along the lines of murderer, selfish *****, and insecure idiot had been flying around ceaselessly in her head, and it didn't look like it was about to stop anytime soon.

"Everytime I try to fly, I fall without my wings
I feel so small, I guess I need you baby
And I everytime I see you in my dreams
I see your face; it's haunting me
I guess I need you baby"

Britney had been right about Orli haunting her dreams. Ever since the funeral, she hadn't had a decent night's sleep, instead spending her time playing with him in whatever scenery her mind decided to give them.

Orlando never conveyed any emotions in these dreams, and that was the worst part. In Britney's opinion anyway. She never knew if Orlando regretted coming over to see his girlfriend that night, or if he still loved her regardless. Britney often wanted to grip Orlando by the shoulders and ask him what he was feeling, ask him if he could feel at all.

But she didn't. She was scared.

"I may have made it rain
Please forgive me
My weakness caused you pain
And this song is my sorry.

At night I pray,
That soon your face will fade away."

Slowly, Britney's wishes changed. She no longer wanted to ask Orlando what he felt; she just wanted Orlando to leave her alone. But that would never happen, she knew that right away. And so, she decided that it wasn't fair for Orlando to have to always come to her.

She wanted to bridge the gap between them. And should there be nothing after this to gap, then she would find peace at last. Either way, she would win. That day, a picture of her and Orlando, so carefully placed on the mantelpiece, fell and shattered into pieces and Britney stared at it as if it were an omen.

Her omen.

She picked up the picture and the frame, but the glass was gone, lying on the ground. Then she picked up a shard and raised it to her left wrist. The picture of her and Orlando began to slide out of the frame and floated downwards. Britney kept her eyes trained on it, made no move to stop it, and when it touched the ground, she gasped in pain.

Her blood dropped and hit the picture only a second later.

"Everytime I try to fly, I fall without my wings
I feel so small, I guess I need you baby
And I everytime I see you in my dreams
I see your face; you're haunting me

She wasn't scared.

I guess I need you baby"

***