Previously on Love Conflicted…

Read Part 7 HERE

Ricky and Maggie stand there holding each other for their last few minutes together.

Ricky kisses her, and his phone rings.

Maggie frowns, looking away.

Ricky sighs and kisses her forehead before pulling his phone out and answering it.

Ricky: Ian, hey.

Ian: I’m downstairs, it’s time for you to go.

Ricky: I know. (pulling Maggie closer to him) I’m leaving now.

Ricky hangs up and looks down at Maggie.

She begins to tear up again.

Ricky: Hey, hey. (wiping her tears) Don’t cry, please. I’ll never be able to leave you like this.

Maggie: Well then-

Ricky: (cutting her off, with sympathetic eyes) Baby, I have to go. I know you hate this, I hate it too. I know you don’t understand what’s going on, and I wish I could explain it to you, but I just can’t right now. You’re safety is the most important thing and my being here could jeopardize that. I just had to see you once, I couldn’t take it anymore. (rubbing her arms)

Maggie: Well it’s nice to know that I wasn’t the only one who was going completely insane.

Ricky: Insane doesn’t even begin to cover it, babe.

Maggie smiles slightly and kisses Ricky.

Ricky: I don’t like my life without you in it. It’s unbearable. I love you. And I will be back. And I promise I will tell you everything and anything that you want to know, when this is all over with. And we’ll be together and we’ll be happy. And nothing will ever be able to tear us away from each other again.

Maggie nods, as she tries to put on a brave face.

Maggie: That’s a lot of Ands.

Ricky: Well we have a long list of things to do, together.

Maggie: Will you be careful? Please. Because I don’t think I could handle losing you a second time-

Ricky: Hey. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll even be extra careful, just for you. (he kisses her nose, sweetly) We’re too close to getting our forever, you think I would mess that up? (he smirks, looking at her as he leans in to kiss her.)

Maggie: Is there any way… you’ll be able to contact me when you get wherever you need to go? I just want to know that you’re safe.

Ricky: I’m sure I can manage that.

Maggie smiles.

Ricky: I know this goes without saying, but I was never here. No one can know that I ever was. You have to continue on with pretending I’m gone. Just go to work, live your life. Pretend to miss me, (he smirks, wrapping his arms around her waist.)

Maggie: I won’t have to pretend. I love you so much.

Ricky: Back atcha. (arrogantly touches her chin, smirking knowingly)

Maggie: (playfully punches him in the arm) Say it back! You know I hate that.

Ricky: Like you don’t know I’m crazy about you. (smiles, cupping her face)

Maggie: (shrugs) Still, wouldn’t hurt to hear it again.

Ricky smiles as he walks away from her to finish getting his clothes. Putting on his sweater and his hat he stands near the door.

Maggie: Wow your walking away from me, without saying it, nice. (her hands are planted on her hips)

Ricky smirks, he spins around quickly pulling her into a kiss.

Ricky: I love you.

He kisses her again.

After what feels like forever, Ricky pulls away.

Ricky: That was a bad idea.

Maggie:(confused) Why?

Ricky: Because now I really don’t wanna leave you.

Maggie: So then don’t. Just stay. We’ll work it out together. I feel safer with you anyway.

Maggie kisses him willing him to stay, but Ricky pulls away once again.

Ricky: Maggie. Please this is for the best. (she kisses him) I can’t start this, if we can’t finish it. (he grabs her and kisses her yet again.)

Maggie: Whose fault is that? (she squints at him, challenging him)

Ricky: I know. And trust me if I had a time machine I would go back to the day I agreed to this job, and tell those guys to shove it.

Maggie kisses him again, as Ricky continues it, kissing her in between sentences.

Ricky: Ok ok, now I really have to go….If I don’t I won’t be able to stop.

Maggie: I’m ok with that. (she kisses him)

Ricky: (sighs) Maggie you’re killing me. And making this 5,000 times more difficult than I thought it’d be, and I knew this would be difficult, but actually going through it, it’s…

Maggie: Ok. I’m sorry. (she moves away from him holding her hands up in mock surrender)

Ricky: Thank you.

Maggie: Go get outta here.

Ricky: (smirks, looking out her apartment door peephole) Cost is clear.

Maggie nods smiling.

Ricky goes to open the door then stops.

Ricky: Ok. One more, for the road.

Maggie smiles and rushes to him, kissing him.

Ricky: Ian will be here if you need anything, you call him, I put his number in your phone, speed dial #2. I’ll see you soon, gorgeous.

Maggie nods.

Ricky opens her apartment door, looking at her.

Ricky: (winking and mouthing) I love you (as he puts on his sunglasses)

Maggie: (whispers) I love you. (she waves slightly)

Ricky leaves and Maggie’s tears fall.

She takes out her cell phone.

Lily: Hey love…

Maggie: Hey…where do you wanna do that lunch…

Ricky makes it out of the building unrecognized, through the back entrance.

He passes by Ian and nods. Ian nods back. There’s an obvious, invisible code, these two share. Ricky takes out his phone and dials.

Ian: Hey…how was it?

Ricky: Awful to leave her, but amazing to see her. Pretty much the worst bittersweet experience of my life.

Ian: The sooner we fix this, the sooner she’s all yours again.

Ricky: Yea. I can’t wait. I’m heading back to the hotel. You’ll watch her?

Ian: Like a hawk.

Ricky: Thanks man. She knows about you, that you’re here. But she knows not to engage unless necessary. I can’t say the same for Lily. (he laughs) So you might wanna keep yourself prepped. Maggie will probably be meeting Lily for lunch soon. Just follow, keep your distance.

Ian: You got it. Hang in there.

Ricky: I’m trying to.

Ricky hangs up and walks in the direction towards his hotel room; a man on a mission to fix things and get his girl back as soon as possible. Because in Ricky’s heart and mind he knew soon couldn’t come soon enough.

To be continued…

-<3-

* I do not take credit for any gifs, or any images used in my (crappy) edits or otherwise. *