A/N - Thank you all for the wonderful feedback! This place is truly amazing :) As Parker walked through the doors of that bar, a familiar nervousness crept into her stomach. She was immediately returned to the same place that served as Ground Zero just three years ago. This place had truly been the trigger, pushing her to finally be brave enough and step out of the darkness that had overtaken her life since her brother had died. After her first and so far only evening at this bar, she realized she'd stayed with him for all the wrong reasons. Then, in her still pained mind, it wasn't Auggie or the promise of a happily ever after romance that she was clinging to, but what he meant to her: a connection with Billy. bar, he tried to push away all the bad memories and put them in a box. It took nearly four years in the Peace Corps, countless fights with her parents, a few meetings abroad, and a man who didn't deserve to have his heart broken... but she had found herself and didn't feel the need to run away. away again. Parker had finally gotten over his brother's death and now felt like one of the escaped prisoners, as described in Plato's "Allegory of the Cave". She had escaped the darkness and was ready to live her life. She was no longer chained; he no longer lived in a world of shadows. Parker walked through the doors of that bar and rearranged his outfit, put on his best smile and took a deep breath. She was finally healed and was eager to see her best friend again after a long time. This was the beginning of his new life. She found an empty table and sat down, texting her date that she had arrived, albeit almost twenty minutes early. “To explain yourself to me,” Annie smiled warmly. Parker nodded, and then headed for the exit. She paused a bit, as if there was something else important she had forgotten to say. "I don't think he needs to find out. "Speaking of which, let's meet." Annie nodded. "Of course." Annie rested her head on her husband's shoulder and closed her eyes, smiling. "I think I've outgrown that of Allen." "Really"? Auggie asked, kissing her forehead softly. "I feel like I don't really belong there, you know? Now that I'm out...I don't know...""Just consider it a trip down memory lane""Speaking of memories, guess who I met in the bathroom""Do I really have to guess or are you alone will you tell me?" "Second option . I met Parker. Oh, and she told me not to tell you." "And yet you're telling me." "No more secrets, remember?" he noted jokingly..