A long time coming.

"What do you mean you're not comin' home?" He hissed.

"I told you that I am not coming back home tonight" she sighed.

"When? When did ya?"

"Last Thursday at dinner and this morning as we had our coffee..." she slowly replied.

"No you dint!" He pouted, sticking out his bottom lip as he spoke.

"I promise you that I did, I told you that I was going out with the girls over night and that I wouldn't be back until the next evening."

"Next thing you'll say is that you wrote it down..."

"Turn around".

"Wot?!?" He grumbled.

"Carl, turn around and look at the calendar" she gently instructed him.

"Oh come on Ally!" He whined " you wrote that there this morning dint you?"

"No, I wrote it there weeks ago" Ally told him through gritted teeth.

"Why didn't you tell me then?"

"How do you know I didn't?" Ally tried as her eyebrows kept rising higher and higher up her forehead.

"Cause I would've knowd!!!" Carl barked.

"Can you say that a bit louder? I don't think the people at the back of the bus heard you..." Ally sniped.

"Alright, right then when exactly did you tell me?" Carl mumbled.

"I didn't exactly write the times down... but I think it was three weeks ago when I booked the tickets, then an evening last week and this morning".

"An what was I doing?" Carl enquired.

"Oh, I don't know looking at your phone, playing on a computer game and reading on your phone again I guess..."

"How was I supposed to know what you were doing when y tell me when I'm busy?" Carl wailed.

"Come on Ally love! Time to hang up and let the baby have his bottle!" A voice shouted in the background of the telephone call.

"Who were that!!!" Carl shouted.

"Just one of the girls Carl..." Ally simpered.

"Tell her to mind her own business this has nothing to do with her!"

"There's no need to shout..." Ally started.

"No need to shout! No need to shout! You've run off and left me without a by your leave and then your so called mates start offending me!"

"Stop it Carl" Ally whispered into the phone.

"Tell him to sling his hook the ar..."

"What was that!!?! Carl raged.

"Look we're just trying to have a nice time and it's really hard with you calling all the time!" Ally snapped.

"Ok, ok... I'm sorry I was just a bit worried about you. I didn't know where you'd gone and then I got a bit angry when I thought you'd left without telling me."

"I know" Ally sighed again "please look at the calendat before you ring me 55 times though..."

"Oh yeh, I'll... I'll try... but you're not going to stay out late are you?"

"Carl! Stop it, go get yourself something to eat and stop worrying!"

"Alright... well have a good night then, love you."

"I will thanks, bye."

"Wow! Possesive much!?!" Olivia smurked.

"Hmm... He's just not used to me going out" Ally replied.

"You know you shouldn't have to tell him when you're going out right or for how long you're staying out right?"

"It's good that he cares for me though..."

"It's not care, love" Olivia sighed.

"Of course it is! He likes having me around and worries when I'm gone."

"Really?" Olivia asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes of course he does or why would he get so anxious?" Ally smiled sheepishly.

"Does he value you when he's ignoring you on his phone or playing his computer games?"

"Well I guess not..." Ally mumbled.

"Stop looking down at your shoes girl! Look it's not care it's control, he doesn't love you he just likes keeping hold of you."

"He can be thoughtful though..." Ally started to say.

"When? What does he do then?" Olivia asked.

"He... erm... he made me a cup of tea the other day!"

"Wow! A cup of tea! Give him a knighthood!" Olivia laughed.

"And... and he ordered me my favourite takeaway last month..."

"Was he supposed to cook for you?" Olivia asked tilting her head towards her friend.

"Well, erm.. yes I guess he was going to cook but decided to order us a takeaway instead" Ally nodded.

"Lazy and controlling, proper keeper that one is Ally!"

"And how's your love life going Olivia?"

"Now, now lets not change the subject here Ally!"

"I know it's not great but we live together and I love him and..."

"And what love?" Olivia asked seriously.

"It's not like I'm getting any younger is it?" Ally sighed.

"What's that got to do with the price of fish?"

"Eh?"

"I mean just because your not 18 anymore doesn't mean that you don't deserve love" Olivia reassured her.

"But who would want me?!?" Ally cried "I'm wanted goods! I'm not a super model or a glamorous lady."

"So what! Plenty of people would love to have you, he's not good enough for you!" Olivia told her friend.

"Ok... you can let.. go of me now... I can't breathe!"

"Fine, but try and remember what I've said love."

"Alright, can we get a drink now?" Ally asked as she started to walk off.

"That's your first good idea all night" Olivia laughed.

"Where are all your clothes?!?!" Carl shouted.

"I've taken them."

"I can see that Ally but where?" Carl growled.

"Away."

"What do you mean by away?"

"Not there" Ally mumbled.

"Your being clear as mud here!"

"I've... I've taken all of my things... I just didn't..."she stuttered.

"Didn't what?!?!?" Carl snapped "Want to see me again? Pay your share of the rent, like being here?"

"Erm..."

"Erm, is that all you can say erm?" Carl spat.

"Ch.. choose one" Ally whispered.

"You what?"

"Choose a reason, I don't need one" Ally told him.

"You left because your friend told you to didn't you?" Carl sulked.

"No, it's not like that..." Ally whispered.

"What is it like then eh? What exactly is the problem?"

"This" Ally stated.

"This? What's that supposed to mean?!?" Carl raged again.

"I don't need this, not anymore. Not avoiding your tempers or trying to keep you happy, staying in so that you wouldn't be lonely it's not fair and it's not for me" Ally sighed deeply this time. "It's time for me to move on."

"What?!? You've met someone haven't you, you're running off with something else! How dare you leave me!?" Carl roared.

"This wasn't how it was supposed to go but you called and it seemed as good a time as any... we're over, you need to make peace with that."

"How? When? What?" Carl stumbled struggling to form his words.

"Don't call me again."

"Carl? Who are you talking to?" A deep voice asked.

"A.. A.. Ally" Carl wept.

"That's not a phone Carl" the other man sighed.

"But she left..."

"They're all gone now, we're the only ones left remember?"

"Oh, yeah... thanks John, where did they go?" Carl asked.

"There was a big explosion.. that's what the dust is."

"Dust, yes... and what caused it?"

"That's enough questions for now Carl, time to sleep... forever" John purred as the gas slowly filled the cave.