Narrator's POV
October 1990

Mickey's attention turned toward the front door when she heard the door swing open. Doug walked in with an excited Swayze, who came running in with so much energy. The tapping of his nails against the hard wood told Mickey that she needed to clip them soon.

Doug unclicked his leash and let him run to his mom on the couch. He jumped up and wiggled his little body around like jelly as Mickey laughed and pet him until he settled down. She looked to Doug who was kicking off his shoes and said, "thanks for taking him out."

"It's not a problem," Doug said. He plopped down on the couch and Swayze settled his head on Doug's lap. Doug chuckled and scratched behind Swayze's ears.

Doug looked toward Mickey and smiled. After Tom left, she lost her person and he lost his best friend. This made their friendship stronger. He briefly thought about becoming more, but then remembered when he kissed Judy and almost ruined their relationship and he didn't want to risk it with Mickey. He saw her more as a best friend or a younger sister anyway, but he loved her.

Mickey and Doug had been trying to get together frequently ever since Tom moved so they could support each other during this tough time. Tom was so important to both of them, and him leaving took its toll. Mickey had to learn how to put the light back into her eyes. Friday nights became weekly movie nights, and sometimes they would get lunch during the week. Fuller started giving them more assignments together, which made them closer, but they technically weren't partners.

"Did you pick one yet?" Doug asked. They were having a hard time deciding the movie for that night so the deal was that Doug would take Swayze outside to use the bathroom, and Mickey would pick the movie. She never liked deciding the movie.

"Yeah, I decided on Uncle Buck," Mickey said. She held the remote in her hand, ready to play the movie. She looked down at the bowl of freshly popped popcorn that she put on the coffee table and pushed it back so Swayze didn't try to eat it.

"I've heard that movie is really funny," he approved. He sniffed the air before following the delicious scent to the kitchen where he saw a batch of cookies cooling. He took one for himself before walking back to the living room. Mickey still bakes as a coping mechanism, and Doug loves it.

Swayze turned around and cuddled with Mickey which made her silently squeal and say in a low voice, "my little man... you are too cute."

Doug looked over and he chuckled, "where's your camera?"

"On the table," Mickey said while scratching Swayze's exposed stomach. She adjusted the sleeve of her sweater. It was Tom's that he left behind, a grey wool sweater that Mickey hasn't had the heart to wash yet because it still lingers with Tom's cologne. She wants to feel closer to him. 

She moved her hand up to Swayze's chin, and then to the top of his head. She rubbed him gently as Doug silently got up and grabbed her black 600 Polaroid that sat on the table. He came back and put the view-finder up to his eye after flipping the flash up and said, "say cheese."

"Cheese," Mickey said softly while smiling at the camera. The flash blinded her slightly, and Swayze's head popped up. Mickey kept rubbing his ears as Doug grabbed the film that popped out and put the camera back on the table.

The screen was showing the credits as the movie was starting, so Mickey and Doug leaned toward each other to wait for the picture to develop. When it did, Mickey saw herself smiling while snuggling with Swayze in her arms. His little tongue was out, and he looked like he was sleeping.

"I'll send this one to Tom," Mickey said and grabbed the photo from Doug's hand. She got up to put it on the table for the next letter she was going to send to Tom. She didn't want to forget.

When Tom moved to Virginia, he was instructed not to allow anyone from his life to contact him or tell anyone where he was going to be. He couldn't bring Mickey with him, but they broke a couple rules by giving her his new number and his address so they can send each other gifts and call whenever they can. Calling was difficult because he was either on a case or she was, and with the time difference they rarely were free at the same time.

"Do you still write to him?" Doug asked.

"Almost weekly. I don't want to annoy him," she replied. Tom always responds to her letters. She has a little box in her closet where she keeps all his letters in, as well as their video camera. She hasn't touched it since he left. She walked back to the couch and sat down and draped a gray blanket over her.

"You couldn't annoy him," Doug reassured. "He loves you too much."

"I just miss him a lot," Mickey mumbled softly. She thought about Tom, and was curious what he was doing now. Her heart broke when she thought about how he sits alone in his empty apartment and eats his dinner by himself.

"Yeah. Me too."

She asked, "did you hear about Rocky and Garrett?"

"No, what happened?" Doug asked. He grabbed the popcorn bowl that was on the coffee table and brought it up to his lap. He and Mickey loved gossiping about Jump Street drama, when there was drama.

Officer Dean Garrett worked on a few cases with Mickey, and even sent her to the hospital for one of them. Mickey didn't work with Officer Kati Rocky, but she was recruited to Jump Street shortly after Garrett was.

"Garrett hasn't shown up in like a week, and Fuller found out that Rocky never graduated high school so she was kicked out," Mickey said. She opened her mouth and flicked her tongue out a couple times, and Doug grabbed a popcorn piece from the bowl and tossed it her way. She caught it in her mouth and closed it so she could chew.

"Maybe you chased Garrett out. Ever think you were being too hard on him?" Doug asked and shoved a handful of popcorn in his mouth.

"If I was being too hard on Garrett, Jump Street wasn't for him," Mickey chuckled. He was a sensitive guy, but Mickey knew she had to be tough on him.

"That's crazy about Rocky. Wait, I thought she was in the FBI?"

Mickey chuckled and said, "might have been fake or exaggerating, I'm not sure. But I never saw her badge."

"How did she even make it into the academy without a high school diploma?"

Mickey shrugged, "I have no idea. But, they're both gone and Fuller is pissed. Looks like I'm on the hunt for another partner again."

"Shoot, Mick. That sucks, but I heard that a new recruit from the academy is coming in next week. Officer Anthony McCann. I've heard he's a good guy." Doug tossed another popcorn piece her way, and she had to lean back to catch it in her mouth.

After she swallowed, she said, "I hope so. I don't think I can handle another screw-up like Garrett."

"Come on, Garrett wasn't that bad," Doug tried to defend him.

"He left me strapped to a chair in a school basement where I was drugged and tortured by drug dealers," Mickey casually reminded him.

It has been a couple of weeks since the incident, and Mickey was still recovering mentally. She describes it as knowing what victims are feeling and what they're thinking moments before they're murdered. Fuller made her take some time off and go to therapy often, as well as helping her to ensure that she didn't get addicted to the drugs that she was forced to take while hostage. Ever since, she has been quiet, jittery, and shaky.

When Fuller was working undercover in New York, he saw one of his coworkers fall into the clutches of drugs after a similar occurrence. She became addicted and was fired from the department, and later died from an overdose. Fuller is terrified that one of his officers will suffer the same fate, so he takes extra precautions.

"Oh, yeah. Okay, yeah, that's pretty bad," Doug chuckled with Mickey. It's been long enough, and they both have an unconventional sense of dark humor that makes that situation okay to laugh about.

When the movie was over, Doug stood up after checking his watch and stretched softly. He said, "I should probably get going. I started seeing someone."

"As in dating or hallucinations?" She asked.

Doug gave her a sneering grin. "Funny. I have a date tomorrow."

"With who?" Mickey asked as she stood up with him. She walked toward the window and clicked the lamp on to fill the dark room with light. The curtains were open, and she figured that she would close them before she went to bed.

"Her name is Anne Marie. I met her at the coffee shop over on 2nd Street. We are going to brunch," Doug said with a smile. He grabbed his shoes from the door and went back to the couch

"You go to brunch now?" Mickey chuckled.

"I go to brunch with girls I'm trying to impress," Doug said while slipping on his tennis shoes.

"You didn't go to brunch with me and Judy when we asked you." Mickey crossed her arms to display her slight annoyance.

"And I don't need to impress you or Judy," he said teasingly. He tied his laces and stood back up.

"Okay, well, have fun and let me know how it goes," Mickey said.

Doug walked up to her snd wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug and and gave her a friendly peck on her cheek. He said, "of course, I'll call you. Or, would you rather do dinner tomorrow?"

"Dinner works."

"Have you had a Metro Dog?" He asked.

"Isn't that just a hot dog?" Mickey asked.

"Yes," Doug responded in almost a moan.

A Metro-style hotdog dog, locally known as a Metro Dog, is just a hot dog traditionally topped with thick cream cheese, sautéed onions, and it's served in a toasted pretzel bun. The best ones are sold at a hot dog street vendor cart in the city, within walking distance of Doug's apartment. Doug stumbled upon it one evening after a baseball game at the local stadium, and has introduced them to every member of his team.

"Promise?"

"Yes, I promise."

Mickey escorted him to the door, and he left.

Meanwhile, Tom was standing outside his car with a big black duffel bag slung over his shoulder and a bouquet of flowers in his other hand. He was looking up at the apartment that he had shared with Mickey. He wanted to find his way back into Mickey's heart. The window was dark, so he assumed that Mickey was asleep. He could not wait to surprise her at her door and tell her that he was moving back home. He hadn't officially quit the DEA, but the plan was in motion.

Leaving Mickey was one of the hardest things he has ever had to do. Even with her picture beside him, he was getting more and more lonely with each passing day. He didn't want to just sit around and dream about a girl that's three-thousand miles away. Tom couldn't stand it anymore.

The air was crisp but warm, and he took a deep breath. He knew he should have called, but he was dying to get to her. He could taste her sweet kisses while he was driving back home. He had been traveling all day and night, over mountains and valleys across the country just to get to her. He would have walked a thousand miles just to fall down at her door. He said to himself as a pep talk , "okey-dokey... just walk right up there and knock. She will be so happy to see me because I'm coming home to stay. This is where I belong."

Tom took a step away from his car and he noticed that the apartment window became illuminated with light. He paused because he could see Mickey through the window, and he was elated. He could barely make out her facial features, but he knew that it was her. His heart throbbed because it wanted to be beside her so badly. He noticed that she was talking to someone, and then he saw a man step to her and give her a hug and a kiss.

His heart dropped to his feet. He felt his stomach twist and turn with pain. He thought he was too late. The bouquet of flowers slipped out of his hands and landed at his feet. Tom pressed his back against his car and took a deep breath.

He had to look away from the window as his eyes filled with tears. He didn't want to see anyone hold her in the night, and they both seemed to glow like wine. He closed his eyes as he let his head roll back and he looked up at the stars that they once saw their future in.

He tossed his duffel bag back into the car. He got into the drivers seat and buckled back up. He sat in silence for a minute, because he almost didn't believe it. He knew that there was nothing he could do, because they technically weren't together anymore. He immediately assumed that she had moved on, and he was too distracted to realize that it was only Doug up there. The only shred of light was that he thought she was happy, and that's all he wanted.

His thoughts began to spiral out of control. He didn't want to know what dress she was wearing if he was holding her tight, just like the way he did before. He thought that she moved on so quickly, it physically pained him to see her with someone new. He can't get her out of his brain.

Tom looked at his passengers seat, where he had a box of every letter that Mickey ever wrote him while he was in Virginia. It was one of the only things they could do to keep them near while they were apart. He had memorized every line that was written straight from her heart. He wanted to come home to her...

Tom began his drive back to Virginia with plans to call his moving trucks in the morning. He loved her more and more with every mile that he drove away. He tried so hard to forget, but as he drove he thought about his life without Mickey and he was slowly dying inside. Mickey stayed on his mind as the wheels spun round and round, and the rain began to drizzle on the windshield. He looked back in his rear view mirror, watching his life disappear behind him.

Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed 🥰