She heard the knock on the door and reached to open it. As her hand grasped the doorknob her body began to ache as the hurt once again flowed through it. She didn't need to look; she knew it was him. She wondered how he always managed to appear the instant she'd moved on.

She thought back on their time together. She knew much happier times had once existed. But they were so distant. The memories of him now seemed to all be filled with tears. She fought hard to remember his eyes and their laughter. She loved his eyes; they were expressive like hers. Reading them was the only way she ever knew what he was thinking.

The pain crept in forcing her back to reality. She wished things could be different, like they were when they first met. But she knew why he was here. He didn't want to walk through the door; only to know that it was still open. It was an entryway that his ego used for refueling. Esteem restored, he would disappear back into the darkness until he needed her again.

She looked at the door one last time and then walked away. There was no need to lock it. Turning the knob himself required more effort than he was willing to put forth.