Work Text:
George and Teri were strolling together, arms linked, in the parking lot behind the TV station. It was a nice night. The wind blew ever-so gently, chilling the two but not too much. The victory of actually owning Channel 62 and sticking it to R.J. Fletcher added a sweet touch to it too, George supposed. The crowd from before were still behind them, celebrating and laughing and whatnot.
But for once, George wasn’t distracted by everything else going on around him. No, at that point, all he thought about was Teri. They’d broken up before, and it was ugly, but here she was again; smiling and on his arm. He knew it’d all work out in the end. He had a feeling things always sorted themselves out.
And that’s exactly what was happening then. He and Teri were walking, both happy. Teri was the one to take his hand and lead him away from the crowd. She must have had something to say to him. He wondered what she wanted to talk about. Surely, she wanted to get back together, right? He’s proved himself, after all. If he could manage and save a TV station, then what’s a relationship?
Maybe they’d go out for a movie after. Or they’d go home and cuddle on the couch. Or they’d talk about their future. Or they’d just get in George’s car and drive into the sunset together. Or—
“Uhm… George?” Teri spoke, breaking him out of his thoughts.
They were out of earshot from the crowd now. Their cheers still loud, but slightly more muffled.
“Mmm, yeah?” George replied, a goofy grin on his face.
“Well… uhm… I wanted to tell you something–”
“Oh, honey, you can tell me anything you want.”
Teri frowned and bit her lip at that. The poor thing, she must have been nervous. George turned to look at her properly, taking both of her hands in his. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. Teri’s frown deepened. George cocked his head to the side, still grinning.
“I just–” Teri began, then sighed. “I don’t know how to say this gently in a way that you’ll understand, but I wanted to tell you that I’m leaving town.”
“D’aw, Teri, I was– wait, what?”
“I’m leaving Tulsa, George. To study? In California? You know, I always talked about properly getting into dentistry and all that and… well, I tried my luck with a few colleges and I guess I was lucky. I leave tomorrow morning. I thought I’d tell you first and… y’know, away from everyone else?” Teri said, her tone slow and gentle.
George stared at her blankly. This wasn’t what he was expecting or imagining. No, not at all. She wasn’t supposed to abandon him even more. She was supposed to come running back to him. After all, he did everything right! He got his life together for one; he’s got a stable job now! Most of his imagination was being channelled to that job too so he doubted it’d make any more of an impact in his personal life. What was the problem? What did he fail to fix this time? Why couldn’t he do anything right?
“So… you’re leaving,” George said flatly.
Teri looked into George’s eyes. She held a slight desperation in her own. A desperation mixed with exhaustion. Was she really tired of him? Was she really just going to up and leave? Didn’t she know how much George loved her? How much he needed her?
“Yeah. I am. I’ll be back, probably. To visit?”
“...Why would you come here to talk to me if you’re just gonna leave me again?” George replied, venom dripping from his words.
Teri probably didn’t deserve that. She had a life, after all. A life aside from George and all that. It’s just… George had thought she could start including him in that life too. The same way he was going to include her in his. Though, he supposed that was just another far fetched dream that he’d had. It was stupid of him. He should have known.
Things were getting too good. He was too happy. Too successful. Those are always warning signs that George’s world was about to come crashing down around him. He got too far ahead of himself. Nothing ever goes well for George Newman. And when it does, it just means something worse is about to come. Besides, he should have known by now that this was going to happen.
Everyone leaves him in the end.
“I– I just wanted to celebrate your victory with you, George. And then tell you about mine . I thought you’d be happy for me,” Teri answered, her tone sounded like she was begging something of him.
George frowned. He’d let go of Teri’s hands now, instead keeping them at his sides, clenched tightly.
“Happy? Happy? You’re leaving me, Teri. You’re abandoning me again. You know I love you, Teri. Look at all this! I got it all together for you! I got myself together for you! Isn’t that enough? Am I not enough, Teri?” George yelled.
Teri nervously looked back to the crowd still celebrating behind them. It seemed no one had heard George. Teri just sighed again, the desperation in her eyes now creeping into her voice as she spoke.
“Come on, George, we broke up. I can’t be with you. I’m just– No, you’re just not for me . You sent your gifts and your voicemails and I just– I know I didn’t answer any of them but. But you got the hint, didn’t you? I mean, you stopped after a while. Why else would you have stopped?”
“I stopped because I was trying to win you back, Teri! How do you think I managed all of this? Huh? You think I didn’t think of you every second of the day? You can’t just leave me like this after everything I’ve done!”
Teri was brimming with tears now, her blue eyes turning even more crystal-like as they did. George felt a tug at his heart when he noticed. He didn’t mean to hurt her. No, he’d never hurt her.
But he had. And now he was realising that that was why Teri was leaving. He didn’t get his shit together. He’s still the same old George Newman— resident screw-up. Who would ever wanna stick with him?
Teri put a hand on his arm. Her touch was tender. George wasn’t expecting it. He flinched, and George caught another pang of hurt in her eyes. She simply sighed exasperatedly.
“Listen, George. I can’t keep trying to take care of your feelings like this, okay? I can’t keep trying to take care of you this way. This? Me leaving? It isn’t about you, George. It’s got nothing to do with you. Not at all. I just… I’m pursuing my passion. You know, the one I’m always talking about? And the fact that you don’t even think about that but go straight to how it affects you? That’s why I can’t be with you, George Newman. I wasn’t leaving this town because of you, but I sure as hell am leaving you because of you.” Teri said, her voice stern but still somehow gentle.
She could have snapped. In fact, George would have rathered she snapped. It would have given him a reason to fight. To yell. To take his anger and hurt out on something . And yet, despite everything, Teri was still staying calm and collected and gentle as she always was.
George didn’t deserve it.
Then he looked at Teri again. Her brows were knitted together. Her tears were streaming down her cheeks at that point. She wasn’t sobbing, but she was still crying. George had a feeling she was trying to hide it.
Her words sank into him properly. This wasn’t about him. None of this was about him. Teri was her own person. She had every right to do what she wanted. And what she wanted was to get out of town to study. That had nothing to do with George. Not at all.
But he did make it about him. And now apparently that is why Teri broke up with him those few weeks ago. George thought he’d got it all together. He was wrong. All he did was focus on something else instead of actually fixing himself.
No, he was making it about him again. This wasn’t about him. This was about Teri. She got what she wanted. Finally. He should be happy for her.
So he simply hung his head, not wanting to make eye contact.
“I’m sorry, I just…” he sighed. “Congrats on getting into that college, Teri.”
He still remembered all those times she mentioned this college in California. One that offered dentistry as a major, which she’d always had an interest in for some reason. It was one of the things about her that George didn’t forget. Sure, birthdays and anniversaries slipped his mind a lot but… little details were hard to let go of. He felt Teri place her hand on his arm again.
“Thanks, George. Listen, I’m… I’m sorry for what I said. I did… mean it in some way but. You’re a nice guy, George. You’re a real piece of work sometimes, but you’re a nice guy. Just… you’re not meant for me, okay?”
George simply nodded and replied, “Yeah. Yeah, I get what you mean. I’m sorry for what I said too. I didn’t mean that. I really didn’t, Teri.”
He looked up at her, tears now brimming at his own dark brown eyes. Teri gave him a tight-lipped smile.
“I know, George. For what it’s worth, you were right about managing to do all this. It’s not exactly an easy thing to do,” she attempted to comfort him.
“Yeah, well, couldn’t have done it if you didn’t go to Fletcher and rile him up like that, so. Really, I just have you to thank,” George said, trying to keep his tone light-hearted. “...Again.”
“Hey,” Teri said, now moving her other hand to cup his cheek so that he’d look up and face her. “It’s still impressive that you managed to run this little TV station and turn it into something that means so much to so many people. I think that just shows how much you don’t need me, doesn’t it? I mean you did that without me, didn’t you? Give yourself some credit, George.”
She smiled. It was a genuine one this time. Small, but genuine. George found himself smiling too, albeit a little more weakly.
“Thanks, Teri.”
Teri moved her hand from his face and patted his arm.
“I’ll see you around, George.”
Then she walked away. Back to the big crowd where her friends and family were beckoning her over. George caught a glimpse of Bob making a little “What happened?” signal to him. He merely shook his head to convey back, “Not now”. George looked back at Teri, now with her parents. She was beaming .
“I’ll see you too, Teri,” he mumbled under his breath.