A/N: Same main female character as was used in the last one, but doesn't really need any back story, I don't think.

"Take charge of things, that's what I say. Don't let 'em show you they're better than you. Long story short, don't take no as an answer," he said through their chat window. Kylie smiled slightly despite the sinking feeling in her heart and stomach. She knew he was just looking to be her friend and that was all she needed right now, but why did it feel like they had known each other for years.

"Right. But… he is better than me, that's the thing," she said tears streaming down her face again.

"Listen to yourself Kylie, you can't go around thinking like that. It's not gonna get you anywhere. This may seem a little bit forward, but can I get your number? I'd really like to talk to you for real," he asked. She knew it was forward and more so than she usually appreciated, but who really cared anymore? Besides… where would he get with her phone number?

If you want it, you can have it
But you've got to learn to reach out there and grab it

"So what's your situation? Why don't you have a girlfriend?" she asked him after they had been on the phone for at least ten minutes talking about her problem and while he tried to get her to stop crying.

"Who would want to date a guy like me? I'm ugly and stand-offish. Not exactly boyfriend material," he said, all of which was a lie. "Besides, I'm a fighter, not a lover. One half of me can't ever see me settlin' down in my life. But the other half is telling me to go for it. Find a nice girl, the right nice girl and settle down. Start a family and all that. But I don't know. It's not really for me," he said. Kylie nodded and understood exactly where he was coming from, which was an interesting concept to think about, considering she did not even know his name.

'Cause everybody wants some love
Shooting from the stars above
And though my heart will break
There's more that I could take
I could never get enough

"But what's the fun in life if you never take the chance?" she asked a few nights later.

"Kylie, I can't say I don't want to try again. It's just that I've been used and I don't envy being hurt again. Look at what you've been going through the past two weeks. You can't honestly tell me you're liking how you've been feeling or how you were treated," he said.

"No, but I'm going to get past it eventually and when I do, I'm going to try again. Pick myself up and put on my happy face. There's no point in giving up forever, Scott. There's going to be someone out there that isn't going to treat you like trash. I know there are girls out there that are looking for something real and not just trying to get what they can from you. You say you know guys that aren't jerks and I take your word for it, but I haven't met many of them myself when it all comes down to it, but I'm going to keep looking. You should do the same. It's hard, yes… but the pain is just part of growing up," she said.

"How can you sit here and be so optimistic about love after all that just happened to you, Kylie? How?" he asked.

"I don't know," she admitted, "I honestly don't know. I'm sitting here telling you all these things I should be doing myself and not even able to do them. It's like I'm lying through my teeth to you. It's the ultimate form of hypocrisy. Everything's okay for you to do, but me? Nah, no way. There's not a chance in hell that I can just jump back in the dating pool and hope to make a splash – excuse the terrible analogy. But yet, you can. You, even though you've been hurt just as much as I have… it's plenty okay for, but not me," she said sighing.

If you need it, you should show it
'Cos you might play so monastic that you blow it

"Maybe that's part of it, though. You don't feel like you can get out and take charge like you'd like me to because you're a woman and for once you'd like to be treated like one. You want to be able to fall into the stereotypical set of relationship standards that you haven't been able to enjoy. You want the man to come to you first, to show interest in you, and to woo you. You don't want to have to put your foot forward first because you're sick of tryin' so hard to make things work that you need someone else to put forth the effort," Scott inferred. Kylie was silent.

"You know? You just might be right," she said quietly.

'Cos everybody wants some hope
Something they can barely know
And though my heart will break
There's more that I could take
I could never let it go

It was a long two days before the two had the chance to speak again because of clashing schedules, but nothing had changed. Scott was still burnt and Kylie still broken. She had been doing much better, but her ex-boyfriend had called her again that morning and tried to set up plans to get together as friends for the approaching weekend, and now she was back down where she had been when she first met Scott.

"I almost want to say yes, Scott and that's what he's hoping for; I know that's why he keeps calling. He can feel me breaking and he's hoping it'll happen soon," she said crying to him over the phone.

"Sweetheart, calm down. You've gotta pull through this. You're strong and you can get past him. I know you're smart enough to stay away because of what you're sayin' right now. All you've gotta do is actually do it. Ignore his calls and tell him to leave you alone," he said. "Want me to go beat his ass in?" he offered. Kylie smiled through her tears.

"No, that's okay," she said, "I'll take of him eventually," she said.

"But who's gonna take care of you 'til then?" he asked.

"Who knows? Myself, like always… at least that's how it's looking right now," she admitted sadly. The duo sat in a comfortable silence for a few seconds.

"Can I do it?" he offered. Kylie blinked hard a few times.

"Are you letting the half you didn't want to win last time I talked to you win over finally?" she wondered aloud.

"For now, yes. That might change if you don't take me up on it soon, though," he admitted.

"Then, in that case, yes. You can take care of me until then. And after then, if you haven't lost interest by then," she said wiping her face and deciding that things had finally started to look up for her love life again.

It's in the photograph
It's in the photograph
It's in the photograph of love

Lyrics to Photograph by Weezer