I've been back from town about half an hour - maybe more, I'm not too sure. After my illness on Thursday/Friday I decided to go in and tie up a few loose ends, submit stories that were done but not submitted, gather up my things and say a last goodbye to the colleagues.

First, though, I met Jason at half eight this morning so we could get some breakfast before I went to work. Well - it was 8:40. He'd accepted a lift off his stepmum who was driving the kids to school, only the kids' school is near Asda, which is actually further away from where we'd agreed to meet than his house. He only realised when he'd been dropped off. Oops!

So I'd been sat waiting in Victoria Square for about half an hour when he arrived. Being early, it was still a bit dim out - it reminded me of when we'd first started hanging out and I'd meet him at 7:30 for the jam night at the Duke of Cambridge; I'd sit in Victoria Square and read for half an hour in the fading light and he'd sit next to me when he arrived - I'd only ever notice him when he'd already sat down. While I was waiting today, I saw Andy walking across Victoria Square. My eyesight's crap so I wasn't sure it was him and he looked a bit surprised to see me but I waved and he waved back. It transpired later that it was actually Andy, and I hadn't made a plonker of myself!

Jason apologised for his lateness and then suggested we go to Sayers, which has a deal in the morning where for £2 you can get a bacon and egg barm and a cup of tea. He had that and I had a proper breakfast - beans, sausage, hash brown, bacon and orange juice - and then we checked out the new Pound Bakery that's at the front of the shop - the one that Sports Editor Mike reckoned could put an end to a lot of the usual bakeries in the town, irrespective of quality. The prices are, predictably, good, but I don't think I'd ever get a pasty from there - Greggs all the way for me!

We had a bit of time before I was due in work at 9:30, but it was ridiculously windy and I didn't feel keen on waffling about town in it, so I went to work early. Andy wasn't in there when I got there and Steven was on the phone so I talked to Chris a little, explained why I was in when Friday should have been my last day, and set about getting everything sorted out. I submitted the story for the Team 42 awards (even though it's still being scrutinised by The Prince's Trust marketing lot), stuck all my newspapers and address book in a bag to take them home and printed off a letter replying to someone who'd been upset that 'nothing had been written' (even though it had - just not published) on 'The Green Dress'.

Andy came back after I'd been in a little while and he and Steven asked how I was feeling and what had been wrong on Friday. After a brief explanation, I told them what I was here to do and set about tying up those unsightly loose ends.

I caught Andy writing a 'Good Luck' card when I went upstairs to get the food I'd left behind, though! It was a really nice gesture, signed on behalf of everyone there - it really made me feel like those five months I'd put in there had been worth something to them! They'd slipped a HMV gift card in there, which will most likely go on a new CD for my collection. And, of course, they got me a tin of chocolates - always appreciated!

I printed off some of those PDF pages I'd downloaded (as many as the printer would allow) and stuck them in the A3 display folder I'd bought for the occasion. My portfolio sorted, and Jason now waiting downstairs, it was time to say goodbye to the best job I've ever had. As I was leaving, Steven asked me to stay in touch and Andy said I'd done them proud - I really didn't know what to say. I'm indescribably proud to have worked there, and while some days were hectic and I had to deal with some crazy, crazy people, some days were absolutely fantastic, I worked on some brilliant stories about amazing people and ultimately got more gratitude than complaints for my efforts. I'll miss that job, and my colleagues, so much.

Jason and I went back to his after that, which was a trip and a half. We had a million bags to carry and the wind whipped my beret right off my head on College Street - horror of horrors, it wound up in the middle of the road. Jason was on his way to get it back but a young fellow got there first and picked it up for me. Relief! Needless to say I didn't wear it on my head the rest of the way back - I wore it on my knees.

Back at Jason's, we watched silly videos on YouTube for a while - Rubberfruit, that Moonbase Alpha one; the usual lot. Bantered, drank tea - and it was very much like we weren't going to be apart for three months after today; things were just normal. Lee and Maria went out to pick some stuff up from Asda and we went upstairs for some alone time - but I shan't go into that! - and afterwards we had more tea and banter - just enough to take us up to Jason having to get his things together for Exeter.

It was probably the third time I said 'goodbye until December' to Maria, but this time it was for real. Jason and I headed for the train station, again me without my beret, and we didn't really touch on the subject of the soon-to-be distance between us. We talked the usual things - silly things. I can't really remember what; I was just focused on enjoying the time we had left.

We arrived at the last place I wanted to be; the train station. Half an hour to go and it passed quickly in more idle chit-chat. The train was at half twelve and time seemed to speed up closer to the dreaded moment. I held his hand tight and kept talking, painfully aware of the ticking fobwatch at my chest. December would be the next time I see him in person, hold his hand like this, talk to him and kiss him.

And the train came.

I was in his arms, kissing him. He took his bag and I had to let him go otherwise he'd miss the train. People were leaving the carriages and flocking into the station now and he said he'd see me later, disappearing into the crowds. I lost sight of him. He was gone.

I looked back when I was going to see if I could glimpse him one last time but nothing. The train was already going - it hadn't wasted any time - so I gave up and decided to make my way home. Three months now loomed ahead, a chasm.

Seconds later, footsteps. Jason's voice: "Looks like we've got another hour!"

He ran to catch me up and at first I was staggered - I didn't believe it - he'd missed the train. I'd thought it was leaving the platform a bit soon and I was right - the driver had just let a load of people off and went. Jason had got to the platform to see it going.

So there'd be a second goodbye that day. Since we now had some time to kill, we decided to go to KFC - once we'd stopped giggling at the hilarity of the situation. It was actually quite funny - there we were, having this sad, movie-style goodbye, only for the train driver to kill the moment by driving off on Jason.

After KFC we waited a bit then headed back to the station so he could get the 1:30 train. This time, we decided it might be smart to wait on the platform so he could board right away. Another thing I did differently was tell him how much I was going to miss him, how much this degree would be worth it if I was doing it for him, and that I loved him - I hadn't told him the first time round so this was my chance before he went to Exeter.

So that's pretty much it. I got the bus home, and now it'll be three months before I see him again. I don't think it's fully settled in yet, which is weird, as I've been dreading this day for months now.

What else can I say? I still have a fair bit to do today; mainly related to packing and finding important documentation such as my birth certificate. Mum should be phoning up later today with a definite date and time they'll be picking me up so while on the phone I need to present to her my registration faff and find out whether she'll be coming over too.

My hope for the registration faff is that I'll be able to find someone, maybe a family friend or relative, who drives to Belfast every morning for work and then hitch a ride with them on the days I need to be there. If so, that'll free up my last ever Jobseeker's Allowance payment for a driver's licence - then I can get one, register, get my student finance and start taking the train every day. That's my strategy, and I hope to god it'll work. If I can't hitch a lift, well, it'll be an iLink card for me and scrounging to get a driver's licence. I'll have to scrape together what I can, a tenner here and a fiver there, and then pay everyone back when my student finance comes through.

Now then, off to packing! I've got a lot to get through tonight and hopefully tomorrow...