Resolve
by: raileht
Summary: The morning after.
Disclaimer: The ones you don't know are mine, the ones you do aren't.
Rating: T, to be safe
Warning: just my usual brand of crap.
Note: follow up to Obscurity.
Warning: out of character is the name of the game.
Song used:
Lady Antebellum, Something 'bout a Woman
-o0o0o0o-
"Diane?"
He raised his eyebrows, checking the screen on the phone before shaking his head. He stood against the island on his kitchen, wondering for a moment if he had made a mistake of picking up her phone. The person on the other end of the line called her name again and right then he knew he had no choice but to come clean.
"Uh, Will?"
Silence on the other end of the line, "…Kurt?"
"Yeah," he said, his voice suddenly gruff. "Look, I don't know what happened last night, but…she's here."
"Diane's there?" the other man echoed, surprise evident in his voice. "At your place? There?"
He nodded even though he couldn't be seen, "Yeah. She's still sleeping."
"Wait," Will said and he could imagine the look on the other man's face, "Did she arrive there this morning or…what?"
"She came around two last night," he answered honestly, "Drove through the snow. I don't know what happened, but I don't think she's up for talking right now."
Kurt wasn't sure what made her come, but he wouldn't put it past her and Will to have had a big enough fight to make her want to get as far as she possibly could. He'd seen for himself just how bad these two could fight. They were great as partners, but they were great at tearing at each other as well.
"What? Why?" he heard shuffling on the other end, "I saw her last night…she was okay…god, she must have gone to your place straight from the office."
"She did," Kurt replied, "Did something happen at work?"
"Yeah," Will answered, "But nothing bad. We won…our third partner was voted out, but that doesn't explain why she would…god, is she okay?"
Kurt glanced at the empty entryway of his kitchen, "I think so, but she was kinda quiet last night."
And that was the truth. After getting her to change into his clothes, she'd done nothing except kiss him goodnight and crawl into bed. He had slept beside her, holding her close and it didn't take her long before she was fast asleep, curled next to him and buried in the blankets to keep warm. He spent a while making sure she was okay, holding her to him and keeping her warm before feeling secure enough to allow himself to drift off.
"Okay," Will replied, "Could you…the weather's not letting up. I don't want you guys driving through this…could you keep her there? It's snowing here in the city and the plows are already making way, but I don't want her driving all the way from there, not with the roads covered in ice."
"Yeah, sure," Kurt nodded, somewhat glad that Will seemed to care so much about his partner. "No way was I gonna let her drive anyway. I don't even know what she was thinking driving here last night."
"Well, that's Diane," he heard Will chuckle a little, "Look, she's been…we had a big win, but she was under a lot of stress getting things together. I can hold down the fort for today…could you just," he sighed, "Help her take it easy? She needs a break, she just won't admit it."
Kurt smiled, "Yeah, sure…thanks, Will."
"No," the other man said, "Thank you…she needs someone right now and I'm not the man for the job so..."
He didn't have to add that leaves you because both of them knew that already. Whatever Kurt was to Diane, he was the best person for the job of getting her to stay at the moment. Will could only do so much as a business partner and a friend. The ball was in Kurt's court now.
"Yeah, I hear you," he said, nodding a little again as he folded one arm over his chest. "I'll take care of her."
"Good, good…just don't tell her I said anything, okay?" Will said quietly, "It'll piss her off and she'll punish us both by driving off like a bat out of hell there."
Kurt couldn't help chuckling at how well he knew her, "Yeah, I know. Thanks."
"Don't let her out of your sight," Will warned, "Thanks, Kurt."
"Yeah, you too, Will."
And with that, they both hung up, both thinking the same thing.
They could stay safe—as long as she never had to know that conversation even took place.
-o0o-
"What…"
She woke up, disoriented and confused, and she bolted up, her already messy hair flying everywhere. She tried to blink herself awake, pulling the heavy covers tighter around her body when she felt the cold that lingered in the air. For a moment, she wondered why she wasn't in her room, but the somewhat familiar surroundings she found herself in reminded her just what had taken place the night before and how she had ended up being in a bed that was most definitely not hers.
Diane groaned, plopping back down onto the bed before burying herself into the covers again. The spot she had vacated in the large bed was still warm, but she found her cheeks were growing warmer. What had she done? She wondered with a touch of horror and a lot of embarrassment. She'd never done anything so foolish in her entire life, if she hadn't woken up there, she wouldn't have believed she'd done what she'd done.
"God," she groaned, resisting the urge to slap herself as she pressed her face into a pillow, breathing in a scent that was most definitely familiar to her now. She sighed as she exhaled, only then thinking maybe this hadn't been a mistake.
Diane breathed in again, unable to stop the small smile that graced her lips as she thought, maybe…
She was getting much too used to that scent.
-o0o-
By the time he came back into the room, she was asleep again.
He couldn't help but smile as he crawled back into bed slowly, careful not to wake her. He settled beside her, placing a hand on the covers over her body and rubbing gently before lying down. He smiled again, unable to find it in himself to care exactly what had brought her to him at two in the morning.
Kurt knew he should be worried, should ask what made her come when she'd made it clear in their last meeting that she had other priorities she couldn't leave behind. He had been willing to accept them then, knowing she wasn't the type of woman who could be pushed or coerced from a decision she'd clearly already made. He stepped back, ever the gentleman and gave her what she wanted.
And yet here she was, lying beside him on a cold morning and he couldn't help but think to himself.
Nothing else could be more perfect.
-o0o-
When she woke up again, she was still alone.
But this time, she knew where she was and the sun was up higher. For a moment, she wondered if perhaps she really was alone and somehow, she'd chased him away. She sat up, pulling the blanket around her, biting her bottom lip.
She was there, she was really there.
Diane set her jaw, feeling braver than she expected to and she pushed herself to get out of bed, throwing her legs off the side of the bed. It was only then she realized she wasn't wearing her clothes from the night before and vaguely, her memory flashed her brief snapshots of how he'd gently asked her that she needed to change. She remembered being handed a set of clothes that were definitely not hers and she remembered a gentleman leading her to a bathroom and being told where was what and that he'd be just outside.
She couldn't help but smile, fingering the edge of the dark blue sweater that was keeping her warm now, glancing at the pair drawstring pants she now wore. They were large on her and she'd had to tie them properly or else have them drop and the thought alone made her giggle, but she smothered that with her hand, wondering if perhaps he was right outside. She waited, fingers pressed to her lips before shaking her head at herself.
Let it not be said that Diane Lockhart could still pass for sane.
Not when she was giggling alone at a pair of pants, of all things, and as well as for what she'd just done the night before. She had landed herself into a man's bed, a man who had already said goodbye, and yet look at her now, successfully chasing him and waking up to an empty bed.
It was nice and frustrating at the same time.
Diane sighed then stretched like a cat before pushing herself completely off the bed, noting that she also wore a pair of socks she could not remember putting on. She shook her head, not even daring to contemplate the story behind that—some things were better left unknown, really.
Shuffling into the bathroom, she let the heavy blankets fall to the side of the bed as she went in, closing the door behind her, intent on going through with a plan that was slowly forming in her mind.
It was obvious she'd lost her mind already, now, she was planning on going all out.
-o0o-
Kurt stood staring out the windows, a cup of coffee in hand as he watched the snow falling just outside his windows.
He usually spent his morning riding, but with the cold, he couldn't. Plus, he had a houseguest that was sure to wake any moment and with breakfast already done and a batch of coffee just waiting to be finished off by a caffeine fiend, he was left to contemplate what could become of his day, if things managed to go well.
Truth was, he didn't have much of a plan. He had some work to finish, but those could wait for another day when everything he had was pending. The roads were most likely either blocked or too slippery to even dare drive through and, from what he'd gathered when he'd taken care of his guest's car, she hadn't brought anything much with her except for her purse and the clothes she'd been wearing.
Which reminded him with a smirk, reminding himself to tell her later she should thank God she ended up in a house with a man who could actually survive alone. Had she landed somewhere with a man who had no idea how to even take care of clothes, he was sure she would have ended up with a pile of high priced rags instead of clean clothes. He'd even managed to take care of her coat. He thought he deserved a few points for that.
Not that he'd tell her until he was sure she wasn't going anywhere, of course.
He took a sip of his coffee, stopping midway when he suddenly felt as if someone was watching him. He turned, grinning a little when he saw a figure standing on the entryway leading into the kitchen.
Messed up hair she'd tried to tame by running her fingers through them, face void of any makeup and a smile gracing her serene features and dressed in his clothes, he smiled. She's never looked more beautiful in that moment, he thought.
"Hey," he smiled, raising his cup in her direction, "Good morning."
She smiled, hesitating only for a moment before venturing into the kitchen, the padded slippers she'd found by the bed making her footsteps sound soft and muffled, "Good morning."
Her voice was warm, less authoritative than usual and he could swear she's never looked softer, not even before when they'd spent their first morning together. This made it all the more harder not to reach for her as soon as she was within range and he didn't fight that feeling.
She smiled when he pulled her close, hugging her to him and burying his face into her hair. The snow had done its work on her the night before, getting her hair and clothes soaked as she stayed out in the elements, but even after that, he could still take a gentle whiff of her scent. It wasn't her perfume or anything else, he knew it was all her and he'd been spending the last few weeks missing that.
But thinking of her out in the cold like that just made him pull her tighter and somehow, he must have been holding her too tight because he felt her squirm against him with a gentle, "Oh…"
He stopped, loosening his grip but only enough to let her pull back to look at him. He breathed in, muttering a sincere, "Sorry…" before resting his forehead against hers.
"You okay?" she asked when his eyes drifted close.
"Yeah," he answered quietly, "I just can't decide whether I'm gonna love you or just kill you for doing what you did last night."
Her face broke into a grin, squirming more in his arms, "What did I do?"
Kurt rolled his eyes, letting his hands drift up to her upper arms, squeezing them gently before shaking her slightly, "Driving in the snow like that in those roads at night? You're insane, do you know that? I'm not even going to ask what you were thinking…"
Diane rolled her eyes, "My car was more than equipped for the weather, thank you very—"
"Yes, because cars don't just slip by accident sometimes, right?" he cut her off with a huff, "Like, people don't go into accidents and end up hurt or-or…"
She sighed, shaking her head before easing herself out of his grip. She let her hands trail up his chest, curling them around his neck and clasping both tightly just under his nape before pulling herself closer to him, meeting his eyes, "I'm fine, okay? The snow wasn't too bad then and…I wanted to see you."
"You could've been hurt," he said gruffly, slipping his arms around her waist, "You could have at least called and let me know you were coming…I could have waited."
She shook her head, "I did call…your voicemail picked up."
He groaned, "Damned cell phones…"
She chuckled, "Spoken like a real old man."
He grinned, pinching her slightly, making her laugh out loud. "Who're you calling old?"
Diane laid her head on his shoulder again, "You…just you."
He smiled, his hands circling her waist again, pulling her towards him, "I'm glad you're here…"
She nodded her head against him gently, "So am I."
Well there's something 'bout a woman
With my t-shirt on, hair in her eyes,
No make-up on, standing there smiling with my coffee cup
"I need to call Will."
Diane pulled back from him, reluctantly stepping out of his arms, looking for something. He watched her, amused when she glanced at one place then another, obviously at a loss on where to go.
She turned to him, "Where're my keys?"
He shrugged, "Don't know."
She frowned, "I need to call Will. He's probably looking for me, wondering why I'm not at work and—"
"It's a snow day, Diane," he said, shrugging. "No school today."
"Yeah, well, I have work," she huffed, "And it's still a work day. Now, where are my keys?"
"With me, but you're not going anywhere."
"Excuse me?"
"The roads are covered in ice, it's too dangerous."
She rolled her eyes, "I appreciate the concern, but I just need my phone to let Will know—"
"That's all you're doing?" he raised an eyebrow at her.
"Yes," she said, showing the first sign of exasperation. "I just need to call my business partner to let him know I'm alive and not dead somewhere in a ditch. I'm not going anywhere. I already drove through this damned weather and I'm not doing it again in the near future. Is that acceptable, you chauvinistic brute?"
Kurt couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up from within.
"I'm glad that amuses you," she said, frowning though it was apparent she was just playing along. "Now, please, my keys because I need my phone—before Will sends a search party, if he hasn't already."
"He hasn't," he said, producing her phone from his pocket. "I'm sorry, I wasn't snooping, but it rang when I took it in from your car. I told him you're okay."
Diane stopped, staring at him for a moment, "You…you answered my phone?"
He shrugged, "Accident."
"Will knows where I am?" she asked, taking her phone from his hand. "You talked to Will?"
He nodded, "I'm sorry…I wasn't trying to invade on your privacy, I swear. It just happened…"
She stared at him before shaking her head, sighing as she ran her fingers through her hair, "Okay…okay, I'm tempted to kill you, but I won't…fine, okay? Just don't do it again, please?"
"Why?" he asked, "Hiding me from your boyfriend?"
Diane rolled her eyes, smacking him on the chest slightly, "As if…" She glanced beside him then grinned, reaching behind him without another word.
He watched, unable to help the grin that spread on his face when she brought his black mug to her lips, taking a generous sip from his cup and smiling, her eyes drifting close. A look of pure happiness and relief graced her features as she swallowed the brew, making a happy little sound before leaning against him, resting her head under his chin and taking another sip.
"You make good coffee," she said with a smile, keeping her eyes closed as she listened to his heartbeat. "I think I'll keep you."
Kurt couldn't help but smile, "Why, thank you…"
Yeah, there's something 'bout a woman that's easy to love
Diane frowned, putting the coffee cup back onto the counter behind him.
"No more coffee," she tilted her head to the side, "I'm hungry. Feed me."
Kurt laughed, "Oh, so that's how it is?"
"Yep," she said, feeling decidedly playful. "I'm your guest and you're keeping me prisoner here…you have to feed me and give me more coffee."
"And if I don't?"
A mischievous smile played across her lips, "You'll be sorry."
"Yeah? What're you gonna do, Lockhart?" he challenged, reaching for her again only to have her move at the last moment, leaving him grasping for air.
"Something," she said, grabbing his coffee cup and heading towards the coffee maker. "But I guarantee it will be most unpleasant…"
"Oh, yeah?" he said, following her.
When she caught a glimpse of him following, she let out a laugh and bolted, hurrying to the other side of the island with a laugh, "Yeah."
He took in the playful light that danced in her eyes and all he could do at that moment was laugh.
Yeah there's something 'bout a woman
That's a clear blue sky
Ain't found nothing better that'll get you high
"Please tell me you didn't ruin my clothes…"
He grinned, wondering perhaps if he could take this as another moment to play with her. She'd been in a playful mood for most of the morning, downing another cup of coffee during breakfast where she pretended to not like what he'd cooked. She accused him of trying to make her fat, something he'd only then discovered even she could be such a girl about. When he'd told her so, she childishly poked her tongue out at him and told him she now knew why he was still single.
Then again, his mother had taught him better—never mess with a woman's clothes.
"No," he said, thinking mothers were almost always right. "They're drying right now with your coat."
"Thank you," she squeezed his arm, curled against him like a cat as they watched the snow fall.
Diane had managed to find the porch swing in the back of his house and insisted on staying there. Of course, they managed to argue about it. He didn't want her to stay in the cold when she spent most of the night in it and she wanted to watch the snow.
It had been a while since she's seen snow cap more than just buildings and skyscrapers, she thought seeing his backyard and the grove of trees it extended to was something beautiful. Diane had been stubborn about it and held her ground until he had no other choice but to grab a few blankets, maker her wear the socks she'd slipped off back on again and sit with her.
Of course, he couldn't help but wonder if perhaps his telling her no only spurned her on more to wanting to sit outside, but he ignored those thoughts. He didn't want to start a real fight and he knew if he sparked more arguments, whatever calm she'd suddenly found herself in would be shattered and he would be confronted with the same woman he'd been dealing with until last night.
Kurt liked all of her, liked her as she was, but he couldn't be blamed for liking this softer version of Diane. She smiled more, laughed more and even felt playful enough to tease him whenever she could. He liked her as she was, but he found her downright adorable that morning. It was out of character of her, of course, and that meant he would have to talk to her about the sudden change in her behavior, but he didn't want to, not yet when she was in such a good mood, he didn't want to spoil things for her.
"Diane?"
"Hm?" she hummed against him, her hand flat over his heart while the other one was curled somewhere under the blankets.
"Are you okay, honey?" he looked down at her, tilting his head to the side so he could see her face.
"Yes," she smiled, "I'm okay. Everything is fine."
"You know," he began, rubbing her arm under the blanket, "You haven't told me why you came..."
"I told you," she said, nonchalant as ever. "I wanted to see you."
"At two in the morning?"
She shrugged, exhaling as she let her eyes fall close, "I couldn't make myself go home. Did I tell you we finally got Bond out of the firm?"
"The third partner?" he mumbled. "I thought he saved your firm."
"He did," she sighed, "But he also tried to put a wedge between me and Will and then tried to get me pushed out of my own firm. I couldn't let that happen."
"So you kicked him out instead," he nodded.
"Mhm," she answered with a hum. "I almost left, actually…had another firm planned, but Will got me back in the last minute. We've worked too far for too long to just let it all fall away into the hands of a smug little bastard who got lucky leeching off the BP hype."
"This was the fight you couldn't leave behind," he said, realizing then what he hadn't let her say to him.
"Yes," she answered. "We voted…just yesterday. Twenty people voted to remove me, twenty-three voted to remove him so I won and we sent him packing."
He could hear the pride in her voice and he had to grin at that, "That's my girl."
She smiled, "Yes."
They continued to sit in silence until he broke it again, "Sounds like you had quite a battle…I'm sorry I wasn't there."
Diane breathed in, shrugging the blanket to climb higher over shoulder and her hair. She rubbed her cheek against the material of his sweater, "It's fine. It wasn't your fight and I made a choice not to tell you…"
"But I could have—"
"No," she said, pushing off him gently as she turned to face him, cuddled up in a blanket with her cheeks slightly pink, but even then she managed to look serious. She placed a hand back on his chest, "You're…different, do you understand? Work is separate from this, from…us and I want it to stay that way…we haven't been doing too well in making things work, but with Bond gone and things having a bigger chance of getting back to normal…I'm willing to give this a try, if you'll still let me?"
He stared at her, wondering for a moment if this was the same woman he'd left behind. It had to be, she was still her, and yet the things that were coming out of her mouth were things he honestly never expected to hear from her. Sure, it had been nice to think she would say them, but to actually have her do it? He was a little stunned into silence.
She must've seen something on his face because suddenly, her hand was on his jaw, the tips of her fingers a little cold on his warm skin, "I understand if you don't want to anymore and I won't make you change your mind…but I'd like to thank you at least for letting me stay, if only for a moment. I'll leave—"
"No," he said, surprising himself when his voice rose a little. His tone might have surprised her because her eyes had grown wide for a moment and she almost moved away from him, but he made a grab for her wrist, keeping her hand on his face. He kept his grip loose and unthreatening, "No, I don't want you to leave."
"Really?" she asked, looking surprised.
"Yes," he nodded, moving her palm to his lips and pressing a kiss there. "Stay, please. I want us to work this out too and if you want things separate, I can work with that. Just as long as you mean it when you say you want to give us a try…a real one."
Diane smiled, licking her bottom lip as she nodded, "Yes, I do."
Kurt smiled, pulling her close, his hand slipping to the back of her neck as he pulled her in for a kiss.
She didn't resist.
You're the colors of the sun at the end of the day
Yeah, there's something 'bout a woman
That makes you feel that way
"No, I want Nash off that Andrews case…"
He looked up, curious upon hearing the sharp tone in her voice. She had managed to sweet-talk him into giving her phone back and now she was on the phone with Will, her Bluetooth headset attached on one ear, apparently taking care of a few things that she deemed important. Her eyes met his but she gave him nothing except a small wave of her hand.
"Why? Because that little weasel was one of the geniuses I counted off yesterday," she huffed, "And yes, Will, I'm aware I am being petty, but please, let me have this? I'm not there…and while I've sent a clear signal to everyone there that I am not letting something like this happen again, I want them to really remember who they're dealing with…"
Kurt smirked, shaking his head as he continued chopping the bell peppers for the sauce she had refused to touch. She was all for cooking, but she'd just informed him she had an aversion to chopping so she graciously delegated him to the job. It was lunch and he had challenged her into cooking for him and now, here they were, cooking with a touch of lawyer-ing on the side.
She was still dressed in his sweater and drawstrings, but had opted to forgo the slippers and socks and that was explanation enough as to why Diane Lockhart was in his kitchen, walking barefoot back and forth in front of his stove, waving the wooden spoon in her hand dismissively as she cooked.
"Stop trying to pacify me," she growled, "I don't trust him, Will, I never did to begin with so, please, for once, listen?" She paused, "I am calm, Will and yes, I am having a nice break, but you're ruining it…just do as I say...oh, for god's sake…would you like me to enumerate all twenty-names? Because I can—"
He grinned, shaking his head when she passed by him and gave him a soundless kiss before heading off towards the small closet where all of the condiments and other smaller cookware were stored. She had declared she loved his kitchen upon seeing the neatly arranged cupboard, making a dramatic display of being so stunned that a man could keep such a clean and orderly kitchen. He had rolled his eyes at that stereotyping but mellowed when she kissed him.
Diane reemerged with a bottle of Chili powder, this time muttering to herself, "I could kill that man sometimes…"
He looked up, watching her until she passed him by, "You're talking to me now?"
She gave him a roll of her eyes, "Yes, I am. I'm sorry, but that needed to be done. I mean, honestly? Robert Nash had the gall to avoid my eye when I went to count him in the voting. That weasel! I got him into the firm and he does this to me? The bastard—I should have trusted my first instinct in the beginning."
"So, what are you doing to him?" he asked, curious. "Firing him?"
"Are you kidding? No," she said, slipping off her headset and resting it on the far end of the counter along with her phone. "That would be too easy. He's an equity partner too…he's going to have to resign."
"Why would he? If he's an equity partner…"
Diane laughed mirthlessly, "Oh, darling…you have no idea how many ways I can spin this."
Kurt glanced at her, "You're a little scary."
She smiled, her eyes glinting as they met his, "I know."
He smirked, "Remind me never to get on your bad side?"
"You won't," she said serenely, "I only do this to traitors, darling…you wouldn't do that to me."
"Definitely not," he said decidedly, "Especially not now when you're smiling like that…its kinda creepy."
Diane laughed, walking back towards him and pulling him in for a kiss, "Still creepy?"
He blinked, "What creepy?"
She laughed, but it was cut short when he pulled her for another kiss.
Suddenly, cooking didn't seem like a good idea anymore.
She's like fire on the mountain
Like some kind of heaven that's pouring down on me
"We really have to stop meeting like this."
He smiled at the playful tone in her voice, staring up at the ceiling and letting his fingers trail random patterns over the bare skin of her shoulder. She was curled against him, buried under blankets as they lay in his bedroom. Clothes had been discarded all over the floors and her hair was once again a mess. He didn't mind and from the way she was practically purring against him, he was willing to guess she didn't either.
"Don't know about you, but…" his fingers slipped from her shoulder down to her back, "I kinda like meeting like this."
She laughed, burying her face against his neck, "Yes, I know, but honestly…if we keep this up, I'm afraid I won't be able to go anywhere else anymore."
"Again, I fail to see the flaw in this plan," he grinned stupidly.
"Of course you would," she said blithely then began to move, pushing off his body and sitting up, pulling the sheets with her as she threw her legs off the side of the bed.
"Where're you going?" he asked, getting up, puzzled. "Aw, come on, I was just kidding—"
"I know," she said, turning to him with a wicked smile on her face where a few of her short blonde locks had fallen, "I'll be right back."
He watched, amused as she got up, pulling the sheet with her and heading towards the bathroom. She gave him one last smile before closing the door with a thud, followed quickly by the click of the lock.
"Don't you go getting lost in there," he called, lying back down and smiling up at the ceiling again.
As far as his day was going, he couldn't remember a more perfect one.
She's a child
She's a lady
She's got everything that I could ever need
Yeah, there's something 'bout a woman and me
Her laughter echoed through the house.
"You cheated," he pointed out, his chin cradled in one hand as he smiled into his palm.
"I did not," she said, eyes widening a little. "I'm insulted you would even suggest I would!"
He started picking up the pieces from the board, "Best out of three?"
"Uh-uh," she smiled, reaching for her wine glass with a happy smile on her face. "I beat you twice already and you've yet to win. I've taken your king twice, cowboy, you really want another go?"
Kurt shook his head, "Nah, you cheat."
She reached across the board, smacking him on the forearm, "I did not! It's not my fault you're easily distracted while playing chess."
"You sit there looking at a man like that, can you really blame him for being distracted?" he said, spreading his hands in front of him, palms up.
"I can't blame him, but he's always welcome to blaming himself," she giggled, picking up the black king and waving it in front of him, taunting him. "Just admit it, darling…you are terrible at chess."
"I am not," he shook his head, "I just can't play in front of a gorgeous woman."
She snorted, covering her lips with one hand, "That's a cop out, if I've ever heard one…"
"You know, gloating is very unattractive…" he warned playfully.
Diane shrugged, "Who cares? It feels great."
He shook his head, reaching with his hand across the board, "Come here."
She stared at him, a smile on her face before shaking her head slowly, "I have a better idea."
"What?"
"Catchmeifyoucan," she said quickly then she was gone, bolting from the room and out into the hall with a laugh echoing in her wake.
It took him half a minute to figure out what she said before taking off after her.
Their laughter echoed throughout the house, floating from one room into another.
She moves me
Oh, she moves me
She's like fire on the mountain
Like some kind of heaven that's pouring down on me
"You never told me."
They lay together that night in his bed in the position he was beginning to accept as her preferred one with her head on his chest and her hand on his heart. They'd spent the entire day together, doing things they normally wouldn't do and managed to stay indoors when the snow persisted. It wasn't too cold anymore and the snow had long stopped falling. By morning, the ice would be thawed and the roads would be safe for travel again.
And even though no one wanted to say it out loud, tomorrow she would be going back to her life in the city, back to her life as they knew it and, maybe, she would go back to her own version of normal.
"Never told you what?" she asked lazily, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them again to stare at the wall across from her.
"Why'd you end up here," he said, shrugging a little though he kept his hand on her hip while the other snaked its way to her hand over his heart, tangling their fingers together and letting both stay there.
"I told you," she began, squeezing his fingers with her own, right over his heart. "I wanted to see you."
"That's it?" he asked quietly, "You drove all the way here…just 'cause you wanted to see me?"
"Mhm," she nodded, sighing a little as she rubbed her cheek against the soft material of his sweater. "I just…"
"What is it, honey?" he asked when she'd paused a little too long.
"I've been spending…so much time trying not to end up like this," she replied, "Since we met…I've been trying not do anything with you, tried to ignore things…and for a while, when you left for Florida, I managed to end up not doing anything with you—"
"I'm sorry for not calling—" he began but she cut him off by untangling her fingers from his and placing them over his lips, kissing her knuckles in the sincerest manner he could muster. His moustache tickled her skin and she couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her face.
"I know," she said quietly, "It's okay. I didn't mention that to make you feel guilty or to get another apology. That's in the past and I'd prefer if we don't dwell on it."
He reached for her hand again, holding it over his heart once more, "Okay. I'm sorry for interrupting, please…keep going."
Diane nodded again, delighting silently in the feel of her skin against his warm body, "I think I've been so caught up with what people might think or how people will see me if I…if we, you know…and I've done nothing except fight what I…"
She sighed again, feeling a touch of frustration about her inability to fully articulate what she was trying to tell him, "I've been so caught up with what I was afraid, of what people might think, what my father would think if he were alive…the most silliest things, really...and then there's work, of course."
Kurt kept silent, though inside he had to agree with the aspect of her mentioning work. If anything, that had been the crux of the situation between the two of them. She was a career woman first and foremost and she had devoted her life to her work, he couldn't take that from her, but at the same time, he couldn't bear to always come second to that as well.
He didn't mind that she loved her work, but he wanted her attention too, if they were going to give whatever they had a chance. Their last meeting after his case, he'd realized that would be next to impossible to make her choose so instead he did what he thought was best—he walked away before he could fall deeper, knowing if he let it continue, if he kept on trying to get her attention, it would be futile and he would only end up getting hurt.
Walking away had been hard, excruciating even, but he'd made the decision for the two of them knowing he couldn't demand she change and he couldn't imagine doing the same thing over and over again. He didn't like defeat and he didn't like pain so the logical move was to walk away before it was too late.
Kurt had been prepared to move on, although he had no clear idea how, but he'd been prepared to do that.
Until she'd shown up in his doorstep in the middle of snow storm at two in the morning.
And now, she was saying the things he had wished she said before. It was a little late, but he wasn't a petty man. He was willing to listen now and see what they could do. If Diane was genuine about giving them a try, then he wasn't about to say no, not now and not ever.
"I won't lie," Diane went on, "I love my work, but then last night, after getting what I've been fighting for, as I sat in my office, wondering what to do next…I couldn't come up with anything." She sighed again, "Then Will showed up, talked about Tammy and then he told me to go home…it was midnight, I was still at the office."
"Working?" he couldn't help but ask.
"Yes," she said with a slight scoff, "Time passed and I didn't even feel it…next thing I knew, it was one in the morning and I was still at work. I became upset, I had no idea why, then decided to go home like Will told me too…then I sat in my car." She swallowed a little, "I couldn't make myself leave, couldn't make myself drive back to my house."
"Why?"
She shrugged a little, her body moving over his in the slightest manner, "My house…didn't feel like home."
Kurt nodded, tightening his hold on her, "So you came to me?"
"I guess," she said quietly, "I didn't know where home was, where I felt like home…so I drove. I didn't even really know where I was heading, but I ended driving the way to you and that's when I realized something."
Diane got up, draping her body over his, letting both her hands settle over his heart and letting her weight settle over his. He stared at her, their eyes meeting and he reached out to tuck the loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"I've been fighting this for so long," she continued, smiling a little as she tilted her head to the side, "I just suddenly felt tired…I'd won a battle I should have been over the moon about, but I couldn't find anyone to share my happiness with…I got tired of fighting, Kurt…and I realized I've been fighting for so long, I didn't understand what peace was anymore, didn't know when I'd last felt like I was home."
He nodded wordlessly, watching as the emotions played out on her face in the dim light of his bedroom. She seemed troubled, but not completely. It was clear she was trying to sort out her emotions, but he also saw that she was trying to tell him something important, something she had been trying to say since she came to him the night before.
"I know what it feels to fight things," she said quietly, bowing her head a little before meeting his eyes again, "I know pain, loneliness and…god, everything that's come with fighting things with you…I got tired of it. I didn't want to feel that anymore and for once, I wanted to know something else."
Kurt sat up, pulling her with him until they were both sitting up on his bed, across from each other, close enough to feel each other breathe, "What're you trying to say, Diane?"
"I…" she stopped, biting her bottom lip before continuing, "I wanted to feel what it felt like to… stop fighting."
She reached forward, placing her hand on his cheek before letting it slip past his ear and into his hair, her fingers slipping through the dark strands, "I wanted to know what it felt like to finally stop fighting and just give in…to you, to this."
He sat still, watching her, wondering. He didn't know what to say or if there was anything to be said on his part at the moment. He wanted to touch her, kiss her, but he didn't want her to stop. She had things to say, things she must have been keeping inside for a while now and this was his chance to hear it.
And as selfish as it was, he couldn't let this moment pass. He wanted to hear what she had to say, wanted to know just exactly what she was feeling. She was sharing with him, more than he ever dreamt her to be capable of and it was beautiful.
"I liked being here," she said quietly, the corners of her lips curling upwards, "I liked…being with you and I know we can't rush into things, not anymore, but I want this. I want to give this a try, give us a chance…"
She closed her eyes, breathing in deeply and said in a whisper, "Please…say something."
Kurt nodded a little, reaching forward and placing a hand on her cheek. Her hand followed, covering his and leaning into his touch, "I just want to know one thing."
She looked at him, wide eyed, "Anything."
"Do you like the feeling?" he asked. "Did you like giving in, Diane?"
Diane stared at him for a moment before nodding, "I did. I do."
He stared at her for a moment before nodding, "Okay."
"Okay?" she echoed.
Kurt nodded then leaned towards her, pressing his lips to hers, slipping his hand behind her neck and keeping her in place. They sat there, lips pressed together until he pulled back, watching her as she watched him, blinking a few times.
"Okay," he said with a smiled, "That's all I needed to know."
"What do you mean?" she asked, confusion spreading on her face. "What are you saying?"
"What I'm saying is…" he caressed her cheek again, "That I liked being with you today, Diane…and I want to have more days like this, with you…I don't care where, I don't care whether it's snowing or not…I just wanna be with you, okay?"
"O-okay," she said, nodding a little.
"And if you feel like you're home here, with me," he shrugged, "Then you're home, Diane…here with me, you're home."
She stared at him for a moment, "Is this…"
Kurt smiled, kissing her again only briefly this time, "I love you, Diane and if you want…I'll be your safe place, I'll be your home, if you'll let me."
Diane reached for him, pulling him towards her and kissing him again, this time, slipping her arms around his neck and pulling him to her until there was no space left between them. When she pulled back, she stayed there, in his arms, smiling at him.
"Then I want you to be my safe place," she said with a smile, "I want you to be my home."
Yeah there's something 'bout a woman that makes me still
There's something 'bout a woman that always will