He's the golden boy with more admirers than friends. But who listens late at night when he really wants to talk?
She's the brilliant girl with more thoughts than words. But who would be there late at night when she just wants to be?
And so they drift along a lonely course through their youth, wondering if this is all there is.
He would lie on the roof, staring at the stars, and for just a few moments feel more connected in the expanse of the universe. But still he dreamed of one person, someone who wanted to be around him. The real him.
She would walk in open fields and close her eyes, letting herself bask in her surroundings, feeling acceptance. But still, she would wish for one person, someone who she could touch, someone who would hold her hand.
And so they kept going, a tiny spark of hope unquenched.
He lays low, then pounces quickly. His hand and eye are so in tune, they hardly need his mind. But that's a curse, because it leaves his mind open for thoughts. Thoughts of wondering if he'll make it out of here alive. Thoughts of guilt, of pride, then guilt for that. Feeling like he wanted out of the human race. But still a longing for a single touch. An acceptance without words.
She bends over, and examines thoroughly. Her mind is sharp and instruments sharper. But the fine tuning brings other things to light. Things like wondering if all she'll ever know is pain. Wondering if there will ever be an end to suffering, if what she's doing is making a difference. Feeling pride and guilt for the human race. But still longing for a simple touch. A connection between a living, breathing person.
And so they search and work and struggle, and hope.
He stands at the window and presses his hand to the glass. A boy. A son. Some sound escapes his lips, and for one second, he thinks he could die happy. But he can't. He can't die yet. Because now he has new responsibility. And he knows he needs to get it together.
She stands in the room, her fingers reaching up toward the canvas. A woman, with flowers. A feeling rushes through her chest, and for a moment, there is life. Life in an inanimate object. She searches around for the creator, and for the first time in a long time, she wants a friend. And she knows she needs one.
And so they start growing. A little less lonely, a little more able.
He smiles as he sits, and the bartender knows his name. Knows what should go in his glass. Knows what should go on his plate. And he smiles a little more when what he gets is just what he wanted without asking. But it makes him think that maybe all those other things he wants, those things he's given up on, maybe they are possible too. And it makes him feel good, but also more lonely than ever.
She looks around the table, and she has a team. People have their roles, and they look to her for guidance. And she smiles a bit, because she is a part of something. But it's still too big. She wants something more, something closer. And all the connection she feels reminds her that she's still distant, that she still holds back.
And so they eat alone, and go home alone. Wondering how a dream can be a comfort and pain at the same time.
He can't believe his ears, and he really can't believe the words coming from his own mouth. Partner. But she is interesting, and smart as hell. She makes him angry, but also better. And he needs her, to do his job, for now. So he says the word. Partner.
She can't believe this guy, and she really can't believe that she wants to believe him. A partner. But he's interesting and good. He makes her crazy, but also better. And she needs him, to do her job, for now. So she says yes to the word. Partner.
And so they meet and agree to give it a shot. And so they feel a little less lonely.
He sits there, and pours out his heart, his past. He talks. And she listens. And then he feels it. A touch. On his arm. He puts his hand on hers, to keep the connection. To feel with his own hands. Proof that someone cares.
She looks at him on her couch and he's brought food. And she talks, and he listens. And then he smiles a bit, and tries to make her laugh. And she does. And she feels like herself again. She can be who she is. This isn't going to break her.
And so they wonder if this really is what a partnership is like, or if somehow what they have is a little more special.
He rarely eats alone now, and he knows he's keeping the loneliness at bay, but that it is still there, waiting to creep in at any moment. So he just keeps asking her, keeps telling her she needs to eat. But one night, she makes him dinner. And in that moment, he has a friend. A true friend.
She has a life of purpose, and her job is a success. But her mom is still gone; a ring and a video only a shadow of the real thing. And he's going to arrest her dad. It's his job. But he tells her he's sorry, and he tells her the truth. And in that moment, all her scientific words fail her, and all she can say is, 'thank you'.
And so they start to think that maybe what they'd hoped for all those years ago is possible. Is in fact more than what they'd ever dreamed.
He doesn't go a day without seeing her, but it's been two weeks. And all this fake death feels like a real death. And he'd been this close to really telling her how he feels. She'd been singing and dancing, for him. And he'd loved her just a bit more in that moment.
She can't believe she let herself become so close to another person. She should have known she didn't deserve it. Why did everyone in her life have to die doing what was best for her? Didn't they have any idea how much guilt that caused?
And so they misunderstood, but also gained some clarity. Maybe they'd been taking advantage of what they had.
He can't believe how beautiful she looks, and hurt. And he wants to erase that, so he says how he feels. He pours out his heart and tells her what she deserves. And for a while, she just looks at him, and he thinks it might be over; he's gone too far. But she accepts his invitation to dinner, and when he walks her to her door, she gives him a kiss on the cheek and says thanks.
She gathers up her nerve and she follows his rules. She's going to lead with her heart. And so she tells him he's the only agent she wants to work with. And he doesn't really say anything, and she thinks maybe she's blown it. But then he smiles, and puts his hands on her waist and tells her he's not going to let her fall.
And so they can be themselves.
He says he loves her, and it's in the car. He's surprised at the simplicity of the moment, but yet not. He's thought it a thousand times in a hundred situations. So when it comes out, they're at a stop light, and he turns to ask her where she wants to eat dinner. But instead, he says he loves her. And she doesn't say anything; but she also doesn't say no.
She calls him a week later and asks him to come over. He says sure, and shows up with a pizza. She smiles and takes it, and sets it down. She hands him a beer and says she loves him. She's thought about it, and while she's not sure she believes in it, she believes in him. She believes in gravity because it's scientifically proven. And she believes she loves him, because she's a scientist, and she was able to prove it to herself.
And so he stayed. And she asked him to stay again the next night. And the next, until all their nights became all their days, and all their life. And it was good.
The end…..