Expiration

------------------------------------------
Expiration: to breathe out, exhale
------------------------------------------

Emma kept her arms around Craig, and absentmindedly started playing with the little hairs on the back of his neck. Craig leaned in and rested his forehead upon hers.

"Please say something" he gently whispered.

His breath was warm upon her face, and it awakened her deepest desire. The feelings she'd been trying to push away for the sake of Manny were almost succeeding at breaking through the shield she had put up for her own protection. Craig was staring into her eyes, but she turned and avoided his glare. She finally broke the silence.

"How do I know you won't hurt me?"

The crowd around her could have easily mistaken the gleam in Emma's eyes as her joy, but Craig saw the truth. She has hiding the tears that he had caused.

"Because you're everything to me." he answered.

"Oh, so Manny meant nothing?... That's not what she told me. I know all about your lines, Craig. What's next? 'I made a mistake, you're the one for me?' " Emma half laughed, but her face was turned in, trying to hide the tears that were on the edge of leaking down her cheeks.

Craig was taken aback, but he wasn't about to give up. Not when he was so close.

"Hey," he gently said, taking her face in his hands and wiping the tears away, "I will never hurt you. This is different."

Emma tried to free herself from his hands, but it felt so nice to have them there... how could she turn away?

"Why?" she said, looking at him directly into the eyes, after so many years of avoiding his glare, afraid to see the way he looked at her. She saw it all in that one instant when Craig spoke.

"Because... it's you."

Emma buried her face into Craig's jacket, God he smelled so good, and Craig responded by wrapping his arms around her waist.

Finally, Emma looked up at Craig, and spoke the secret she had been hiding for far too long.

"I love you too."

Craig kissed her again, and Emma felt her body respond, the passion building up. When Emma stepped back, she smiled into his eyes. He was her happily ever after.