"Babs? What is it?" He stood in his doorway, shirtless, a small smile on his lips.
She felt a weight lift off her shoulders. This really was as easy as it seemed. She would just open her mouth, tell him how she felt. It was going to be perfect, everything she ever wanted. And everything she knew he wanted too.
"I wanted to tell you. You were right. I can't-" she was grinning and looking into his eyes, and then she heard the voice.
"Dick? Who's at the door?" A soft, feminine voice. A voice soon accompanied by a pair of hands around his chest and the top of a head over his shoulder.
Babs's face fell. "I just. I'll go. I'm- sorry. I didn't- I didn't mean-" she couldn't meet his eyes, couldn't face him, couldn't even form a damn coherent sentence. She turned and walked away.
She heard the door click and sighed heavy. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Babs" It was quiet, and held so many emotions, she couldn't name them all if she tried. She turned to face him.
They stared at each other for a moment. Then he put both hands on either cheek and leaned forward. He kissed her temple before touching their foreheads together. "You have the WORST timing." He said with a smile in his voice. They both laughed at that. Heartfelt, meaningful; both acutely aware of what she had wanted to say, and both able to appreciate the humor of what he said because of their years together. He pulled back and was able to look into his gorgeous blues. She read the sadness and... regret. But she also saw- dare she believe it? Hope. An almost... promise of the future.
She reached up and gripped his hands, pulling them down between them. "Another time then." She said, raising an eyebrow.
He smiled, and she knew she wasn't fooling herself about what she saw in his face. "Another time."
She nodded and turned down the hallway, and he went back to his door.
Neither one turning around for one last, longing look. This wasn't some romantic comedy. They had said what they needed to say, and they knew the truth.
At the end of the day it was Babs and Dick. At the end of the day they would be together.
It just wasn't the end of the day yet.