Realization
Disclaimer: Of course I don't own these characters or anything related to the show. I just think it's fun to take them out for a spin sometimes. Leave feedback if you feel so inclined!
She had been there for years just sitting on the sidelines, waiting for the day when he would come to the realization that she was exactly what he needed. While he kept playing with the dangerous femme fatale type, she stood by and continually watched him self destruct. She knew, just as he knew, that he was only attracted to this type of woman because there was never the prospect of a future. He was merely scratching an itch. In some cases it was a mutually beneficial scratching, but like always, in the end he ended up hurt, even if he would never admit it. And if she dared ask him if he was okay he would simply rebuke her efforts to be a shoulder to lean on.
Sometimes she naively thought he was edging closer to erasing the invisible line that they once drew upon forging their partnership. She sensed his insane jealousy when she exhibited interest in someone. After all, he had followed Dave for the entire time they were together. He would invite her over for dinner and cook for her. He even asked for her advice when he thought Emily was thinking about having sex. Their relationship, whatever it was, went well beyond typical friendship. So then how could he repeatedly stomp on her heart, flaunt his newest conquest in front of her, leave her feeling dejected each night she went home to an empty house and he jumped into another woman's bed?
So while waiting for him to come to the realization that what he needed was always right in front of him, she came to the realization that perhaps she should start distancing herself from him. Maybe it was the only way to save her heart - a heart that had been broken before, but one she would have willingly given to him at one point in time. If only he would ask for it. But he had never asked for it and maybe he never would. She was too smart a woman to wait forever for something that may never happen, wasn't she?
She lay in bed at night thinking up ways to start putting distance between them. Maybe she would start off slow by scheduling clients on her own. She wouldn't have to be around him every minute of the day. Of course she knew that he would find a way around that but it was worth a try. She would stop their late night, scotch induced, heart to hearts that occurred when he felt like opening up to her a bit. Why should she make herself so available to him?
She could even start dating again. Why not? She was at the stage in her life when women were supposedly in their prime. She could easily find a man to fill her empty nights. She resolved to start flirting more and being open to the idea of meeting new people. Maybe she would even call up her friends and go out for some drinks - let a man buy her a drink instead of sitting in a dimly lit office and commiserating with him, knowing well enough that she would be going home alone.
Maybe she would start on these big plans tomorrow. Or maybe she would walk into the office and let him invade her personal space like she always allowed him to because at least that was something. She knew it wouldn't keep her warm at night but it was better than not being around him at all.
