They argue about what love was. But as the tears flowed down her face she gave in, she asked him what it was like. What is it like to fall in love, what is it like to believe in a good so great? He held her in his arms, hating to see her cry, but happy she felt like she could cry in front of him.
His response was simple, someday you will know. He believed in a true love for everybody, but he has seen many evils in the world. So he knows not everything works out, but he wills her to believe. Someday she will have love.
Neither of them realize the others true intentions, the hidden questions. Neither realizes the love shared between them is better than any fairy tale, even the ones he tells his son at night. About a prince who doubts the good left in the world, who has seen too many wars, who grew up to fast from his childhood innocence. But that prince is saved by a beautiful princess who has walls around her heart because even with nobody to love, and thinking no one loves her, her heart can't build the calluses. But their love is so much more; take out containers, his suit jacket on the back of her couch. A beer for each of them, lazy sipping. When she cried he comforts him, though they both know it's more than just a 'guy hug'. It's about him getting her favorite coffee when he wakes her up early. She won't order fries, though she eats most of his. He offers her pie; she insists fruit shouldn't be cooked. Back-round checks on the boys, even though they both know it won't lead anywhere anyway. Social events where he puts his arm around her, warn men off, still saying their just partners. Never looking back at long ago when they crossed the line. She saved him, he saved her.
She asks him if it's worth it, coming so dependent on somebody, though she knows it is. She's already depending on him, and she insists it's not faith, he's proven himself so many times. Without a second though he took a bullet for her, she hates him for it. How could he think her life was more important? How could he think about leaving her alone, her walls fallen down, how could he leave his son without a father? She hates herself for crying. He knows he wouldn't want to live without her. She knows that she wouldn't want to live without him. He saves her, knowing he saved himself because he's pretty sure he can't live without her.
And they're protectors, they're friends, they're partners. They just work together, working through life. They're hard times, they're good times. They're the life of the party and everyone fears the death of each other. They're late nights and early mornings. She's his light leading him though the dark, he's the hand on her back, soft and gentle, helping her if she needs it. They're partners, they're friends, and the love they share is more than lovers, better then friends, and greater then family.