Title: Hole In The Ice
Author: Rob - fatabbot@btinternet.com
Archive: Not without permission please
Category: Any couple that you ship :) this fic can be taken anyway the reader wishes.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: None really
Author's notes: A between fics fic that I dreamt up in the early hours of the morning. I'm still working on As I'm Leaving, but I'm a little stuck. This is just to get the creative juices flowing.
Disclaimer: I don't own em so don't sue me please :)
Summary: A couple faces a defining moment in their relationship.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


"When will this end huh?"

"When will what end?"

"You stringing me along like a dog on a leash."

"What?"

"I'm fed up with it ok? I can't deal with it anymore. It's becoming too much to take." He walked down the street briskly, she tried to keep up close behind.

"Look. I didn't plan for this to happen you know?"

"Yeah well it did. You didn't even need to do this, and you certainly didn't need to rope me into it."

"Oh so it's not your fault at all huh?" He ignored what she said and carried on walking. The first few months were amazing, then she changed, and so did their relationship. Now it had just stepped over the line.

"I don't care whose fault it is." He spun around quickly, she jumped and then walked up to him slowly. He looked deep into her eyes... Like he was looking for something. He put his arms around her waist and they both relaxed. He rested his forehead against hers and after a few moments of soul searching he opened his mouth, "where are we?"

"Ask somebody..."

"No. Where are we?"

She looked puzzled for a few seconds before a wave of realisation and fear swept over her, "I really don't know."

"Do you know what happened?"

"It started off so perfect huh?"

"Just the way I hoped it would."

"Me too," they stood in the middle of the street for a while before setting off again slowly, their hands entwined.

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Do you know what happened?"

"I don't know... something changed."

"Yeah... you."

She let go of his hand and turned quickly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what it's meant to."

"What do you mean I changed?"

"I don't know... I don't really know anything about us anymore. I used to know everything about you but in the last few months its like I've been sleeping with a stranger. I so wanted this to work, because everything felt so right. It never seemed like we were too rash or rushed into anything. I wanted to be with you and I still feel the same way but... I don't know you've just become impossible."

She looked as though she absorbed every word he said and it was burning inside her. "Do you want us to break up?" she said, biting back tears.

"I don't know."

"Do you want to take a break?"

"I don't know."

"So you want to work things out?"

"I don't know."

"See that's your problem! You don't know what you want! Maybe its you that changed!"

"I know exactly what I want..."

"Oh really then what do you want?"

He took a breath of cold air. He felt like looking down at the floor, like a child at school who was being told off by a teacher. Somehow he managed to look her in the eyes. "I want you ok! I want to be with you. I want to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want the 'happily ever after' ending with the white picket fence and the kids and the dog. I want all of that and do you know why? Because I love you. I love you more than anything. All I want is to be with you. That's what I want. It might not seem like much. But it means everything to me."

Once again he watched her store every one of his words and saw them melt through her. She blinked and stared out into space. Wanting to say something, anything, but not finding the words to do so. He turned away from her slowly and as he started to walk he felt a hand tugging him back. He faced her and she kissed him, it seemed to go on forever. She didn't need to say anything now, he knew exactly what was going through her mind. She pulled away slowly and held onto him, before once again taking his hand and continuing their walk.

The silence between them dragged out the time it took to get back to his apartment. Standing at the entrance to the building he held her close in his arms.

"You really meant that?"

"I love you."

"You really want to marry me?"

"Pretty much."

She looked at him again, searching his mind, body and soul for all sorts of questions and answers he might have. When she finished she fell on his shoulder and relaxed. "I can change."

"Can you?"

"I can change for you."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"I'd do anything for you."