A/N: I know it's been awhile, but I was (finally) inspired after listening to my Les Misérables (10th Anniversary) soundtrack. This is set after Pam and Eric have started working in the video shop in the 1980s.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
The Choice
…
This rain will wash away what's past
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
I'll sleep in your embrace at last.
-'A Little Fall of Rain,' Les Misérables
…
Four months had passed and they still hadn't discussed it.
On the one hand that was simply their way, each assuming that the other understood all that was necessary and therefore any discussion was pointless. But, on the other hand, Pam would have been very glad to have at least had some sort of assurance that things were ok.
That they were ok.
When he'd promised to protect her from whatever the Authority threw at them she doubted that he'd ever dreamed it would be at the cost of Sylvie's life.
That he'd be forced to choose between them, to sentence one of them to death.
She'd seen the look on his face, felt how torn he'd been. The choice had been a difficult one and she'd felt like she was walking on eggshells ever since, desperate that he wouldn't come to think he'd made the wrong choice.
Especially now that they were being forced by the Authority to run a glorified porn shop.
The continued silence had begun to create a distance between them, which was why Pam had insisted on this outing.
Although, in hindsight, taking Eric to see Les Misérables was probably not the best way to cheer up her Maker and bring them back to some sort of normalcy.
Particularly as she could feel his mounting tension and troubled emotions through their bond as the musical entered its second act. But it wasn't until 'On My Own' that he suddenly blocked their bond.
A situation which lasted until 'A Little Fall of Rain' when the barrier came crashing down and she'd been assaulted by a wave of remorse, guilt and several other emotions that changed too quickly for her identify.
Her concerned glance in his direction resulted in another block on their bond and he'd abruptly left the theatre at vampire speed.
It took her a couple of moments to process this turn of events before she followed him.
"Care to tell me what that was about?" she asked as she finally caught up with him back at the video store.
Eric didn't even look up as he pretended to be engrossed in rearranging the videos on one of the shelves into alphabetical order, "I'm sorry you felt all that."
"I'm not," Pam retorted, crossing her arms, "that's the most communication we've had about what happened in months."
Eric made a noise somewhere between a scoff and a snort as he knelt down to continue organising the videos on the lower shelves, "There's nothing to say."
Pam raised an eyebrow, "It didn't seem like that to me."
Eric sighed and looked up at her, "I chose you," he said flatly.
Pam flinched inwardly at the baldness of his words, but said nothing.
"I was always going to choose you," he continued in a rush, not quite meeting her eye, "the moment he gave me the choice I knew what I was going to do and that killed me." He shook his head, "She thought I loved her and would protect her above all else, I thought I loved her before all else." He paused, "But we were wrong. I love you," he said simply, standing up and walking over to her. "I always have and I always will," he added, stopping just out of her personal space.
Pam blinked, surprised by the turn the conversation had taken, "I thought you regretted it," she said finally.
Eric gave a short, barking laugh, "Never," he promised. "Those songs this evening just made me realise how desolate my life would have been had I made the wrong choice," he continued, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"You are my first and only choice," he added sincerely, kissing her forehead.
He smirked a little at the small tears budding in the corner of her eyes, "Must be the bleeds," Pam mumbled, dabbing at her eyes.
Eric's smirk widened into a grin, "I didn't say anything."
Pam's attempt to punch him on the shoulder was thwarted as he suddenly engulfed her in a hug. "So insubordinate," he whispered in her ear with affectionate amusement, pulling her closer.
"Selfish," she murmured back, squeezing her eyes shut and wrapping her arms tightly around him.
Eric's answering chuckle rumbled against her ear and she smiled, everything was going to be ok.
They were ok.