During the drive to Rufus' a violent silence enveloped the interior of the sports car. Both of them were being suffocated by the thick awkwardness surrounding them.

"Huh." Wyatt's strange sigh caused Lucy to glance over at him. He reminded her of a mannequin you'd find in Macy's. She knew that he could he feel her staring at him, so she quickly turned away and gave out her own indifferent sigh.

"Want some music?" His question containing more substance than what was on the surface. "Yeah, that would nice." Her polite answer almost seemed too formal.

Wyatt nods in obedience and reaches forward to press a button on the dashboard. Seasonal sounds immediately begin to flood the vehicle. After a long while, Wyatt could feel Lucy's heavy thoughts beside him.

"Hey, are you okay?" His tender inquiry melted over her. Lucy let out a sigh that said it all. They had all delt with last year's hurricane, but Lucy had taken an almost fatal blow.

The night that Carol revealed her disgusting involvement with Rittenhouse. The night that Lucy had called Wyatt through sobs to come pick her up a few blocks from her house. The night that Wyatt took Lucy into his protective muscular arms; letting her weep until her eyes were too dry for tears. That was the night when her whole world had officially come crashing down around her.

"This was Amy's favorite song." Lucy muttered. Wyatt inclined his head to tell her he was listening. "As soon as December 1st rolled around Amy would begin her Christmas Carol Fest." A small desperate laugh tumbled from her lips. Desperate for even one note of normalcy.

"We'd cook Christmas dinner singing 'All I Want for Christmas'. I sang even though I couldn't." She heard an amused chuckled come from across the console. Lucy fixed an irritated look and knitted her brow. It took all she had not to join him.

Memories of flitting around the living room with Amy began to flood her brain. How could she enjoy the holidays without her own sister there? Lucy didn't even recognize that tears were sliding down her cheeks until she caught Wyatt's concerned eyes boring into her.

She wiped them away nonchalantly, chuckling to make light of the situation. But she knew it wouldn't fool Wyatt. Another wave of silence washed over them. But this time it was gentle and understanding.

"Jessica used to love Christmas." Wyatt began. An intensity of remembrance echoed in his voice. "She was the type of person that put the tree up right after Thanksgiving." He laughed at scene that only played within his head.

Then he screwed up his eyes and lips. "Our last Christmas hadn't been the best." His voice began with a solemn tone. Lucy knew parts of what had transpired the night of Jessica's disappearance. But Wyatt had never gotten around to telling her the complete story.

"Jess and I were both trying to appear as normal as possible." he continued. Lucy noticed a few unshed tears in his great blue eyes. "We had invited Bam-Bam and his fiance to have Christmas Eve dinner with us." He paused for a moment, making sure Lucy was still paying attention. And she was hanging on to every word.

"Later that night, when everyone had left, we fought about how we had tricked our friends into buying this facade. How the entire night we had been talking through forced smiles and that we were kidding ourselves." Wyatt heard a breath sucked in beside him. He shook his head and sighed.

He didn't want sympathy from anyone. Especially Lucy. She was dealing with her own problems and he wasn't going to dump his insecurities on her as well.

Suddenly there was a cold fragile hand on his broad shoulder. Wyatt tore his gaze from the road to find Lucy staring at him with, not sympathy, but empathy.

"Hey, we've all been through a lot this past year." her gentle voice providing some sense of comfort for him. Wyatt scoffed. That was more than an understatement. "But we can get through it together. We shouldn't be afraid to lean on one another for help." Her words were not just saying she was there for him. They asking, no begging, him for support.

He reached over the consol with his right hand and clasped her left one tightly. She squeezed it back.

And so they drive off into the night toward Rufus' house, trying to find their destination together.