Seeing You Again Chapter 3

"Why are you here Gilbert?" Hodgins asked, his voice laced with irritation as Gilbert stood in front of his desk. He hadn't changed much over the years; besides the new eyepatch that graced his eye and some new lines that had been etched into his face, he still remained the same as he had when he'd fought the Gardarik army. His hair was as blue as the ocean on a bright sunny day, the fine strands sticking up in some places and framing his face. His skin was marred with the battlescars of war, and his body had the build of a soldier. And his eye... that beautiful emerald green eye that still remained and that hadn't changed one bit. It twinkled in the pale sunlight coming through the window, studying Hodgins. Gilbert didn't seem to know exactly what to say, his shoulders tensing up and his eye wandering elsewhere.

"I just... I know that it's been awhile since I last wrote to you, and I know that I could've just written to you again about this, but..." Gilbert narrowed his eye and locked his jaw. Hodgins could see pain flickering in his eyes, and his own softened in understanding.

"You miss her," Hodgins said gently. Gilbert looked at him, giving him a small smile.

"Is it that obvious?" Hodgins laughed.

"Gilbert, you're like an open book. It's impossible not to read you. Especially with the multitude of letters you send me." Gilbert laughed, his eyes growing sad again.

"I'm sorry that I bothered you. It's just that lately, knowing that I'm not a part of her life anymore... that I probably won't ever be again... it's been keeping me up at night. It's been bothering me a whole lot more than it used to. It's not something that I can just accept anymore." Hodgins smiled softly.

"I don't understand how you were able to accept it from the start up until now. Gilbert, I've told you this a thousand times before, but you need to see her. Your not the only one who's hurting deeply. She is too. She has been for the past two years. And I can tell you from personal experience that it was not easy to watch." Gilbert smiled grimly.

"I told you Hodgins, I won't see her. I love her too much to put her back in the same place that she just left from. No matter how much it hurts, or how much I miss her, I'll just have to deal with it. Your regular updates about her will have to be enough." Gilbert started towards the door, his pain evident in his eyes even though he tried to clamp it down. Hodgins didn't know what to say; didn't know how to knock sense into him. He was left wordless at his desk. Gilbert turned around just before opening the door.

"Love... it really is beautiful fear," he mused. Hodgins tilted his head at Gilbert, perplexed.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"You fear every moment that you don't have it that you might lose it, and every moment that you do have it you fear that it will end, that the dream will fade away." Hodgins blinked, surprised at how perceptive Gilbert was.

"Well... I guess I never thought of it like that." Hodgins was surprised that Gilbert was being so insightful; it was unlike him. Yet, it kind of made him happy in a way; it showed that he did truly think about her, that he cared about her as much as she cared about him. Hodgins smiled again as Gilbert said his goodbyes, walking out the door. Hodgins looked up to the ceiling, feeling a serene calm pass over him.

One day, Gilbert, you'll understand that you can't be away from her anymore.

...

Violet arrived back at CH Postal just as the sun was beginning to set, the lovely red, orange, and gold hues bleeding together in the sky and outlining her pale face with a beautiful glow. Violet stared at it for a while, marvelling its beauty. She'd never really taken the time to admire a sunset before; back in the army, she didn't really see beauty in things like that, and she was in the trenches most of the time anyway. And as an Automemories Doll, she was usually drowning in so much work that she could barely breathe. But this moment, right here and now...Violet had never been more grateful for being able to live.

...

Gilbert made his way hastily out of CH Postal, not wanting to accidentally run into Violet. Hodgins had told him that she had been out on a request and that she was due to return late today, but he still didn't want to risk running into her. He opened the door, going out into the early evening. The soft wind tickled his cheeks, its presence giving off a playful vibe as he smiled. Gilbert turned, walking towards his car, but stopped short, his smile falling. There she was. Violet. His Violet. She stood, watching the sunset, her beautiful blue eyes sparkling as she smiled softly, her hair blowing lightly in the wind. She looked like an angel that had fallen from heaven with the golden glow that caressed her face. A thousand emotions struck Gilbert like a bolt of lightning. Fear, love, hope, amazement, wonder... he wasn't sure where to begin. He hadn't seen her in so long... too long. Gilbert felt frozen to the spot as he stared. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. She'd truly grown into the name that he'd given her all those years ago. She was as beautiful as a violet flower. No, more beautiful. Gilbert's heart ached, bleeding with so much pain that he could barely stand it. He wanted to go to her, wanted to see her again, talk to her again... but he forced himself to turn around and walk away, far from her line of sight before she could notice him. Gilbert had tears in his eyes by the time that he'd gotten to his car after looping around again, but he forced them back. This was for her. He was doing this because he loved her. And he couldn't forget that.

A/N: Hang tight, guys; I'll be revealing who the woman was in the last chapter in either the next chapter or the one after that! Thanks for reading :)