Kate sighed happily into Declan's kiss. God, she had missed him.
"Oy, you two, get a room." One of the men called out to them teasingly. They pulled apart laughing, Kate's arm snaked around Declan's waist as he draped an arm over her shoulder, holding her to him.
"Ha, ha." Kate smirked. "Gotta love the Brit sense of humour."
Robert, the man that had teased them, grinned at her remark. "How you doing Kate?"
"I'm great Rob, better now." She replied, looking up to smile at Declan as he bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Thanks for bringing this one home safe."
"Anytime, couldn't stand his complaining about being away anymore."
"Hey, I'm right here ya know?" Declan protested, throwing his free hand up as if to prove his point, causing everyone to laugh.
"Now gentleman, you must be starving and I've got a table full of food waiting for you. Someone got a little carried away." Magnus said, grinning.
"God bless the Big Guy." Robert exclaimed, taking charge and walking towards the kitchen and dining room area. "Come on mates, let's leave the supreme commander to his lady."
"You're getting cheeky, Cromwell!" Declan shouted after them, as Robert, Magnus and the rest left the room, leaving them alone. Declan turned towards Kate grinning, finally able to talk to her properly.
"Hey you…" She said, grinning up at him.
"Hey yourself love." He answered, pulling her against him again and burying his face in her hair. "I've missed you."
Kate smiled at his words, resting her head against his chest. "I've missed you too…"
"A lad could get used to hearing that." Declan commented, kissing her hair.
Kate smiled softly at his touch, closing her eyes and sighing softly. Maybe it was the silence of the room and her trained ears that picked up on something, or maybe it was just the feeling of being watched, but Kate slowly opened her eyes and looked straight ahead. Since her head was turned she had a perfect view of the other side of the room and her eyes widened at the slumped figure leaning against the door, watching them intently. She could recognize him from anywhere. Kate felt her heart clench.
Henry held her eyes for as long as he could bare, before taking a deep breath and closing them as he slowly turned around and walked away. He knew she had recognized him, he also knew that she had been able to read his face like a book, Kate had always been so good at doing that. He walked numbly back to his room, not knowing what to think, the vision of her eyes looking back at him was etched onto his brain and it didn't seem to want to let go.
He reached his room and closed the door behind him, locking it as he leaned against the wall beside it. The moment played over and over again in his mind as if it was on repeat, her arms around his neck, the smile, the kiss, the hug, all coming back to her eyes. Her eyes and how they stared back at him, revealing nothing of what she was thinking, yet knowing very well everything he was. She could always read him like a book.
Henry felt himself sliding down to the floor, using it for support as he hid his head in his arms, eyes closed, willing everything to disappear. Why hadn't he just left the moment her saw them? Why had he followed her? Why had he even returned? He asked himself that over and over again, but in the end it all came down to the same answer, always had, he was there because of her. Always because of her.
His hands came towards his hair, passing them through the strands, trying to soothe himself. It had become more of a habit then anything and most days it worked, because for a few seconds he could imagine it was someone else's finger. He had been an idiot to assume that things wouldn't have changed. Or maybe it had been wishful thinking. Whatever it was had come back to him and he couldn't help, but think that he more then deserved it.
Hours passed and still Henry remained in the same position, thinking, mourning, trying to run away only to know that it wouldn't change anything. His vision would become blurred and he would wipe the tears away, knowing they did nothing to ease his pain. Nothing would. He doubt even time could do something about it. But this was the price he had to pay for his action and he slowly started to accept that.
His priorities shifted, as he looked at the small post-it note staring back at him, almost mockingly. 'Did you really think she would wait forever, Henry?' No, not really, but he had hoped. He knew as much as a part of him screamed that he was wrong and being an idiot – again – he wouldn't do anything to break them up. Kate deserved some happiness, even if it was in the arms of something else.
He would accept it, deal with it and learn to live with it, for her. It was always for her.