For me

Forgive me for this, but this is another one that doesn't fit the light and happy category. You have been warned.

-S-J-

They took the late night train, desperate to leave, get away from the ones hunting them down, to be safe. Now she gazes out the window in a daze, watching nothing.

It's raining. It shines through the glass, and he can't be sure, but he thinks he sees tears reflecting among the drops of water.

"Hey." It's spoken softly, gently. Painfully. She hasn't acknowledged his presence for quite some time now.

"Hey, look at me." Now he is pleading with her, and he wonders if she even hears him. Only when she reaches over to squeeze his hand does she reply.

"How could any of this be worth it? For you? For me?" Despite the slight falter at the end the words are spoken rather plainly, trying to suppress any emotion from entering.

"I couldn't let them take you back. You can't go back, and neither can I. They know where we were and would have tracked us down. This way they can't find us. We can start over, just the two of us."

"They'll find us eventually. We're running on borrowed time." Her voice falters again, wavering as she tries to speak.

"Why?" She finally asks. "Why did you throw away your life for me?" And now she really is crying, unable to stop the confusion and pain from taking over.

"Not me. Don't- you can't-shouldn't have done anything for me! Now look where we are! I've taken everything away from you, why do you do anything for me?!" She screams. Suddenly he pulls her close, cradling her protectively against his chest. He lets her cry on him and she does, burying her face and finally letting go. He cries too as he holds her, silent tears falling while they provide comfort to each other.

"When we first met, I never imagined we would ever be anything other than partners while I helped with your job. Now, I can't imagine what I would do without you. This isn't about either one of us, it's about both."

"But your family…"

"They aren't in danger. You were. The same ones that chased us away are still there protecting everyone. I can always go back and see them, but you… If they got you, I'd never see you again. And I couldn't live with myself if I let that happen." He gently pushed her away so he could look her in the eyes.

"Why would I ever give you up? You mean so much to me."

"But-"

"It'll be okay. I promise. Even if things get hard or dangerous, we still have each other." The words rang hollow, struggling to hold a grain of truth. He couldn't know, but he chose to believe. He had to. Or they would both fall apart.

"We will make it through this." He pulled her close once more, tears stopped but eyes still shining.

"Promise?" Her voice was muffled in his chest.

"I promise."

And around them the world shattered.