"Come upstairs?" He appeared in the doorway of the living room, and she quickly brought her head up from where it was resting on her knees. She looked at him and he smiled encouragingly, extending a hand to then help her and guide her up the stairs. He stopped outside of the bathroom, inside of which was a warm, bubbly bath and a cup of tea.

"When... Jacob, when did you...?"

"You fell asleep for a bit." He smiled at her, and she put an arm around his middle, closing her eyes as he pressed a kiss to her head.

"Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me. I'll give you some time, just shout if there's anything you want. Loudly." She gave a small laugh, turning around quickly before she shut the bathroom door.

"Would you mind staying?" She touched her fingers to his arm, and looked up at him before continuing. "Just outside. I don't, I'm just..." She then looked down, her fingers twitching nervously at her sleeves. She didn't want to be on her own.

"Of course. I'll go get my drink, and then I'll be right outside the door."

"Thank you." She whispered, before letting go of his hand and watching as he jogged quickly down the stairs. Minutes later, he was sat with his back and head against the bathroom door, whilst she let her head rest against the cool enamel of the bath, her hands trailing patterns in the mass of bubbles that covered her. She could feel her body trembling slightly, and she tried to take long steady breaths to counter it, however instead they caught in her throat and shuddered as they were let out. She closed her eyes but still, she could see his face. She shuddered again and her hand reached out, hitting the side of the bath as she tried to steady herself.

"Connie?" He turned his head against the door, straining to hear her answer.

"I'm fine." She replied quietly, struggling to hold back the tears that were stinging in her eyes. "I'm fine." She whispered this time to herself, willing her body to recognise that she was okay. She wasn't hurt, not really. She was safe, at home and with Jacob. Slowly, she turned her arms over to see where the red and purple marks bloomed over her skin, and she lightly traced her fingers across them before pressing harder, wincing as the pain first came suddenly and then ebbed and ached until it became numb. As she shut her eyes tightly, tears squeezed out from underneath her lashes, and she could do nothing to supress the choked sob that came from her throat.

"Connie..."

"Don't, don't come in."

He had stood up, his hand placed on the door handle, longing to take her away from all of the things that were hurting her.

"I don't, I don't want you to come in." She repeated, her arms clasped tightly around her, her knees curled up to her shoulders. He resisted the urge to turn the handle, he instead slid back down the door, his hands clasped between his legs.

"Will you talk to me, then?" He looked upwards as he spoke, before turning around and pressing his ear to the door. She thought of all the things she wanted to say, and then of the door that acted as a sort of barrier between them. She had spent her life building up barriers, purposefully to keep herself secure and in control. But maybe now it was a good thing because if she couldn't see him, the talking would be easier. She had control, she couldn't see his reaction, she wouldn't stop as soon as he held her to him and told her it would be okay.

"You make things harder to run away from."

He waited for her, seeing if she would continue.

"A bomb was detonated at a dinner, years ago, because of me. I've been face to face with a madman and a gun in a foreign capital... I watched you get shot. The list goes on, but, but today I was so... Scared, Jacob... I can't just let it go." She spoke hurriedly, rushed in between sobs, partially muffled into her arms. "I should have, I should have been able to move or, or shout but it wouldn't happen." She blinked, looking upwards as she tried desperately to stop crying. "I couldn't do it, I shouldn't have needed you but I just wanted you there, I wanted you there with me and you weren't, I wanted you to stop him-"

His arms were around her before the door had even swung into the side of the cabinet that stood in the corner."I've got you." He breathed into her hair, the ends of which clung to her shoulders and her back in damp curls. He cradled her head as he knelt down on the bath mat, her fingers clawing until they gripped the fabric at his chest as she broke, her deep, wrenching sobs the only sounds to be heard in the house.