Lip's reverie is broken by the faint creak of the hinges on one of the yard gates. He looks in the direction of the noise, and sees Charlie close the gate and begin her way along the garden path. She looks like a summer breeze, with her blonde hair blowing around her face, and her summer skirt billowing around her legs. She is carrying the ribbon-bound notebooks, and moves slowly along the cobbled path. This time it is Lip that is unprepared, and he barely manages "hello" when she reaches the deck. He has stood up, but not moved.

"Hi," Charlie replies as she takes the two steps up to the deck, and stands in front of Lip. He finds himself just looking at her, not wanting to break the spell. "Can we sit?" she asks nodding to the chairs and couches surrounding them.

"Of course," Lip shakes himself back to reality.

"This is a gorgeous place, isn't it?" Charlie begins as she pours herself some water from the decanter on the oversized coffee table. "No one answered the front door, so I figured I'd find someone back here. It's everyone's favorite place this time of day."

"You've been here before?" Lip inquires, still trying to get his mental bearings.

"Yes. Robert's parents are very generous with their hospitality. I've been here a couple of times." Charlie replies, successfully hiding her nerves as she takes a sip of water.

"Well, everyone else went over to the island for the weekend. I asked to stay to enjoy it by myself before I head back to Chicago on Sunday." Lip offers.

Charlie doesn't acknowledge Lip's mention of returning home, but instead picks up the stack of notebooks she had placed beside her and offers them to him. "I wanted to be sure and return these to you before you left."

Lip looks at the notebooks in her hands, but doesn't move to take them from her. "Did you read them?" He asks, while looking purposefully into her eyes.

"I did." Charlie replies realizing that Lip's blue eyes are looking into her soul again, searching for answers. His eyes always disarm her, so she turns away quickly. She looks down at the stack, and says quietly "they were beautiful."

Lip takes the notebooks and places them on the coffee table. "I meant every word." He says, trying to catch her gaze again.

"I know you did, and I want to thank you. They helped me a lot." She offers, while returning his glance.

"Helped how?" Lip is curious, hoping he was able to make things right between them.

"I had been incredibly angry - angry for a long time about what happened. Even when I saw you in Cambridge, the hurt and anger came back. But after reading what you wrote, I'm not angry now."

Lip is encouraged. "I never wanted to hurt you."

Charlie doesn't reply, but takes another sip of water. Clearly she is uncomfortable. She stands. "Well, like I said, I wanted to return these to you, and thank you." She takes half a step toward the path.

"Wait, you're leaving?!" Lip also stands, surprised.

"Yes." Charlie quietly replies.

"That's it?!" Lip asks. "That's all you have to say?"

"What more would you like for me to say?"

Lip stands there, not knowing what to say or do. He doesn't want her to leave. He thinks about what he really wants from her, and blurts it out. "I want you to say that it was all a mistake. That we never should have broken up. I want you to say that you still love me the way that I still love you." He looks imploringly at Charlie.

"I can't." Is all she manages in return.

"You can't?! What do you mean 'you can't'?"

"I can't go down that road again with you Lip, I just can't. I'm not angry anymore, but I do remember the hurt, and what got us there. I can't go through that again."

Lip feels his anger rise up. He knows Charlie. Logically, she's telling herself that she can protect herself by turning her back on them, for good. He knows she's stubborn enough to do it, too.

"You can't, or you won't?" Lip asks, his irritation showing.

Charlie doesn't answer.

Lip is torn between trying to be gentle with her, and trying to shake some sense into her. "What are you going to do Charlie, never take a chance on anyone again? Spend your life in your books and your programs and shut all your feelings off? That's not a way to live, and I care about you too much to see you make that mistake. You have so much to give someone, and deserve even more."

Lip sees Charlie's eyes glisten with the tears she is fighting.

"Charlie, what we had, was amazing. You are smart enough to know that doesn't come along very often. That is why I am fighting for it, for us. Did you read what I wrote?" Lip gently puts his hands on Charlie's shoulders and softens his tone. "Yes, something shitty happened, but that doesn't mean it's going to happen again Charlie. We can have what we had, and it would be incredible. Don't turn your back on us. Let me love you again."

The smallest of tears escape from Charlie's eyes, and she breaks from Lip's grasp and quickly wipes them away.

"I can't." She repeats as she descends the two steps down to the walkway.

She only gets a couple of strides away before Lip calls after her. "Charlie, wait." He is trying desperately to keep her from leaving. "I'll make you a deal."

Charlie stops and reluctantly turns toward him. He can tell she is emotionally vulnerable, and wants to run and hide.

"This is the deal. Kiss me. Kiss me once. Then if you still want to leave, I'll let you go." He takes the two steps down to the path. "One kiss and you are free to go and live your life without me."

Charlie stands there for a minute, contemplating Lip's offer. She emboldens herself to go through with it, and crosses the distance between them. She stands in front of him while he looks into her eyes, and then he gently puts her face in both of his hands and pulls her to him. He kisses her softly at first, then purposefully stronger as he guides her body closer to his. For a few seconds, they are connected again. Their bodies molded together in the last sun rays of the day.

Abruptly, Charlie breaks free. She holds Lip at arm's length while she painfully looks at him and says in a broken voice, "I'm sorry." She turns away and begins to walk along the path again.

Lip closes his eyes and lowers his head. That's it. He thinks to himself. He doesn't want to watch her leave, so he turns to watch the sun make its final bow as it sinks below the horizon. He listens for the gate to open again, signaling Charlie's exit.

The seconds seem like an eternity, and Lip doesn't hear the familiar creak of the gate. He slowly turns. There, with her back to him and with one hand on the gate, Charlie is standing, seemingly unable to move. She turns around, and her other hand is over her mouth, like their kiss stung her lips. She looks at him, and he notices her shoulders are shaking, as she can't hold back her sobs any longer.

Lip quickly makes his way along the path. When he reaches Charlie, she wraps her arms around him, still half crying. He looks down and touches her hair while he kisses her again through her tears. This time she doesn't break away, and responds to Lip's kisses with the same eagerness as he gives them.