(AU) My eyes flit from her wringing hands up to her eyes and back down again, several times. All that had built up between us—the secrets, the lies, the half-truths, unrevealed feelings…everything I had to keep from her. She knows. Now she knows. And she's…still here… She's still here…

(AU)"Because I love you!" I yell at the top of my lungs as I close the distance between us my voice cracking with raw emotion. "I love you…so much. So much…that I couldn't fathom, I can't fathom anyone hurting you…and he did that…in so many ways...I didn't want to tell you like this…" My breathing is increasing significantly. "But you need to know…even if it's the last thing...