I just want to take a moment to thank everyone for their amazing feedback on this fic! Im so glad you're all enjoying it. We're heading into a bumpy patch but I promised when I started it that all would be ok eventually! So please hang in there! I have proof read and my laptop has spell checked so this chapter should be ok - however my tired and sick brain might have a missed a few so I do apologise!

Chapter Twenty Seven

non mentiri me vobis - 'Did you lie to me?'

February 28th 1989

19: 59pm

Elizabeth walked through the grounds of UVA enjoying the winter sun. She had found a empty bench under a tree and decided to take a seat and enjoy the next forty minutes in peace before class. She settled into the bench and slipped her jumper off; when she got up this morning it looked damp and cold outside but as the day progress the sun began to shine and the temperature rose; the signs of spring growing boldly for all to see, it was as if it was commanding the warm weather to come faster, the kiss of a new season vastly approaching. New seasons were good, new seasons represented change, change might not always be what we want, but it is always necessary and in the end it is always what we needed, even before we knew it.

'Do you mind if I take a seat?' Another student asked Elizabeth breaking her from her thoughts. Elizabeth looked up and smiled at the young woman

'No of course not' she shifted up the bench and pulled out a book from her to start reading, determine to switch off for a while before her next political science class. Elizabeth kept glancing over to the girl beside her, she could sense a negative energy flooding from her; she was clearly upset or annoyed about something. Elizabeth used her best pre CIA skills to asses her body language, she sighed inwardly when her suspicious confirmed she was upset. Elizabeth didn't want to get involved and tried to turn back to her book, but hearing the soft sniffles escape the other persons mouth she couldn't help but feel for her.

'Are you ok?' She asked softly

'Oh yeah fine, sorry I don't mean to impose I just needed to sit down' she breathed heavily. Elizabeth closed her book and turned her attention towards the other woman

'Hi, I am Elizabeth' she smiled

'Hi, Im Vanessa' she sniffed, Elizabeth reached down into her bag once more and pulled out a packet of tissues

'Hear, take this' she offered Vanessa one to wipe her eyes and blow her nose.

'Thanks' the woman sobbed a little harder as Elizabeth was being so kind to her. Elizabeth really wanted to just enjoy some peace but she couldn't be mean to the woman.

'Do you want to talk?' She asked, praying the answer was no.

'Its my boyfriend, well he isn't really. Gosh its such a mess' Vanessa explained throwing her head into her hands. Elizabeth tilted her head and smiled sadly as she watched and waited for her to continue speaking

'We've been seeing one another on and off for a few weeks, and well I didn't think it was that important but then he tells me this morning we have to call it off; he is in the ROTC and he is being deployed for six months in a few months time' she cried harder. Elizabeth tried to disconnect from the situation, but he mind began to wonder, how if he knew then maybe Henry might know…

'Sorry its all a mess like I said, we were supposed to be no strings attached and well that clearly didn't work' she half laughed

'Im sure if its meant to be you can work it out, and I guess its better to find out now rather than later, at least he didn't try and hide it from you?' Elizabeth tried to offer any form of reassurance

'Thats what makes it harder, he has been so honest and open about it all, gosh it makes me fall for him. I wish he lied to me about it'

'No you don't, because that would have been so much worse, stringing you along like that knowing he would be leaving you soon, purposely withholding information like that would crush you when you found out. He's done the right thing and maybe him saying its over is his way of pushing you away thinking you won't get hurt? I don't know I am just speculating but its always worth asking him'

'You're right, thank you Elizabeth, I am going to go and find him, Thank you so much' Vanessa stood and hugged Elizabeth. She was slightly taken back but welcomed the interaction. Elizabeth watched as she walked away, her own mind now racing with a thousand questions, if he found out today maybe Henry finally knows, oh god I hope so.

Later that evening Elizabeth walked in through the front door of Henrys home. She was soaked right through as the day had changed its course in weather, she threw her bag onto the floor and pushed the door shut. Henry sensed by the lack of communication from her that something wasn't right. Before he could even asked she walked towards the kitchen clearly very annoyed

'What is the point in it' she moaned throwing herself into the side of the counter to lean on it.

'Elizabeth you're soaked, and what's the point in what?' He walked over to her, and began to remove her jumper from her as she was practically dripping

'In this weather, its stupid, I'm soaked, I'm cold, I'm hungry and I just want too….ARHHHH' she screamed not knowing how else to express herself.

'Listen, go upstairs get these wet clothes off, have a nice shower to warm up and unwind, whilst you're doing that I will cook us some food and then we can talk about whatever it is this is really about? Does that sound fair?' He tucked her hair behind her ear and looked down at her

'Do you know?' She blurted out as Henry looked on at her confused. Sensing he didn't have. Clue what she was talking about she expanded

'Do you know about your deployment yet? It's just I bumped into this girl and well long story short her guy has just found out, so do you know?' She was almost pleading with him, Henry didn't pause for thought before answering.

'No, no I don't, he must have been in a different rank' his nostrils flare, something Elizabeth picked up on yet again. The irritation grew in her, something was off and she knew it.

'Did you just lie to me?' She asked him bluntly. Henry looked up at her, how did he answer this? Did I just lie to her, yes I did, am I going to tell her the truth, how can I? His mind circled the same conversation

'Elizabeth when I know the full details I will tell you, I finish next month, on our six month anniversary to be exact, I should know just after that' he smiled. It was a Half life, he didn't know the full details yet that much was true, but what he did know had the ability to threaten their relationship, question is, was he ever going to tell her? What you don't know can't hurt you.

'I know you're lying Henry, your nostrils flare when you lie' she admitted silently

'They don't' he argued back as they flared once more. She shook her head.

'Henry do not lie to me, I am not here to be lied too' Henry scratched his head and looked at her

'They think I will be deployed straight away, they told me today' he lied once more, but she fell for it.

'Why couldn't you have just said that? I don't like being taken for a fool henry'

'I'm sorry, I should have just admitted it' he sighed, she walked away from the counter and past him, before heading upstairs for a shower. Henry watched as she left knowing she was annoyed at him. Elizabeth couldn't help but wonder how the day had turned out like this. She woke this morning cheerful and happy that she was spending the evening with Henry and now this; she questioned if she had the right to feel this way given she lied about her parents too him, she just couldn't make sense of it and all these ever changing directions, just like the weather as it transforms from one season to another; we start the day with a bitter coldness, which blossoms into sunshine however as darkness falls everything becomes dark and gloomy again; darkness always follows you, no matter the season darkness is always there.