He stood across the room from her, arms by his side, looking like the definition of calm. In reality he was doing this for her, putting on the front of being calm so she would come down from her hysterical pacing.
"You don't understand" she yelled at no one in particular.
"What don't I understand Little One?" He said quietly, as if a word spoken out loud would break her.
"Can't …..can't say. It's not supposed to happen this way, they weren't supposed to be this quick. What changed? What changed? Why are they here? Why now? I haven't … "
She was pacing the floor more muttering to herself than anyone else.
She slid down to the floor, her back against the wall, as her breathing picked up to a pace she could no longer speak at.
He could see her unravelling, if he's honest with himself, he's been expecting this for the last few days. Slowly, as to not startle her, he inches his way across the room, hands open facing her.
"Lilli, look at me." He demanded quietly
She sat with her head down gasping for breath, as everything became too much.
"You'll get angry" her gasps for breath, quickly turned to sobs.
Getting down on his knees, making them both at the same height.
"Never! I could never be angry at you… Will you please look at me?"
Her shoulders dropped in defeat; she couldn't resist him anymore. She couldn't keep fighting on her own. She needed him.
Crawling slowly over the last few feet to him, she tucked herself into his chest, still crying quieter now. His arms came around her the second she was within reach, unable to resist touching her any longer. Running his fingertips up and down her back soothingly, they stayed like that until everything was calm again.