He noted how her demeanour changed how she fidgeted under his stare, how her pupils widened like a deer caught in a cars headlights and still he stared he couldn't help himself, he wanted to drown in her eyes. To see what she saw to dream what she dreamed. The overwhelming urge to reach out and touch her rocked his very soul and he forced himself to back down forced himself to break the moment, a moment in time frozen yet changing, wanting, needing. Two people reaching out for one another two souls seeking that which would make them whole. Suddenly feeling very uncomfortable as he realised the moment had changed he broke his eye contact with her just as she started to look uncomfortable and he started to feel uncomfortable.
She was oh so tempted to run, to put as much distance between him and her as she possibly could, but that would give her away, then he would know. Oh lord he could never know. Oh Lord he did know the realisation of what she'd just seen played out in his eyes told her that. Composing herself she managed to hold herself together long enough to walk calmly back to the ballistics lab. Her coffee forgotten she unceremoniously dumped it on the worktop, as she shut the door firmly behind her securing herself in her personal world. She scoured the room frantically for her coat and bag. Her feet wouldn't move. Why wouldn't her feet move? She leaned back against the door her whole body shaking with the exertion of trying not to give herself away. She wanted to slide down into the floor, to feel the room close around her and protect her, to hide her, to hide her feelings. She had never felt so vulnerable in her life. Breathe she thought to herself Breath. And as she did she managed to shake off the feelings that threatened to overwhelm her.
She saw her coat where she'd left it hung on the hook in the corner, and on still somewhat shaky legs managed to push herself away from the door and retrieve it. Her bag hung below it and grabbing it she reached down for her shoes "No chance of getting those babies back on!" she smiled to herself as she scooped them up too. She turned towards the door. In her minds eye he was stood there, watching her again. She blinked hard There was no one stood at the door, "Silly" she said to herself as her hand reached for the door handle. But she still glanced both ways up and down the corridor just to check before she scampered out of the lab and down the corridor to the lift. The coldness of the linoleum floor under her bare feet brought some relief to the fact she'd been on them for almost 18 hours. She stabbed the button, hovering from foot to foot waiting for the lift to arrive that would transport her to the ground floor and then out of the building to the relative safety of outside. The lift chimed as it stopped and the doors slowly opened she sighed lowering her head in thankfulness. Not looking up she jumped in and spun round thumping the ground floor button.
He had watched her walk down the corridor, away from the break room, watched her every move drank in every detail of her movement. He hadn't moved waiting, wishing that she'd turn, glance back. Any acknowledgement of the moment, that had just passed between them. He sighed heavily as she slipped out of his view and turning he climbed the stairs to his office. Closing the door he walked slowly over to his desk, his heart felt like lead in his chest as he sunk into his chair. Leaning forward he reached for a pen and unconsciously rolled it round in his fingers. Closing his eyes he rested his head for a minute picturing her in his mind. This was no good he thought to himself, shaking himself out of what was rapidly starting to feel like depression. He threw the pen back onto the desk and his eyes followed it as it skittled across the pile of paperwork. Time to go home he urged himself as he swung himself up and out of the chair, if he stayed any longer she might catch him asleep, he chuckled to himself. Reaching for his jacket he slid it on and headed for the lift. As luck would have it the lift was waiting for him and as he stepped in reaching for the button the doors closed softly behind him. As it was beckoned by an unseen hand.
Leaning against the back wall of the lift he was amused at how she jumped in as the doors had barely opened, how she thumped the button with her fist. He noticed the way her shoulders relaxed as the doors shut and just couldn't help himself, he wanted to speak to her, to ask her, something anything just to hear her voice. He cleared his throat. The low cough from behind her nearly sent her through the roof, every nerve in her body screamed at her, there was nowhere to go the doors had closed and the lift had started its decent.