Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or its characters. I'm just a college student.

Chapter 6 uses "Falling into You" by Kasey Chambers

Chapter 6 - Falling into You

The tears slid off her cheeks and onto his shirt; he loved every sweet droplet that moistened his shirt. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist, holding her like he once had so long ago; very differently than the awkwardness of the day before. And she cried into his chest without know how she'd gathered the courage to walk into his arms after leaving him so abruptly 4 years prior. He'd given her the strength -

"Tell me how," he whispered, "tell me why you think you've been a fool," hearing his caring voice only deepened her sobbing.

"I," she tried to catch her breath long enough to get her words out clearly. "I shouldn't have left everyone just because," she paused and sniffled, "of an argument with my mother." He began lightly rubbing her back, "It wasn't fair to my family or to you . . . especially you . . ." she squeezed him with more confidence. He smelled of soap and after-shave . . . he smelled more grown up than he did when she'd last held him so completely in this way. "I'm so sorry, if you never want to forgive me, I understand,"

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"I've been crushed like paper I've been washed like rain
I've been scared of sleeping
In case I wake up the same"

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"Never forgive you?" he asked frowning and pulling back so he could see her face, "Amy, I'm just glad you're home. This isn't about forgiveness at all . . . I forgave you the second we hung up the phone that day you called,"

"Then why did you sound angry?" she tried to stop crying. "Why'd you tell me not to call again?"

"I was upset that you didn't think you could trust me enough. I felt like you didn't love me enough to know that I would've gone to the ends of the earth and back just to see you again," he prayed he wasn't being too presumptuous.

"I wanted to tell you . . . I was just so confused . . . and then when you refused to visit me when Dad and Bright came, I didn't know what to think," He could barely see a dry spot on his beautiful girl's face. "I'd change it all if we could,"

"We can't," he breathed, pressing her head back to his chest, "and as horrible and hard as this is for me to say . . . I'm glad we can't,"

"Oh, Ephram, I just don't know how to deal with you and me and seeing everyone in Everwood again . . . I know I'm ready, I'm glad to be back . . . but it was only a matter of time before I had a breakdown. I'm sorry you're the one who had to see it . . ."

"I'm not," he swallowed, she could feel his neck move. She wanted more than anything to look up and see if her instinct just then was right - if he WAS crying, as his tone suggested. "If we went back and changed things . . . had you not run away who knows where we'd be right now. You may have done something you'd regret - something you couldn't take back -- because you were angry with your mom. What you did . . . running away . . . it was the safest thing. You could've done a million things, Amy, and I can't think of one less harmless than that. Sure, you could've stayed . . . I would've talked to you, we could've worked this all out . . . but look how much more confident and happy you are,"

Amy closed her eyes and stood in silence, inhaling his words. His words had always seemed much more powerful than any her professors may have said. He continued,

"You're back," she felt the muscles in his face turn into a smile and she pulled back to look up at him, "That's the only thing that matters. We can figure the rest out later. Just please stop apologizing, it makes things harder to move on." He leaned his forehead against hers, willing himself not to kiss her. Instead he used his good hand to wipe away her tears again.

"This is odd, isn't it?" she said nervously, "We haven't talked in four years and I immediately spit out everything I've been holding in that whole time. I explained it in 5 minutes . . . seems like all that time was a waste,"

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"I've been broken and battered I've been lost in my home I've been cryin' a river I've been cold as a stone"

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"You know you can always tell me anything," he placed his hand on the back of her neck. He couldn't help it, these movements flowed so naturally that he wasn't even thinking about how physical he was being with her. Conscious of his familiar touch, she noticed the only difference about it was its strength. It wasn't as if he was too strong that he hurt her, she just felt him hold her more tightly. Though why wouldn't he when he'd been waiting for so long . . . a thought shot into Amy's head,

"Are you," she swallowed, with him barely inches away, "seeing someone? You have a girlfriend I assume," he shook his head.

"I had one or two," he sighed, "but it wasn't ever right," He used his thumb to brush her cheek. She closed her eyes, "you?"

"I had a few, yes. But they were getting too serious, and my heart just wasn't in it," she suddenly became aware of his wounded hand, "oh god," she gasped, "don't lean your hand against the door," she advised. After she'd said it she began to wonder how the door even got closed . . .

"There's only so many places to put it, Amy, we're in a bathroom," he joked, but she slipped out of his arms and opened the door. They walked out and back into the living room. "You don't have to be my nurse anymore,"

"Sorry," she said laughing, "I just slip into pre-med mode every now and then . . ."

"Wanna watch a movie?" he asked spontaneously, "Bright said you guys got Underworld,"

"Too bloody," she said shaking her head.

"Again, I ask, how are you going to be a doctor?"

"I'm not," she started, forgetting she hadn't told him about Juilliard. He tilted his head in confusion, "not in the mood for a movie," she lied quickly.

"Oh," he smiled slapped his legs with both his hands, "god damn . . ." he cringed, "I'm never gonna remember I have stitches!" She reached her hand out and took his arm gently in her it.

"I'll watch it for you," she smiled. This left him half leaning over Amy, since she was holding onto his left arm and he was sitting on her right side. "Wanna switch sides so you're more comfortable?"

"Not particularly," he smiled mischievously and she lightly hit him over the head with a pillow. Their smiles turned into laughter, then into silence, then into staring -

"I still care about you, Ephram . . ." she said seriously, "that hasn't changed," her words caught in her throat as he leaned up against her more. He again put his forehead against hers, their noses and eyes aligned. He felt her heartbeat steadily increasing, "If only I knew how exactly to care for you as a 20 year old and not just as a sixteen year old . . . it's a very different thing . . .

"You already know," he smiled and paused. "I've missed you so much, Amy. I've missed this, I've missed everything. The whole time that you were away, I kept trying to picture what it'd be like when we first saw each other again. "You look different," so close she felt his breath, "You're a beautiful woman, but the same beautiful girl that I promised to love forever is still in there somewhere," he tapped her head lightly with his index finger. She removed her hold on his arm and let her fall closer to her, his right hand behind her neck, his left on her waist. He kissed her cheek ever so slightly, leaving phantom traces of where his lips had been. He moved to kiss her other cheek now and she let leaned her head sideways to rest against the couch arm. "Amy . . ." he said lightly

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"But falling into you It carries me far enough away And everything you do It lightens up my brighter side of day
I just hope that the wind Doesn't blow you away"

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"Hm?" she opened her eyes, noticing she was lying down.

"I don't think we should lay down . . ." he leaned up and back to sitting position.

"Why not?" she asked pulling him back down.

"I don't trust myself," he said honestly. "I haven't kissed you in four years, but if its anything like it used to be, I don't want to lose control," she saw the seriousness in his eyes.

"Okay," she said scooting up to sitting position again. "But I wouldn't completely be angry if you'd lost control," she winked.

"We have a promise to keep," he said pulling the ring out of his pocket. "My fingers got to big, so it doesn't fit anymore, but I keep it with me in my pocket," she smiled. "I'm still in love with you," he whispered barely loud enough for her to hear; but she did. He used his hand to caress her cheek as he leaned in to kiss his love his love again for the first time. His lips moved slowly and with sincerity, encasing hers, hers enveloping his. It was everything she'd remembered and more - he'd perfected his kissing style with age. And while she assumed it was by kissing other girls, she thanked them now. It lasted a few minutes before he pulled away to look at her, a smile brimming on his lips,

"I love you too," she began to cry and he kissed her forehead.

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"I've been left unattended I've been thrown like a ball I've been rolled with the punches And I didn't feel a thing at all I've been crossed by the wires I've been blinded by the light I've been burnt by the fire I've been kept out of sight"

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"Don't cry, this is a good thing," he smiled when he saw her eyes light up, "We have so much lost time to make up for, and this is just the beginning," They stared into each others eyes intently until the silence was broken when the phone rang. Ephram quickly got up so she could move to get it.

"Hello?" she said in an agitated tone.

"Amy!" Delia said happily, "Is my brother still over there?"

"Um, yeah we're just . . . catching up," she winked at Ephram.

"Tell him he needs to hurry up and get home before I hurt Todd," she said laughing.

"Oh . . . so it's that serious. Well, I guess I can send him home," Amy said making sure Ephram heard. He shook his head no quickly and reached for the phone.

"Delia," he said trying to sound extra nice, "Amy and I are discussing very important things, I'll be home eventually, okay?"

"What kind of important things?" she giggled.

"Important college things."

"Yeah right, I don't believe you," she said snottily.

"Oh, so that would mean you know what I mean when I say that I found standard deviation in experiement 1 and an extremely high correlation," he said seriously. Amy laughed in the background.

"What're you talking about?"

"I told you, important college things. Now I'll see you later, okay?" he moved to hang up the phone, but didn't when he heard Todd yelling,

"HEY EVERYONE, GUESS WHAT? PARTY TIME IN THE BROWN HOUSE TONIGHT, DR. B HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!"

"Oh GOD will you shut up?!" Delia shouted back. Ephram had to hold the phone farther away from his ear. "please come back, Ephram,"

"Alright, okay, I'll be there," he said reluctantly and hung up. He moved to hug Amy. "I'm sorry, there's chaos going on at home, I have to leave,"

"I understand," she smiled at his embrace, "Come over later or I'll come over there, okay?"

"Okay," he said kissing her quickly, "I'm glad you're home," and he walked out to the car and started his way back to his house.

Amy looked out the window as he backed out the driveway. Touching her lips with her fingers, she hoped this was real and not another one of her dreams. Ephram was hers again - he'd never stopped, just as she'd never stopped being his . . . they'd had other relationships, but she'd never REALLY stopped.

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"But falling into you It carries me far enough away
And everything you do
It lightens up my brighter side of day
I just hope that the wind
Doesn't blow you away
I just hope that the wind Doesn't blow you away"