"I don't think I missed any spots, but let me know if you need any touchups." Elli dried her hands with a towel.

Cliff ran his fingers along his freshly shaven jaw line. The smooth skin felt refreshing compared to the stubble he had been sporting lately. He looked down at his hands and frowned; they were still shaky and trembling. Shaving himself had been out of the question, and Elli had assisted him in the bath to help him get ready for his special visitor. While she had been nothing but professional and kind, he couldn't help but feel a bit ashamed that he was struggling to move around well and to take care of himself. "Everything feels smooth. Thank you, I… I really appreciate your help."

"You're very welcome." Elli handed him a towel to dry his face and unfolded a cozy thermal shirt that was waiting for him. She was grateful that he had accepted her offered help and didn't request the doctor instead. Trent had left the office earlier that morning to visit the church. The dark circles under his eyes were still noticeable, but there was a glint of hope in his expression as he donned his coat and gave Elli a nod in farewell. If Cliff had refused Trent's help, it could have broken his spirit further. Elli wondered if that was the very reason why Trent had left before their patient had awakened.

She helped Cliff into his shirt and gave him a smile as his head popped through the neckline; it was definitely a lot easier to dress him when he was conscious and willing to cooperate.

"Let's get this hair under control," she suggested, retrieving the hair brush that sat on the counter.

He responded with a slight nod and shyly murmured thanks.

Elli ran the brush through Cliff's hair. She had been so used to seeing it pulled into a low ponytail, and as it tumbled down his back, she was surprised at its length. It was definitely a change from her own short locks and Stu's cropped hair. It was at least as thick as Mary's and maybe even longer; she found herself a little intimidated by the task at hand.

"Let me know if I'm tugging, okay?" Her fingers were gentle as she gathered a few stray strands off of his shoulder.

Her patient shyly averted his eyes. "I-I'm fine." He was brought to mind memories of his hair being brushed out by his family. Ivy was surprisingly doting as she helped him get ready for festivals, and he could still feel his mother's careful hands as she patiently helped remove burrs from his unkempt hair, softly chiding him for running off in the woods again… He allowed his eyes to fall shut as he focused on the pleasant sensations.

He could almost hear his mother's voice:

"Honestly, flushing rabbits out of the wild burdock? I've been waiting to show you the new yukata Elder Zinnia stitched just for you. It won't do to have these burrs in your hair; it'll ruin the whole look… Come now, let's get you fixed up and you can show us all how handsome you'll look at the next festival playing your big sanshin solo…"

Despite her mild scolding, there was always the tone of love and pride in her voice. He had always been her precious treasure, even when it had inconvenienced him at times…

He wished he had noticed it more while she was still around. Instead of the usual depression such thoughts gave him, he was filled instead with a pensive nostalgia that tugged at his heartstrings.

He could hear the knowing smile in Elli's voice as she ran the brush through his locks. "It feels nice, huh?"

Elli's comment caused his cheeks to dust with color. He managed a small, timid nod. "It's relaxing."

"The human scalp has a lot of nerve endings," she explained. "It has a lot of acupuncture points, and massage can help reduce stress and blood pressure." They were silent for a few minutes as she carefully removed a few tangles. "I'm glad you're feeling a little more like yourself. I was really relieved to hear you said you wanted to have someone visit you, and I'm not just saying that as a nurse." The young woman gave him an understanding look. "Claire is precious to you, isn't she?"

His cheeks burned, and he relished in the way her question caused her heart to flutter; it felt like ages since he felt any positive emotion. "Very."

She had seen that expression on his face before when she spotted him and Claire walking with linked arms at the Fireworks Festival and more recently when they had bumped into each other at the supermarket. He had been so eager to see Claire, and she couldn't help but feel happy for him. "I can do something special with your hair if you like."

She was met with a nervous chuckle and his blush was more noticeable. "Pulled back is fine."

She was happy to comply. However, the elastic tie was a little too tight to give it another wrap around his ponytail, but it felt too loose otherwise. Elli gave the hair a tug that was much harder than she meant to.

Cliff's heart stopped as he vividly remembered a flash of chestnut curls, her dark gaze boring into his own as her eyebrows furrowed…

"Sit down, and don't be an idiot…"

Elli's blood ran cold as she felt his posture stiffen.

"Ah, I'm sorry. Didn't mean to be too rough. Are you alright?"

Again, he could still see her standing there, her voice strained as she clung to him, desperation in her eyes…

"Cliff… sweetheart… I... I didn't mean that. I'm sorry."

Cliff had gone to a ghostly shade of white, his trembling hands fumbling with his hair. "Pl-please untie it." He was visibly shaken; his entire body trembling as his eyes widely stared at the wall ahead of him. "Down is fine."

Elli felt a tightness in her chest as she worked at taking out the offending hair tie. Cliff's clumsy fingers were struggling to work at it. "It's okay, Cliff. I have it. It's going to be okay…" Her voice was soothing as she carefully removed it.

He hadn't thought about her for a while, and while Ann's playful tugging of his hair sometimes reminded him of the whole incident, it never elicited such a strong flashback. "I-I'm sorry," he stammered, unable to meet her gaze out of sheer embarrassment. "I o-overreacted…"

"You're not hurt, are you?" she asked calmly.

"I-I'm alright." He managed a hint of a strained smile on his face.

"You've been going through a lot the past few days. It's understandable to be a little…" Elli's voice trailed off as she struggled to think of the right words.

"Overemotional?" he supplied, giving her a wry smile.

Elli's eyes widened in surprise. "I didn't mean it that way!"

"It's true, though…"

The first thing Cliff noticed about her was her expressive eyes. They were shiny as she bit her bottom lip, steadying herself and gripping the fence as if she were about to be torn away from it.

"Th-thank you," she stammered, wiping the tears on the edge of her sleeve. She trembled as she watched Cliff pet the considerably soothed dog, wrapping her arms around herself. "I didn't know how I was going to get him back in the yard."

Cliff looked up at the woman, giving her a reassuring grin as he closed the gate. "He's a little flighty. Still pretty young… Looks like he needs more exercise."

A frown played at her lips. "He was the one that always handled him," the woman replied, her voice catching in her throat. "Maybe it was a bad idea to try to keep him around, but…" Her brown eyes moved toward the young man's slender body, the way his long hair caught the sunlight. She let out a sigh, a slight smile playing at her lips against her better judgment. "You… kind of resemble him, you know."

Cliff turned around, giving her and the shaggy mutt a curious look. His smile faltered.

She let out a weak laugh; the traveler was so serious despite his gentleness. "No, not Sandy here. Sorry, I meant Bernard." There was a sadness in her voice as her hand rested over her heart. "My… late husband." Her long eyelashes fluttered as her gaze moved toward the ground.

He was immediately reminded of his mother's dead eyes when his father's body had been brought back home. It had been a surreal few months where he spoke and ate little, his family struggling to remember what normal felt like. This woman looked to be the same age as his mother, which didn't help things.

"… I'm sorry."

There truly wasn't much more to say.

She shook her head. "It's alright… You just can't predict these things. It'll be a month tomorrow…"

Cliff gave a grim nod; his own pain was still fresh.

She was watching him curiously. "Anyway, I can't thank you enough for helping me round up Sandy. It's so nice to meet a compassionate soul. What do they call you?"

He had been called many things – most of them had not been very kind as of late. Cliff tried his best to block out the insults that had been hurled at him in Akiyama. He had been traveling for over a year, and he couldn't remember the last time anyone had been interested in his name. "I'm Cliff."

The woman held out a hand to shake. "Thanks again, Cliff. You can call me Nadine."

Considerable relaxation could be seen on Trent's face as he leaned back into the worn couch in Carter's apartment, teacup in hand. The scent and flavor of the brew was familiar, and it caused a warm glow in his chest. "This is the tea that I gave you last month."

Carter gave a nod as he stirred some cream into his own cup. "It's quickly become one of my favorites, and I've already made another convert as well."

The worry lines that formed on Trent's forehead were noticeable. He could recall the multiple instances during their time together when Carter offhandedly mentioned the traveler who practically lived at the church. There was always a hint of a smile on his face when Carter said Cliff's name; it wasn't a secret that he enjoyed having a regular visitor. Trent couldn't help but feel a confusing discomfort the time when he had reached into Carter's cupboard for the wine and found a modest stash of sweets. While Carter liked the occasional indulgence, there were a few items that he knew his friend wasn't overly fond of, and they weren't the kind of treats the priest would give out to the children.

"I hope you're not planning on consuming all of those candies and cookies yourself." Trent hated the words that slipped out of his mouth; even during intimate meetings with a friend, he was unable to shake his doctor's persona.

Thankfully, he had been met with a soft chuckle. One thing he appreciated about Carter was that he never judged him despite his constant missteps. "I've discovered Cliff has a bit of a sweet tooth. He opens up a lot more when he is comfortable. We've found a cozy routine with tea and biscuits." A genuine smile shone upon the priest's face. "It's hard to say which of us enjoys it more, really."

Carter had been meeting with him daily; how much more opening up was necessary?

Trent gave a slight nod, his jaw clenching in spite of himself.

He looked down at the tea with a slight frown. No doubt the sweets in the cupboard had accompanied the same blend. "Ah, our mutual patient…"

Carter's eyebrows rose as he calmly took a sip of tea; Trent's bitterness wasn't masked well in his voice. "I don't really think of Jeff as a patient, per se, but he has said that this blend has helped a bit with his stomach troubles."

"It's the turmeric and licorice root in there," the doctor replied automatically. He took a moment to contemplate Carter's comment.

Jeff?

Trent blinked in surprise and felt a mild wave of shame. He could feel Carter's eyes on him and wondered if he was activating that uncanny ability to read minds he seemed to have.

"I find myself drinking it out of enjoyment, but it does relax me as well," Carter commented, taking another sip. "I'm glad we get a chance to share it together. It's… easy to see that we both have our own burdens of stress. Well, that compounded with those we help…"

Trent gave his friend a sad smile; the words were true, even at the best of times. "It's part of our duty – being confidants for everyone in town." He looked down into his cup at the amber-colored liquid, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I never understood it as a child. My parents were so focused on their patients, and I couldn't help but wish more of that time was spent with me. They were just doing what they had to as doctors."

"I can imagine it takes a lot out of you, focusing on your own patients the same way they did," Carter offered.

"You know the same feeling yourself – your parishioners look to you for advice. You keep their secrets." Trent gulped, moving his eyes down toward the carpet uncomfortably. "Do you ever worry… that's all you'll ever be to them? That they'll never see you as anything else? Just a priest?"

Carter gave him a knowing smile, but there was solemnity to it. "I am that to some people… And that's okay – I understand that in my line of work, some people will only come to me if they need something."

That is the truth, after all…

Trent's heart sunk as he gave a stiff nod. The color drained from his face.

"But it's not like that for everyone."

Their eyes met and Trent froze. Cliff's face immediately popped into his mind and he hated the way his heart twisted. His thoughts were interrupted by a soft voice.

"Trent…" Carter set down his teacup and looked over at his friend with a slight smile. "I don't only spend time with you so we can talk about my checkups at the clinic. I can relate to you as a confidant, but I don't feel like I am obligated to spend time with you because of that."

"But you don't get jealous." The words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them.

Carter's eyes widened at these words. He quickly shook his head, his face uncharacteristically flooding with color. "I wouldn't say that. I'm human just like everyone else."

Trent studied the blush on his cheeks. His heart pounded at this epiphany, but he found that it filled him with serenity. "You're right. We're both human."

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Nadine's smile was hesitant as she stood on the other side of the fence.

"I like animals," was his reply. Cliff scratched Sandy's freshly groomed head and the dog wagged his tail.

"Well, he looks great. How much do I owe you?"

Cliff shook his head. "That's not necessary."

She put a hand on her hip. "You're looking for work, aren't you? Where are you staying, anyway?"

Cliff hesitated before vaguely gesturing in the direction of his camp. "I'm outside of town." Giving his location only caused more questions, something that wasn't exactly a good thing when being a stranger in town.

"You have a tent?" she pressed, observing his rustic clothing.

Cliff shook his head. "Me and Cain make out alright."

An eyebrow rose in concern. "It's going to be winter before you know it. What are your plans for the colder weather?"

He gave her a sad smile in response, the shrug of his shoulders noncommittal. He had nothing to say – everything had been improvised up until now.

Her gaze turned sympathetic as her eyes moved back toward the young man. "At the very least, I made some stew for dinner. Come on inside and have a bowl."

He's been asking for me… Cliff…

Claire's heart would have swelled if the worry lines hadn't been so prevalent on Carter's forehead when he stopped by the farm late that morning and relayed the message. An uneasy feeling was left in her stomach as she wiped off her sweaty hands and walked to the clinic, her knees weak.

The weather was bitter cold, but it did little to cool down the burning sensation on her face. She was filled with nervous energy as she made her way across town. With every step, her heart pounded harder.

Elli's brown eyes snapped toward Claire and she stood up abruptly from her seat, causing it to scrape loudly across the floor. "Claire's here!" She nearly stumbled as she hurried into the lobby to greet her. "I'll let the doctor know you're here." Her shoes clicked loudly as she whirled on her heel and hurried to the doctor's office.

There was a light in her eyes that left Claire curious. She stared at the melting snow she left on the polished floor tiles, wondering what that expression could have meant.

Trent's office door swung open and he gave Claire a polite nod before disappearing behind the privacy curtain.

"It will be just one moment," the nurse informed, casting Claire another look.

She gave a small nod and nervously shifted her rucksack on her shoulder. Trent emerged from the patient's quarters and gave her a slight smile.

"Thank you for coming. He's… ready." The glow in his gaze was similar to Elli's. His mouth became a tight line.

"Please take your time," Elli added softly.

At the word please, Claire instantly recognized their expressions.

They're pleading, desperate almost. They look… scared. They're probably horrified I'm going to mess things up…

"He'll be happy to see you." Elli's voice was kind, but she could tell it was a gentle nudge.

"We'll be in the office if you need anything," Trent added for good measure.

Claire forced a small smile on her face, but she was having a hard time identifying her own emotions.

"Thank you…"

Claire wasn't really sure what to expect before she came into the room. It smelled strongly of incense and essential oils, and a pile of religious books and herbs sat on the table beside the hospital bed. Cliff was sitting up slightly, propped up by pillows, but she had never seen someone look so exhausted. It was a similar fatigue that reminded her of the day he announced he was leaving town. She noticed the IV and wrist restraints were removed from him, and she felt a little encouraged.

His gaze moved toward her and she felt the need to say something.

"Hey…" She entered the room, forcing a small friendly smile on her face. She hoped that he didn't notice how strained her voice was.

She looked over at Cliff and tried to read his expression. His long hair hung loosely about him and shrouded his face. The fact that he was sitting up made her feel a little better, but what she could see of his face was very pale. She held her breath and took a seat beside the bed, never tearing her gaze from him. She leaned in, getting a better look.

Cliff's eyes, while tired, held a combination of relief and pain. "H-hello… Thank you for c-coming…" His voice was very low. Their eyes met and he quickly looked away, his cheeks flushing. "I'm s-sorry to be a bother. I-I… I know you can be really busy, but… thank you for coming anyway."

"I'm… so glad to see you," Claire sputtered, her eyes welling up with tears. She quickly brushed them away with a nervous chuckle. When she returned her attention back to him, she couldn't help but notice that he was staring down at the comforter on his bed, guilt written plainly upon his face. She scooted the stool closer and held her hands on her lap. "And it's no trouble at all. I'm glad you wanted to see me." She stood up and leaned over the bed, desperate to be close to him once more. Slowly moving in, she gently tucked a lock of brown hair behind his ear as her eyes moved toward his lips. He shifted uncomfortably, the beeping of the heart monitor picking up in pace as his cheeks blazed.

"Uh, I-I…" His voice drifted off. His gaze moved toward her lips longingly, but he tore his eyes away, looking down at the blanket.

Am I relying on her too much? I don't want to be a bother…

Claire gulped, her heart sinking. "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to be too forward."

He shook his head, his face ghostly pale once more.

She felt an ache in her breast. "Is it okay if we hold hands?" she asked softly, sitting back down.

He gave a slight nod and she swiftly took his hand in hers.

She couldn't tell if he was in the mood for speaking or not, but she couldn't hold back the dam of questions that had been swirling in her mind for the past couple of days. "You didn't end up with frostbite, did you?" she asked worriedly, inspecting his fingers.

Her touch felt lovely; it was different than Elli's gentle hands. There was a warmth to them that permeated his skin and caused a soft glow in his chest. He looked down to see her implementing a soft massage to his fingers and a delirious smile curled at his lips, his eyelids falling heavy. A drunken feeling overcame him and he found himself instinctively relaxing.

What… was I so worried about earlier?

"It was mild," he mumbled, relishing in her loving care. He found himself wishing she could touch more of his skin – his arms, his shoulders, his face… His cheeks flushed and he already regretted not accepting her offered kiss.

"I'm glad it wasn't worse…" Claire's voice trailed off. His eyes moved toward hers and he watched her gently tug back his shirt sleeve, her fingertips lightly grazing the bruises around his wrists. Her mouth was set into a worried frown.

It hurt to see her like that – to know that he was the cause of her worry. "Th-they've taken me off of the IV… and… the restraints…" Cliff forced a small smile on his face. It quickly fell. "I've… caused a lot of trouble for everyone."

Claire's heart sunk, but she remembered Carter's words:

"Cliff has put off facing his emotions for years, and it's taken him some time to learn how to process things and express himself in a healthy manner."

"That's not true. We care about you." Her heart throbbed as she held his hand tighter.

His brows knitted as he bit his lip. Believing in her words was a slippery slope. He thought once more of Nadine's quavering voice:

"You can't count on anyone out there."

His gaze moved toward Claire's eyes. They were as bright and beautiful as he remembered them, but the dark circles and bags under her eyes were recognizable. Her blonde eyebrows were raised in concern. The frown remained on her lips and he found that he wanted to do anything to make it go away.

"We really, truly do," she murmured.

Her city accent tickled his ears, but the sincerity of her words caused the muscles in his face to relax.

She's worried… about me…

"I want to believe you," he breathed.

She leaned in close, bringing his hand to her lips. "Then believe."

As she moved forward, her stone pendant dangled in front of him and Cliff's heart caught in his throat. "Y-you're wearing the necklace I gave you," he stammered.

A slight smile played at her mouth and their eyes locked. The interaction emitted a deep affection he didn't realize he was craving. "I wear it every day."

He wasn't expecting his eyes to well up with tears. He pressed his lips into a tight line, blinking the mistiness away. "Ah, I-I'm sorry… I'm not trying to make this visit awkward." He paused, struggling to think of something to say. "I-I'm really grateful you came to see me, and I don't want our time together to be boring or a bother."

Claire blinked.

Boring? Bothersome? The truth couldn't be further.

I love you.

Her cheeks heated up as she placed a hand over her heart. "It's like I've told you before – I don't spend time with you in hopes of you keeping me entertained. I'm spending time with you because I want to."

He gave her a sad smile, unsure of what to say in response.

I want to make that smile genuine…

Ah, I have something!

She shook with adrenaline. "I'm glad you invited me over, because I have something of yours I wanted to return." With a quick smile, Claire reached into her pack and produced a faded photograph with trembling hands. "I-I… I thought it might bring you some comfort to know it wasn't lost."

The sight of the picture knocked the wind out of him. He accepted it robotically, almost feeling as if he was watching himself. "Thank you." A combination of relief, fear, gratitude, and guilt filled him as he looked down at the familiar smiles. "It's… the only image I have of them," he managed to say.

Claire frowned as she watched the color leave his face. Her blood ran cold as she recalled Gray's regret at not keeping a closer eye on his roommate.

"I should have tried harder getting him to talk… He probably stared at that stupid photo after I left."

She gulped.

Maybe I was too excited to help. I've upset him. I was so sick of being useless… I didn't think this through…

I think I just did something really selfish.

Her mind raced as she tried to read his expression.

"I, uh… I mean, you had it on you when I found you last Saturday." Her voice was soft, apologetic.

He didn't look up from the image. "Thank you," he repeated.

"I… I didn't mean to spring that on you like that." She bit her lip as she wiped her sweaty palms on her pants. "I thought it could be helpful."

A long silence followed. Claire tried to focus on the humming of the fluorescent lights above them, the beeping of the monitor by the hospital bed, anything to block out the deafening hammering of her heart in her ears.

"Th-they were right," she whispered. "You said… people thought the two of you were twins… I can see it – the resemblance…"

"Ivy stole my clothes half of the time," Cliff's voice was hardly audible. "She never kept up with her laundry, so she'd steal mine…" A slight smile curled at his lips, but the melancholy in it was apparent.

Claire relaxed a bit, leaning in to look at the picture. "You all look lovely here. It must have been a festival."

He gave a single nod, his eyes moving across the photo to scrutinize the smaller details. "I was seventeen. This picture was taken…"

… not too long before I left.

Before I ran away.

Before I abandoned them.

A heaviness filled the air. Cliff leaned forward a bit, his hair shrouding his face. "Thank you for bringing this back to me."

A lump formed in Claire's throat.

He's closing back up…

"And it means a lot that you came out to see me…"

She gave a simple nod, blinking the mistiness out of her eyes. She gently placed her hand over his and their eyes met.

The look in Cliff's eyes was regretful. "I-I'm sorry, Claire…" He closed his eyes, letting out a small sigh. "I know I've b-been… a-and… well, I-I…"

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, and she was surprised when he gripped it back.

"It's because you mean so much to me…"

The young woman blinked in surprise, trying to make sense of his words.

His gaze met hers once more, his expression pleading. "I-I'm sorry… I just…"

Her eyes widened.

You're going to lose her. She's going to hate you. You can't tell her.

But you can't keep being selfish… It's not fair to her. She needs to know…

"Please bear with me; I need just a little more time."

Author's Note: This chapter and the next one were originally supposed to be one large chapter, but I felt like the length was getting a bit unwieldy, so I broke it into two. I am hoping the next chapter will be out a little sooner than my updates have been lately.

In (M)FoMT, Carter mentions meeting with Trent on some evenings to share a bottle of wine and have friendly debates. I really wanted to delve a little more in their relationship here and show vulnerable sides of both of them.

I had initially written Cliff's reception to Claire as much colder years ago, but as I found myself rewriting the scene, they just gravitated toward each other. I don't know if this makes much sense, but as the writer, I just let the characters do what feels naturally, and even I don't feel completely in control of what they do or how they react. Claire's reveal of the photo surprised even me, but it felt appropriate to me, as she has spent the past few chapters nearly obsessing over how useless she feels. It's only natural she'd be a little overzealous trying to help when she finally has some one-on-one time with her.

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you think!