"Ellen?" Patrick answered his phone, thankful she had finally called him. He heard her sniffle, and frowned, she was alone and crying and he wanted to be there with her, wherever she was.
"I shouldn't be calling." She said in a small voice. "I tried not to."
"No no no, I've been sitting here praying you would. Where are you?" he asked her, worried she would hang up.
"The beach." She answered. She didn't need to elaborate, he knew where she was talking about.
"I'm getting in the car right now and I'll be there in under an hour. Tell me what you're thinking." He told her as he found his keys and started the car. He didn't want her to hang up. He needed her to calm down and relax, so he could get through to her.
"I wish I wasn't thinking," she told him. "Thinking is the problem."
He nodded, this was not an easy thing for her he knew, but if she'd just weather this rough patch, it would end up so much better. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to not have to be afraid to touch her, or look at her in public. Or to be able to go to sleep with her next to him every single night. He just needed her to get past this.
They talked, light talk… small talk. About friends, the show, everything but what was going on as he drove. He could feel her relax, as he pulled some laughs out of her. He wasn't that far away when she told him she was going to hang up and find a bathroom before he got there. He assented, and sped up a little, anxious to get to her.
When he pulled off the road and onto the path that led to the private beach, he breathed a sigh of relief. She was perched on top of her car, chin on her knees waiting for him. He hadn't realized how tensed up and partially holding his breath he had been the whole way there, worried she would vanish. He parked and got out of the car, walking over to her.
Leaning against her car he spoke first, "So…"
She didn't look up. "So…. You and Jill. Us."
"Yeah." He said softly. She looked up and met his eyes, hers were red and tearstained.
"That's pretty big." She said finally.
"We can do this Ellen. Together. Other people have and lived. It happens a lot. Yes there will be gossip and talking and maybe snickering. But in the end all it really means is we don't have to hide anymore. Or Lie."
She searched his eyes for what seemed like an eternity. "I'm scared," she breathed.
He moved closer to her and took her in his arms. "I know, but we have each other, and that's all we need."
He took her chin in his hand and smiled at her. She settled into his arms. Making his heart start beating again, regularly.
"We have to take time though. Adjustment Periods. There has to be time taken."
He nodded, willing to agree to just about anything, as long as she was going to accept this.
"I mean it, I don't want your divorce published, and 'Dempsey and Pompeo lovers' on the tabloid that week, or the next."
"We are getting married though." He told her.
She looked surprised.
"Oh, I never asked you. Ellen, will you marry me, as soon as it's proper?" he asked her, half teasing.
She smiled, beginning to see that this wasn't quite as tragic as she was making it out to be. "Eventually." She told him.
He lifted her into his arms, swinging her around, elated. They walked down to the shore together, not caring for that moment who might see them kissing.