"And why shouldn't you?" Ross pressed. "If George is far away then just quiet down! Relax, for once." Elizabeth's eyes furrowed. "I don't know Ross-" He held her hands in his and squeezed them. "It's only the concert, Elizabeth. Only an hour, two at the most! I can't have you in titters over him like this." Elizabeth sighed and pursed her lips, looking hesitantly in those dark eyes of his. It'd been so long since...Since she did anything like this. Having secret meetings in his apartment whenever he was in London was enough to set her on edge, now they'd be going out? What if George's spies caught them? It wasn't worth the trouble. Not when her days of running off making trouble with Ross were so old it might as well have been a different life entirely. But...There he was. His eyes looking past her. Past the facade she had gotten stronger in keeping up. And yet...He easily saw through it, every time. And here he was now, over 19 years after he arrived from the war, looking at her expectantly, as if her old self had never left. She sighed and looked down at his strong hands. "Very well," She replied. He grinned and nodded in his approval before he held his arm for her own to wrap around and lead her into the opening to the concert.

—-

Inside the concert room, Ross and Elizabeth took their seats in the top section, Elizabeth moving uncomfortably in her seat. Ross looked at her in the corner of his eye, and gave her hand a firm squeeze. She looked over in his eyes - those honest, unconditional eyes - and let her stiff shoulders fall. The music began, and the two watched the actors come out on stage.

—-

Elizabeth listened to the music, watching the candles glow softly in the room. Having Ross next to her made her calmer, but not necessarily paying attention. Her mind rested of extreme anxiety in almost a year, it could finally wander. She thought about Valentine sleeping in his bed. How far she was from home. How she longed to feel the strong winds of Cornwall rush through her. Walking through her backyard, through all of Trenwith those very early times of the day when the grass was still damp, It was one of the rare times she could shed her shield and become herself, if only for a moment. She would kneel on the wet ground, the grass touching her ankles under her dress, enjoying the touch against her skin. Now, sitting in the concert room, she was far from that, and was only welcomed to seeing a large room grossly decorated with gold and other useless expensive items every time she opened her eyes. She had started to tell herself to stop longing for such things, but God knew besides her everlasting loyalty to her children, that was what she did best, did she not? She gave a soft pained smile to herself. Maybe what Ross said was right. Not that he directly told her, but his eyes always did. The True Her never left. She idly watched the dancers on the stage, adjusting her seat. But even for her True self, it was stifled even more in London than it ever was in Cornwall. At least there were times of peace and nature in Cornwall. In London everything was always messy and loud. But now, barely hearing the music, hearing the gentle music and Ross sitting next to her, she could have a few calm moments to herself. Safe and secure. No George coming up to her in either his newest rumor surrounding Ross due to his never ending obsession or his upcoming schemes. No wealthy visitors coming in with their fake smiles and concerns. She really could sit and rest well.

—-

Ross felt a soft fall bump on his left shoulder and he looked over to see the sleeping face of his childhood friend, her head resting softly into his arm. Smiling softly, he slowly lifted his arm and left her head to rest into the side of his chest and used his forearm to hold her more securely. Her hand rested to the side of herself and he reached over with his other hand and pulled her across his torso to hold her hand in his before he squeezed it gently and continued watching the stage.