Emily felt the wind going through her wet clothes while she stood on the pier. The towel only covered so much. She was watching Charlie holding Holly's hand in his while she lay there with closed eyes and blood stains all over her front. The bullet had caught her in the neck, rendering her Kevlar vest useless. Paramedics were there now, but Emily knew her mother was dead. She felt something inside of her in that moment, but she wasn't devastated with grief like she thought she should have been. She didn't know her mother. She'd gotten a few days with her, but that wasn't long enough to build a connection with her. She'd mourned the loss of her mother a long time ago already anyway.

She felt Frank's hand on her shoulder, but he didn't say anything. She felt one tear slide down her cheek as she listened to Charlie cry over his sister. Seeing him in pain was what hurt the most.

"I'm going to go back to the hospital," Tarconi said as he approached them slowly. "I'm not feeling the greatest."

"You should never have checked yourself out," Frank chastised.

"Well, now I can rest knowing you're all safe and sound," Tarconi insisted. "Fisher is dead, no?"

"He is," Frank nodded. Emily looked to where the CIA were hovering around Fisher's body. It was over, but she felt like something was going to happen next, that this would never be over. She hoped it was just her paranoia talking.

"Ready?" Charlie asked as he came up to her. He had blood on him, which made Emily feel nauseous.

"Where are we going?" she questioned.

"I'm taking you home," he replied. She looked at Frank and then back at Charlie. It was over, so there was no fear of getting killed at home now. She didn't want to leave Frank, though.

"It's okay," Frank told her. "Don't worry about me."

"I don't want to just leave you," she said.

"I won't be offended."

Emily felt like he was being guarded with her right now. After all, he had told her he was afraid of her leaving him, and she had said she wouldn't leave him, but here she was leaving.

"We can figure something out," she promised. "Come see me before I go back to New York, and we'll talk about it." She saw him hesitating. "Please, Frank?"

"Okay," he caved. "I'll come see you."

"Thank you." She moved to kiss his cheek softly and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. Then she was walking beside Charlie towards the waiting SUV. She looked back to see Frank watching and waved before getting into the back with Charlie. He waved back. She watched Frank until they were on the road and leaving him behind. There was this feeling inside of her that he had lied, that he wasn't going to come see her.

"You really care about him," Charlie noted.

"I do," she confirmed.

"He's a good guy," Charlie agreed. "The best. It's why I knew you'd be safe with him."

Emily didn't reply, and no more was said between them as they started the journey back home. She knew she had to contact Miranda and see if she still had a job. If she didn't, she wasn't sure what she'd do next. She rested her head back and closed her eyes. She didn't want to think about that for a while yet. Instead, she thought of Frank. She did her best to convince herself that he'd come see her, that he hadn't lied.

A Week Later

Frank was working on his new car when Tarconi drove up the driveway. Frank turned his head to see his friend walk towards him carefully.

"Ah, yes. Adding all your little tricks to the new car," Tarconi said, stopping just a few feet from Frank and surveying the car.

"Of course," Frank replied.

"Looks good," Tarconi commented.

"She's getting there," Frank agreed. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand. "How are you feeling?"

"Dandy," Tarconi replied. "Ready for action again."

"I'm good with no action for a while," Frank admitted.

"Have you talked to Emily at all?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I'm pretty sure I was a passing fancy," Frank replied. "That happens when you're on the verge of dying." He was also afraid of loving her and losing her; it'd be too painful. He didn't think he'd survive it. He'd convinced himself he was better off not doing it.

"I think you're wrong," Tarconi told him.

"She deserves better than me," Frank said, switching tactics.

"You're so hard on yourself, Frank," Tarconi insisted. "Too hard. She was crazy for you, it was in her eyes every time she looked at you, and rightly so! You need to give yourself more credit, my friend. You're quite something."

Frank's lips twitched into a half smile. He knew his friend was just trying to cheer him up. He went back to buffing his car while Tarconi watched. He did miss Emily, but he didn't want to let her be involved in his kind of life. She'd be used as leverage possibly, like she already had been, and he couldn't bear that ever happening to her again. He didn't think he was ready to stop doing what he was doing either. She lived in New York. He lived in France. It just wouldn't work. She was also better off without him.

"You should at least go say goodbye," Tarconi said after a moment, making Frank look at him again.

"Why?"

"I know the hurt that comes with someone never saying goodbye," Tarconi offered. "Trust me, you don't want to do that to her. If you're going to end it, end it to her face."

Frank knew he had a point there. The idea of seeing her again stirred up feelings of happiness in him, but he stamped them out. If he was saying goodbye, he couldn't feel that way anymore.

"All right," he eventually said. "I'll go say goodbye."

"Thank you," Tarconi smiled. Frank continued to work on his car while Tarconi chattered on about random things.

Tomorrow, he'd leave to go see Emily one last time.

Two Days Later

Emily was packing. She hadn't heard from or seen Frank in over a week, and she was realizing she probably wasn't going to. Her fear was coming true. He'd lied. The hurt from that was greater than the hurt from her mother dying. She'd cried a little at the funeral but mostly at Charlie's stories of the two of them growing up. Afterwards, he had presented her with a box of her mother's things that she had wanted Emily to have. Emily wasn't sure if she wanted them or to even know what was inside. It sat on her dresser, looking at her.

Charlie had locked himself away a lot in the past few days, wanting to be alone. Emily had gotten a hold of Miranda, and after promising she'd almost been killed and that's why she couldn't answer her phone, she was given her job back. She was leaving tomorrow.

She regretted not having a proper goodbye with Frank. She shouldn't have assumed she'd see him again. Who was she kidding? She didn't get to be in a love story. Other girls got that instead. She got the story where she was a workaholic who had no life. The most she'd ever lived was when she was with Frank, despite almost getting murdered.

She carried her last suitcase to the door and set it down with a heavy thud. She had her smaller bag in her room where she'd pack the last few items she was still using until tomorrow. She paused at the mirror to swipe at her hair when the doorbell went off. After not hearing Charlie stir, she went to answer it.

She stared at the person in front of her after opening the door. It took a moment to register who it was and another moment to react.

"Frank!" she exclaimed. She didn't even hesitate to throw herself into his arms. She melted into him when he held her back.

"What took you so long?" she asked accusingly.

"Had to get a new car," he answered. She moved her head to see it in the driveway, and it did look new.

"You could have flown..."

"I prefer driving," he offered. She squeezed him tighter, and he grunted slightly.

"Sorry," she said, pulling back. "I just really missed you."

"Emily," he said, his tone a bit off. She frowned at him, noticing his demeanor was solemn.

"You've come here to tell me it's over, haven't you?" she asked. The flicker that crossed his face confirmed it for her. "Why, Frank? I thought..." She trailed off, not knowing how to finish that sentence. How could they have had something so special in such a short time? She was kidding herself. He hadn't felt it like she had. He'd faked his caring for her. Did he do that to all women?

"It's for the best," he tried.

"For who? You?" she cut him off. "You acted like you cared about me, and now you're just dropping me?!"

"No," he said sharply. "I'm keeping you safe by keeping you away from me."

"How is that keeping me safe?" she asked, incredulous.

"I've already had my house blown up once because of what I do," Frank went on. "I don't need to have you used as leverage again or worse."

"You're afraid I'm going to leave you first, so you're doing the leaving," Emily accused. "You're protecting yourself."

The pained look on his face said it all. She took a step back from him, feeling a lot of hurt now.

"That's not it," he said. "By leaving me behind, you have a better chance at a future where you won't have to look over your shoulder."

"So stop doing what you're doing and make an honest living for a change!" she cried. "Am I not worth that?!"

"I'm saying I'm not worth it," Frank told her. "I'm not, Em. You deserve so much better than me."

"You are unbelievable," Emily said, crying a bit now.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Get out of my sight," she ordered. "Just leave."

"I don't want to leave it like this..."

"You should have thought about that before you came here and basically told me you never cared about me," she said angrily.

"That's not what I'm saying!"

"You are, Frank. You are," she argued. "All your other reasons are bullshit, and you know it. Goodbye, Frank. Have a nice life." She stepped back inside and closed the door hard. She sank to the floor and cried harder, which made her uncle come investigate.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Frank broke it off," she answered tearfully.

"Oh, honey," he said sympathetically as she started to cry harder again. He pulled her into his arms, and she let him hold her. She had known better than to fall for someone. She cursed herself for thinking it could work out. She wasn't that lucky.

...

Frank beat himself up the whole drive. He knew he shouldn't have come here. He'd made thing worse. What he was doing was out of care for her, but she wasn't seeing it that way. She was seeing it as him not caring and not considering her worthy. She was worthy, but he knew he wasn't. He hadn't been lying when he said she deserved better than him.

He rested his hand on his face as he drove, one hand on the wheel. She'd go home and be fine. She'd meet someone else and move on. They'd both be all right. He saw his phone ringing and figured it was a new job offer.

"Yea?" he answered.

"Frank, you're an idiot," Charlie's voice said.

"Excuse me?"

"I talked to Emily. I know what you're doing, and it's the wrong decision."

"No, it's not."

"It is. You don't think you're worth it, son? Let me tell you that you're wrong. I've watched you long enough to know what kind of man you are, and you are worth it. You always were so hard on yourself, especially if something went wrong. You shouldered all the blame all the time. You're giving up Emily because you feel she deserves better, but what about what she feels? Isn't her telling you she wants to be with you enough? Doesn't that show you that you're worth it to her?"

Frank felt tightness in his stomach as he listened. Everything Charlie was saying was right, but the negative part of himself couldn't let him give in.

"I'm sorry, Charlie. It has to be this way."

"It's never too late to change your mind."

"I'd say it is based on her reaction."

"She's mad! What did you expect? We get mad at people, but that doesn't mean we stop caring about them. Stop running, Frank. Stand still for a bit. Live. Accept that someone wants you, take that and build something from it. You won't regret it."

"Thank you for calling, Charlie. Take care," Frank said, hanging up. He tossed the phone onto the seat next to him. He kept driving. He drove until he couldn't drive anymore.

It's what he was good at.

...

Emily pulled out the envelope from the box of her mother's things. It had stared at her long enough; her curiosity won. There were photos of her in there as well, which she knew Charlie had sent over the years. She was angry at Frank and sad he was gone and feeling heartbroken about everything. She looked at the letter, and it made her feel even worse.

My Darling Emily,

I know you're angry at me for leaving, and I'm sorry for that. I did it out of love. I did it to keep you safe. My brother is the best there is, and you'll never have to worry about being in danger when you're with him. My only regret is that I didn't sort this mess out sooner, and now I have to live vicariously through your photographs. You're a beautiful young woman. I wish I knew you. I wish you knew me. I've made some pretty bad decisions in life, but keeping you was not one of them. Keeping you was the best decision I'd ever made. I hope one day you can forgive me. I hope one day you find that person who makes you feel incredible inside. You deserve to be happy. Just know that I always loved you and will always love you no matter where I am.

Love,

Mama

Emily started to cry again when she was finished. She held the letter against her chest and fell to her side on her bed. It made her want to know her mother that much more, and now she never would. She knew Frank was doing the same thing, leaving her out of love, but she was sick and tired of that. She just wanted him. She couldn't have him, though, so she had to pick herself up and carry on. One day, she'd find someone to love. One day, she'd be happy.

She had to have faith.