[Thursday, Apr 1, 08:00]
"Now boarding flight DL525 to Amsterdam. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Flight DL525 to Amsterdam, now boarding at gate B24," the recorded voice announced.
Don kissed the top of Juliana's head. She had been dozing on his shoulder since they made it to the gate, making up for the fact that they hadn't slept a wink all night. "Wake up, sleepy head. That's you."
"How are you so awake?" she mumbled blearily.
"I can catch my second wind on command by now," he chuckled. He stood up and stretched, helping her to her feet. He eyed the rapidly dwindling line of economy-class passengers. They had a minute. "Is this it?"
"This is it." It was time.
Don wrapped his arms around her, burying his nose in her hair. There was the lingering scent of her shampoo. Something floral. He would have stayed there forever. But she let go and he reluctantly did too.
"Thank you, Don. For everything." For keeping his promises, for letting her cry, for an unforgettable final day. She smiled. It was better than she could have imagined.
The man grabbed her by the shoulders. "Stay," he blurted.
"What?" She furrowed her brow.
"Stay. Stay here."
"Where? In a hotel?" she said jokingly. He had watched her hand her keys back to the landlord this morning.
"You can stay with me." His place was no mansion, but they could make it work. "We have something, you and me. Don't tell me you don't feel it too." In all his years, he had never gotten involved with anyone even remotely related to a case. And here he was, having almost bribed an airline agent for a gate pass so he could see her off.
Her face softened. "Don..."
"Grayson wanted you to stay too. He'd hire you back in a heartbeat. And there's gotta be a payment plan for medical debts. We could-"
"Don," the woman said firmly but not unkindly. "I like you. A lot. And I had a wonderful time with you. But I can't stay." Juliana laid a hand on his cheek. She saw the hurt on his face. "It's not just the debt. I miss my family. This is the longest I have ever been away. And once they found out I nearly died, they wanted me home the day I got out of the hospital."
He swallowed. His eyes were burning, not just from lack of sleep. "Don't go," he pleaded softly. He put his forehead against hers. "I don't feel guilty with you," he confessed. "I can't say that about anyone else. And it makes me sound like a sleaze, but there were a lot of anyones." Don cupped her face in his hands and stared at the ice blue eyes that had knocked the breath out of him all those weeks ago. "You're something special and damn, I don't want you getting on that plane."
Juliana took his hands and held them gently in her own. "I think you will find that not feeling guilty has more to do with healing than it has to do with me," she said, choosing her words carefully. "It will happen again, not feeling guilty. And there will be more days between the pain," she reminded him. She smiled sadly. Leaving New York was a hard decision. She was torn between the debt, her job, and her family. And overnight Don had edged his way in to the equation too. But deep down she knew it was not negotiable. It was time to go home. "You are a good man, Don. And you will find happiness. But not with me. Because I cannot stay."
He sighed and pulled her into a crushing hug. She was right. He was being selfish and asking the impossible. For a crazy dream to come true. It made sense her to fly home. But saying goodbye didn't hurt any less. "Travel safe," he rasped, feeling a tear roll down his cheek.
She nodded against his shoulder.
They kissed, one last time. Passion, sadness, and what if all in that one moment. They parted and Juliana hurried to the attendant, her eyes wet. She was the last person to board. She stopped at the entrance of the tunnel, turning back to Don. Their eyes met across the distance. Different shades of blue but equal depths of heartbreak. There was no need to speak. He always knew what she was thinking anyway.