Sarah had spoken those words she'd never said to any man, and Jareth didn't respond to them. He had stood, frozen in the middle of her bedroom, as if time had frozen around him. He didn't even turn to look at her in response to the confession. She hadn't even meant to say those words out loud. Saying it then had just felt right and natural, and slipped out of her. He left the room without a word, and that silence had filled the space that had been filled, before, with laughter and warmth.

When he returned to her side, she hadn't known what to say to bridge whatever gap she'd created between them. He still didn't respond, although he had brought a tray with food for her, and cups of water and coffee. Even though he'd said he'd tuck back in with her, after he got them food, as soon as her headache was feeling better, he said he had to leave her. A wisher, he'd said, and he was gone before she could object.

Fear hit her first. The fear that she'd ruined everything, that the best relationship she'd ever been in was going to end the same way as all the others. She found reasons to avoid being home, studying in the library day in and day out, not bothering to ask him if he'd help her by letting her utilize the glitch. When he'd come visit her in the evenings, she'd pretend that she was already asleep.

Emotionally, she'd retreated during the times they were together, when she couldn't avoid being in the same space as him. The walls that he'd destroyed every day to that point, she started building them back up, brick by brick. She told herself she'd do that until she didn't feel so afraid to see him.

That she'd do it until she wasn't afraid that she'd break at the sight of him.

He still visited her, would make her coffee in the mornings, but the tangle of emotions in her throat were choking her just as they had when she'd decided she'd have to break up with him at Christmas. She didn't dare say the words again.

She'd gotten caught up, she told herself, just like she'd been afraid she would. Now, the easy, warm relationship they'd been building with one another was ruined by her human feelings. Now, she felt the only reason he even visited her was because of his agreement with her father. To look after her, to not let her push him away.

This time, it wasn't panic that was making her retreat.

That silence, those words that he hadn't returned, were killing her. He tried, she knew he was trying to keep things between them as they had been. He still gave her easy affection, but she hadn't let herself be vulnerable to him again. Before she realized it, that uneasiness had been going on for more than a month, and she was packing to go to her parents' house for spring break.

She'd gotten off the phone with her dad not five minutes ago, when a voice came from the dimly lit space behind her.

"Going somewhere?"

She jumped, startled, and turned. Jareth stood by the windows in the living room, looking at her. She hadn't heard him arrive, she'd been so deep in thought. It had been ages since he'd startled her with that. She tried to shake herself, looking at him and trying to find words.

He'd picked a bad time to come for a visit, she realized. She'd worked herself into a bad emotional state with her overthinking, and she pulled her eyes away from him. She couldn't handle looking him in the eyes, right then. She felt a tear fall down her face and hastily lifted a hand to wipe it away, before she turned, forcing a smile that she could tell didn't reach her eyes.

"It's spring break. I told my parents I'd come for a visit," she managed, keeping the ache in her heart out of her voice.

Jareth walked towards her, and she now saw the faint frown pulling at his lips. He didn't set hands on her, but she could see the stubborn set to his jaw. "You didn't mention this, yesterday."

"It's nothing big," she swallowed hard, lowering her eyes to avoid looking at his perfect face. "It's just a little tradition. I usually go there for a few days during the break from school. It's not a big deal."

When he stopped, he stood right in front of her, but she didn't look up at him to see his expression. She focused on her hands, playing with the frayed end of her sweater and hoped he didn't notice that she was exhausted because she wasn't sleeping worth a damn at night.

"I was going to ask if you wished to join me for the Ostara celebrations, but if you have pre-existing plans, I could join you, instead?"

"No!"

The outburst must have shocked him. Hell, it shocked her. She jerked her head up to look at him, trying to calm herself down. The second her parents saw them together, they'd know something was up, and she'd end up telling them everything and she wasn't ready to do that, yet.

"No?" His voice was flat, and she could hear the beginning of temper in it.

"It's -" she false-started, then shook her head. Lowering her eyes and trying to not feel awkward, she forced herself to continue. "I know how busy you are. You don't have to force yourself to come along with me for this. My parents aren't expecting you, anyways."

"I see." If anything, his temper seemed to get worse. His hand caught her chin and he tilted her face up until she was forced to look into his eyes.

Damn him for being so perfect and beautiful, she thought, and swallowed hard. There was a lot of darkness and temper in there. It reminded her of the car ride home after Christmas. She forced herself to step back from him, brushing his hand away from her face and looking away from him again.

"You're barely around, lately. I figured your duties as king -"

"Sarah, don't insult me." His voice was clipped, but he was doing an admirable job restraining his temper. "You've been avoiding and hiding away from me as much as I've been away. What the devil is going on?"

Tears pricked at her eyes, but the forceful way he spoke made her bristle and she lifted her face, looking at him. She wasn't going to say it, again. She wasn't. She'd already told him how she felt, and he'd left her hanging. She took that thought and wrapped it around herself like a shield.

"If you can't figure that out on your own, then just don't bother coming around anymore."

He stopped, and the anger seemed to melt from his features as understanding set in.

She felt a tear roll down her face and swore, lifting a hand to wipe it away, but it was followed by a second. She was crying, and she hated that. She hadn't wanted to cry in front of him. She always cried when she was angry and upset, it was something she couldn't control.

Jareth stepped towards her again, and when his arms went around her, she didn't bother fighting him. She needed the comfort, too much. She buried her face against his shoulder, and lifted her arms around him, curling her hands into the back of his shirt until they ached. A sob escaped her, and she bit her lower lip, trying to stem the flow of tears.

"You're angry with me," he said, his voice quiet, and his hand made a warm pass over her back.

"I'm not - It's not you I'm angry with, Jareth," she finally managed. "I'm angry with myself. I'm the one who opened my big, stupid mouth and burdened you with my stupid feelings."

His caress smoothed over her hair, over and over until her sobs quieted and she calmed enough that she could breathe. Every now and then, the strokes of his hands would pause, and he would pat her shoulder. His cheek scrubbed against her hair and a sigh sounded like it was wrung from him.

"It's my fault you've misunderstood my silence, darling. I am sorry for that."

She felt a surge of confusion, and pulled back enough to look up at his face.

"What are you talking about?"

Jareth lowered his head and gave it a shake. After a moment, he took her hands and drew her towards the couch, sitting on it. He waited until she joined him on the couch and he sighed again, his thumbs stroking the backs of her hands.

"Sarah, how many people have you spoken those words to?"

The words surprised her, and her brow furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"Most humans throw the word 'love' around, easily enough. They 'love' plenty of things. Their lovers, foods, pets, even their vehicles. But you've never been 'most humans', darling. I'd noticed, in the time that we've been together. When we visited your family, you didn't even say them. You show how you care in other ways. Thoughtful gifts, courtesy and consideration. You aren't the sort of person to just say words like that. So, if you're saying those words, they're not being said lightly."

"Of course I don't say them casually. Words have weight - you taught me that." A rueful smile curved his lips. She bit her lower lip, shaking her head. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"If I were to say those words with casual disregard for the weight you used would do you a great disservice. So, I must weigh them with just as much care as you do. Which means, darling, before I can say them to you, I have to be certain of the measure of my feelings for you as you are of yours for me."

Her lower lip escaped her control and she felt it tremble again. She thought she'd burst into tears at his words.

"While I was making you breakfast that morning, someone wished away a child. That's why I had to leave, right away. Not because of the words you said. My workload is always heavy, between paperwork, the wishers, the social functions, and dealing with a kingdom of toddlers with drinking privileges, it's not ever light duty. That's just part of being a king. This year has been busier than usual. While I can't say the words you did without the weight of them being comparatively insulting, I value the time we spend together. I care about you, Sarah. As a woman, a friend, and a lover. When I'm gone, I worry that you're working too hard, and overwork myself. I worry that if I'm not there to make sure you are eating and resting, you are skipping meals and losing sleep."

His words managed to break her control, and she felt tears falling down her cheeks. She sniffed hard, trying to breathe, her hands still clinging to his. "Idiot. Why didn't you say that sooner? Do you realize what my head has been doing?"

"Given these last few minutes, darling, I can guess." He gave her a smile that was filled with worries of his own and he stroked his fingers over her cheek. "I suppose I wasn't certain what to say. It's not many who can claim to have left the Goblin King at a loss for words, darling. And yet, that's what happened. You said those words, and I had no idea what to say in return."

She leaned forward against his chest and his grip left her hands and shifted to her waist as he pulled her into his lap. She bit her lower lip, and clung to him, pressing her face against his neck. That spicy scent filled her nose and she gave a quiet sigh, closing her eyes and breathing it deep like it was air and she'd been drowning without it.

"There are more balls you have to go to? You mentioned Ostara?" She wasn't certain how she spoke without falling apart mid-sentence.

"I don't have to go. I can miss a few, since I've shown up to a few. It's not like I promised to attend this one." His hand slid over her back, again. "I simply thought you might like to go with me. Imbolc and New Years were interrupted, and I know how much you like to dance."

She didn't mention she wouldn't give a fig about dancing if it wasn't with him. A sigh escaped her and she closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around him as she settled against his chest. Her heart was still beating funny from everything else and she shook her head, taking a steadying breath. She really did have an engagement, and it had been planned for awhile.

"Maybe next time," she said, and lifted her head to look at him. She could tell he was trying to decide if she was still overthinking things. His brow lifted and he got this tilt to his head, as if he was trying to read her, again. "Look, I'm not freaking out as bad, right now. The thing with my parents has been on my calendar since last year. "

After a moment, he nodded his head, and a quiet sigh left him. "And you were leaving, today?"

Something in his voice caught her attention, and she recognized the tone from when they'd play together. She straightened and looked at him.

"Yes, I told them that I'd be there, tonight."

"And did you tell your father about those bags that I see under your lovely eyes, precious thing?"

"It's not even my fault that I've been sleeping for shit, Jareth. I warned you way before the ink was dry that I overthink things." She smacked his shoulder, lightly.

"And you were planning to drive while overtired, again, even after Imbolc?" The bully in his eyes both aroused her and irritated her, right then. She wasn't sure if she wanted to strangle him or kiss him senseless.

"Jareth -"

"I'll handle it." His voice was quiet, then, and she blinked. When she looked at him, his expression was serious, and he took her hands again, looking at her. It took her a moment to realize he meant to teleport her, and she grabbed his hands, squeezing them.

"I already told you, I can't do that. If I show up without a car, they'll notice." She frowned at him, wondering what he was playing at.

"When did you speak with your father, darling."

"Half an hour ago -"

"Then get comfortable. I'll drop you off at your parents house in a few hours. In the meantime, you are taking a nap."

"I told you -"

"And I told you, Sarah. You're not making this drive if you haven't rested. I'll use a sleeping spell on you if I must."

She gave him a dark look that dissolved when he tugged her back against his chest and leaned back against the arm of the couch, smoothing her hair.

"You're a bully, Jareth."

He didn't answer the quip, just holding her, his breath stirring the hair at the crown of her head.

"I am sorry, darling, that I worried you to this point. I just wish you'd said something sooner. The last month has not been enjoyable, and I don't wish to endure something like it again."

"Jareth, you don't have to apologize for this. My neurotic brain couldn't actually work out asking about this without a metric fuck ton of alcohol being involved. I had already thought I'd ruined anything. There was no way in hell I was going to talk about this unless you basically made me do it."

A rough chuckle left him, and he hugged her closer. She felt the graze of his lips against her hair and closed her eyes, giving a quiet sigh.

"Alright, darling. Let's have a snuggle and a bit of a nap. Then I'll make certain your parents have no reason to ask any questions about why you don't have a car when I drop you off."

She looked up at him, and her heart twisted in her chest hard. After a long moment, she nodded and let him settle her onto the couch before he wrapped around her. His arm was thrown over her waist, holding her tight against his chest. Another wish was wrung out of her and after a moment, she twisted towards him so she was facing him.

"You're tired, too," she noted, lifting a hand and brushing it through his hair. She could see the dark circles under his eyes and she felt a twinge of guilt. If they'd talked about this right after it happened, they would have saved one another a world of pain and grief.

"I am. Your overthinking problem has led me to worrying more than I already do," he admitted, giving her a careless grin and stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. When he spoke again, his voice was quieter. "Beltane is in May. That's plenty soon enough for another party in my realm. It will be held at Tir na Nog, and parties there are absolutely worth attending. If you join me, perhaps we can treat them to the same sort of fun we gave those at the Valentine's party?"

She laughed, tucking her head under his chin and wrapping her arms around him, holding on tight. He was talking about May like he knew they would still be together at that point. Something about that made her start to relax. "As long as it doesn't get you in any trouble, I'd like that."

They went quiet for a long time, Jareth's hand still stroking over her back, pausing on occasion to grip her, as if enjoying the reality that she was still there. She realized, in hindsight that she'd worried him, as well. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and pressed her face against his chest.

"I'm sorry, Jareth. That I worried you with this. I'll try to be better about communicating. I was just...scared."

"You communicate just fine when anything else is riding you. Just not about your feelings. I knew that, and didn't take that into consideration. I'll endeavor to be as patient with you as you've been with me. We can work through problems like this, darling. Remember what I said about jumping ship when there isn't a problem?"

"I wasn't trying to jump ship, I was -" she stopped herself, sighing. When his finger hooked under her chin and tilted her face up, she bit her lower lip. His face was so serious, not even a teasing smile, there. "I was bracing myself."

There was understanding in his eyes, and he gave a quiet sigh, drawing her close and kissing her forehead.

"Darling, you need not brace yourself for rejection over the depth of your affection for me. I don't plan on leaving you unless that's your wish." His voice was quiet and pensive, and after a moment, he closed his eyes, pressing his forehead against hers. "For now, trust that I do not plan to put myself into a situation I do not wish to be in. I'm here because I want to be with you."

"Alright," she whispered, closing her eyes and holding onto him tight. She couldn't promise him that as soon as she was alone, she wouldn't start overthinking this. He hadn't said the words back to her, but she couldn't argue with the logic of why he hadn't said the words to her. What he'd offered was better than not having him at all, so she'd cling to that as long as she could. He wanted to be with her, and she wanted to be with him.

For now, she could let that be enough.

They napped on her couch, and when they weren't sleeping, they continued to lay there for hours. Neither of them spoke much, they were just holding onto each other. Now and then, he'd brush his lips against her hair, and his grip on her would grow tighter, and she wasn't sure if he was trying to reassure her or himself.

After a few hours, he transported them near enough to her childhood home that she wouldn't be late from when she'd said she'd arrive. To her surprise, they arrived at a car rental shop, and she glanced at her lover from the corner of her eyes. "Jareth, what is this?"

"This is me keeping you out of trouble, darling," he said, a positively devilish smirk on his face. She watched as he went inside, and she followed him in with her luggage. Jareth had attendants positively tripping over themselves to assist him, and he just kept a smile on his face as he worked with them. When it was over, he returned to her side, dangling a set of keys in front of her with a smug smile on his face.

She blinked in surprise, and her eyes narrowed a bit. "You know how to drive a car?"

"Given that I have a lover who thinks she can drive and regardless of how tired she is, not fall asleep, I decided it was a valuable thing to learn if I was going to protect her from herself." His tone leaned towards tart, and she blinked, looking up at him through wide-eyes.

Her brain struggled to process that information. She had thought him having a credit card was esoteric, but him knowing how to drive a car - learning to do so for her - was a whole new level.

The car he'd selected was a sleek black two door luxury car. From here, she could see that there were leather seats that looked world's more comfortable than her beater Toyota.

He gave her a smirk which turned into one of his infectious smiles, and wrapped his arm around her, escorting her outside to the vehicle. He held the passenger door open for her, and when she sat down, closed it and loaded her luggage into the trunk. When he got into the driver's seat, she watched, nervous, as he started the car and pulled away from the rental shop.

As she relaxed and buckled her belt, she glanced at him, and noted that with his glamour, he looked perfectly comfortable and quite pleased with himself.

"This is way too much for such a short trip."

"Your parents don't know it was a short trip, darling. Just relax and enjoy the ride. I'm a king and I don't intend to drop my lover off anywhere in anything that doesn't let everyone who we pass by be very aware of that." He glanced towards her, before returning his eyes to the road. He looked like he was enjoying himself far too much, and she suspected some of that entertainment was at her expense.

A smile curved her lips at his infectious cheer, and she reached over, her fingers brushing against his hand. Before she could withdraw, his hand turned in hers, his fingers lacing through hers. She bit her lower lip, fighting a brief battle with herself. When he pulled into the driveway, she hesitated to open the door.

"Easter is on Sunday."

He blinked, as if he hadn't expected her to say something, and he turned to look at her.

"Easter?"

"I think it's our equivalent to Ostara. There aren't any lavish parties, and the celebration is probably way different. But I think my parents would be thrilled to have you here for it," she offered, biting her lower lip, trying to smother her nerves. "It's not fancy, just an egg hunt and baskets for the littles, and a big lunch. I'd be heading home after that, anyways."

He leaned back in the driver's seat, and looked at her for a long moment. His fingers still held hers captive, and he seemed to think about it, his expression turning serious, again. "Then I suppose I will see you Saturday evening, darling."

She closed her eyes and nodded her head in acceptance. When he drew his hand from hers, she sat there for a long moment, thinking as he moved around the car. She heard the trunk pop open and she reached for the passenger door, pushing it open. Before she stepped out, he reached her, extending his hand to her. She took a deep breath and reached her hand out, accepting his assistance.

When she reached for her luggage, he tugged her close and his arm wrapped around her waist, holding her close to him. He was smiling, again, mischief in his beautiful eyes as he leaned over to whisper against her ear.

"Your father is watching from the entry window."

"Yes, I would think so. A strange car just pulled into his driveway," she said, lifting a brow. "I'm not surprised at all that he's trying to see who it is."

A laugh left him and he leaned close, his lips finding hers in a scorching kiss. Her knees went weak and her libido howled in want, reminding her that it had been some time since they'd been that intimate. She grabbed his shirt out of instinct, as his tongue pressed between her lips, and her breath quickened. When he finally released her mouth, she stared up at him through wide-eyes, fairly certain she had a stupid look on her face.

Jareth gave her a quick wink and escorted her towards the door with a hand at her waist, not giving her a single goddamned bag. Once they were standing on the porch, he gave her a smug grin, setting the bags down as her father opened the door.

Robert looked at them for a long moment, seeming surprised and delighted to see Jareth. "We weren't expecting to see you!"

"Sarah didn't rest well, last evening, so I drove her here. She seems to think that driving while exhausted is acceptable, so I'm trying to break that habit. If it's not an inconvenience, I'll be back Saturday night and stay over for Easter?"

She could have strangled him for telling her father that, but she had to admire how smooth he was about it.

Robert straightened and nodded his head. "Thank you, then, for making sure she got here safely, Jareth. And we'd be glad to have you with us for Easter."

Her father took her bags before she could stop him and she turned to Jareth, lips twisting a bit, not sure if she wanted to smile or frown at him. Her lover leaned close, giving her a soft kiss on her temple, and smiled at her with warmth. His hand lifted and stroked her cheek with a very soft touch.

"I'll see you Saturday evening, Sarah."

The touch, the words, wiped away most of her annoyance and a grudging smile curved her lips.

"You're a bully, Jareth."

"You like that I'm a bully, darling." His reminder was whispered against her ear as he wrapped his other arm around her, before drawing back and giving her one of those smiles that made her heart do backflips. "If it means that you're cared for, I'll do what I must. I look forward to the next time you decide to bully me, as well."

She blushed, lifting her arms around him and pressing her face against his chest. "I'll see you, Saturday."

He gave her one last squeeze, and then stepped away from her. She watched as he headed down the stairs and got into the car. When he was seated, he gestured for her to go inside, and waited until she did before he backed out of the driveway and left her there.

She watched him leave from the window, worrying her bottom lip and wondering if she'd be able to sleep that night.

"Was that Jareth?" Irene asked, coming over and looking out the window with her.

"Yeah," she said, and she looked at her mother. Irene gave her a warm smile and put her arms around her, giving her a hug.

"It's a pity he couldn't stay," she said, and it sounded like she meant it.

"Yeah, he has to work," Sarah said, and gave her a smile. "But he said he'll be here Saturday night and will stay with us through Easter."

Her expression was one of pleasant surprise, and she put her arm around Sarah, giving her a squeeze as they walked with her into the living room.

"He's looking after you?"

"Better than I look after myself," she admitted.

Irene nodded her approval, and Sarah did her best to not think about how much that meant to her.

"There's coffee in the kitchen, if you want any. I know it isn't your boyfriend's but it's still good. Help yourself if you would like."

The tease made her blush, but she nodded, and went into the kitchen to get herself a cup. She sat down on the couch and enjoyed the brief peace with them before Toby and Mariah arrived with the littles in tow. She was glad she got that quiet time with them, first. Her parents would dance around the topic of her boyfriend, like they had questions but weren't certain if it was appropriate to ask them.

She avoided the topic, herself, because she wasn't certain how to answer any questions they might have.

Toby, on the other hand, seemed to arrow in on questions and throw them at her without remorse. He pointed out how long she'd been with one man, how long three months was for her to be in a relationship as if she didn't realize that. She didn't need Toby ribbing her about it when she was already uncertain about how it would go.

She managed for about an hour before she begged the need for rest and retreated up to her bedroom. Standing in that room, she looked at the full-sized bed and wondered how the fuck she was going to manage to get any sleep. Still, she climbed in and tried, finding herself tossing and turning. Her brain kept turning over his reasoning for saying those words back to her, and while they made sense, that didn't bring her peace.

By morning, her nerves were so frayed she thought she was going to snap.

The next five days were hellish for her. Not seeing him at all, not even having the hint of him being there was hard. The scent of him on the sheets had been washed away when Irene had changed the Christmas linen. Everyone noticed she wasn't herself. There was concern and relief in the looks she could see Irene and Robert give her, and she knew they were glad she'd finally found a man who could drive her to distraction. Toby, however, it freaked out.

By Friday night, she was exhausted, and looking forward to the following night when Jareth would be there and she'd actually be able to rest. Even as tired as she was tonight, she knew she wouldn't sleep well. She was just leaving the shower when the doorbell rang, and a frown pulled her lips. Looking at the clock, she found it was almost ten o'clock at night. She heard her father go to answer the door and headed part way down the stairs, to see who was calling so late.

"We weren't expecting you until tomorrow! What a pleasant surprise."

"I apologize for the hour," Jareth's voice filtered up to her and she grabbed the banister to keep from running and throwing herself into his arms. "I would have called, but I decided to reroute on my way home from work."

In the dim light, she could see his blonde hair, and his weary face. Her heart caught in her throat as if it was trying to leap out at him. As if he felt her eyes on him, his eyes lifted and met hers. Even in the bad light, she could see dark circles under his beautiful eyes that matched the ones under her own. Her heart ached as she realized that he hadn't slept any better than she had and she bit her lower lip.

Her father stepped aside, letting Jareth come into the house and locked up behind him. Jareth met her on the stairs and gave her a weary smile. He didn't speak, yet, just extended his hand to her. She bit her lower lip, lacing her fingers through his and smiling for him.

Once they were safely in her room, he set the bag he'd brought with him down, and put his arms around her, his face pressed against the top of her head.

"You don't look like you've slept a wink since I dropped you off here."

"We match," she said, lifting her arms around him and hugging him back. "We didn't expect you, tonight."

His arms around her tightened, as though he thought she might disappear as he stood there, holding her. Then, after a long moment, his breath left him in a gusty sigh, and he nuzzled the top of her head.

"I missed you."

The words startled her, but more than that, the way he said it was the surprise. The words left him like he'd been waiting to say them since he'd dropped her off. Her heart clenched again and she curled her hands into the back of his shirt, biting her lip. She felt her eyes grow a bit wet with tears, but she blinked them back.

"I missed you, too."

He drew back and smiled for her, his hand cradling her jaw and lifting her face. His eyes seemed to shine, even in the darkness of the room. Then, he leaned down, his lips brushing against hers. The caress was soft, almost too light to feel more than the warmth of his mouth.

"Then, my darling, let's tuck into bed and make up for the sleep we have both clearly been missing. And I'll make you coffee in the morning." There was a twist to his lips that made her smile.

She gave a quiet groan of pleasure, grinning at him. "Okay, your majesty. You've convinced me."

She almost turned to climb into the bed, but he didn't release her at first, holding her there. She paused, turning back towards him and looking up at his face. His expression was complicated, and she thought she saw nerves in his eyes. They reminded her of when he'd taken her in front of his parents and introduced them.

"After we've left on Sunday, I want to take you to the Castle beyond the Goblin City for a little while. There is something I want to show you, and something important we need to discuss."

Her own nerves jumped and she swallowed hard, trying to get past the lump of fear in her throat.

He must have seen her nerves, because his hands smoothed the hair on either side of her head as he drew her close and he gave her a much more thorough kiss, this time. "It's not as bad as you're thinking it is, darling. I promise you that. It's just something that I've been putting off."

She exhaled, slow and controlled, trying to control her nerves. Lifting her eyes to his, she dug deep for strength, because she trusted him so much, and she wanted to trust him with this, as well. But she'd been burnt so many times and so it was difficult. She gave herself a moment, finding his hands on the sides of her face, and holding them, giving them a squeeze.

"Alright. Then we'll go after we leave here, okay? And we can talk about whatever you'd like."

He looked at her for a long moment. She knew he could see the nerves in her own eyes, so she didn't bother trying to hide them from him. A sigh escaped him and he nodded his head, wrapping his arms around her and drawing her against him, holding onto her tight. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around him, as well, and reminding herself of something very important. No matter how he felt or didn't feel for her, this was where he really wanted to be.