Chapter title is from song by Bad Company.
79
Fade Away – Bad Company
He showed up halfway through her morning practice session, as she thought he might, suddenly sitting on a park bench nearby. She ignored him, carrying on as normal, careful not to miss a beat. When she was done, she packed up the sword as she had done each morning, and hefted the sling over her shoulder. He didn't move to get up, all levity gone, weighted in place by Cain's revelations.
She stood still, and waited.
He looked up at long last, darkness and misery in those eyes of sunlight. "I shouldn't be here. From the first time Sam took me to see that faith healer after the rawhead."
He stood up, came close enough she had to look up at him. Those green eyes were intense with his next words.
"Don't let me hurt Sam."
He held her gaze relentlessly, making sure she heard him. Understood.
"I won't."
She kept her voice cool and even. Unemotional.
He went on, the words terse.
"Half a second, probably less."
How long he could keep the demon at bay; a warning. She nodded, carefully neutral. She turned away towards the car. He would stay away, out of Sam's reach until the time came to go, not taking any chances. She focused on breathing evenly, keeping her eyes fixed straight ahead. She kept her hands by her side, loose and easy and empty. She concentrated on a point in the distance. She took a step forward.
His hand came warm and hard around her elbow, spinning her around and back to him. His other hand curved around her neck, tipping her head gently back so he could see her eyes. The kiss was achingly sweet, the barest touch of lips like benediction, poignant for all the things that would never be. Never said. Her eyelids fluttered closed against the soft curl of warmth.
When she opened them a second later, he was gone.