--Lily--

I guess it surprises me a lot, how domestic I feel sometimes. I mean, I guess that's natural and all, since I am married now and married people probably SHOULD be into cooking and stuff. Still though, I just never thought I would like this stuff while I was still so young.

I guess if I'm telling the total truth, though, I never expected to be married before I was twenty-five, much less twenty. I mean, it just seemed so tacky when people did that, like they didn't realize how young they were and that they had time to wait. I mean, I guess if you're sure then you're sure, but I mean seriously, what's the harm in waiting a few more years to be surer?

Unless you don't know that you have a few more years.

And honestly, things don't look so good right now. Actually, things look really really bad. But I try hard not to think about that when I don't have to. I just do what I can, you know, I go to the ministry every morning and I do what they tell me to do and sometimes now they do what I tell them to do, and every weekend I go to the Order and I do what they tell me to do too, and I try not to feel the deaths all around me even though each and every time it feels just a little bit like I've died too. I hold my head up at the funerals and every time I go out to fight the darkness I accept that I might die too, and that it would be okay. That this is something worth dying for.

But then there are times like this, when James and I are just sitting here reading and it feels so nice and peaceful and normal and I totally can't believe that there's a war at all and I feel like nothing could possibly be worth dying for, not when there's this worth living for-

But these aren't normal times. Everything's gone totally crazy and mostly I'm just trying to digest it all, no matter how calm and collected I look on the outside.

Things aren't always how they look on the outside. I mean god, just look at Severus-

But I don't let myself think about Severus anymore. I mean, at least not usually. He writes to me every once in a long, long time but even with his notes being as infrequent and short as they are I totally know that they're more than he can safely send and I'm grateful for them. Truthfully I never expected to hear from him at all and every single time it gets to a point where I don't think I'll ever hear from him again-

But I always hear from him again.

I don't write back because he asks me not to. He never said why but I know it's just too dangerous for him. God, I really wish I could see him, just for a second, just so he could know I'm okay- 'cause I know that no matter what he says he cares if I'm okay, cares way more than he should or is safe or even makes sense- that if anything ever happened to me he'd be just as devastated as I would if anything ever happened to him-

But I really don't think about it, at least not usually. I mean, there's just no point. And when James smiles at me in that kind, carefree way, I really know that life is so good in general and that I'm so-

"Lil, do we have any tea?" he asks suddenly and I gesture toward the kitchen with a smile as he says "Accio tea," with no conviction, angling his wand lazily. I fight not to laugh as the tea miraculously comes to him, already in a cup with water, and as he mutters "Relashio" the cup begins steaming. When we were younger his nonchalance would have really bothered me but now I find it endearing- he saves his energy for the important stuff, is the truth, and sometimes I don't understand since I'm always too enthused, so passionate… I used to think, or hope, I'm not exactly sure which, that James and I would rub off on each other, but it hasn't really happened here and I'm glad. It makes life easier somehow, and it's so nice, especially when not too much about life is easy anymore –

And as though he heard my thoughts, Dumbledore comes crashing through our chimney.

--James--

As always Lily understands before I do, and I really love her for that. She's grabbed her wand and is marching toward the fireplace practically before Albus has even started to explain and he stops her with a firm hand on her arm, inquiring mildly, "Might I finish?"

"Forgive me professor," and he and I exchange a look at her insistence on using the title well over a year after he started to talk to her as his absolute equal, "but I know all I need to-"

"Are you so sure of that?" he inquires, tone still mild even as his eyes flash, and she flushes before she bursts out,

"I can't stay here any longer while this is happening! They CANNOT be allowed to take the ministry. They CANNOT. I will DIE before I let Voldemort and is minions have it. The only thing I would sooner die defending is Hogwarts itself!" She starts shaking and I wish I could say something, anything that would make her stop but I know it's not possible as she continues, "I HAVE to be there. Professor I will DIE before they take it."

To my surprise Albus's normally placid face is grim as he says, "That's what I'm afraid of, Lily. You MUST NOT die tonight. It is inevitable that the ministry be taken by Tom and those who follow him." His eyes lower and for the first time I realize what I know Lily did from the second she saw him- this is serious and it is really, realty bad. "Unless I am very much mistaken it has already been taken by now. Any further combat delays the inevitable. What we need you to do is remove our most important documents and artifacts. Immediately. You are not to engage anyone. You are not to help anyone. We need you for later."

At my movement toward the chimney Albus checks me with a sharp look, saying definitely, "That applies to you as well, James. You are to stay here and keep your home open to those who may require a place to take refuge."

I open my mouth to protest, knowing with a sick feeling that my friends and colleagues are dying at this very moment and that I have to get there somehow, but one look at him tells me both that it's pointless and that he's serious about sending those who need a place to go here. Lily looks as sick as I feel as she sputters,

"But- professor- the documents and artifacts- only the minister has access to the ones I think you mean, I cant possibly-"

My stomach churns as his face grows graver. "You will have to, and quickly. The minister has been dead for the past hour."

-- Bellatrix--

I feel the power flood through my veins as I yell "Crucio!" for what must be the thousandth time tonight, smile in triumph as the poor fool crawls gasping from the room. I turn to share a triumphant smirk with Severus but to my disappointment, though he's masterfully cursing everyone in sight into oblivion his mind is quite obviously elsewhere as he keeps scanning the room as though there's something he's looking for, expecting to see-

I direct my attention at him from the relative safety of my position and try to probe his mind, but even now in the thick of battle his thoughts are utterly closed to me, though I learned the art of Legilimency from the Dark Lord himself… not, I suppose, that this should come as a surprise from the man whose thought remain blocked even during orgasm, but then, a night like tonight is so much better than orgasm, such a triumph for the Dark Lord has never yet been realized and once we've driven all these fools out of the ministry for good we can easily take over the whole-

"Something you wanted to ask me?" Severus hisses in my ear too softly for me to be sure whether it's anger or amusement coloring his voice as I try to hide my surprise at how silently he's managed to make his way over to me.

"Just wondering if this is turning you on as much as it is me," I purr, leaning back against him with some skill and to my delight he presses against me, grazing my hip before he suddenly pulls me back against him harshly, hissing,

"Perhaps you ought to ask Rodolphus that, my beautiful little liar," before squeezing the same hip roughly enough that I cry out in simultaneous pain and delight before he pushes me roughly away from him and states nonchalantly, "If you must know I am merely waiting for the Dark Lord to appear and make our triumph complete."

He turns away from me sharply and with a brief flourish of his wand causes one of the last wizards in the room to burst out in boils.

I like to think he learned his style from me.

--Lily--

I grab the last papers and pensives as quickly as I can, throwing them into a bag and saying "Alohomora" before rushing through the door, knowing that I should have gotten out of here over an hour ago-

I pull James's Invisibility Cloak more tightly around me before speeding down two little known hallways and rushing toward the door of the Potions Regulation and Invention Offices, hoping to be able to use the Floo Network from there instead of needing to get to a 'safe apparition zone' within the ministry which would be anything but safe right now-

And oh my god, I should have thought-but who would think- of all the- and I hear his voice for the first time in almost two years an he bellows "Stupefy!" at the same second that I somehow manage to pull myself together enough to cry "Protego!"

The spells collide and die in a flash of gold somewhere in the middle of the room and I realize even before I can fully believe Severus is really standing in front of me that I should get the hell out of there before he tries something else or worse, realizes who I am-

But as I look at him I know, totally, even as he says nothing, face stoic, wand still raised, that he knows exactly who's in the doorway and that he has no idea what to do about it, just like, even though I've hoped, deep deep down for this moment for what seems like forever, now that it's really here I have no idea how to act either. If it was anyone else I would make quick use of an Expelliarmus spell and apparate, the hell with safe zones, but, I mean, it's Severus. And evidently that still changes things.

I'm so tempted to stand there, just for a minute, just one small minute, just looking at him, you know, just soaking it all in but I know that's not fair, it's so not fair to him and it's not enough for me no matter how much I try to pretend and so I don't think about it too much as I take a step forward and kick the door shut behind me as I yank off the cloak.

He's not surprised and to my shock he speaks first, nodding curtly, just my name, no more no less and I venture a smile that fades as I really realize how thin he's gotten, thinner even than last time and how tired he looks, how lost… I see a bleeding cut made cleanly through the sleeve of his perpetually black robes, blurt "Episkey" before I can even think, and the shocked look on his face when he realizes what I've done as the cut heals itself breaks my heart. What kind of people can he possibly be working with that they don't even help each other when they're hurt- and I blurt, again without thinking, the same thing I said the last time I saw him-

"My God, Severus, what are they doing to you?"

To my surprise though he looks at me with horror that must match my own, firing back, "What have they done to YOU? Reducing the greatest witch of our generation to creeping around in an invisibility cloak seems beneath the intelligence of even the imbeciles that formerly controlled the ministry. Who wouldn't want someone of your skill to join the fight-"

"This was a battle," I bite out, forcing myself to stand straighter as I lift my chin, surprised despite everything at the total defiance he always inspires in me, a part of myself I had almost forgotten but that is roaring back with a vengeance as I continue, "Believe that you've not seen the last of me in the war."

He looks away like he's embarrassed and I can't really understand but I don't think I have to as he hisses "You really think you have a chance when your side won't even utter a basic Cruciatus Curse?" His eyes narrow slightly as he says suddenly, softly, "Don't tell me someone of your intelligence is never tempted?"

I know he's just trying to intimidate me now, and it would totally work, I mean, if I didn't get that he really just isn't like this, deep down. So say lightly, almost teasingly, "Yeah, and I totally noticed how you yourself tried to use that very curse just now when I was standing in the doorway," before I lower my voice and say somberly, "You can lie to other people if you want, but deep down you think what I do. There are better ways to stop someone."

His face remains impassive but he can't meet my eyes anymore and that's all I need to know my words have it their mark. My god, I just know he isn't happy, I knew even without seeing him all this time that he just couldn't be, but now, standing here with him, wands still raised in some bizarre parody of the confrontation we both know we're supposed to be having, I know how deeply this has all hurt him, how badly he wishes he wasn't standing here facing me, know that deep down he just wants what I want- for this all to be over and his arms to be thrown around someone he loves, someone who loves him back… only he's convinced himself that won't happen, that it can't happen, oh goddamn his ridiculous defense mechanisms, I just can't- I really don't- I mean, I really just wish I could help him see how wrong he is, how much about him is so loveable and worthwhile, how deeply people would care about him if he just let them. How deeply I already do-

God, I always have. Sometimes, not too often, but once in a while, very late at night, I go stand by the window and look at the moonlight and just remember things I know I have no business remembering. Things I've buried as deep as they will go for a hundred reasons but still never quite manage to get rid of.

And that's my secret.

He's still the only thing I've ever kept from James, the only thing I'll always keep from him. And I mean, I know it's not even that big of a deal, that I shouldn't feel so BAD about it, but still, it's just- none of us can help what lives deep down where our soul is. And Severus and I understand one another in a way James and I never will no matter what happens. The truth is always there between us even when we're trying to hide it. Even when it would be better hidden, it's still there.

And the truth is he's not going to hurt me and I know it, so without thinking about it any more I lower my wand to end this stupid charade and wait for him to make the next move.

--Severus--

The girl is as foolish and weak as ever, lowering her wand and leaving herself at my mercy as though she didn't understand that I was one of the Death Eaters sent here tonight to take this building from Wizards like her, to do whatever we needed to do to take control-

But even as I think this I'm lowering my own wand.

"Severus," she whispers eyes shining almost as brightly as they used to years ago, and then she's thrown her arms around me before I even know what's happening, hugging me tightly, not seeming to notice or care that I'm not hugging her back as she strengthens her embrace.

I fight against how glad I am to see her, how glad I was from the second I heard that goddamned caress of a voice and knew it was her in the doorway hours after I'd accepted that she wasn't in the building after all, after we'd thought everyone from the old ministry had fled for their lives and been told we could explore that which was of interest to us. All those fools who can't understand the beauty in subtlety and nuances and time made a rush on the spells and magical weapons department, leaving me alone to discover what headway had been made recently at the ministry in terms of potions-

And as I realize sharply how much delight she and I could have taken, in a different life, just exploring this room together, I hastily relegate all emotion to a tiny corner of being reserved for all that I find unacceptable inside myself, all that I know I can never admit to anyone and most definitely never allow the dark lord to see or suspect in any way.

I waited and hoped all through the fight to see her, another secret best filed away and forgotten. I hid my anxiety brilliantly under a mask of desire for the Dark Lord to appear, but in truth nothing, no one could ever compare to, ever delight me as much as Lily and those goddamned emerald eyes.

And that is a weakness. My only weakness, the only thing that, no matter what I try, never disappears. And because of that I hate it. Hate her…

With that thought I shove her roughly from me, and as my eyes lock with hers for the first time in well over a year I suddenly, sharply remember just how much I don't hate her, just how much I never could even as I hiss,

"Do you have any idea what you're doing whatsoever? Do you have any idea what would happen to us both if we were seen doing… whatever that just was? Do you-"

"Oh Severus," she sighs, sounding suddenly tired, almost defeated, "Of course I understand," and as I continue to meet her eyes I know that she does and wonder if that's courage or stupidity, if the two are really so far removed as I'd like to believe before her eyes narrow slightly and she raises an eyebrow, questioning archly just like I remember, "Do you?"

And as usual she's thrown me totally off balance within three minutes of seeing her again, reminded me that I'm just human after all as I have no idea what to say and instead choose to sneer slightly as I try to regain the upper hand, saying with lazy cruelty perfected in the time since I last saw her, "I had expected to encounter you earlier tonight with your bleeding heart friends."

"I was otherwise occupied," she retorts, no longer meeting my eyes, and I try to enter her mind but she blocks me immediately, deftly, saying flatly,

"I asked you once before to please not do that," and the heart I spend all my time denying that I have contracts as I realize how much older she really is- maturity agrees with her, she only gets more beautiful as she ages and it gives her a composure she had always lacked, a composure that I suddenly realize I despise because I feel like it's blocking her, and my stomach sinks slightly before I remember her face when she first dropped the cloak, the way she threw herself at me the second I lowered my wand and I realize she's the same, she's just learned composure out of necessity, and I understand far better than I wish I did. I've learned so many things out of necessity, so many much more damaging things than composure-

"Forgive me," I say softly, face clouding over as I realize that with those two words I've deferred to her more than I've deferred to anyone but the Dark Lord himself in the past year, and I hate her for that, I really do, hate her for making me feel when I never wanted to feel again-

"Oh Severus, I do," she whispers and I know that she means it, completely, that she really has forgiven me for so much more than the brief Occlumency and it makes me want to shake her, demand to know what's wrong with her that she would-

And then I see her rings. Her gaze follows mine and she says softly, "It was a nice wedding. I missed you at it, though."

"I-" and I hate that I'm speechless and that I care, hate that I feel obliged to answer her when I never answer anyone and she didn't even ask a question. "I received your invitation. I was- gratified that you thought of me. I hope-" and I almost choke on the words, despising how formal they are as I try to take control of this impossible situation, "I hope you're well."

A small thud sounds outside and she looks at the door, anxiety flitting over her features and my soul hardens as it occurs to me she's probably not scared of the dangers that might be behind it, if I know her at all she's still fearless, but she's concerned she might be found in here with someone as undesirable as me-

But then, as though she could hear my thoughts she turns back to me, face tortured and for one awful second I really think she's going to throw herself on the ground and begin sobbing before she whispers, unable to hide the raw emotion in her voice despite her regained composure, "GOD Severus, I miss you."

I want to fire back some damaging comment about how that's impossible since she barely knows me, that I never think of her at all, that I hate her and all that she stands for and hope that she dies on her way out of the building but I just can't do it. She's Lily. And not only does that change things, but god help me, I feel the same. Even if it makes no sense and I hate myself for it every day.

"I-" I begin, angry at myself and at the futility of this conversation before I repeat, with less finesse than I thought I was capable of, "I hope you're well."

Her brow furrows and she takes a step toward me before venturing unexpectedly, "Can we go somewhere? Away from here? And talk for a while?" and even though her voice is hesitant it's warmer than anyone has been to me since I last saw her, and for a long crazy moment I want desperately to accept but the rational part of myself knows I must not leave this building and I answer only with an abrupt, definitive shake of my head.

To my surprise she shoots me a genuine smile as she shrugs, perching on a remarkable clean table and quipping, "You can't blame a girl for trying."

"No," I retort, suddenly hoarse for reasons I don't fully understand and don't think I want to.

"Your…friends… will be coming to collect you soon." A statement, not a question, but she always was one of the most intelligent people I have ever encountered.

"Yes."

She smiles slightly and despite myself what's left of my heart breaks as she pats the spot next to her and against all logic I go to sit next to her, seeing her smile warmly out of the corner of my eye even as we don't directly look at one another, even as we're careful not to let our bodies touch, and for one simultaneously terrible and blissful moment I feel like we're seventeen again and sitting on the steps at Hogwarts in semi-darkness, talking at each other, laughing with each other, knowing only in the vaguest way what was coming after graduation, what it would all mean, so goddamned foolish and innocent and young-

"I'm well," she says suddenly, answering my all but forgotten question and snapping me harshly back to the present as she continues, "I've been happy." She shrugs a little, almost self-deprecatingly. "Sometimes I'm afraid."

I snort despite myself. "Lily Evans afraid? Never."

I feel rather than see her hand inch closer to mine before she murmurs, "Not so much for myself, but for my friends- yes Severus. I'm very very afraid for my friends."

I war within myself for a long moment before deciding to acknowledge that I do understand the meaning behind her comment, saying sharply, defiantly,

"You needn't worry about me. I'm content."

"Are you, Sev?" she asks so softly I almost don't think she really said the words, but I couldn't have heard them louder if she'd sent them through a Howler as her hand artlessly covers mine, squeezes, doesn't let go. "If I thought that was true I would tell you to go with my blessing and mean it. I really would."

"I mean it," I say hoarsely, unable to look at her and equally unable to pull my hand away from her infernally soft touch and as my head begins to turn toward hers without my own volition and our eyes slowly meet I feel a sharp stab of a kind of desire I had thought was lost to me forever. It isn't carnal, or rather, it isn't solely carnal- it's deeper than that, it's not a desire to possess her but a desire to share with her, totally, to embrace her without fear, to sigh in contentment after a long day as our eyes meet and know that the world will be okay before those same eyes mist over with desire and skin meets skin-

And as she flushes slightly, unabashedly continuing to meet my eyes, I know she feels it too- that we'll probably both always feel it and spend 99 percent of our lives struggling unsuccessfully to forget it in any way we can. The silence is endless, beautiful, before she says with nearly pained conviction, "No Severus, you don't mean it. You don't mean it at all."

I wish I could be angry with her for her presumption, for anything at all, but I only feel sadness as she opens her mouth again and I stand, pulling away from her as I snap harshly, fighting against regret, regret that I banished from my life years ago,

"If you're about to make another one of your idiotic speeches about how it's 'not too late' and I can still come with you, I advise you not to waste your breath."

"Making sure my friends know where I stand could NEVER be a waste of breath," she says firmly, raising her chin and despite myself a ghost of a smile passes over my face at how little she's changed in some ways. "You CAN come with me and join the order. Dumbledore DOES agree with me about this. We want you." She bites her lip in the way I used to hate so much and now have spent countless nights dreaming of, and I can tell she's making a decision before she stands and squares her shoulders, taking a single step toward me before she looks me dead in the eye, whispering, "We love you."

--Lily--

I hear the words echo and I'm really scared that I made a mistake, that I went too far, but I know he doesn't react well to fear and so I just stand there, almost daring him to react badly… but he's not reacting at all and at the same time he's reacting way, way more than I ever hoped he would, emotions are racing unchecked across his face, disbelief and anger and gratitude and reciprocation… but I'm pretty sure disbelief is winning and it really is breaking my heart that he can't accept what's right in front of him… but before my eyes he's collecting himself, his face has gone… god, numb is the only possible word before he turns away from me, saying flatly,

"Love is an illusion. No one loves anyone else. It's a beautiful lie that the weak must believe, nothing more."

And I don't know what's hurting me more, the fact that he's saying this or the fact that I'm so so scared that he's made himself believe it- I mean I believe, I have to believe he knows deep down that it's not true, at least that he realizes how much I care about him, how much I always will, but he's hiding it all the time, even from himself and god, it makes me want to cry-

"Severus," I say softly, but I know that I've lost him for now, that the best thing, the only thing I can do is go. But I can't go, I can't let it go despite myself, not when I know that he's miserable and just doesn't understand that there really is a way out, that he doesn't believe in himself enough to know that I mean every word I ever said to him-

"God please look at me," I blurt before I realize I'm going to say it and to my surprise he does, he turns and I'm not positive, but I really do think that's a tear on his cheek-

I'm stepping forward before I can even think and to my total shock he's opening his arms and folding me into them and then we're just clinging onto each other and I'm seized with the realization that we really don't need words, that any more words are just going to be too much as we stand there for what feels like seconds but really must be minutes, and I'm sobbing, I know I'm sobbing, my cheeks are wet and I'm convulsing but I'm not making any sound and it's impossible to be sure through my tears but I really do think that he's crying too and I know neither one of us knows exactly why, if it's for the bleakness of the future or the missed opportunities of the past, all the things we both want and can't ever have or just at the general goddamned unfairness of life, god life is so bad, how can a life where I'll probably never see Severus again be okay, a life that has treated him so unfairly and caused him this much pain-

But even now, after all this time, he's so much stronger than me, managing to comfort me even when he probably needs it way more than I do, god how can people say the stuff they do-

And it hits me suddenly that this moment is so much more than anything else we've ever shared, more even than that night by the lake when we were happy giddy and anticipating and so blissfully young… these feelings are deeper, it's not lust, or at least not mostly, I mean I'll never totally be over my attraction to him but… I mean, it was never lust, he means so much more to me than that, he IS so much more than that, but this feeling right now, it's permanent and it's deep and it's real and it's part of us, born of maturity instead of innocence and he's still the only person our age who I can really call my equal in any way, really he always was-

"Tell me I'll see you again," I sob suddenly and as I feel rather than see him shake his head I whisper, "Then lie to me."

To my shock and delight his arms tighten further as he murmurs almost tenderly, "Of course we'll see one another again. This whole war will be over within two years and everyone will look back on it as the wild and misguided adventures of our youth and we'll visit one another every week and not need to worry about politics or safety or what people will say-" he breaks off suddenly, sounding pained, and as I pull back slightly I see his brow furrow angrily but I know even before he speaks that the anger is directed at himself, not me, "Please forgive me for how I treated you at Hogwarts. I was- so foolish- to have been anything but proud of your friendship. Believe me when I say that if I could relive that time I would have acknowledged you- far more than acknowledged you-"

And it's more than I ever hoped to hear from him and more than anything else it makes me know this probably will be the last time we see one another, at least alone. Or even on good terms, at least outwardly- and I know too that this is him telling me that he loves me too, the only way he can, god people are so wrong about him, if only they could know how wrong they are about him and-

"Please, please," and I can't believe the whimpers are coming from me but I know they're not coming from him as I try to compose myself before pushing back just enough to meet his eyes, god I love them, as I attempt to articulate, "Please know it's really not too late. It could never be too late. Please, please know you are always welcome in my home and in my life. More than welcome. Wanted. Please. Please know."

He nods just once, not meeting my eyes, but in that moment I know he has been crying, know that he believes me and that for some reason that's killing him as I hold him tighter for as long as I dare, not nearly long enough before I so, so slowly pull away, grabbing the long, elegant hands that always amazed me with their agility, with their strength-

"I think you are so amazing," I blurt tactlessly before kissing his cheek slowly, lingeringly, caressing the other side of his face with my hand gently before I whisper softly into his ear, "And I stand by what I said years ago. Voldemort is unworthy of you."

--James--

I'm in bed by the time she loudly apparates into our bedroom and even though I know she'll be glad to think I was asleep and not awake worrying I definitely couldn't sleep until she was back in my arms.

"Hey," she whispers, and it's impossible to tell in the dark but damned if she doesn't sound like she's been crying and damned if I don't want to kill whoever brought her to that point-

"I still need to go check in with Dumbledore," she continues, perching on the bed next to me, "But I wanted to make sure you knew I was okay."

I'm touched and relieved and just so glad to see her, there are no words for how glad as I am as I say firmly, "I want to come with you."

She smiles but it doesn't come close to reaching her eyes and I know for sure then that she has been crying before she shakes her head. "Albus meant what he said. It's crazy out there tonight; our house has to be open in case anyone needs to take refuge here. Someone has to be here in case any of them are in-" and she flinches as if in pain, biting her lip before whispering, "trouble."

I nod, feeling sick. "That bad?"

She nods, just once. "Yeah." She just looks at me for a long moment before leaning down to give me a careless kiss, run her hand through my perpetually messy hair before murmuring, "I've gotta go. Try to get some sleep."

I nod as she stands, say firmly, "I love you, Lil."

She smiles but it's sad for some reason I still don't fully understand before she whispers back, "I love you too."

--

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