Well I'm sorry it's broken
But here's a small token
To try to explain how I feel

Thread the pieces with chain
As I try to explain and give you
Something you know is real

The courage now amped up by some thousand watts, he was ready to save her. He'd found his strength. Sitting in her office, she was solemnly putting books in boxes and regretting the kiss. If only she knew what that had done for him. If only she knew what she did to him.

He was falling for her like a drunk. He had been for a while now, and there was nothing to do but find her, save her, and then be with her. Always. He was filled with desperation for love. But it fell from the sky like a dove with broken wings. Not immediately ready to be beautiful and perfect, but needing time. This needed time. The dove needed to heal and learn how to fly again. He needed to let Zoe go and learn how to love again.

He needed to love Gillian. He was ready to fall for her again, to embrace how he felt. He knew that she was the one. There was no doubt about it. And her smile; well it could blister the damn sun. There was nothing holding him back anymore. She kissed him. It was time to take the next step.

"I hang my head low, I don't dare make a sound..." he whispered lightly. No weakness this time, just shyness.

She looked up from her box of random crap and frowned. "Sorry?"

"Stop apologizing, love."

"Explain what you're talking about then!" She laughed awkwardly.

"Alec... Burns... I just ignored it. I didn't try to get you or anything... but now I'm making a sound and it's going to be a loud proclamation of my love for you, darling. When you kissed me-"

"I'm sorry. That was totally inappropriate and it never should have happened."

"No. No, it was perfect."

"What do you want?" she asked. She wasn't being mean or rude, she was just trying to make things clearer. She was totally confused by his last statement and didn't like being the one that knew nothing.

"I want to explain to you how I feel."

She nodded slowly and whispered, "Go for it."

"It's not the best... and I'll try... but it could be a little weak and it could-"

"Spit out, Cal."

"Right. Uhm, well... I'm in love with you, Gillian. I have been in love with you for the past seven to eight years... I'm not going to be naive or ignorant and say that I've been in love with you since the moment I laid eyes on you... but it was... uhmmm... July 6, 2004 - I think - and we were taking down Fourth of July decorations and you were eating some left over cake from the party that you forced me to throw for the staff... years of success, right? Well... you ate the cake and for some reason you bloody loved it and that's when... when you closed your eyes and savored the cake. I saw the smile on your face... the real, genuine smile and I knew. I was and still am in love with Gillian Foster. I've been searching for a chance to change that bloody last name since the divorce."

She stared at him, her eyes wide with not amusement or love, but with regret. How did that pass her? Why didn't she know? Better yet, why didn't she know when she fell in love with him? Why doesn't she know the exact date, place, and reason? Regret was soon replaced with anger. Why hadn't he told her yet? Why did he wait until they were deciding to get rid of her? To move her away? Soon after, love made it's appearance. Who gives a shit about all the other questions? He loves her and she loves him. Isn't that enough?

"I don't know what to say..." she whispered.

"You just said it all," he replied, lightly waving his hand towards her face.

"What now?"

"I'm going to save you."

"I'm sorry?"

"You gotta stop that..."

"What?" she corrected herself.

"I'm going to save you. Every since July 6, 2004, I have been far too terrified of failing to try to save you. I've been a bloody wimp and I think it's about damn time that I step up. I've been a coward and an idiot and I haven't taken my place as your hero."

"Now you've lost me..."

"Gillian. You need a hero. You need someone to save you from all the mess ups... Not that mess ups aren't something that just come with life, but you need something, someone to be yours. And someone to save you and take away the pain. And I've known that savior was me, but I've always been too scared. I've been worried that I might mess up and hurt you in return... but I've been hurting you this whole time by not stepping up to the plate and taking a swing. Well, Gill... I'm batter now and I'm ready for a home run."

She smiled slightly at his interesting use of an analogy. At first she was angry about him thinking that she needed someone to save her, but it was true. She was lost in this world without a man to hold onto. She was not introverted enough to make it without one. So she smiled and asked, "Don't you need saving?"

"That kiss did the trick, love."

"Then what are we waiting for?" she asked.

He smiled and nodded, sticking his hand out to her. "Let's go show the FBI what we're made of. You're not going anywhere."

The End (A Spark in the Trees by Reptile Dysfunction)