A/N: So as promised another chapter, it's not very long but hopefully it's contents will make up for its length.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, it really helps with the motivation!

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Chapter 6- The Word Sorry

"You're not gonna try and strangle me are you?" He asked, taking a couple of steps back.

"No, not today anyway." Summer slide the cup over to Ryan, "Go and apologise and give her a chance to understand. She never will, if you don't try."

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Ryan picked up the cup that Summer had pushed towards him, and along with the bunch of flowers, tulips…Taylor's favourite, he walked into their bedroom. The sound of the shower still running floated into the room as he sat on the end of the bed wondering what he was going to say.

Sorry didn't seem right, and he didn't want to say it because as much as he meant it, it sounded too clichéd. People always said sorry for everything; it was used too often. He had said it enough times himself, and to him, it now seemed to have lost its meaning.

Was there a way he could tell Taylor that he was truly regretful of the way he acted without saying the word 'sorry'?

He tried to find the words and prepare a speech, but was cut short by the door to the en suite opening and Taylor walking in. She was bent over double as she walked, vigorously drying her hair with a towel.

"I think a shower was what I needed, Sum." Taylor called out. "At least now I know that I probably smell and look better than before." She must have thought Summer was still here and in the kitchen.

Righting herself and with a flick of her neck, she swung her hair back from her face, "Oh," she exclaimed, when she noticed Ryan was sat on their bed, "I uh, I didn't realise you were back."

Ryan stood up and awkwardly held the flowers out in front of him.

"These are for you." He said, careful not to mumble. Taylor looked down at the flowers he held in front of her, and did nothing. Her hesitation made Ryan more nervous; had he upset her further? Did he look like he was trying to buy her forgiveness with a paltry offering?

The breath he hadn't even realised he'd been holding, escaped from his lips when she took the flowers from his hands.

Taylor ran her fingers over the petals gently. "Tulips." She stated, "they're my favourites."

Then, before Ryan had a chance to respond, and much to his surprise, Taylor walked out of the bedroom. He followed her into the kitchen and watched as she searched in the cupboard under the sink, he was curious as to what she was looking for, but remained quiet rather than asking. Taylor finally stood up and brought out what she was looking for.

A vase.

Filling it with water, she placed it on the side, and taking the scissors from the drawer she began methodically cutting the ends of the flower stems at an angle, placing them one by one in to the vase.

When they were all done, she fiddled with the arrangement, head cocked to one side in appraisal. Satisfied, she picked the vase up and placed it in the centre of the table in the corner of the kitchen.

"There." Taylor remained with her back turned, looking at the table's new centrepiece.

Ryan moved to stand just behind Taylor. His eyes followed a droplet of water make its way from the top her shoulder, down along her shoulder blade, and disappear out of sight past the top of the towel she had wrapped around herself.

"I don't want to say I'm sorry," he started, and rushed on when he saw that she had stiffened at his words, "I am, but I don't want to say the word sorry. I'm not like you. You know I'm not good with words. I just want to apologise to you without having to use the same word that everybody else does. I want you to know that I really mean it, that I do regret our fight."

Ryan paused; he should have thought more about what he was going to say, he was obviously messing this up. The thought that he could possibly be hurting Taylor even more made his insides feel twisted; his gut was clenched in anticipation. She hadn't moved.

"Sorry, will make you think about the hurt, you don't want to feel anymore. Sorry, I made a mistake. Sorry, cause I can't fix it, sorry cause I make you cry, sorry cause I hurt you. I'm sorry. But sorry don't help me any. Sorry. Is something I don't want to say. Not because I did what I did to hurt you. But because sorry won't take anything back or away."

Ryan was speechless.

Taylor turned around finally to face him, "It's a poem," she explained, "well half a poem anyway. I thought it was kind of appropriate, is that what you wanted to say?"

Ryan could only nod his head, still at a loss for words.

"Good. Because I don't want you to say sorry either, what I want is for you to make me a promise."

"Anything."

"I want you to promise not to shut me out…just, let me be there for you."

Ryan took her hand in his and pulled her flush against him. His other hand wound its way around her waist and he looked down into her eyes.

"I promise."

Bringing his head down towards hers, he sealed the promise with a gentle kiss. Capturing her lips with his again and again.

TBC

The poem is called The Word Sorry and it's by Debra Amanda Salazar (yes, even I wanted to tack Slytherin on the end!)

No infringement was intended; it was just pretty and worked with my story. Please don't sue me!

If I find

I'm lacking a muse

I know something that will help,

All your reviews!

Yes, I know it sucked, but I tried!