I don't own Crossing Lines or it's characters.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing"

He was lying, of course he was. You didn't drink straight from a whisky bottle shirtless in the kitchen you shared with two friends if everything was right as rain.

"Don't lie to me"

"Don't ask then"

She took a deep breath, that one hurt. Not for the first time tonight she wished Sebastian hadn't gone to Germany for a few days.

"Is it your family?" She continued on, refusing to let him push her away as he always did when he was hurting. She could see him tense, see him gearing up for another comeback, before his shoulders slumped forward.

"It's Colin"

Oh.

"He's… been arrested. It's bad"

"How bad?"

He sucked in a breath. "Murder".

She stepped closer, her legs moving against her will. "Is he guilty?"

Tommy hesitated, but then shrugged, as if the words weren't important. She knew they were. "Aye".

"Oh Tommy…" She stepped closer now, her hand landing soothingly on his bare back.

He drew in a ragged breath, and shook his head. "Not… I can't right now Eva. I'm…" I can't hold it together if you touch me…

"Please let me help you" She whispered against his back.

"I can't" He choked out.

She decided then, and in one move she pulled the bottle from his hand and turned him around, into her embrace. He pressed his face against her neck, inhaling sharply while his chest heaved against hers.

"Let me help you" She whispered again, slowly pulling him towards the couch, sitting down and pulling him with her. He somehow ended up on top of her, his head resting against her chest with her arms around him. He didn't cry, he couldn't, and eventually his breathing steadied and he fell asleep.

She watched over him that night, wondering when her feelings for him had changed.