Hi guys. I felt like I needed to add this, and once again it's still partially inspired by things that have happened to someone I know really well. I hope you enjoy the second part of this (now) two-shot.
She looks up at the sound of his footsteps on the sidewalk. She's come to recognize the sound of them in all the time she's spent with him. She stands up from her doorstep, her stomach churning and her heart pounding as he came nearer. Her hands began to shake the tiniest bit, and she has to swallow a few times to clear the lump from her throat. She's going to do this, though. She needs to.
"Natara?" Oscar says. "What is it? I got here as soon as I could. What's the problem."
"No, no, nothing," she says, sweeping her hair out of her face. "There's no problem."
"Well then why did you call me, telling me to get here as soon as possible?" He gently takes her hand in his, and she looks down.
"I..." She chokes briefly and clears her throat before continuing. "I think we should break up." Confusion and hurt flashes across Oscar's face for a second, and then the blank mask he uses in the courtroom replaceds it.
"Alright," he says. "If that's what you want, if that's what will make you happy, I'll do it." Tears brim in her eyes and spill over when she blinks.
"I'm so, so sorry," she mutters. Oscar shrugs dejectedly and drops her hand.
"Can I ask why?" A sob escapes from her lips.
"I thought you were the one," she tells him. "I really did. You're kind and sweet and just perfect. All my life I've been dreaming of meeting my perfect guy and settling down and maybe even starting a family. And I'm so sorry, but at this time I don't think he's you." Oscar nods slowly and looks into her eyes.
"It's Mal, isn't it?" She nods as more tears spill over.
"It's Mal." Oscar closes his eyes and sighs. He sort of suspected it. Hearing her confirm it hurts, but he can't say he didn't see it coming.
"Make sure he treats you right," he tells her as he opens his eyes. "I'm not going to say he's only going to hurt you, because I know that's not true. But make sure he knows to hold you close and never let go, because you're definitely worth it."
"I really hope I can still be your friend," she whispers. Oscar shrugs again, and she leans forward to press a gentle kiss to his cheek.
"I'm so, so sorry," she says again.
The next time she sees Mal, her stomach starts to do strange little flips. She quickly pulls him aside and asks to talk to him in private. She leads him into the conference room, shuts all the blinds and finally turns around to face him once more.
"Why the secrecy?" He asks with a goofy grin. She can't help but smile back and steps closer to him.
"Because the entire station doesn't need to know about everything." Mal shifts uncomfortably and glances at the door. He briefly wonders if he can make it there before she can.
"So... how's Oscar?" he asks finally, turning back to face her. She sighs and her heart jumps up to the base of her throat.
"We broke up," she says quietly. Mal feels his eyebrows shoot upward and he struggles to form words for a second.
"Wha... I- uh... I'm so sorry," he says, drawing her close in a hug. "If you don't mind me asking, why did you break up?"
"I told him that I was interested in someone else, and that I was sorry for leading him on." Mal frowns and crosses his arms as he leans against the table.
"Alright..." he says, eyeing her carefully. "So you chose Mystery Man over Oscar. What now?"
"I was planning on asking Mystery Man out on a date," she replies, smiling softly. His heart sinks and he stands to leave.
"There are tons of cases," he mutters as he shuffles toward the door, then is spun around by a hand on his shoulder.
"Mal, do you know who I chose?" He lifts his shoulders up half an inch before letting them drop. She pulls him in for a tight hug and rests her cheek against his shoulder.
"I used to have a biggest crush on you," she says. "I kind of wrote it off, because you're my partner and because people would talk. But I guess I kind of realized I never got over you. I tried to trick myself into thinking I had, but I didn't." He wraps his arms around her shoulders as he realizes what she's saying.
"So... you chose me?"