Tom Croydon was actually quite impressed. Really, he was. Even though he was sure that PJ and Maggie made the right decision by giving each other space to absorb it all tonight, he'd also been sure that they wouldn't reach the end of the street before he was doing a U-turn. Several times on the trip back to the hotel Tom had tried to start a conversation, and each time he got the same result. It was as if PJ hadn't heard a single word Tom had said. The entire trip back, PJ had sat staring out of the passenger window, deep in thought, not even noticing that they had come to a stop in the hotel car park.
Tom brought the car to a halt, turned it off and drew the key out of the ignition. He turned slightly in his seat and patiently waited until PJ was ready. A few long, silent minutes later, PJ finally reacted, his hand stretched out and waiting, as Tom had known he would. He dropped the keys into PJ's outstretched palm with a sigh.
"Take them" Tom said, with a resigned smile.
Keys safe in his hand, PJ offered a smile of his own. "Thanks Boss. I know it's the wrong thing to do, I know we both need time to get this all sorted out, but – " his voice tapered away and PJ ran a tired hand over his face. " It's Mags, Tom. It's Mags."
Tom climbed out of the car and watched as PJ replaced him in the driving seat. "I know. I know it's Maggie, and I can see - " Tom sighed. " Look, I don't know what I can see. Just – just be careful. Both of you. I know how close I came to losing you when she died, and I don't want to go through that again."
He held up a hand to ward off anything PJ might have been going to say. "Nick's a good friend PJ, and he was worried about you. Listen, PJ, I – just be careful. Take it easy, you both have a lot to talk about, and I still don't think tonight's the right time, but – "
"Tom, I – I just need her. I just need to hold her, to - I don't know, to see her again. I need to - she's real isn't she? It's really her, isn't it? I'm not – "
"No, you're not dreaming PJ. It's Maggie. It's our Maggie. She's alive. She's – it's really her. Look, do you want me to drive?" Tom said, reaching down as if to take the keys from his detective.
"Mm? No, no, I'm fine Tom. I just – " he gave a small smile. " I just need Mags" Tom straightened up, watched as PJ reversed the car out of the slot, and, with a shake of his head, turned and went into the hotel.
Maggie stood at the front door watching the brake lights of the car disappear into the night. Brushing at a small tear that had escaped her tired eyes, she turned and closed the fly screen behind her as she went inside. They were doing the right thing, she knew that, but she hadn't wanted him to leave. It had almost torn her in two as he had let her go, and the ache was almost too much to bear as she had watched him get in the car.
She knew – KNEW – that they needed time to think about it all. They needed time to understand it all. Arms wrapped around her pillow, Maggie sat cross-legged on her bed, letting the day's revelations wash over here, and still she came back to the same thing over and over again.
She wanted him back here. With her. Now.
She wanted him so much it made her heart ache. She couldn't think it out here by herself, there were too many loose ends, too many questions – but apart from all of that, she just wanted his arms around her. Just wanted that warmth again, but in her heart and her soul – and the only time she had felt that was when he held her, when his arms were tight around her, and his lips on hers.
It didn't matter that as recently as yesterday she'd never heard of him. It didn't matter that she'd blocked him out so completely she'd not even had an inkling that he even existed. But then again, Maggie shook her head, I did. I did remember him, I did dream about him, ache for him – I just – I just didn't know it was him. Well, I did, I knew I loved him, but I didn't know it was PJ, I thought it was Rick. Rick. PatRICK.
Oh god.
She ran her hand through her hair in exasperation. Maggie and PJ. PJ and Mags. It was just – it was just so right. It fitted. Made sense. Scared the living daylights out of her – but it made sense. She had someone who loved her, and judging by the look in his eyes, loved her as much as she loved him. But – but she always had been. She'd always been part of that, been loved like that and loved back just as fiercely, but she'd forgotten. Forgotten the details. The details had gone – been taken, erased. Gone.
Choking back a sob, Maggie straightened up as she heard a car draw to a stop in the drive. When she heard her name whispered through the flyscreen, it only took seconds before she was once again safe in his arms, before she felt his shoulders shudder as he tried to hold his feelings in check.