ELI'S P.O.V.
The damn creep.
Of course Fitz had to be the one see me, being a complete-and-utter lunatic up there. But it wasn't what it looked like. Because, it never is.
I drove Clare home. She smiled a lot, and I liked that. I like how I can make her smile, even if it's just a slip of the tongue, something I didn't mean to say. Her conversation, company and laugh kept my mind off the task of the afternoon.
I parked a street away from hers, as our usual custom so her parents weren't alarmed that there was a hearse in their driveway. I got out simply, and opened the door for her on the other side. She smiled a quiet smile, and sighed slightly.
"Have something you'd like to share, Edwards?" I asked, smiling and leaning against my car, holding one of her hands lightly.
"No-" She started.
"You're lying..." I said in a slightly-high sing-song voice.
There went that smile again.
She sighed again, and ran her pale fingers through her light-auburn hair.
"It's just… Sometimes, I feel… Well- I feel like I'll never be as good as her."
"As good as who?" I asked, regardless of the fact I knew the answer.
"As good as… well- Julia.
I closed my eyes, the way my old therapist told me to do, and picture the words coming out the way I wanted them to.
"We don't… We don't have to talk about this right-" Clare began, obviously uncomfortable, struggling slightly against my grip on her hand.
"No-I… I want to." I said, as I breathed deeply. "Clare," I began, "I can't promise you I won't make any mistakes in our relationship. And I can't promise you that sometimes I won't get annoyed with you, or myself. I can't promise to always do the right thing, or wear the right thing, or say the right thing. What I'm trying to say, I guess- is that I can't promise to be perfect. And that's why Julia and I… had that fight, I guess. Because she wanted me to be something I wasn't capable of being. Perfect- that is. So as long as you don't expect too much, I can give you everything I've got to give. But sometimes, it has got to be enough."
"Eli…" She began, biting her lower lip the way she always does when she doesn't know what to say. But instead of letting her squirm there uncomfortably, I did the only thing I knew I could do for her. I kissed her.