Those three words made Tamora's blood run cold. Her heartbeat elevating, she ripped her hand away from Felix's, watching his cheerful smile fade away when he realized what he'd just said.

"Don't—" the sergeant shook her head slowly, distancing herself from the handyman. "Don't say things you don't mean."

"But, Tammy, I do mean it," Felix reached forward, looking hurt. "I love—"

"No!" she cut him short. "If you knew me…If you really knew me, you wouldn't be saying that."

Tamora's legs buckled underneath her as terrible memories came flooding back, haunting her; telling her she shouldn't go down this road twice.

"You don't know what I've been through," she sobbed. "You don't know the things I've done."

Felix's gentle hand cupped her cheek, wiping the stream of tears away.

"Tammy, I already know about Brad... I'm so sorry."

She looked up at his mournful face with shock.

"W-who? Who told you?"

"Kohut, on day one," the handyman flashed a guilty smile. "It was your story to tell, so I was waiting for you to open up to me. I realize that may have been a mistake…Maybe it would have been better if you knew that I knew."

His lady had gone silent, making him anxious.

"B-but I knew this whole time," he continued. "And I stayed…What happened to Brad doesn't define you, Tammy. That's not the end of your story. I'm right here…and I care about you; I want you to be happy. I want to help—"

"Stop," Calhoun bristled with anger, standing up. "Just stop. You talk a big game, Fix-It, but you can't fix people!"

"Tamora," Felix looked like he'd been punched in the stomach. "T-that's not what I—I never said—"

"You knowing changes nothing… It just shows me I was something you pitied. Poor, tragic, broken Tamora. Time to swoop in with my magic hammer and fix her right up. She'll forget all about Brand and everything will be hunky-dory."

As she ranted, she slowly backed the handyman towards the door out of her barracks. By the end, his eyes were wide, with his back flush with its metal surface.

"You know that's not true," Felix's hurt expression took an angry turn. She figured that if he truly had loved her before, he certainly didn't now.

"Get out," she growled, and the handyman obliged, his face twisting with every negative emotion as he left.

And with his absence, immediate regret fell onto Calhoun's shoulders. But it was too late. She had said all those awful things; and for what reason? Because she was scared? Because he withheld information? Because she knew deep down…she loved him too.

Nothing was more terrifying to Tamora than the thought of losing another person she loved. Felix may be out of her life, but at least he was alive. It was better this way.

Wasn't it?