So, if you wanna be with me, you'll have to follow through with every word you say... ((FM))

[cross_to_bare]

"Never to suffer would never to have been blessed." -Edgar Allan PoeI wasn't happy when I woke up to the incessant ringing of my cell phone in the other room because I was late for work. I'm never late for work. But that morning, I was. It took me a few seconds to register the blood that coated my shirt, my tailored pants, and was dried and caked

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[chosenpotential]

After I'd taken care of getting all that stuff sent to Izzi, I climbed into bed and crashed for a few more hours. I was still pretty wiped after the big rescue and all. Not to mention, I was still on the mend. I hadn't totally healed. In fact, I still looked like hell. Kinda felt like it too. But, at least Shannon was safe now. That's what mattered right

[cross_to_bare]

I sang along with the CD player I kept stashed in the kitchen for the nights I actually cooked. It wasn't often I entertained, but sometimes I actually made decent meals for one, and a soundtrack while cooking from scratch was standard. Nona wouldn't agree. She much preferred silence in her kitchen so she could listen to the way that even the water boiled. I trusted my instincts

[chosenpotential]

The door finally opened and I smiled as my eyes fell upon her. She was all dressed up. I could barely pull my eyes away from her she looked so beautiful. I stiffened slightly as she hugged me, I was still kinda sore. As we broke the embrace, she had to point out the fact that she could tell I went back for more. Guess that means she noticed the new bruises. Not that they were that hard to miss or anything. I just looked away, I didn't want to hear any lectures. I did what I had to.

Stepping inside as she invited me, I looked around at the candlelight that was providing the light in the apartment. I noticed the new living room stuff was all set up. I had to smile, I was proud of myself for coming up with such a good idea. Have I mentioned how good I am? Thought so, but it was definitely worth mentioning again.

"Wine's cool." I said, turning back to her with a nod. "The couches and stuff look good in here. I figured they would." I smirked a little. "And the flowers? I see you got them too."

[cross_to_bare]

"You know, you really didn't have to do that." I said, pausing in the open entryway to the kitchen. "Any of it. But especially the furniture. If I hadn't already signed for it, I would have made them take it back." I told her honestly. "It really is too much. Way, way too much." I added gratefully.

"But thank you." A little more gently, I pulled her to me by the hand and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "And the flowers are beautiful. Not unlike something else that just arrived." I winked as I turned and headed into the kitchen to pull out the bruschetta.

"Make yourself at home." I offered her as I slipped on an oven mitt and pulled the metal tray out, setting it on a rack to cool while I replaced it with the gnocchi.

"So, how are you feeling?" I asked, once I joined her, handing her a glass of chilled Prosecco before settling on the lounge chair type thing, crossing my legs as I took a sip of my own and offered her the bruschetta, which I'd transferred to a plate.

[chosenpotential]

I lifted my head, looking back up at her totally confused as she said Grace's name. She knew her? What the hell? "That's her." I said, nodding, still a little thrown by the fact that she knew who Grace was. I opened my mouth to ask her how she knew when she answered for me. I just nodded again, looking away. I really didn't want to talk about Grace right now. Especially not with the girl I was trying to convince that I liked her and wanted more than just sex from

[cross_to_bare]

"Yeah, you handle things really well." I teased, looking at my new furniture for reference. Because she'd handled those demons that night so well. Still, it was better than most people. Most people if they had demons, and see, now I'm calling them demons too, I'm so damned. But anyway, if most people had demons after their sister, an ex in the hospital, and all that other noise and chaos

[chosenpotential]

I could see the confusion spread across her face as she pulled away from our kiss. I can't really blame her, it's not like I've been so available in this whatever we've had going on. In fact, I'm kinda surprised she still talks to me after how I've treated her. But, that's gonna change now. Like I told her, I'm tired of fighting myself and how I feel. I'm tired of hanging on to my feelings for Grace when obviously she never had any for me.

"Yeah, I mean it." I smiled back, kissing her again. And I did too. Why didn't I want a relationship with someone that obviously wanted one with me? Izzi was crazy about me and no one had looked at me like she did in a long time. Like I was the only person who existed in the world. It felt good.

She was still looking at me, partly in confusion and I could see some disbelief there on her face too. I laughed a little. "What? You seem surprised." I pointed out. "Didn't expect me to say that or something?"

[cross_to_bare]

"I'm not surprised." I said. "I think I'd go with the more appropriate term 'shocked'," I teased her as I pulled her a little closer to me.

"But for the record? No. I wasn't expecting you to say that." I admitted coyly. Because as long as I was being honest, I wasn't sure I was ever expecting her to say anything remotely like that.

I was expecting things to go back to being just the way they were before, her around when she felt like it, then blowing me off for a few days, and me finding convienent ways to write off my anger toward her just because I had feelings for her.

"So, did you still want to...?" I averted my eyes toward the bedroom, biting my lower lip a little. Grinning, I started walking backward, pulling her toward the candlelit room. It's not like I needed to hear her answer to know what it was.

It was obvious.