[for Meredith]

[missingthekeep]

There's the alternative.

Her words follow him like a shadow, settling into his skin so he can't shake them, stifling his anger until all he's left with is a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

There's the alternative.

She took her ring off. All they've been through, all they've done, and this is what might end them? All those tragedies

Comments

[drownondryland]

She believes him. That he'll come back, that he still wants her, that he loves her, Meredith believes him, she really does

[missingthekeep]

Well, she hasn't slammed the door in his face yet. That's a good sign. "Hi, yerself," Sean says, his voice quiet and raw, but God, it's good to hear hers again.

He probably should have figured out what he was going to say beforehand.

"Sorry it took so long."

[drownondryland]

Meredith hesitates. She should invite him inside, but there's a part of her that can't help the fear that, if she does so, they'll just start fighting again. It's been a long time since she felt this awkward around him, this unsure, but better that than watching him go or listening to him yell at her.

"I'm sorry I was so tactless," she says. Not for what she said. She just should have said it better. After a moment, she steps back to let him inside.

[missingthekeep]

Sean's pretty sure that he should be annoyed by her refusal to go back on all that she said, but she wouldn't be Meredith if she backed down from things that she obviously feels strongly about. And she's letting him in now, anyway, giving him an opening to avoid replying until he's past it. He has no idea how any of this is going to go, but the last thing he's going to do is fight with her again.

"Happens to the best of us, luv," he says, rubbing at the back of his neck as he awkwardly stands around just inside the doorway, still unsure of how to proceed until he allows himself to relax and take a good look at her. "An' ye really are the best of us."