Goodbye

[geeky_agent]

Chris hadn't slept much the night before. She had just lain awake, the fear and guilt keeping her from rest.

She had slept for a few hours in the afternoon. Only to wake up and instantly remember everything that had happened. And everything still to come.

She was lying in bed again. Chris had tried going down to the bar but the idea of trying to hold a conversation and act like everything was ok, was tiring to her. So she came back to her room and got ready for bed.

But sleep was eluding her again so she sat in bed, book in hand, and tried to concentrate on the words.

Comments

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

She lays her head on his shoulder again. "I did. You?"

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, surprisingly. Tired out from last night, I guess," he says, a little teasingly. Of course helping Chase up the stairs probably tired him out as well, but he's trying not to think of that at the moment.

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

She laughs a little and looks at him, a small smile on her face.

"Still tired?" Chris whispers.

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

He considers saying "no" and seeing where that would lead, but a sudden yawn puts paid to that plan.

"Yeah, kind of," he says with a bit of a lopsided grin, another small yawn punctuating his statement.

Besides, part of him would rather just lie there with her, hold her in his arms. Just wants to be close to her, and they don't have to actually do anything to do that.

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

"All right," she says with a nod before lying back down in his arms.

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

He wraps one arm around her back as she lies down again, rubbing her back with one hand, the other taking her hand. He closes his eyes, breathing in the smell of her hair and skin as he dozes; not sleeping, but letting himself drift. Occasionally he opens one eye and glances at the changing of the morning light. He doesn't want to let her go just yet, but at the moment he has time.

It's not long though before he can't ignore the fact that it's getting late enough that other people will be awake soon, and he doesn't want to meet them in the hallways. He has to go, even if just the thought is painful.

He takes a deep breath, steeling his nerves to take this step. "Chris?" he says softly, "I have to leave. It's getting late."

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

Half-asleep still, she moves away before she fully understands what his says.

The it hits her and she looks up at him, eyes wide.

"Now?" Chris shuts her eyes briefly. He doesn't want to leave.

"All right," she whispers.

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

He stares at the ceiling for a moment, letting out a long breath. "Yeah, I'd better do it now. Waiting won't make it any easier."

He turns and kisses her again before finally sitting up, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed.

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

She sits up in the bed, pulling the covers around her. Her robe was still on a pile on the middle the floor.

Chris smooths the covers over her legs as he dresses. She tries to brush past the feeling of anxiety in her stomach but she can't.

He sits on the bed, putting his shoes on, almost ready to leave. She's silent throughout this, just watching him and trying not to think about anything else.

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

He ties his shoelaces, then sits on the edge of the bed without saying anything. Finally he turns to her, his hand tracing a curve along the side of her face. He leans in and kisses her softly before resting his forehead against hers.

"I won't forget you." But it might be better if you forget me.

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

Her lips tightened into a frown. She nods but doesn't move.

I'll miss you. I shouldn't but I will.

Chris touches his face lightly, still close to him. "Take care."

[action-antihero.livejournal.com]

He gives her a tight smile. "I will. "Take care." He pauses for a moment, then whispers, "Please, be happy."

He quickly kisses her again, then leaves the room before temptation gets the better of him, trying not to think of what he's walking away from. Trying to focus on facing the day and what it will bring.

[geeky-agent.livejournal.com]

Chris can only nod when he whispers this, frown deepening as she tries not to cry.

She watches him leave, door closing quietly behind him. She waits a few minutes for her breath to steady, then she gets up from the bed, not wanting to stay there any longer.