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[ She shakes her head again, smiling in a way that holds little actual amusement. ]

Pretty sure I'm destined for it at this point.

[ She takes another swallow from her glass. Maybe she's just meant to be miserable. Maybe it really had been her fault and she's just been running from it the whole time. ]

You? [Frank shakes his head.] I don't believe it. And neither should you.

[This is not how it should be for her. For him? Frank can't rightly say. She's got big ambition and principles.]

You don't know me well enough to say that.

[ That and he shouldn't be trying to make her feel better when she's rejected him. ]

I've seen enough to know that you've got a drive. And while you might not believe it, I think you have a good heart.

[One that she's trying to protect. Frank can see that much. As much as it hurts.]

No games here. Go on home.

Oh, so now you get to tell me what to do?

[ She's going to stay and drink until she can't feel any of that heart anymore, tyvm. ]

[He pushes off the bar like he's going to stand upright and walk away. No. Instead he just looks at her, really looks at her. The mood lighting makes strands of gold go blue, red and purple. Candlelight of a cozy Italian joint suits her better. Or sunlight through the trees.

Why are they like this?]

[ She looks over at him when he doesn't just walk away and it unnerves her the way he just looks at her like that. She can feel that pressure building behind her eyes again.

Goddammit. ]

Why do you care?

[ Her voice breaks and she can only hope the music around them covered that up. ]

Edited 2018-06-21 06:34 (UTC)

Just because we're not ever going to date doesn't mean you're not a human being to me anymore.

[Is that what she expects? Just to fade into the crowd gain and just be a nobody? Frank's brow furrows and he takes a glance around looking for Colleen or Misty in the throng.]

You can stay here if you want. Or I can make sure you get home okay and I'll fuck off.

That doesn't answer my question.

[ He doesn't get to look at her like that and then try to blow off his reasoning on just treating her like a person. ]

Whether you meant to or not, you really got to me.

[Which isn't an all out frightening love confession which is about as intimidating as it can get when the other person is ready to turn tail. It's the truth. She picked him out and put him on the spot. Something like drop kicking his heart, smiling and laughing. Maybe because Frank's life is mostly empty and all he's got is the Corps to look forward to that it made this sudden connection with Karen more profound. Maybe he's got it twisted. But he's not the only one looking forlorn at a bar on a Friday night.]

[ She looks at him for a long moment, silent and forgetting the club around them. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the days she's spent feeling like shit for doing what she kept telling herself was "right". Maybe it was both and the combination was just too much. His words may not have been a love confession but they hit her right in her heart. The realization of what she's done to him, trying so hard to protect herself that she didn't consider how it would hurt him, assumed it wouldn't. Guys are guys, after all.

But he keeps coming back, time and again.

The water blurs her vision, the blue of her eyes standing out more somehow. ]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you.

[ She has to look away as she can feel the tears wanting to push beyond her lids. (How much has she wished she could hear those words said to her?) ]

Karen.

[What to say? Frank leans in again. There's still a decent amount of space between them. He can't crowd her. He shouldn't touch her. He shouldn't even be trying to talk to her and they both know it. But here he is like he couldn't buy a clue.]

Don't apologize, okay? Whatever you're going through, whatever's going on you gotta do what you gotta do.

[Right? The fact that she looks away from him even when he's trying to help sure as hell feels like a final dismissal. Oh shit is that Misty?]

[ She rubs at her eyes with one hand and reaches out to grab his shirt sleeve with the other. Misty is on her way back over but she hasn't seen Frank there, yet. Karen isn't aware of any of it. ]

...will you take me home?

Yeah. If that's what you want.

[His expression is soft and focused just on her. Misty has her date in tow and comes to a rough stop seeing Karen and her company. Whating what what?]

Say the word and we're out of here.

[Because he doesn't see Misty either or recognize that there's potential for a confrontation.]

[ Karen nods at him and turns back to him to confirm, ]

Yeah. I want to go.

[ Misty steps forward as she's getting off the stool and, doesn't glare at Frank, just looks very concerned for her friend. She knows Karen's reasons for trying to break things off before they got started. She knows the things she's been through before coming to school here. It's easy to be protective of her friend. But Karen just gives her arm a squeeze and tells her she's heading back. Frank will make sure she gets there safe.

Reluctantly, Misty lets her go. The look she gives to Frank is as good as a verbal warning to do just that: take care of her friend. ]

[It's good that she has people in her corner. No matter what's going on. And Frank can read that gaze in Misty's eyes loud and clear. He waits until Karen is standing and lets her lead the way. No victory, no gloating. Just the right thing to do. The noise of the club is so loud that once they step out of the door and into the night his ears buzz a little. Just a car now and then and scattered conversation.

Once glance to make sure that Karen's not only here but still intent to keep going.]

[ Frank doesn't get the kind of confirmation he was probably expecting. Karen surges forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and pressing her face into his shoulder. Moisture dampens his shirt and her throat feels to closed up for her to speak. ]

[No confirmation, maybe just--some kind of definitive statement of where she stands. Because she can. And he'd listen. Might not seem like it, but he would. Getting her home to where she would at least be comfortable and on her own was the only thing he was starting. The embrace catches him by surprise. He pets the back of her head and slowly has an arm slip around her.]

I'll get you home. Then we can put tonight behind us, right?

[ She can't put it behind her. She tried to and look at what happened. She doesn't let go, doesn't move away from him. She can't do this anymore.

Muffled against his shoulder, she gives her confession: ]

I don't have a family.

[ It feels like something inside her snaps, like a twig, and she can feel relief and devastation flooding her all at once. She's never said it aloud like that. She says it again, softer. ]

I don't have a family.

[ Not anymore.

She turns her head to rest her cheek against his shoulder, her eyes burning from the tears. Her voice is soft but loud in the silence of the evening, not even the cars or muffled music seems to drown her voice out. ]

All I have is here and I don't want you to go. We can't be friends because it won't stay that way. I know it won't because I already like you so much already. That's never happened to me before.

And if you leave and something happens...

[ I'll be alone all over again. ]

No one should have to deal with my baggage but me.

[Swallowing only cuts the tightness in his throat just a little. There's no helping the constriction in his chest. Frank lowers his head closer to hers to hear her. The club behind them and the city at night around them, he's really not interested in any of that.]

Karen.

[What to say? What to do? Years of pain just resonating in her voice. He holds her a little tighter.]

I can't... promise that nothing bad will happen. I don't have that power. And to promise anything like that would be a lie.

[Their relationship--whatever it is--has been straightforward. No lies. No true understanding until this heavy moment of clarity. Even so, to mislead her would be grievous.]

If there was away to undo all you've been through, I would. Nothing you've got is too big or too hard to handle. Not to me.

[ The truth, as much as it hurts to hear, is what she needs to hear. She knows, deep down, she would hate to be lied to more. And he's right. He can't promise her nothing bad will happen. Just like she can't force him to change all his plans.

Her arms squeeze around his waist at that because she still doesn't want him to go and she can't see that changing no matter what the morning brings. But he keeps going and... it's another thing she doesn't expect from him.

Slowly, she turns her head the other way and presses her forehead into the side of his neck. She sniffs, ]

Do you mean that?

[ Because she meant what she said. No one should have to deal with her hang-ups and baggage. ]

[Life and all of it's bullshit is enough as it is. Having someone try to color it in any other way, would make the disappointment greater. Standing together out on the street he only wants to give her everything she deserves.]

I do. Sounds like it's heavy for one person. ...I can help if you want me to.

[If only for tonight if not always.]

[ She doesn't answer immediately because she's afraid to. It seems too good an offer to be true. What if he doesn't feel the same way in the morning? What if she wakes up and it was all a dream?

Her fingers grip the back of his shirt a little more and she leans into him more, closing her eyes. ]

I do. But only if you want to.

[ She wants to make it clear that she doesn't want his pity or obligation. She'll try to be braver, take the steps necessary to meet him halfway only if he really wants this with her. ]

[He's not budging. They're not going anywhere literally and figuratively unless she's ready. Frank has said his piece. There's a new sense of calm knowing where she's coming from. Alone in the world and of course she'll guard her heart like a secret.]

I want to.

[Lips press to her hair and he sighs.]

[ Her eyes stay closed and there's an ease that slowly creeps in at the words and kiss. ]

...will you stay with me tonight?

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