In Your Eyes

2.

"So, whats up with this boyfriend of yours?"

Ellen laughed. "Whats not up with him?

The man winked at her. "You tell me."

"Well, if you're still sure you want to know... we met at a supermarket, and he asked me out for a date. And I'm not very good at saying no. Then I discovered that he was actually quite funny, and we continued dating, and realized that we had grew up not even ten miles from eachother, and he was nice and he understood me, and it was good to have someone, you know." She looked at the man, suddenly a little worried that she was boring him and he'd really asked just to be polite, but his piercing blue eyes were filled of understanding and told her to go on. "And then... the things that always happen happened. Relationship things, moving in together things... and somwhere along the way I realized that maybe I wasn't in love with him as much as I should be. Or I think that it became more and more clear because of the way he was, you know... becoming more and more jelous, and how we started fighting all the time... but you still don't want to throw it away, right? I mean we had somthing and we lived together and he was good for me in so many ways, but..." Ellen drifted away, lost in thoughts, then shook her head and continued. "Anyway. He started going away for something he called 'business trips' to Houston, and for i while I suspected that... yeah. Never mind. The point is that we decided that we should go away together for a while, trying to get back to what we had, and we were supposed to meet here today after I had been away to see my family in Boston. We've had this planned for weeks, months even, and then suddenly, suddenly he calls me" She pointed at her pocket, where the phone was. "to tell me than he can't come today because he has to stay in LA a week more. A whole freaking week, he doesn't tell me until today, and I don't even get an explanation! Nothing. Not. A. Thing." She stomped at the ground at the last the words. "And okay if it had happened one time, but this is how it always is! I'm always at the bottom of his priorities, and I don't know why." She felt tears starting to build up and tried desperatly to stop them from falling, but it was as if the man knew what she was trying to do. He stopped, and without looking her in the face he pulled her into a hug.

"Shh, little girl. It's alright. You could cry if you want. I'm here, I'll hold you. It's alright."

At that something inside of her broke, and for the first time she could remember, Ellen Pompeo compleatly lost control and cried desperatly in his arms.

The man didn't seem to mind. He stroked her back and whispered words of comfort in her ear, slowly rocking her back and forth.

After a while, Ellen sniffed, and the tears begun to stop falling. The man still didn't let her go, and Ellen found herself resting her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she said, muffled.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. In my opinion, he's the one that should be sorry. But that doesn't matter now, it's alright. Everything's alright.

"I don't know what happened to me. I never cry like this."

"Shh. Crying's good. It's not the tears that makes you sad, the tears help you. Just let it out."

"You're too nice to me." Her head still on his shoulder. "Why are you nice to me?"

"Why wouldn't I be? Looks like the one that really should be nice aren't, eh?

She let out a sad laugh. She didn't want to talk about Chris anymore. He was right, the tears had helped, and now she just wanted to relax and listen to the voice of this mysterious man that somhow made her all calm and warm inside. He seemed to sense that to, because he changed the subject.

"So you're from Boston? I nearly heard that when you first spoke. Could have been nice to you just for that, actually." She could feel him smile, even if she didn't see it. "You're my New England girl, aren't you? You know what? I'm from Maine." She nodded. "Beautiful there, I want to go back when I'm older... with kids maybe, I like kids. Small versions of me, that would be nice, don't you think?" She giggled, and got another smile in return. "So you live in LA?"

She sniffed. "Yeah. Do you live here?"

"Nah, not for now. I've also been visiting my family, actually, and now I'm staying here for a while. Thinking about buying a house or something here, what do you think? Is this a nice place to live?"

She looked up at him. "You could just buy a house here if you wanted to? How much money do you have?" She frowned. "Sorry, that's a rude question. You don't have to answer it."

He laughed at her expression. "No, that's not a rude question at all. And I have enough money to buy a house, anyway." He winked.

"What do you do then?"

"Well, that's the question, isn't it?"

"Oh, no, you do not get to do that. Not after I've poured my whole life out to you."

"But I don't know what you work with."

"Show me your's and I'll show you mine."

He smiled wickedly. "Is that a promise?"

"Ass! Just tell me!"

"Mhm, I don't know. I think I just realized what you do, so now I don't have to tell you to get you to tell me."

Damnit. He recognized her. She didn't think that he would, it's not like she's done that much. Wonder what he have seen. Why does she have to be an actor? It's unfair, it's not like she has any chance to recognize him... wait a minute. She does recognize him. Is it possible that he too? It would explain a lot, especially that smile he's giving her right now. God, that smile. I can't think when he does that. Should she give it a guess? Maybe she could trick it out of him.

"Oh, is that so?"

"It is so indeed."

"Well, maybe you don't have to tell me. Maybe I recognize you too."

There! An amused look in his eyes, and something... she can't really put a finger on it. Happy? Hopeful?

"Maybe you do, miss Pompeo."

She gasped. She was definatley not prepared for that.

"You know my name too?"

"Until now I wasn't quite sure, but yes, apparently I do."

"This is starting to feel unfair. We have to even this out."

She pointed at him. "You're an actor too, right?"

His eyes sparkled. "Maybe."

"Stop it!"

He just laughed. Laughed, and looked at her with those blue eyes of his.

"Alright then, yes I am."

"Good. And what's your name?"

"You don't know that? Now I'm dissapointed."

Eyes. Damn sparkling eyes.

"Just tell me!"

"And why, miss Pompeo, would I do that?"

"This," she waved her hand between them "is why. You can't go on knowing things about me when I know nothing about you. It makes me nervous."

"Oh it does, does it?"

"It does! Spit it out!"

"Well, who can say no to such a charming lady." He stepped away from her, grabbed her right hand, and brought it up to his lips. "Good evening madame. My name is Patrick Dempsey."