Tying You To Me

Chapter Five: 2018

July 2018

Quinn's skin felt warm and salty as an ocean breeze blew loose strands of her ponytail astray. She closed her eyes and took a breath. She needed this.

The season had wrapped about five weeks ago, and even with the extended hiatus, this weekend in Long Island was Quinn's first vacation of the summer, as she'd kept busy, picking up some gigs helping cast members and writers with the passion projects that they could only work on during the lengthy period away from the weekly chaos of a live show. The work fluctuated from week to week, but Quinn was happy to add additional producer credits in between relaxing with her friends and trips out of the city.

"We need to get in the water before all the kids take it over," Lisa said, interrupting Quinn's moment of peace.

Quinn cracked an eye open. "Seriously? I was getting ready to take a nap."

"Nap later!" Lisa exclaimed. "I want to swim. Race you there," she called out as she threw her cover-up over her shoulder and raced down the dunes.

"You knew one of us was going to have to entertain her," Maria said from behind the magazine she was reading. "I'll pick up the later shift."

Rolling her eyes, Quinn shifted on her towel, pulling her t-shirt over her head and stowing it in her beach bag. She fished for her sunscreen, but before she could apply it, her phone vibrated.

She looked at the screen.

Harry.

Her stomach flipped, but not with the butterflies that had filled it just a few months earlier.

Since Harry's visit in February things had been...interesting. When he'd returned to London, Harry had called Quinn asking to discuss what had happened on their final night together, continuing to offer apologies that Quinn readily accepted without adding much else. During that tense conversation, they'd reached an agreement – they'd discuss the status of their relationship in July, after Harry's tour ended.

In the meantime, things had gone back to the status quo. They texted, they FaceTimed, and Harry even sent Quinn flowers on her birthday. She could often tell when he'd had a difficult day on the road or a tough show when his messages became more serious and emotional. Messages about how much he missed her, how he couldn't wait to see her, how he wished she was by his side.

But for every needy text, Harry would disappear for days on end, leaving Quinn on read, until he found time to respond. He even ghosted her for 10 days at one point, the longest they had gone without speaking in months.

Quinn tried to be understanding. She knew what it felt like to be overwhelmed with work, even when you loved what you were doing. There were many weeks where she felt like she could barely keep her head above water at SNL, but at least she had her bed and her friends to come home to. Harry was just drifting without an anchor. So, when he reached out to her and she could sense the homesickness and the sadness within him, she found it hard to turn him away.

But her patience was also growing thin when it became apparent that Harry wasn't always returning the effort. She'd tried venting to him one week when she was having some trouble with a difficult guest, but he'd hurried her off the phone before she could even explain why she was frustrated. And if she hinted that she might be the one who was missing him, he would suddenly change the subject.

Her phone was still trilling in her hand. She worried her lip as she debated whether or not to answer it, thoughts she was having more frequently these days. She jammed her finger on the screen, accepting the phone call.

"Hello, Agent Q."

"Hi, Harry." She tried to make her voice sound chipper, and hoped he couldn't sense the hesitation.