Tell Me Again, One More Time - SOA

30.

Her eyes raked over the sloppy handwriting of the note. She had managed to grab at least one upon leaving the house.

I don't deserve you - I'm rotten, I'm poison. I ruin everything I touch and I don't want that to happen to you next. Stay away from me, Lia. I'll love you from a distance, but you are safe and well protected without me around.

The last few sentences haunted her. She looked down at the note with tears forming in her eyes.

Looking up as the door creaked open, she spotted Happy. Tucking the note in her pocket, she sighed. "Hi." She spoke gently, blinking away the tears.

Don't let him know.

"Hi." He responded back, simply, his face stoic as he stepped into the room. He approached her slowly and sat beside her.

"How are you?" She asked - unsure of what to say and or what he wanted.

Happy nodded in response, sitting in silence as he studied the woman's face.

"I'm good, thanks for asking." She forced out a joke, starting to become uncomfortable under his stare. Looking down, she occupied herself with picking at her ripped jeans.

A small chuckle left Happy's throat.

Not long after, he spoke up. "Can we start over?" He seemed to have been hesitant about asking.

"We can't rewrite history." Lia said softly, looking over at Happy. "Plus - it makes us who we are and it brought us back together."

Again Happy nodded. "I regret hurting you." He stated gently, "I know I said that a lot - but it's true. That was my biggest regret but after I got picked up... I knew you were safe. I don't regret what I did - hell, I'd do it again to keep you safe."

"Do you still love me?"

Silence fell upon the two.

Happy looked over at Lia, "I could never be with you." He said, "But I care for you and that's why I wouldn't want to be with you."

Lia sighed audibly. Looking into Happy's eyes, she saw mixed emotions flash - anger, pain, sadness, frustration.

"I suppose I understand." She whispered, "I just hope that it's worth it."

Happy nodded. "Your safety will be." With a shallow breath, he then spoke up again. "You'll have a target on your back if you're with me."

"I already do." Lia shot back.

"I don't want anything to happen to you."

"It wouldn't be worth the risk?"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore, Lia."

"Don't do this now."

Happy looked over at the girl, noticing the pain dancing in her eyes.

"I'm drawn to you." She spoke up, "I'm not in love with you... but there's something about you." Hesitantly, she reached out and cupped Happy's jaw.

Immediately, Happy tensed. After a minute, his body began to give in to her touch.

"Don't do this." He spoke, his eyes boring into Lia's. "Don't make this hard on me with those eyes of yours."

Stroking his jaw with her thumb, she looked at him innocently. "They say if you truly want something... to let it free. If it comes back, it's meant to be."