Forever and Always

~25~

So I'm just going to leave this here.....

"Jessie…"

Elliot could instantly feel her mouth dry up as she stared at the brunette in front of her dumbfounded. Her grip on the door handle tightened almost as if to check if this was really happening.

"What…what are you doing here?" She somehow was able to strangle out. She swallowed hard but even that seemed to hurt.

Jessie's eyes fixed on her a second before they darted to the suite behind her and back to her biting her lip. "Can I come in?" She asks softly her voice barely above a whisper. And unfortunately Elliot couldn't read her.

She nods but it's then that Elliot realizes she's still blocking the door, not giving her the chance to enter. With an awkward smile and clearing her throat she opened the door wider allowing her into the suite. But she couldn't help but tense as the Canadian brushed past her slightly. The lightest of touches still setting her skin alight.

Elliot let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as she closed the door trying to collect herself and get over the shock of seeing her ex partner in front of her. Elliot had to withhold a smile as she turned around to see Jessie awkwardly standing there near the middle of the room. Unfamiliar with her surroundings or how to act really.

To be fair though, this was equally unfamiliar for the both of them.

"Uh" Elliot started not really knowing what to say as she played with her hands. "Would you uh like a drink?" She eventually asked as she decided that was as good a place as any to start.

But Jessie just shook her head. "No. Thank you".

Elliot swallowed hard as she nodded her head. She started to fiddle with her hands not knowing where to begin without breaking out into a fight.

That was the last thing either of them needed right now.

"How did you find me?" Elliot asked before she started backtracking as she realized how bad that sounded. "Not that your not welcome here!"

But Jessie just waved her off with a tiny smile. "I got Dylan to tell me" she answered. "Don't worry she didn't make it easy for me either".

Elliot frowned at the attempt of a joke knowing well that it wasn't really a joke. She sighed, "I'm sorry. I didn't ask her to do that".

But Jessie just shrugged with a small smile. "You didn't have to". The sad truth was that had been the norm recently and she had grown use to the teenager's behavior towards her. She made her feelings towards the situation well known to both parties.

Jessie eyed her carefully almost as if analysing her reaction. "Just like I didn't ask you to move out".

Elliot swallowed hard knowing well enough that Jessie was watching for her reaction. "I know" she nodded solemnly. "I just thought it would be better if you didn't have to see me around the house every day…"

Jessie let out a little scoff as she threw up her hands slightly in exasperation. "Don't do that!" Jessie said sharply, "Don't act like this was all for me or my benefit. Like I said before. I never asked you to do that". Jessie frowned letting her shoulders sag the tiniest bit as she finally showed her tiredness of the situation. "It felt like you had given up on us".

Jessie pursues her lips tightly when she sees how crestfallen Elliot was to her assumption. On one hand she felt bad seeing how hurt Elliot was to hear what she thought of her leaving. But a tiny part, a very small terrible part of her enjoyed seeing her hurt. Even if it was a fraction of what she made her feel.

But she quickly shook that off quickly. Scolding herself a bit for enjoying any pain of Elliot's pain. "What was I suppose to think Lee? Instead of me avoiding you, it was like you were avoiding me. As if I was the one who messed up our relationship. Next thing I knew you were gone". Now it was Jessies turn to swallow hard as she blinked back tears, "Instead of staying you just left. Like we didn't matter to you. It's like you didn't even want to try and figure us out".