The Reluctant Fall

Nineteen - End.

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Benedict opened his eyes to see a pile of dark curls resting against his hand.

"Are you really here?"

She lifted her head and smiled with tears flowing from her eyes, "I'm really here baby."

She climbed into his bed, and he cupped her face and kissed her ardently, "I love you Soph, I'm never letting you go again."

Sophie rested her forehead against him and smiled, "I should hope not Benedict Bridgerton because I plan to be in your arms forever."

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"Fuck's sake Pen. You scared me," Colin said worriedly as he settled Penelope nicely on her sofa. Penelope huffed and sank into her pillows, "I'm fine Colin. I'm just a little dizzy. The pain meds make me a little loopy."

"You need to take better care of yourself," he said scoldingly.

Penelope shook her head in annoyance, "Oh please you sound just like..."

"Anthony?" he finished her sentence with an arched eyebrow.

Penelope rolled her eyes.

"Stop," she snapped.

"You're going to have to talk to him you know," Colin said with the side of his mouth turning into a smirk.

"Well he's the one who walked out on me Col, not the other way around," she firmly stated.

"Only after you gave him an out," he interjected.

"Oh you Bridgerton's are so bloody insufferable," she said with her arms crossed.

Colin shrugged, "well... I hope you don't hate me for..."

A knock sounded at the door.

"What the fuck did you do Colin," Penelope furrowed her eyebrows and tried to prop herself up a little better. She groaned; the pain was intense. Colin stood up and walked towards the door – bloody well knowing that an exhausted Penelope wouldn't be able to run and catch him, "I'll eh leave you two to stubborn gits to talk."

"COLIN!" she shouted but it was no use. He was gone and the door was opened.

She attempted to raise herself from the sofa - but no use.

Her back was in such pain, and she already felt so lightheaded.

"Hi."

She heard him approach from the other side of the room.

"What do you want Anthony," she asked looking anywhere but straight at him.

He sighed, and stepped a little closer, "Pen, I-uh, I'm sorry."

She kept her head turned away from him as it was the only way she wouldn't give in or cry her bloody eyes out.

"Fine, are you done?" she asked.

Anthony huffed this time, "do you always need to be so bloody stubborn?"

Penelope scoffed, "that's rich."

"When will you realise that I don't want to leave you alone," he said softly.

She felt her eyes fill with tears, "please, Anthony I-..."

"No please listen to me," he forced himself forward and dropped to his knees at her feet.

Penelope couldn't look at him, but he grabbed her hands anyway.