A/N: Dedication goes to susie_lovesyou for her kind words. Thank you! Okay, read now, because if I do my big author's not now, I'll give spoilers.
CHAPTER TWENTY:
Lies and Deceit
I knew what men were like, knew the way their minds worked, knew what they wanted. But I didn’t categorize William as a man. Not because he wasn’t masculine, because he was; maybe it was because of the way I’d met him, the way I’d latched unto him, saw him as my protection against all of that.
It took me four months to realize that, though I trusted him more than anyone else, William was still a man.
~Roza Fallow
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I wouldn’t have done it, wouldn’t have tried, not for a lot longer at least. But Claire told me to. “I trust you,” she’d said, “It might be hard for her, but this is the next stage of her healing,” “She has to get over this hurdle at some point and it might as well be with you,” then, the worst: “Roza trusts you.”
~William Edwards
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*October 7, 2013 12:52pm*
I pulled the shirt hesitantly higher, poking at my side experimentally, looking at the discoloration in distaste. My waist throbbed at the simple touch and I winced in pain, a pain that was as emotional as it was physical. I’d known this was coming, but somehow the ever growing marks on my skin made the situation all too real.
“Goodnight, John,” William’s voice seemed to echo as he entered the hotel room, shutting the door firmly behind him and I stood from my place on the couch, hastily pulling down my shirt. I didn’t want him to know, but, at the same time, I didn’t know how much longer I’d be able to hide it from him.
The suite had a glow to it and the quiet hum of the tv gently filled the silence behind me. As soon as the door closed, William’s expression briefly turned to one of exhaustion, before he looked up. Giving a tired grin, he made his way over to me.
It had been over a month since the beginning of the tour, but Will had managed a hotel every night, no matter how inconvenient; he was as reluctant to subject me to the close quarters of “the bus” as I was scared to step inside.
“Hey, Roza, I’m sorry I took so long. Jacen’s hot sauce, ketchup replacement trick worked a little too well and I could barely speak, let alone sing. The audience wasn’t so thrilled about that and we stayed for a little while longer to make up for the loss. And then James stayed for clean-up and I felt bad so-”
“Okay,” I said, cutting him off, the soft smile coming so much more naturally than it had a few months ago.
“Okay?” he asked, unsure.
“Okay,” I assured him, sitting back down on the couch, asking him over with my eyes. He relaxed, coming around the front and sitting next to me. His weight made the fabric dip, gravity pulling me closer and I smiled up at him. His face was lined, dark circles hanging under his eyes and I put my hand to his neck, softly caressing. Sliding my fingers up into his hair I gave a gentle tug and he allowed his head to be slowly placed in my lap. His eyes closed as I brushed at the silky curls, his mouth tugging in a sleepy smile, the actions not rehearsed, but instead familiar. This was normal. Comforting, good, real and normal. And then he opened his eyes.
