Safe House

Chapter 13

He walks out of his room, and towards the living room, where he sees her sitting on a chair facing the easel. Her hand is effortlessly moving a paint brush against the once plain white canvas. She stops; setting the brush down, and sweeping her hair up into a messy bun on the top of her head. He notices then the white cords coming out of her ears, and as he gets closer he hears her humming along to whatever song is playing. The sun is starting to rise, casting a warm, natural glow throughout the house. He stops a few feet behind her, and just watches the natural movements of her wrist. He's so memorized, that he doesn't see her other hand move up to remove one of her ear buds.

"Couldn't sleep?" She asks as she dips the brush in a spot of light blue paint.

"Not really." He answers

"Me either." She says sadly; putting the brush down again, and turning to face him. He doesn't mean for it to be out loud, but a light chuckle escapes his lips as he takes in the light blue smudge on her cheek.

"What?" She asks confused.

"You have some paint on your face." He says; pointing to the same area on his face. First she wipes at her left cheek, and he shakes his head.

"Other side." He says, and she swipes but somehow completely misses the smudge. He steps forward some, until there's not much space between them. He cautiously cups her face, and rubs the paint off of her cheek. Their eyes lock on each other's as his thumb moves slowly over her skin.

"Thanks." She says when he steps away, and he nods.

"So we're really doing this?" She asks after a few moments

"What?"

"Going back to how it was before we got together. I get that you're upset that I'm not staying, but what did you think Jay? Did you really think we were going to stay in this bubble forever? We have our lives to go back to."

"I just thought that maybe we'd be a part of each other's lives. I thought that we could give this an actual shot one day. But I guess I'm the only that saw this as more than a few convenient hook ups to pass the time."

"Is that what you think this is to me? Just a convenient hook up?"

"Am I wrong?"

"Yes." She yells, then the room goes silent.

"I want to give us a shot too, and be a part of your life Jay." She says after a few minutes.

"Then why are you pushing me away?" He asks; stepping towards her again. She looks down, and wipes some of the drying paint off her hands, and onto the old rag he gave her for when she was painting. He tilts her chin up, and she looks at him; tears pooling in her eyes.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" He asks and she shakes her head as a tear makes it way down her cheek, and he wipes it away quickly.

"Then what is it?"

"I thought it would be easier to push you away now rather than wait until I actually have to go home." She says; looking back down as more tears fall from her eyes.

"Easier for who?" Jay asks calmly.

"Both of us."

"Well it's not easier for me."

"Me either." She says honestly.

"But what about when they find Charlie? Whether it's a week, a month or a year, I have friends, and family in Chicago too Jay. Staying together, and getting closer is just going to make it harder when we have to say goodbye."