Prompt: Carley doesn't know Lee's past. Kenny does know, and he thinks that Lee should tell Carley. AU
XX
"You gotta tell her, man. You can't keep it from her forever. Don't you think that she has a right to know? She is your girlfriend, after all."
Lee tried to hear what Kenny was saying. He wanted to agree, but he just couldn't bring himself to do so. He didn't know if he should tell Carley about his past. He had no idea how she would react when he told her that he actually killed a man. He'd been keeping it hidden from everyone else in the group, so why tell her? Kenny did have a point though.
"Maybe. I don't know how she'll react though. My past is not something I can just say and expect her to be all 'baby it's okay'." Lee told his friend, sighing loudly.
"What if she is though? You won't know unless you tell her." Kenny told him. Lee had to admit, Kenny had been making some good points about why he should tell Carley about the past, but Lee just disregarded them as if they were nothing. Kenny was right and he knew it.
"Imagine of this was you and Katjaa. Would you tell her?"
"Of course I would. I would tell her as soon as possible too. Imagine not telling her, and then she finds out from somebody else. She'll be pissed, and won't trust you ever again. It's better to tell her, Lee. You have to listen to me here. If it was better not to tell her, I would tell you not to."
Lee thought for a moment. He and Kenny weren't the only ones who knew about the secret, after all. Larry and Lilly knew, but it wasn't because Lee had told them. So Carley was indeed in danger of finding out from another source. And Lee certainly didn't want that.
"So..." Kenny said, impatiently waiting for Lee's answer. He didn't know how it was so hard to decide, but Lee was Lee. It seemed like he had to thoroughly think everything through.
"Okay." Lee said simply.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"I'll tell her."
XX
Lee approached Carley's room with butterflies in his stomach. He should've rehearsed this, because he had no idea what the hell he was going to say. He stood in front of the door. He couldn't bring himself to knock. He thought about turning and running away, but he knew it wasn't an option.
He sighed, knocking on the door lightly.
"Come in." Carley called out, and Lee took a shaky step inside.
"Oh! Hey hon." Carley said, smiling. Lee smiled back at her, despite how nervous he felt. She had been calling him "hon" for quite awhile now, and he was starting to love it.
"Hey babe." He told her, sitting beside her on her bed, which squeaked under his weight. He knew that "babe" was a pretty cliché pet name, but she didn't mind it at all.
"What's up? You never come in here to hang out with me."
"Actually, there's um... There's something I need to tell you."
"Oh god..." She said. "You're breaking up with me?"
"No. But you might break up with me after I tell you this though."
"Oh god. You've been seeing Lilly."
"Don't jump to conclusions so fast. It has nothing to do with cheating or anything like that. It's about... My past."
"What about it? You were married before, right? I knew that."
"That's not it. I... I killed a person before all of this." He turned away. He couldn't bear to look her in the eyes. He feared what she was thinking right now.
"Why?"
He thought for a moment. He turned to face her. "Well... It's a long story..." He said, and then he began to spill about his whole entire story. When he was finished, he met her gaze.
"Lee..." She began, unsure of how to finish.
"I know, I know. It's okay, you don't have to associate with me anymore. I'll stay far away from you and just do what I need to do. Hell, I won't even make eye contact. We can go our own ways."
"God, you tell me not to jump to conclusions. I wasn't going to tell you off. It doesn't matter what you did in the past. It's all gone now. It doesn't matter that you killed, because frankly I think it's a skill that might come in handy." She joked. She caught him smiling a bit.
"Really?" He asked.
"Yeah, I think you are a great guy. Like I said, the past is in the past. It doesn't matter anymore, today is the present. Lee, I love you. And I love you matter what you did." She pulled him closer, and he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss.
"Thanks, Carley. I appreciate it. You know who else knows?"
"Who?"
"Larry and Lilly."
"You told them?"
"Nope. That's why in telling people I trust, starting with you. Kenny knows too, but he knew from before. He was the one that pretty much convinced me to tell you. I'm glad I did though."
"I'm glad too. It must be hard for you though. So I'm proud of you."
"Carley. Stop." He joked.
"Never." She gave him an evil smirk before pulling him in for another kiss. Lee kissed her back, thinking about how he owed Kenny a great big thank you when he had the chance.
