108: Precipice

[followedhimdown]

Stark was feeling a little bit of her Catholic background, with a guilt sitting on her shoulders for her behavior of the last few days. She had been so concerned with worrying about his alternate universe counterpart - a man that she wasn't even sure she could get through to - that she felt like she had been neglecting her husband, or at least

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[didntdropit]

She had been distracted, unable to sleep thinking of this other him. It troubled him a bit, more so he was worried that even laying in his arms hadn't been able to soothe her. That bothered him more then anything else, because nothing he had done had helped. Maybe he was losing his touch, a thought that didn't settle with him well.

He however never faltered by her side, and let her work through what she had to. He would be there when she needed him. When she had set up a nice night out he had smiled and agreed. Currently he was just finishing something up and looked up when he heard her and smiled at her.

"Coming Honey."

He finished and put it in his desk locking it up and smiled grabbing his jacket walking over to her and kissed her gently.

[followedhimdown]

Stark was almost grateful for the kiss. The reminder of the fact that she had a partner, the one who really had been there for eleven years, who knew her and loved her. He was her reality. He was the man that she needed. She needed to focus on him, and giving him the attention he deserved, and let go of what she could not control.

"I owe you an apology," she said, kissing him back and resting her head against his chest. "For not really being all here."

[didntdropit]

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him and nuzzled her softly. Hands rubbing her back lovingly.

"It's alright. Your mind was dealing with things. I've been here for when you needed me."

[followedhimdown]

"And I have needed you, a lot, so I appreciate it," she replied, nuzzling him back. "I just want to make sure you know that I still love you. No matter what, you're still my partner and the man I love. I've just...come to terms with the fact that whatever is going on elsewhere? And it's probably pretty bad if my gut instinct is right? I can't do anything about it. It's probably none of my business."

She exhaled. She had a very bad feeling, but she had done everything she could in good faith, and really couldn't do anything more. And if her help wasn't wanted (or at least, she wasn't sure), she would be better off spending it on the people who did want her arond.

"I promise you it won't come up anymore."

[didntdropit]

"If it does Honey. It does. I was just worried about you, and I just couldn't seem to help like I usually could."

He hugged her tight and stroked her cheek before not caring and kisses her deeply.

[followedhimdown]

That caught her off guard, but she kissed him back just as deeply, melting into his arms and letting him hold her. After a long few moments she rested her forehead against his and looked into his eyes. There was a sadness there and she let out a slow breath.

"No, I think it's over," she said softly. "You're right, I can't spend my time worrying about what I can't control and someone I don't know. Someone who I'm not even sure really wants to know me." A swallow. "I'll just learn to deal with the...I guess rejection...and move on. With my husband."

[didntdropit]

"I know it hurts, just remember it's not me. I'm still here when you need me. I'm not going anywhere and want you by my side."

He kissed her forehead tenderly and took her hand kissing it lovingly.

"Shall we go Agent Patrick?"

[followedhimdown]

"I think so, yes. Time to catch up I believe."

She held tightly onto his hand, reminding herself of what he'd just said, committing it to memory. Her husband was still beside her. He still wanted her and loved her. Really, he was the one she ought to be looking out for.

Damn Catholic guilt.

She locked up the office behind him and walked with him toward the elevators that would take them downstairs. "It's nothing much, not on this short notice but I really just wanted to spend time with you and talk."

[didntdropit]

He leaned against the wall inside the elevator and pulled her back against him and smiled softly. He placed a gentle kiss to her neck.

"Anytime spent is good Honey."

[followedhimdown]

Damn him and his ability to read her thoughts. He obviously knew she needed the affection. She relaxed and nodded a little.

"Should've been spending more of it. With the holidays now everything will be busy," she said. "Which? We need to be at my brother's by three on Thursday. And I promise to play nice with my mother but just in case? You can haul me off, right?"

[didntdropit]

"By three. Got it." He smiled tenderly and kissed her softly and chuckled picking her up then. "Yeah pretty sure I can."

[followedhimdown]

She laughed at that; she'd always known he could do that, he'd done it a lot of times over the years. "Just checking," she replied. "I've sat across from her when she was making insinuations about us, I'm almost afraid of what she might say now that we're married. Especially since we haven't done the real ceremony yet so of course she wasn't invited."

[didntdropit]

"Yeah we'll have to plan that. I didn't want to bring it up while you were in your worrysome state."

He smiled and when the elevator opened he headed out first holding her hand.

[followedhimdown]

"Well we can start now. I don't want to worry about someone who doesn't want me worrying about them. Or whatever. I never even got close enough to find out."

She exhaled bitterly at that. Stark always prided herself on earning the at least respect of her peers, and she was used to being liked. Most of her colleagues seemed to socialize with her. She didn't normally get brushed off.

A shrug. "Anyway. Did you hear about that new exhibit at the Smithsonian? The Michaelangelo thing? It came from the National Gallery in London."

[didntdropit]

"Yeah I heard about it. Supposed to be good."

He smiled and opened the car door for her and waited for her to get in.

[followedhimdown]

"I took art history in college. I thought it might be worth a look."

She gave him a smile for holding the door, and slipped into the car, buckling up and getting settled. She decided to leave the jacket in the car, they could relax a little.

"I just know it's been awhile since we could walk around and talk to each other. I miss that. Really I just missed you."