And suddenly it was over. The last thing Tom remembered was his confrontation with Alex, and the searing pain of a bullet ripping through his neck. He remembered falling to the ground, thrashing, and then nothing
( ... )
Eileen snapped out of her self-imposed trance, where she had been staring blankly out into the street, and rose from the couch. Doubtless it was Frank trying to goad her into having dinner with him. He was such a dear, sweet man - a father figure to her, really, after her own had passed away while she was in college.
He made no secret of the fact that he was worried about her. Immediately after Walter’s attack she was coping well, but became a veritable recluse when she returned from World’s End. Eileen couldn’t tell him the real reason why she rarely emerged from her apartment these days. He’d just purse his lips and sadly shake his head. It made her feel crazy.
As she pulled the door to, she addressed the man she thought was waiting on the other side. “Frank, I already told you I’m thawing out-“ The words died on her lips when it was Tom Hanniger staring her in the face instead. Eileen couldn’t move or speak, but her heart beat so hard within her chest that she was sure he could hear it. “Tom…?”
Tom let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding, looking just as shocked as she. He couldn't move at first, opening his mouth to say something, but what? He hadn't actually...planned this far ahead, and scrambled for words.
"Eileen." He finally managed, it coming out almost as a whisper before he cleared his throat and tried again - his expression mixing as he tried to play it cool when it so obviously wasn't.
"Hey." Delivered with a light, albeit awkward, shrug and a small smile.
Encouraged and emboldened by the notion that he tracked her all the way to South Ashfield Heights, Eileen threw her arms around him and buried her face into his shoulder. Breathing him in - the scent of pine and fresh earth from his house’s close proximity to the forest - she was assured that this wasn’t a dream. World’s End had cut him loose and they were together again.
“Hey back,” she replied tearfully. Normally, she hated crying in front of others, but it was like a padlock had been broken and freed her pent-up emotions. Her fingers curled into the cottony fabric of Tom's hoodie and she drew him closer. She just couldn’t hang on tight enough. “I never thought-- how?”
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He made no secret of the fact that he was worried about her. Immediately after Walter’s attack she was coping well, but became a veritable recluse when she returned from World’s End. Eileen couldn’t tell him the real reason why she rarely emerged from her apartment these days. He’d just purse his lips and sadly shake his head. It made her feel crazy.
As she pulled the door to, she addressed the man she thought was waiting on the other side. “Frank, I already told you I’m thawing out-“ The words died on her lips when it was Tom Hanniger staring her in the face instead. Eileen couldn’t move or speak, but her heart beat so hard within her chest that she was sure he could hear it. “Tom…?”
Reply
"Eileen." He finally managed, it coming out almost as a whisper before he cleared his throat and tried again - his expression mixing as he tried to play it cool when it so obviously wasn't.
"Hey." Delivered with a light, albeit awkward, shrug and a small smile.
Reply
“Hey back,” she replied tearfully. Normally, she hated crying in front of others, but it was like a padlock had been broken and freed her pent-up emotions. Her fingers curled into the cottony fabric of Tom's hoodie and she drew him closer. She just couldn’t hang on tight enough. “I never thought-- how?”
Reply
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