> "This is about me wondering if I'm going to wake up," she answered
honestly,
> after swallowing a sudden lump in her throat "And find out what's happened
> with us was another dream.... or that me coming back never even happened
and
> I'm standing like I had so many times over there wishing....."
>
> "Sounds lame doesn't it?" she asked, lowering her gaze and wondering how
he
> would take it. "It's just..."
>
> She looked back up at him, voice quiet but sincere "You.. this with us,
> t's - I can't even put it in words how perfect it is and now I think I'm
> rambling."
>
> She blushed a little and moved the annoying hairs that seemed to always
fall
> into her eyes back behind an ear. She wouldn't have really been surprised
> if the tips of her ears were pink either. Admitting one's insecurities
> opened them up more than most anything she knew. And she felt pretty damn
> open, but she had never held her opinion or answers from him and.. no
matter
> the possible reaction she couldn't change now and not continue to do so.
> She doubted Derek would want her to.
>
Derek:
Derek listened to all of this in silence, noting the slight tinge in her
cheeks and ears. Things that only made her appear lovely in his eyes. He
reached out putting a hand under her chin and tilting up so her eyes met his
fully. He took in a deep steadying breath. "I've had some similar worries
myself," he admitted. Some similar, some exactly the same and some he
figured that never entered her mind. He decided, no felt as if he should,
open one of those up to her. She'd just admitted smoething very difficult
for her and he knew it. As private as he was and would continue to be, he
felt he needed to get this out in the open, just in case it might be a
problem. "I've also had another concern about us." This was not going to
be easy, not at all. He took in another breath, keeping his eyes steadily
on hers as the ferry moved smoothly almost imperceptibly across the bay. "I
am old enough to be your father," he stated matter of factly. "I don't know
if that factors into any of your worries or not, but...it has played a role
in mine." This was not easy for him to say at all.
