returning {to the past} -crystal

[~echo~]

"Yes," she said quietly. "Where do you want to go?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex gave her a crooked smile. "Not back to my motel room, for sure." You know, the place where his mother and brother were sleeping.

[~echo~]

She gave a small laugh and then shook her head. "Okay, not there. Anywhere in particular?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex shook his head. "I just want to be with you."

[~echo~]

She looked at him with a soft smile. "Okay. Well, then... shall we just go back to my apartment?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex kept his face carefully neutral. "If you're okay with that, I am."

[~echo~]

She met his eyes seriously. "I would trust you with my life." She stood and led the way to her car.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

You might have to, the way things are going, Alex thought, but he didn't voice it. He followed her to her car, deciding to leave his truck parked where it was. He could come back for it later. He didn't want to leave Anita's side even for a moment.

[~echo~]

Anita started up the car. It gave an irritable groan but started up. She drove off to her apartment, and when they arrived, brought him into he living room. "Want anything to drink?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex watched her, only briefly taking in his surroundings, which went against all his experience as a cop. "I'm okay, thanks," he said. He paused, reconsidering. "Maybe just some water."

[~echo~]

She nodded and brought out two glasses of water, one for each of them. "So..."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex held his glass but didn't drink from it. Eventually, he set it down on a coaster on the coffee table and took a step toward her. "Anita..." he said uncertainly.

[~echo~]

Her breath caught in her throat at his voice, daring deeply into his eyes. "Yes?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

He inhaled deeply, trying to control his breathing. He had no hope to control his dilating pupils and rapidly beating heart, though. He took another step and gently took her wrist, feeling her pulse under his thumb. It had been so long since they'd been alone, really alone, without something standing between them. They'd admitted they still loved one another, and yet the past still held him back.

[~echo~]

She gazed down at her wrist with him, then studied his face. "Why do you hesitate, Alejandro?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"I don't deserve you," he murmured. He could say it a million times, she could deny it as many, and he would still worry.

[~echo~]

Anita gazed down at the ground, knowing it was no use trying to comvince him otherwise. So instead, she pulled him close to her in a tight hug, knowing she needed to feel his body against hers.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex closed his eyes and let out a slow breath. His arms tightened around her, practically brushing her against his body. It felt so good--so good--to feel her again. He'd nearly forgotten what it was like to hold someone. "Dios, I love you," he murmured.

[~echo~]

Gentle tears streamed down her face, half relief, half unintelligible happiness. "I love you, too." She held him there as tight as she could, relishing in feeling him against her again.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex kissed the top of her head, then pulled away a little so he could kiss her forehead. He studied her face for a moment, then slowly, tentatively, brushed his lips against her.