ci)

He figured they’d get together eventually.

He never was the type to make the first move, having been used to the dark little corner he sat in, watching the world go by. Sometimes, he focused on one thing and immediately forgot about the rest.

At least now he knew why Sara had been so cold to him lately; he’d failed to notice the ongoing relationship (was it even called a relationship if one person was using another to make her boss jealous?) between her and a certain annoyingly handsome EMT.

If hearts could break, his would be in such a state that even superglue, duct tape and spit could not repair it.

ii)

She asked what she had to do.

He glanced up, taking in her lean, shapely figure. Her curly brown hair was tucked behind her ears, reflecting the glow of the swimming pool they were next to.

Even when he was angry with her, she could still make his heart thudthudthud.

“I paged you two hours ago.”

“You told me to get a life. Remember?”

There was a hint of resentment in her otherwise joking tone.

And he didn’t like that.

“Did I?”

The smile slid off her face. He relished having spoilt her otherwise glorious day with what’s-his-name--- Hank ---an EMT with no brains.

“I'm sorry, but I needed you. Dispatch called in a 419 at Tuscadero High School. You're on your own.”

He tried not to notice how The Look crossed her face: lips tightening to form a straight line, eyebrows coming down into a ‘v’, knuckles turning white around the handle of her kit.

When he finally looked at her, he realized she was shaking her head slightly.

A moment passed where their eyes locked; he knew exactly what she wanted to say to him.

However, she settled for “See you around.”

As Sara walked away, he wished she had said what she’d been thinking instead.

iii)

They had been spending time together less and less.

Eventually, it got to the point where she even took a Leave of Absence at the lab to attend a convention on the other side of the country.

For one week.

So when she clambered out of the Tahoe with The Look, he plastered a huge smile on his face and, after a few seconds of listening to her complain, told her he needed her.

Did that ever shut her up.

iv)

He overheard Catherine and Nick talking about how she and Hank had broken up.

When, he forgot.

Where, he didn’t know.

Why, he didn’t care.

Because she was finally free.

v)

Seeing her sitting by the road, cradling a gashed hand, made him do something so foolish, so fifteen.

“This doesn’t look good, honey.”

At once, her eyes widened, her heart rate quickened… ‘Honey’?

And she finally thought something that was long gone had come back for her.

Hope.

vi)

He knew he broke her heart in two when he turned down her offer to go out for dinner.

She didn’t understand; it wasn’t like he didn’t like her.

It was just… He had important things to take care of.

(And just for your information, he already realized “this”.

He just didn’t know what to do.)