It couldn't have felt worse if she'd shot him again. He brought a hand up to his mouth, covering it as though to contain something, which was true; he was terrified that if he spoke now, he would break entirely. He was terrified that he had already lost control and there was no taking it back.
Mostly, right now, he was terrified for his family. He had let himself forget what Victoria was, what she could do. She would destroy them. To get to him, she had stopped at nothing, let nothing stand in her way, and now there was more than ever between them. His partner. His-- friend, ward, daughter, whatever Stephanie was. And Lily, and Maggie... He couldn't let her have them. Except that by kissing her -- hell, just by walking into this room, by not turning and running the other way the moment he heard her voice -- he may have already condemned them.
Her words still echoed in his head, and the look on her face was like poison to him, but he knew what he had to do. "I'm sorry," he said for what felt like the millionth time, mumbling through his fingers, his voice cracking despite the shield. He let his hand drop and started to reach out to her, but stopped halfway. "I-- I have to go," he explained faintly.
He couldn't wait another moment. He reached out and touched her cheek, his eyes full of regret -- and then he turned away and ran.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2008-01-10 08:53 am (UTC)Mostly, right now, he was terrified for his family. He had let himself forget what Victoria was, what she could do. She would destroy them. To get to him, she had stopped at nothing, let nothing stand in her way, and now there was more than ever between them. His partner. His-- friend, ward, daughter, whatever Stephanie was. And Lily, and Maggie... He couldn't let her have them. Except that by kissing her -- hell, just by walking into this room, by not turning and running the other way the moment he heard her voice -- he may have already condemned them.
Her words still echoed in his head, and the look on her face was like poison to him, but he knew what he had to do. "I'm sorry," he said for what felt like the millionth time, mumbling through his fingers, his voice cracking despite the shield. He let his hand drop and started to reach out to her, but stopped halfway. "I-- I have to go," he explained faintly.
He couldn't wait another moment. He reached out and touched her cheek, his eyes full of regret -- and then he turned away and ran.