"You are in the picture, Jesse. It doesn't matter what would've happened if you weren't. You are." Fallon insisted before stepping forward to cling to him once more. His presence in her life was what made this choice so difficult. She was choosing between two amazing men who deserved better than to be caught up in this mess. Without Jesse this past month, there was no telling how far into her depression she would've sunk. He was the light at the end of the tunnel.

Her tears stained the fabric of his shirt, though unlike earlier they were now silent. "Please, don't go."  It was a quiet plea, an utterly selfish move to delay the inevitable decision. The right choice would've been to ask for time, to confide in Malou (again) and plead for assistance. Hell, even just making the decision would've been kinder than the unintentional cruel one she made.

Looking up at him, Fallon begged, "Just stay with me, please." Even if it all ended tomorrow. Even if he walked away never to return. Even if she wound up denying Lachlan. Fallon needed one last dose of his arms around her. She needed something to remember when it all imploded. "Don't go."

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   Jesse Hatchitt

He had to admire her fight that was for sure. She just wouldn't let go and that gave him some hope. He wasn't giving up, but he didn't want to make this any harder than it already was.

Wrapping his arms around her, he sighed quietly. How they'd ended up here Jess would never know. Just a week ago they were considering next year's birthdays and vacations. He had considered, seriously considered, giving her ring back. Then they'd hit a wall. A tall, Scottish, quidditch-playing wall.

Holding her tight against him, Jess warred with himself over his options. He didn't want to force her hand in either direction, but he hoped this would resolve itself soon. "I'll stay as long as you want me to." He promised. And he would because that was what she needed right now and because he wanted to. He wanted to be there for her in whatever capacity she needed out of him.

Gently he rested his head atop hers and rubbed her back in the silence of the kitchen. All he could do was breathe her in while she was still his.

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   Fallon Gillespie

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They remained embraced in the kitchen for what felt like hours but was likely only minutes. He was the right choice, she knew it. And, fuck, he wanted to marry her. Fallon could see their lives in its entirety: a wedding, children, slow and quiet evenings, bickering over useless shit. And, despite never believing she wanted it before, Fallon felt dizzy at the thought. They could be something great.

Eventually, she had to break the silence. "You can stay tonight, if you want." All their time together, and she had never fallen asleep in his arms. "I understand if you want to go home." Malou wouldn't begrudge her Jesse staying over, she hoped. He had used the floo, after all. So as long as they didn't do anything foolish (which she doubted either of them capable of at the moment) no one would ever be the wiser.

  

The silence stretched on and he found it more comfortable than he would have thought possible. His body was relaxed with her curled up against him, but his mind was going a mile a minute in a thousand different directions with no sign of stopping.

When she pulled back, his arms already ached to pull her back in. Her suggestion of staying the night was a tricky one. While he'd envisioned it a more than a few times, circumstances like this had never arisen in his imagination. It wasn't the right choice, he knew that, he should get going and let her think, but she wouldn't have asked if she didn't need it. Not to mention he'd tried to back out and she wouldn't let him.

"I'll stay," He assured her quietly, with a smile. Tentatively he leaned in to kiss her softly, just a brush of his lips against hers before he leaned back again. It was a little selfish, but for all he knew, this could be their first and last night together.

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The mistakes she made this evening were limitless. She should've had a better handle on her decision before inviting Jesse over. She shouldn't have broken down as visibly as she had. No, Fallon was meant to make a decision and call it a day. Only, seeing him crumbled her resolve into dust, just as seeing Lachlan had the day prior. Fallon couldn't break Jesse's heart, not because she was afraid to, but because she didn't want to.

She wanted Jesse.

The tentative kiss reassured her of the newfound realization, and Fallon returned the soft smile as much as she could. Her eyes were still sad, still full of regret and stress over what making such a decision meant. "Okay," she nodded. He wasn't going to leave her, he was going to stay.

Taking his hand in her own, Fallon led him through the small flat to her bedroom. A flickering candle that remained lit from earlier provided the only light within the room, a fact she was grateful for as her room was significantly less homey than the rest of the flat. Malou hadn't influenced this space, not that Fallon would've minded if she had. Anything would be better than the bland nature of the room.

Her bed wasn't big enough for them to lay side by side comfortably, but she didn't think he'd allow such distance anyway. "Thank you for staying," she told him quietly with a hint of a blush to her cheeks.

  

It pained Jess to see that hurt in her eyes, but at least he'd succeeded in getting a half-hearted smile out of her. It was a start. Something he'd never take for granted.

Following along though the small flat, Jesse closed the bedroom door behind him and took in the room itself. It was very much Fallon, he could tell, Miss Skovgaard must have taken the reins on the rest of the flat.

"I meant what I said. I'll stay as long as you want me to. Whatever you need from me." He squeezed their joined hands gently, wanting nothing more than to pull her in against him again, to kiss her again, but he would let her decide the level of closeness she wanted tonight.

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She nodded again and valiantly resisted the fresh waves of tears. Tomorrow, she could resume her heartbreak and misery. Tomorrow, she would have to tell Lachlan. Tonight, Fallon intended to curl up with Jesse and sleep for the first time in days.

Climbing into bed when they were both standing and uninjured was an awkward transition. Were they meant to talk more first? Agonize over their conversation tonight until another resolution was found? Although she no longer wished to discuss it, Fallon couldn't think of anything else to talk about. His impending move, maybe? Her return to work? It all felt so trivial after such a horriifc day.

Rather than talk more, Fallon released his hands and sat on the edge of the bed. Lately, she had taken to pressing herself as far into the wall as she could manage, but that didn't feel as necessary with a second body in the bed. "How ..." she cleared her throat in a move that betrayed her awkwardness. "How do you normally sleep?"

  

Ah shit, she looked like she was going to cry again and that hadn't been his intention. She didn't though and Jess felt less guilty and shifting relieved. He knew this was hard on her, making this decision, but there was no way for him to make it easier, to take away the burden. Unfortunately, part of this she was going to have to deal with on her own.

"Don't overthink it," He very nearly chuckled, but it still felt wildly out of place. "Just let me know which side you want," He said as he sat down beside her. Jess could sleep standing up if he needed to, he highly doubted curling up with Fallon for the night would be any kind of uncomfortable. Hell they'd spent half a night on his birthday staring up at her enchanted stars; not to mention tonight was already half over and they both had work in the morning.

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His response got a raised eyebrow from her, but she wasn't in the headspace to press him on it. Still, how many women had he done this with? Was she making the wrong choice by falling for a womanizer?

Fucking damn it.

Fallon gestured towards the side of the bed furthest from the wall, if only for his comfort. Should one of them roll out of the bed it ought to be her since she had dragged him out of bed so late. Once he was laying down Fallon laid facing him, their noses just a few inches apart. She was as comfortable like this as she was throughout all their previous snuggles. "Are your ribs okay like this?" She asked. He had been broken just last week, after all.

  

Jess took his directed side easily enough. It was his bruised side of course, but he would be fine. Settling in against the pillows, the only thing he was finding odd was sleeping in a shirt, he didn't normally do that, but he wasn't about to ditch it now if only because she'd still see how purple his ribs were and then she'd fret.

She settled in next to him, close, but not close enough and he had half a mind to pull her all of the way in, but was having a hard time reading her. Instead he settled for draping on arm across her middle and hunkered down into the bed. He felt the exhaustion of the night wash over him, but he didn't know what else she needed from him, so he didn't close his eyes just yet. "I'm fine. Are you comfortable?" Main priority here.

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The weight of his arm over her was different from Lachlan's, lighter and higher on her side than his was in the cave. No less comforting, though, she noted as she snuggled in until she was flush against him. "Yeah, I'm okay." Or she would be eventually, anyway. "Good night, Jesse." She murmured quietly and leant in to kiss him softly.