She just couldn't stand the thought that she was doing something that was unwanted - some stupid, strictly performative gesture that was ... empty and meant nothing at all.

And then, before she knew it, she was being gathered back into his arms and sighed heavily as she found them chest to chest, and she carefully curled her arm around his middle, fingertips gently tracing a random pattern where they rested.

There was no time to say anything, and she wasn't even sure what would escape her lips if she tried. She felt the press of fingertips to cheek, lips to forehead, and all she could do in return was shut her eyes tight and try to reign in the tears that quickly formed.

She hoped with everything that she was that this wasn't a goodbye - but a large part of her felt like it could be.