There's something there.

She felt it last night ... I saw it in her eyes. Her eyes, so dark and green, like the deepest depths of the ocean. And she stared at me, those beautiful eyes so wide, so open, telling me her heart without words, opening herself to me, letting me in, trusting me fully, throwing her head back to reveal that soft, warm neck pulsing feverishly with her rich blood.

She knew I wouldn't bite, even though she knew I could.

She trusted me. Me, a "disgusting, evil thing."

She trusts me.

Her soft warmth is curled against me in sleep, those dark eyelashes resting so vulnerably closed, her breathing slow and rhythmic against the side of my chest ... her soft, warm arm thrown across me, her tiny hand resting warm and soft on my shoulder. She's so small!

So small, and she trusts me, and my heart feels like it's being squeezed in her tiny hand, and my mind just keeps spinning around these same awed thoughts. She's so warm, so soft, so small. She trusts me.

She trusts me.

Completely.

Complete trust.

Bloody hell! How can I want her again after that marathon?

How can I not?

She knows I could hurt her now. She knows I won't. She sleeps, naked, soft, relaxed, while I watch her in the darkness. Her body is so small and trusting in my arms. Complete and total trust.

I know.

I know in the morning that trust will scare her. Scare her into saying things she doesn't mean. She's like that. I know she'll say things to hurt me. Try to hurt me enough to get me to hurt her back. Try to hurt me enough to push me away so that she doesn't have to trust anymore.

Trust is so hard for her. I know that.

She forgets that I understand her, that I know her next move before she makes it. I know she's going to hurt me when she wakes, try to hurt me into leaving her, but it won't work. Maybe somewhere inside she knows that, too.

It must scare the hell out of her.

But she felt something. There's something there. I saw it in her eyes. She made love to me ... it wasn't just sex. It wouldn't scare her so much if it was.

So if she lashes out in the morning, I'll know she's scared ... I'll know I'm right.

Cor, who am I kidding? I already know I'm right. I know her.

But, hell, I'm patient. I never thought she'd give me this much. Never thought she'd let me in, never thought she'd look at me like she did last night, staring into my eyes as we made love, as if she was giving me her soul instead of her body.

Never thought she'd let go, be herself, dark and light, gentle and violent, soft and hard, giving and taking ... whole. Complete.

Never thought she'd let herself be whole, with me. Her whole self. With me.

So, bloody hell! I can wait. I can play her game. It's worth it. The trust is enough. I don't need the words.

I know the words will be hard. I know she'll say things ... I know this morning is going to hurt. But if she needs a fight, I'll give her one. It's a dance, and it's one we're good at. So in the morning we'll dance. But I'm leading this time. Things have changed.

She trusts me now, and I know it. Nothin's gettin' rid of me now.

She can push me all she wants, but I'm not budging. I'm here to stay, baby ... because you want me here. Eventually you'll figure that out ... eventually you'll admit it.

I'm a patient man. The feel of your skin against mine right now, right this moment, in the darkness and faint moonlight, your warmth pressed so soft, so trusting against me ... this moment is perfect. The best moment of my entire existence.

It'll last me years if it needs to. I'm a patient man. And I know you, Slayer. I know you.

- Fin -