2031~One Weekish after the Zombie-Pie incident

"'Course not." Ana smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring manner. "It'll be fine."

Like hell it would, a voice in her head muttered, but she ignored it.

Will nodded.

"Alright then." Will turned to leave but then stopped, feeling bold, he said what was on his mind.

"I think he's lonely. I think you're both lonely."

Will's sudden insight left Ana speechless for a few moments.

Lonely.

Maybe she was.

It would make sense.

...

But that didn't mean she should throw away all they'd worked for.

"Perhaps." Ana teetered on the edge of asking Will what to do; asking a child far less experienced than her how to handle this. How odd.

"But it's not that simple."

"Sure it is." Will said.

"There's nothing stopping you."

Ana frowned slightly. "...But...It's...It can't be...It's not..."

It couldn't be that simple. It just couldn't.

Will looked at his foster mother. "You've done so much for Eliza and me. I just want you two to be happy." Will replied. " And right now, you aren't. Both of you aren't."

Ana attempted a smile. For some reason, Will was speaking more sense than her previous thoughts had managed.

"I suppose not."

Ana felt a slight smile form on her face, and took a step backwards, half-turning on the spot. "Sorry Will, there's something I need to do." She shot him a smile before beginning to walk briskly back down the corridor, breaking into a run as she turned the corner out of Will's line of sight.

"Bye," Will said smiling as well.

----

Nicolas was letting Persephone run freely in the grounds. He loved watching the magnificent animal. Such grace, such awesomeness... it put his mind at peace even for a moment.

Ana slowed as she exited the house, having some vague thought to drop her book onto a side table by the egress as she did so.

Catching sight of a familiar horse ("pony" a slight memory supplied), Ana paused for one second on the threshold, considering for one last time.

Fortunately, her mental hesitation seemed to have no effect on her feet, which began to move across the lawns at a brisk pace, somewhere between a jog and a run, but not entirely hurtling along.

It occurred to her, as she dashed along, that she had very little idea what she was going to do. Hurrying towards Nick, his back to her, her shoes made a slight noise as they struck the muddy grass.

Nicolas was brought out of his dreamlike state at the sound of approaching footsteps. He turned wondering who they were from.

There was an ever-increasing number of things that she needed to say. To Nick. Of course her earlier words had been a lie, and her answer in the pie shop had been, with hindsight, out of terror. Not just of danger to the children, but of her own weakness. Losing people hurt her. More badly than she would ever like to admit.

But she had to admit, as she wrapped her arms around Nick's neck and met his lips with her own, she already cared for him too deeply to be unaffected in any case.

A bit more couldn't hurt.

Nicolas was going to greet her with a "What are you doing here?" but was mildly surprised to find that his mouth was muffled. Initial shock gone, he closed his eyes and kissed her back, wrapping his own arms around her.