Ty expected a number of things. But what happened was the one thing Ty didn't expect. She kissed him back, and tightened her grip on his hand. Finally, he broke the kiss, pulling back and just...looking at her. Part of him wondered if this was even real. It had to be some twisted dream, or some vision he was way too engrossed in. Right?

Wrong. It was real, and the mere thought of this made him want to smile. But he didn't because he was scared of losing her again. Looking around, he noticed the theater was empty.

"Maybe we should get outta here," Ty finally said. "Any ideas?"

Tses' brain was buzzing, his question sounding fuzzy in her head. Ideas? She had ideas, but they all sounded crazy right now. Get back together with the guy who dumped you, shot you, left you... Get back together with the only person she ever cared about more than herself, the person who stayed by her side when she was injured, the person who was ricking a lot staying with her now... the person who tried to forget her when he thought he lost her because he couldn't handle the thought of what he lost.

She had ideas, but she didn't want to dwell on them, didn't want to let herself think about it too much, talk herself out of it, or talk herself into it. Was it meant to be? Should it be? Was it better for them? Worse for them. Did she care? The longer she held his hand the less she thought it mattered. Maybe we should get outta here... Yeah, outta this City, out of this state, somewhere questions didn't matter, somewhere people didn't want her dead. She blinked and looked at her shoes.

"I don't know. We can grab some food then head back I guess." That wasn't at all what she was thinking. Who could eat at a time like this?

"Actually...I'm not that hungry," Ty murmured, looking at her, still holding onto her hand, making sure this was a hundred percent real. Was it official, then? Did he finally get her back? Or was this just a heat of the moment thing? What if she was just too vulnerable to resist right now? Did that make him even more of a jerk?

His head was spinning, thoughts swarming in his head like angry hornets, each question as perplexing as the last. Leading her out of the theater, he chewed on his lip, thinking. Even on the cab ride back, he spent in silent thought, wondering. Back at the hotel room, after he unlocked the door and plopped on the couch, he looked at her. "Hey...Tses...I've got a question..." he said quietly, almost nervously. "Is this...I mean...Once you're better, you'll still want me around, right? I mean, will you? I know you have good reason not to, and I don't blame you, but...I just...I gotta know." His blue eyes looked pleading as he looked at her, an almost desperate attempt to read her expressions, body language, everything.

Somehow, they made it out of the theater, back to the cab, then back to the hotel room. Tses couldn't think as the silence continued to loom. It was just spur of the moment, wasn't it? Once it was over, things would go back to normal? What if he left as soon as she was better? What if she was reading it all wrong?

How could she be reading it wrong...? He kissed her... That didn't feel like just an act...

He sat on the couch, she sat on the bed and looked at her knees. She tugged at the bandages along her arms, palms feeling clammy and hot suddenly. He started talking and she looked up, wistful, worried. You'll still want me around right? The words felt frozen in her throat. He looked pleading, she just looked sad.

"Of course I'd want you around... I never wanted you to leave." She looked at her knees, scars still visible through her fishnets. "But... I don't want to hurt you again. I don't want to be selfish. I..." Tears stung her eyes and she glanced at the window, trying to keep her lip from trembling. It took all her nerves to stay seated there, not to beg him to take her back or something stupid like that. She really wanted him to be happy. How could she make him happy? How could she make anyone happy...

Her answer was one he hoped for, but didn't really expect. Even if he heard quite a few times after they broke up that she still cared for him. But he never knew the extent of that. Never knew what that meant to her. Tses wasn't like other girls, but that was what he loved about her. Love...such a strange and foreign word.

Megan was fun to be around. Life-threatening danger and adventure lay in wait around every corner when he was with her. Noel had a very similar mutation to his, and yet very different. Intriguing, yet intimidating. Charlotte was nice. Sweet, but maybe a little too sweet; even though they were drunk for the majority of their meeting. But those girls were in the end, friends. He'd put his life on the line for either one of them, but Tses...

Tses was different. She was one he'd have been willing to die for at one time. But now he didn't know. He didn't know where their relationship stood at this point. Almost a year ago, he'd shattered it, and now here he was scrambling to pick at the fragments and pieces, trying to put it back together. Maybe the answer wasn't putting what they had back together. Maybe the answer was to rebuild it entirely. Make a better one.

"Deep down, I didn't want to leave. I feel like maybe I hurt you more than you hurt me," he finally murmured quietly. "I thought I was the one being selfish. I wanted you to return my affection in a certain way, but you're different.You being different was what made me fall for you in the first place. A rough around the edges street kid; live alone die alone. Tough, but I saw something more. Hanging with you was always a rush, but those times when we were alone, sometimes I saw more than just some punk kid. I saw someone who just needed someone to care for her. Ultimately, I'd taken that, cherished it, then smashed it to little pieces."

He paused, taking the moment to sit on the bed next to her and put his arm around her. "Look, I've done some stupid ****. A lot of stupid ****. But the dumbest was when I kicked you to the curb. That, in a way, was what started everything spiraling out of control into where we are now." Laying his head on her good shoulder, he found himself shaking a little, a sob sneaking its way out every now and then.

Tses kept staring at her knees, then her hands, picking at the wrappings that covered her palms and wrists. She felt like she was in over her head, drowning in emotions with no direction to swim to. He was right. He had hurt her, and that still upset her, still made her a little angry sometimes. He never really considered what she was going through, why she was defensive. But he had tried to be there, kept coming back, trying to make it up. While he couldn't take away his mistakes, she couldn't either. She pushed him away. Why had she been so upset when he left?

Alone, alone, alone... The words echoed in her head. She deserved to be alone. She deserved to be lonely. Live alone, die alone. Alone alone alone. She was tough enough to do that. She used to be anyway. The fishnets blurred in her vision as tears kept trickling and she kept listening to him talk. She wanted to hear, but she didn't... She wanted him back, but she was afraid. She was going to mess it up again, hurt him again. She couldn't handle seeing him walk back out that door. She was different, yes, but that different was fragile, temperamental, volatile...

If he wanted to risk it though... could she stop him? Could she say no? She knew the answer on the inside, cemented as he put his arm around her. "I care about you Ty, I l....I love you. I never stopped loving you. You're the only person that's really mattered to me. Only person whose made me feel safe, or cared about, or important. But I can't be....normal. I can't just be cute or cuddly or girly... I don't know how to be affectionate or caring or kind." She set something on his lap. Somehow she'd ended up with his wallet. It sort of went with the point. She stole when she was nervous.

"Sure, the fun times are great, but learning to care is like learning to read... I get some of the words, and most of the meaning, but I'm not sure I'll ever be 'literate'. Truth was, I was already broken when you met me, Ty. You can't break something that was never whole to begin with..."

"I love you too, Tses..." he replied. "When I'm with you, I feel like I have purpose. Like, to you I'm more than just some punk kid, or a valuable asset because of my abilities. As much as I enjoy being those things at times. You see all of me, not just a part like the rest of the world." He sighed, enjoying being this close to her. He loved every minute of it, even though he knew things wouldn't always be this easy, or sweet. Nothing was, he realized. Life wasn't that perfect.

He jumped a little fraction of a bit as he felt her set something on his lap. Picking it up with his free hand, he looked at it, turning it in his fingers with a look of bewilderment on his face. But it wasn't a bad bewilderment. It was more of an awestruck look, in a way. His eyes showed that his pride was hurt a little, but he had this grin on his face that he just couldn't shake.

Then that grin erupted into a burst of laughter. "No one's ever picked my pocket like that and got away with it," he said softly. "I admit it, I've met my match."

He looked her in the eyes as he said this next part, because he wanted this to stick. "Maybe it's not that you're broken." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the stiletto that Roach had given him for his birthday, and flipped it open. "Sometimes, it's not that you're broken. Take this knife, for instance. With the right tools, I could remove the blade from the handle. Then, the blade would be somewhat hard to hold, right? Especially if it was meant for slicing instead of stabbing. Everything that tried to touch it would get hurt. But the handle...without the blade it seems utterly useless, doesn't it? No way to really defend you. Not practically, anyway. At the same time, maybe you can try to put the handle on something else. Make a fancy flip-comb, or try to add another blade, but it won't function as well without the original. It won't be the same. This knife is like you and me. The blade and the handle work best when they're together. Try to use one without the other, and things go horribly wrong." Closing the knife, he put it away, then tucked his wallet into his back pocket.

Tses looked at Ty, then back to her fishnets. She tried to think of a way to word how she felt. Something that sounded poetic, or sweet, or smart. Most of her words just felt jumbled and nervous though. He felt like she saw all of him. What was she supposed to say? I feel that way too... That didn't seem romantic. It just sounded dumb... " I feel like you accept me for who I am..." Maybe he didn't always, but he did now, and that was what mattered. Just like maybe she didn't always appreciate him, or accept his romantic side as well as his fun side. "I'm a thief, and on the street I get used to guarding who I am, and what I feel. Being vulnerable is inviting someone to hurt you. But, with you, I feel like I don't have to be so afraid of that."

He laughed about the wallet, and she gave a sheepish smile. She leaned over and kissed him on a cheek with a wink. "Well no one ever tried to kiss me and got away with it. So guess you win there."

She looked at the knife, and considered what he said. In a way it made sense, but in a way, she wasn't so sure. "What if we're both just blades though? What if we're always just going to make a mess of things? Whether we're together or apart I feel like things are always going wrong..." She shifted and her shoulder gave a twinge of pain. She tried not to flinch but it showed on her face. "I guess it doesn't matter then, does it? If things go wrong, they go wrong. But...I'd rather go through it with you. I tried being alone.... it sucked." Poetic. Nailed it.

Ty listened as she spoke, his wisdom, his way with words having been used up on the knife analogy. "You don't have to be afraid around me," he murmured, then added "Not anymore." He smiled at the kiss on his cheek. "So you're a better pickpocket, but I know how to charm the Will o' Wisp," he said with a peck on her lips.

At her answer to his analogy, he smiled, but thought over it. "Have you ever seen a knife built specifically for fighting? The handle is shaped to nicely hold each finger once you pull the blades out. Yes, blades. There's one on each side.If you cut it in half, at the handle, you won't have enough to hold onto and do any good." Eh, he ruined that one, he felt.

"Yeah. Alone wasn't always so hot for me either. And I found no one can replace you. No matter how fun, intimidating, or sweet they may seem. You're the only you out there. And you," he paused, leaning in and kissing her again, holding this one. "Are mine," he finished when he finally pulled away.

Tses smiled: not a smirk, not a half smile, not wistful, not sad. Just a genuine smile. She wasn't sure what exactly sparked it. Maybe it was a bit of the compliment about pick-pocketing. Maybe it was the comment about being a Will-o-the-wisp. Maybe it was the remark she didn't have to be afraid.

Or maybe it was the kiss.... it very well could have been the kiss.

Her brain was fuzzy enough she didn't question the analogy. Her brain was already loosing the fight. Fears were dissipating, her pulse was going, and she just felt happy. She couldn't remember the last time she felt happy. It seemed like months, years...ages ago. He kissed her again, and she kissed him back. He called her his... He was back. They were back. The only thing totally ruining the moment was the stabs of pain growing in her shoulder, but at least that confirmed how real the moment was.

"Guess this wasn't such a crappy birthday after all."

"Maybe it wasn't. Not the way I imagined us getting back together, but...we have each other again," he said with a smile, leaning down to kiss the side of her neck that didn't connect to the injured arm. He was being careful, still mindful that she was hurt. But there was so much kissing he wanted to do, so many ways he wanted to hold her again. Sadly, not alot of them worked with an injured shoulder.

He pulled back, looking into her eyes before going in for another kiss. He was out of words. He told her how he felt; countless times before and after the shooting incident. Now, he was just showing affection. So much of it, that it seemed he was trying to make up for the several months they'd been apart. He just hoped he wasn't drowning her in it.

Tses' brain was unfortunately in a small state of confusion. Every kiss sent tingles down her spine, made her pulse race, made her want to be closer... and then she moved and her shoulder reminded her how difficult anything romantic at this point could be. Another kiss, more affection, more of what she wanted and was starving for.

Then there was her shoulder. As much pain as she pushed herself through, this was one time it was hard to keep ignoring. A slightly more heated kiss and what ended up being a dumb attempt to pull him closer and she flinched and her face heated with an embarrassed blush as she pulled back slightly with what was a borderline between a giggle and a sob. She buried her face against his neck instead after giving him an apologetic glance. "Ok, maybe not the way I imagined us getting back together either... Maybe... rain check?" Not romantic at all.

Dumb shoulder.

Six months ago, maybe less, Ty would have been hurt, or at least disappointed by her suggestion. But today, he smiled softly, understanding. Standing up, he made his way to the sink and pill bottle, coming back with her pain meds. Helping her take them once again, he smiled, setting the cup down when she got done.

"Rain check. I'll settle for falling asleep with you in my arms again. That, a guy can get used to." Then, in a move that surprised himself, and more than likely would her, he took his shirt off, and tossed it on the couch, revealing his torso, which she'd seen a few times before, but this time, it was a little more inked up than she remembered. On his back was a Celtic circle; a trio of lines, braiding beautifully in something almost like a wreath. In the center of the circle were three marks that looked like claws had torn through his back, but the claws were tiger-patterned. On the right side of his chest was now a spider-web, stopping at the pink hummingbird on his collar, with a small cockroach climbing up one strand of web. On his left shoulder was a green full moon with a black and purple butterfly fluttering underneath. He planned to get more as time went on, each one a symbol of someone in his life. He lay down next to her with another smile, settling into bed and letting his eyes close slowly, peacefully.

Being hurt sucked... While Ty accepted the rain check, and went to get her meds, she still felt somewhat guilty, and somewhat weak. She hated when she wasn't tough enough to do something. Hated admitting defeat. But maybe, it wasn't a complete defeat... Falling asleep in the arms of someone she thought she lost forever... that was still something she gained.

Although, things weren't quite the same. It was evident in Ty's behavior, and in her own. It was clear even in the tattoos Ty now sported she didn't recognize. She caught a glimpse at most of the tattoos, but only a few really stood out to her. The butterfly and the full moon made her smile slightly, and the cockroach made her stomach turn a little. Warning flickered in the back of her head, fear flashing through her momentarily. Then she pushed past it and shut her eyes, laying down next to Ty. For better or worse, she was going to give it a chance, try to make it work. But try as she might, that little cockroach kept chuckling darkly in her dreams, and even in the night, she could hear gunfire.

It wasn't long before Ty was fast asleep, the feeling of her snuggled against his bare chest melting into a peaceful slumber. Dreams danced inside Ty's head from the time he reached a deep sleep. More specifically, it was more like one long dream.

Ty found himself walking down a long, dark, country road, the only light being the light of the moon, though the clouds above made that even dimmer. Eerie. Veering off the path, he walked through a beautiful green pasture that led to a ledge. From there, the lights of the city far below lit up the otherwise ominous night. Standing over this edge, Ty happened to look down, seeing a figure hanging from a long root, struggling to get up, but it was no use.

Leaning down, Ty grabbed her hand as she lost her grip on the root, his other gloved hand squeezing around her wrist and pulling her up with all of his might.Once dragged to safety, he held the blonde woman tightly in his arms, and their lips met in a kiss. Long, deep and passionate.

Suddenly, the two of them found themselves in an interrogation room with Roach, and he was sure others were watching from the two-way mirror. Roach looked at Ty with his unblinking eyes, and said the same phrase over and over. "Love is death, I cannot die. Love is death I cannot die." Looking over to the chair next to him...he noticed Tses was slumped over. She didn't move. Dead.

A flash of light and Ty found himself looking out over the city from the ledge in the countryside again. But this time, he was the one dangling by a thread. As he reached, trying to climb up, he saw a figure looming over the ledge. But it wasn't Tses. He knew it wasn't. "Love is death. I cannot die..." The root snapped, and Ty found himself falling. Tumbling...

A piercing scream cut through the dark hotel room. It was the most horrible scream Ty had ever heard. And then he realized, it was his. His heart was thumping madly in his chest, and he was pouring sweat. He'd still had his jeans on, and his legs were burning up. He stared up at the ceiling.

"It was only a dream. It was only a dream..." he panted. Love is death, I cannot die. "It was only a dream..."