Shattering as you watch (Darius) - Darius and Crew

At least she was coherent again. That was the most that he could ask for, really.

"Have you eaten? Or did you just answer the phone and have a breakdown?"

She shook her head.

"He called, I broke. Have not had a chance to eat."

He nodded.

"How do you feel about a surf and turf tonight, fresh on the grill?"

She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"That sounds fantastic."

He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Anyone that you want to invite? I might even bake a cake for it."

She shook her head.

"Just us?"

He looked her in the eye.

"I can never promise that, Elizabeth. 'Just us' implies my family, which is me and you and Savannah and Gwen."

She nodded and bit her lip.

"Savannah doesn't like me."

He sighed.

"Savannah likes you. She doesn't like that I spend so much of my time with you."

She nodded.

"Gwen says you won't leave me."

For a moment, his face darkened. Just a flash of it. Then it was gone.

"Gwen says, does she? Gwen is right."

She cringed and bit her lip again.

"I...had a weak moment. She came here while it was happening. Talked me through it."

He nodded, his jaw set. He wasn't angry at Elizabeth, per se.

"Why were you having a weak moment, Elizabeth? What happened?"

She took a deep, grounding breath.

"When Savannah had her fit and walked out on you, I broke and thought you would leave me. I know you promised, and I trust you, but I am broken, and instinct can overwhelm my reason."

He nodded, his eyes still concentrating on picking cell phone bits out of her palms.

"It is understandable. You do not know me all that well yet."

She sighed when he didn't grow angry.

"I know that eventually, the fact that you won't leave me will become instinctual. Thank you for understanding."

He nodded and looked at her. Putting the tweezers back into the medicine cabinet, he cupped her cheek and looked her in the eye.

"There are two things in this world that I prize above all else, Elizabeth. Beauty and logic. Logic says that these things you have been dealing with are logical, reasonable, considering what you have gone through."

She met his eyes and smiled.

"I try to be logical. It's hard."

He smiled.

"But I do like to see the effort."

She nodded, then turned her head quickly to kiss his palm.

"For you, I will try anything."

He smiled and picked her up off of the counter. He sat her back on her feet on the floor and smiled at her.

"All right. Why don't you run to the grocery store for us? We need a bottle of sangria and some bread and potatoes. I'll start cleaning the crab and lobster and get the grill fired up."

She nodded.

"I can do that."

Then she looked down at herself.

"I should change first, though."

He smiled.

"Why don't you wear one of my shirts and some comfortable pants? That way, you'll always have me with you."

She beamed and nodded.

"That would be great. Thank you."

He smiled at her and nodded. Then he paused.

"Elizabeth, would you like to have something more permanent from me that you can keep with you?"