She stared back at him through the gap.  She had had a whole speech planned.  About how she'd never wanted to leave him, how she know she'd hurt him.  How if he could just stay with her everything would be okay!  She'd imagined them embracing in a thousand different ways, the heated feel of his lips on hers.  Her hands running through his hair, over the soft skin of his shoulders.  Finding that favorite spot and kissing it, long and deep.  Instead, she stared.<br/><br/>Eventually, and not at all what she had expected to do, she turned away from him towards the stairwell, her body moving quicker than she meant it to, but moving none the less.<br/><br/>It had been a mistake to come.  It had drug up too many feelings, too many secrets she couldn't reveal.  She consoled herself that she might just be able to leave now and he would forget, wouldn't be in any danger.  She knew it wasn't true, but she wanted to believe it.  All the dreams she'd had of seeing him again had risen in her mouth like bile, clogging her throat and stopping her from even saying hello.  As she stood there, hiding her face in her hands, she knew she should have just left him alone.  Let him get on with his life.  But she couldn't.  As much as she knew it was wrong, she was glad she had come.<br/><br/>Slowly, ever so slowly, fearing he would still be at the door, looking, she turned her head back over her shoulder, her long auburn hair masking most of her face.<br/><br/>"Um...Hi Alfred."