<hr/><br/><div class="floatleft">(http://i46.tinypic.com/2h6bqqe.png)</div><br/><strong>Name:</strong>Connor Marks<br/><strong>Nom De Guerre:</strong>Planck<br/><strong>Position/Grade:</strong>Sophomore Ne'er-do-well<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Dorms<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Any, Lara<br/><br/><hr/>That was something that he loved about her - that he could step close to her, whisper to her, and she didn't shy back.  She didn't flinch away.  He remembered how when they were dating, and every step closer seemed to draw her closer, like two planetoids that had fallen into each others orbits and were doomed to collide.  He saw her considering his words, saw her truly thinking about them, and he smiled.<br/><br/>He shook his head.  "It's selfish," he said softly.  "And cruel to say."  He blew out a breath, and yet when she looked down and shook her head, he drew her chin up.  He hated seeing her beating herself up.  He knew the easy answer and the forced smile which didn't touch her eyes.  He kept his finger beneath her chin, keeping her eyes up, her gaze locked with his.  She was avoiding what she felt, and when he started to hear the pattern of rain on the window outside, he knew what it meant.<br/><br/>"We will figure this out," he said softly.  "We will.  And I will<em>never</em>give up," he swore.  He smiled with teeth.  "No matter who gets in my way.  But don't you<em>dare</em>lose hope."  His words were soft but impassioned.  Then he simply let her chin go, but instead of letting her look down, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her.  He pulled her close, letting her linger against him.   "You're not broken," he said softly.  "You're never going to be a lost cause.  And I'm never giving up on you."