Hallbjorn turned away from her and got out of the truck. That hurt Kara, especially when he would not look at her. When he shut the door on her, she could feel her heart splintering. Kara opened her door and stepped out into the pouring rain. Hallbjorn didn't even come to her side of the vehicle. He was so cold, and so totally cut off from her.<br/><br/>She didn't understand what was happening, and intended to ask him what was going on, but when she met him in front of the truck, his words stopped her. What Hallbjorn was telling her made it sound as if he was sending her on her way, but alone.<br/><br/>“You're not coming with me.” It wasn't a question, it was a revelation. The rain obscured her tears, and it was all she could do to hold herself together. Kara hugged her arms around her middle as if she could keep her heart together. His words came back to her. Hallbjorn said he was breaking her heart. Maybe she should have believed him.<br/><br/>“Your received your payment for protecting me.” Had it all just been about the job? She did not want to believe that. “Why would you want more?” She felt discarded by him, even as she prayed that he would tell her he wanted a life with her, that he loved her and he would never let her go.<br/><br/>“This is goodbye?” She whispered to him, then sucked her lower lip into her mouth to keep it from trembling.<br/><br/>Even faced with his coldness, and this chasm between them, Kara did not want to accept that this was the end of them. She needed Hallbjorn more then air. This couldn't be the end. It had to be a misunderstanding. Hallbjorn loved her. Didn't he?