Hank

He'd said too much, shown too much emotions. She wasn't meant to know how much he hated that she was willing to work things out with her husband. Hank was busy berating himself when Thea walked out to the living room. Hank watched as she stopped in her tracks when she noticed him.

"I thought you'd left."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He watched her trying to decide on what to do. She looked at him briefly then chewed on her nails. Thea drew closer to him and he dragged her by the hand, she ended up on the sofa he was stretched out on. Hank wrapped an arm lovingly around her neck as she rested on his chest.

"I'm sorry for going through your phone. And I'm sorry for putting you in this situation, I understand how frustrating it must be whenever I talk about Jamal."

"You don't have to apologize for that, I wanted to be in this situation."

"I know I came off as hypocritical...I just didn't know you have a girlfriend."

Hank didn't speak for a minute but caressed her face with his thumb. "She isn't my girlfriend, Thea. I don't know if that was the energy the text was giving off, but she's a friend I help out sometimes."

She shifted in his arms. "Did I mess things up?"

"You didn't. I'm sorry I went off on you, I guess I was having separation anxiety already. I'm just nervous about leaving you."

"Yea, I understand. I don't want you to leave also."

Hank would have told her to come with him few days ago, but he wasn't that ignorant anymore. "You'll always be my lil baby though."

"It's just the part where you said I couldn't process my feelings like an adult, that was really something."

He heard the laughter in her voice so he said, "Let's not talk about it."

Thea kissed him and he kissed her back. There was so much to be said that wasn't being said, but he felt some of her emotions through the kiss. Hank went back to caressing her face as she got comfortable in his arms. He rested his chin on her head and fell asleep.

When Hank woke up, Thea was still in his arms and she was humming a song. He kissed her neck and she looked up and smiled at him. Her eyes were shining so brightly and his heart swelled.

Hank couldn't believe how much he liked her. He didn't want to use the word 'love' yet. It was too soon, and it wasn't mutual. He didn't want to dwell on that, they had few more days to spend together and he wanted to enjoy every minute.

Thea got up to cook dinner at some point. He laughed when she added grapes to a bowl after setting the table, did she know what they did with grapes? He pulled her chair closer to his before they began eating. He ate the spicy, chicken noodles she made and they talked about food as they ate.

"Do you know what we did with grapes?" he asked when they finished their meal.

"I can't remember, you tell me."

Hank knew she remembered with the way her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Tell you?" he laughed. "I'd rather show you."

Hank popped a grape into his mouth and Thea moved her face closer to his. He tried not to laugh as she ate from his mouth. He remembered everything they did that evening and from the way Thea's skin was flushed, she remembered too.

They went to bed in each other's arm after making love. Hank stayed awake all through the night and Thea kissed him every time she woke up to pee. It was the fact that they were so touchy with each other without it leading to sex all the time that tripped Hank. He'd never felt that sort of connection with anyone else.

Hank was cleaning the kitchen when he heard a beep from his phone. He picked it up and saw it was a message from Jamal.

"I can't reach Thea, let her know I'm back and on my way home if you're with her."

Shit! Hank rushed to Thea's work station and didn't bother knocking. She smiled when she saw him then frowned when she read his facial expression.

"Didn't you say your husband was taking a five days work trip?"

"He was. What's the matter, Hank?"

"He's back. Where's you phone? He said he has been trying to reach you."

"I hid it in the guest room. I didn't want it to be awkward between us whenever he called," she explained when he raised his brows in question.

"Jamal is on his way home."

Thea went looking for her phone and he followed closely behind her. They saw several missed calls and messages from Jamal and Thea looked worried.

"He has never called me this much. Do you think he suspects anything?"

"Looks like he was worried when you didn't pick his calls."

She sighed. "Yes, you're right."

Thea hugged him and he said, "I think you should go home."

"Where will you go?" she muffled into his shirt.

"Home, also."

"We had less than two days left. Why is he back so early?"

"I don't know."

They went to the living room and Hank finished tidying the kitchen while Thea just sat on the sofa waiting. Her silence was making him nervous and he went to her.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm just scared. What if I don't see you tomorrow?"

Hank lifted her in his arms, and her arms went around his neck as they stared into each other's eyes.

"I'll be with you tomorrow, I promise."

"I'm going to miss you."

"So am I. Let's get you ready, it's better you get home before he does."

"I don't care. I just want to stay here with you," she grumbled.

Oh boy! Hank was torn. Thea got her things into her bag and Hank dropped the car key in her palm. She hugged him for a minute straight and he breathed in her scent.

"Do you want me to drive you home?" he asked.

"Please. I'm too emotional to drive right now."

Hank took the car key from her and they went outside to the car. He turned off the radio and they stayed silent as he drove. He dropped Thea home and they just stared at each other when he parked in the driveway. He didn't want to kiss her in the car because the security guy could be watching so he held her hand.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Call me before you go to bed."

Thea nodded and he got out of the car. He jogged to the gate and got a bus home. Hank climbed the stairs to his apartment solemnly and greeted his neighbor on the way to his door.

He poured the brandy he had left in a glass and swallowed. Hank waited by his phone all day for Thea's call and when it eventually came in, he smiled in relief and let her in.