#bergen_county

Meanwhile....

Sylvi lets Colton escort her away into the night beyond the warehouse walls, the music fading behind them. It's cold, but they're trolls, so it doesn't much matter. She's quiet and still staying close against his side as they walk.

He holds her quietly, one arm about her.

After some time, she quietly says, "I...don't know if it was as quick and clean as...well...I don't know..."

A sigh.

"All I know is you're hurting, and you seem to think you're terrible, and that's not true"

"How do you know it's not, Colton? How do you know? Because I sure don't know." A frustrated tone. "He hasn't been dating anybody, Colton. He...he's been waiting for me, or something. Like...like trying to catch up, or something."

"Yeah, I'm hurting, but he's hurting just as bad. Or more."

"And he's hurting because of me."

A frown, "You know, I know I should feel sorry for him, but I don't. He doesn't have a right to expect you to be ooo impressed and roll over for him or leap into his arms. How a person spends or does not spend their life is their own choice, not anyone else's. You should not be punished for falling in love, for having a life and for enjoying it."

"You've neglected NO Duty, done nothing dishonest or dishonorable"

"Manipulation like this, it's wrong with A leanhaun does it, and it's wrong when a DeBuke does it. Difference is, yes, maybe he's hurting, but he's the one who set himself up for the pain- not you"

"Don't compare him to a Leanhaun!" She pushes a bit away, angry. Yeah, he may have gone a step too far on that one. "That's not fair at all!"

"I..." he gapes then "I'm sorry."

"He's not....It's just..." She breaks off again, then a frustrated sigh. "He's not evil."

"No I guess not, but a person can be good hearted, and still DO wrong" Colton says "And he is. And I wish you'd defend yourself in this as much as you're defending him. How is it your fault that he's chasing after you when you moved on?"

She folds her arms and looks away, frowning. After a minute, she mutters something inaudible.

"Syl-vi" he stretches her name out, coaxing "I don't know how being on your side has you angry at me. Is there some reason you want me to tell you that you're a terrible person because you feel in love with me?"

She let's it out in a rush, her voice rising, "Because part of me likes that he feels that way! Because part of me likes knowing that he still wants me, that he still hopes we could be together! And, dammit Colton, part of me is curious just how long he'll keep trying to be with me! And I HATE that part of me! I HATE it!" She turns and starts walking off. "I want to go home..." she mutters.

He follows after her, "I... I don't know..didn't..." He tries to take her hand "Look, you think others don't feel petty or selfish things? It is what you do and not who you are inside that defines you. And the Sylvi I know is a peacemaker, a voice for justice and she tries to be gentle. She loves attention, but she's not cruel. And ... you're not being fair to yourself."

She's a bit reluctant about him taking her hand at first, but allows it...then listens. And she's quiet as he finishes. If nothing else, at least she seems to be thinking about what he's said. Still looking away, frowning, but thinking....

"You think I don't have things I enjoy? Petty things? I do. Everyone does. Why the Chieftain herself has those moments whree she hurls a sidhe through the air and Pennons and I bet you on the inside she's feeling just a bit smug... but what she DOES is offer him or her a hand up. It's what she does that matters most. Sir August ... he studies religion a LOT...philosophy... and one who resists their dark half is the true hero, not the onew ho has no dark side at all. IF Such a person exists"

She looks down a moment, then looks at him, searching. "You're...not mad at me." Half a question, half a revelation.

"Confused a bit, worried for you a lot, wishing I were smarter so I could..fix everything you feel needs fixing" He says "But not mad. Why would I be mad? You just admited you enjoyed another guys attention but still decided NOT to string him along, and you still went back to me? Mad? What sane human or troll would be mad?"

A moment...then a sheepish grin...and then she turns to him and slips her arms around him, burying her face against his shoulder again.

"Did.. did I just say something right? And.. if I did, could you tell me which part so I can learn from this?"

He strokes her hair as he asks

A shaky half-laugh. "You said it all right. All of it." Her voice muffled against him.

He strokes her hair "I am... never going to remember all that"

"Good. I don't know if I could handle you being that smart all the time." She sniffs, and then carefully wipes her eyes. "I'm a mess," she adds apologetically.

"Messy you is still beautiful", as he looks her over.

Then a smile, "And I don't know if I could handle you being that put together ALL the time"

A shaky laugh. "Yeah, okay, my incredible cosmic power needs to be on energy-save mode sometimes, huh?" A deep breath and a sigh. "Sorry I got...whatever I got. Sad. Mad. Smad."

"Smad is normal once in awhile." He says "I get lustfrated myself"

That coaxes a burst of laughter from her. "Okay, I like that one."

a grin "thanks. " He decides to take credit for it when someone at ER first used it

"Welcome." She looks back at the warehouse, noting the trickle of people leaving. "I think the party's breaking up."

"Yeah, not much worth going back at this stage I don't think unless you really want to."

She shakes her head. "No. Sorry, I didn't mean for you to come all the way here just for...well...drama."

"Hey, It wasn't just drama. Good music, dancing with you and... well- I lived at a Fiona hold for awhile. You want drama? The last time Baroness Coradel and Sir ..pardon, Baron August had a tiff? She redecorated an entire hallway with art work of famous women slaying men.. I mean, it didn't stay up long but it was a very nervewracking hallway to walk through with Boudicia holding up a Roman Office'rs head and stuff"

Sylvi laughs. "Oh, I wish I could have seen that. There's not enough Boudicca art in general." Then a sigh and she nestles in against his side again.

"I know yyou're not big on nobles, but I think you might like her..." he snuggles "By the way, not sure I said it, but mess or not, you look great tonight. And that last video? How did you get Siv to look like that? "

"Oh...it's an airbrush thing..." She smiles at him. "It's funny for me to think of you watching my cosmetics videos."

A blush "Yeah yeah , I would SO get ripped if other guys knew, but .. sometimes I just wanna see you and.. there you are"

"See, now you have to do some videos to make it even," she says, giving him a little poke in the side. "Maybe, how to redecorate your newly re-awakened Lodge to match the new boss's style."

"Right of ignorance miiight protest lodge make overs" He says with a chuckle

"Details, details..." she waves it off airily, then looks at him a long moment before reaching up to claim a kiss.

And he returns it, one hand cupping the side of her face, the other down at her hip, their lips pressing warmly, threatening to heat up.

Heat sparks easily after an emotional rollercoaster, after all. And she's in no hurry to part from the kiss. Definitely not.

The kiss intensifies, and his hands pressing against her contours ,only cloth keeping desire at bay