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"I know."

"No."

I smile faintly.

"You don't understand how difficult those words are for me."

He brushes a strand of hair behind my ear.

"I do."

"I trust your instincts."

"And I trust your mind."

"Then stop trying to protect me from doing my job."

A slow smile finally appears.

"Deal."

"But..."

I point a finger against his chest.

"If I tell you the pattern is changing..."

"I listen."

"If I say move..."

"I move."

"If I say the entity is trying to distract you..."

"I don't chase it."

I grin.

"See?"

"We're negotiating."

"We're surviving."

His hand slides into mine. Not possessive. Not controlling. A promise.

"We finish this together."

"Together."

He leans down and kisses my forehead. The simple tenderness of the gesture nearly undoes me more than anything else.

"We should get back."

"I know."

Before we turn, I catch his hand one last time.