Heartbeat

In Between Daydreams

It seemed like yesterday, that moment, still happened right now.

That moment, every part of it, still burned in the back of their eyes.

Because that elevator still holds within it, a want, a need for that moment again. That essence of purgatory mixed itself with an overwhelming sensation of ecstasy. It was wonderful, beautiful even. But it wasn't enough to get them to talk about it, not for a while at least.

When her back was pressed against his chest, she had one thing that would always let her know how long she would get to savor every bit of his entire entity. Of their joined vitalities. The rhythmic beating from inside his rib cage, booming and vibrating off of her eardrums.

Even after they were rescued, she longed for its reassuring pounding. It was one small thing that somehow, started to effect her entire psyche.

He of course, didn't mind it when she hugged him more often, lingering there for a bit longer than she used to.

Even the next day, when they sat on her living room couch, late at night. Talking. He ended up in the same position as in the elevator. Except she was facing sideways leaning on his chest. There was nothing intimate about it , but it meant so much more than it used to.

It was months before anything as intimate as what happened in the elevator occurred again. And they were both almost fine with that. Almost.

More movie nights. More staying late, filing old case files. Together. More leaving at the same time.

They were in perfect sync.

Even when it was something a bit more ceremonial. Their own slowdance. Slow.

Intimate.

She always ended up in his arms, but that's how she preferred it. How he preferred it. How they wanted it. Needed it. He could play with her hair, and she could listen to the pounding, reverberating, reassuring, harmonious beat of his heart.