Charlie and I were plotting and this just appeared really.

Set post 'Malice in Wonderland'

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Disclaimer: I own zilch.

The Way We Talk

Cigarette smoke hung in the air with a melancholic desperation to exist as Sara sat on the edge of the roof top her feet moving slowly back and forth over the world. She couldn't deny the bitter sweet feeling that had sunk into her chest making her breathless as she attempted to calm her senses to the storm rising in her mind.

Someone sunk into the space beside her, taking the cigarette from between her fingers sending a shock to her system as their skin brushed. Looking quickly out at the neon ocean before her- she ignored his presence.

"It's beautiful out here isn't it?" Greg's raspy, low voice settled in the cool night air between them, his hazel eyes focused on her ignoring the scenes of moving and gathering lights before him.

"A relationship in stasis withers..." Sara mumbled her eyes focused on something in the distance not wanting to look at the man beside her. "At least that's what he said..."

She gave a short humourless laugh tipping her beer bottle taking a sip from it before placing it aside. He wanted to reach out to her but her shivering hands spoke of her resistance to contact so he simply followed her gaze watching as traffic poured down the strip.

"A real relationship is never in stasis Sara. When you love someone it is always changing and transforming. Love doesn't wither..." Greg muttered handing her back her cigarette watching her expression carefully. But there was nothing. She was like a porcelain doll- her eyes spoke of a million things but Sara's expression was stunned silence.

"Then why has it stopped?" She seemed to be asking the question to the air, to the sky, to the city- to everything but him. He could answer.

And answers were what she feared.

"Do you want it to stop?" Greg asked taking a swing from his beer bottle knowing that he'd already had too much to drink. But seeing Sara like this had always done something strange to him and tonight he just wanted to ignore it all- he wanted to feel like himself again. So many things had changed and he didn't want any more.

"Why would you ask me that?" She demanded to know glancing at him with anguish.

"Because I was hoping you'd say yes." He confessed the words barely being processed before they escaped past his lips.

"Screw you Greg. You don't get to say things like that- not now" Sara shouted at him picking herself up off the ground pacing behind him as he sat not moving from the position he was in.

"You never listened to me before." It was his turn to look back on the past and laugh. "You don't care about me Sara- you just used me to validate yourself. You strung me along for years and you walked away. All for him...And here you are and all he's doing is making you feel miserable. Funny isn't it?"

"Shut up" She snapped her hands curled into fists at her sides preparing herself to fight him.

"Why? Is it because you're scared, of the truth?" Greg finally stood up to face her- the anger evident in his hazel eyes.

"This is coming from a man who hasn't been on a date in how long? You're afraid of getting close to anyone because you know they might find out just how vacant your life is. Is it coincidence that every time I call you you're free? Or do you sit by the phone waiting for someone to need you so that you can throw it all back in their face after you've had a few drinks?" Sara couldn't help it- she didn't know where the words had come from but they were hurled towards Greg at such force she seemed to surprise even herself.

"Do you have any ideas how many dates I've cancelled so I can sit with you while you cry over him? Do you know the number of times I've had to decide not to drink because I know I'm going to have to drive you home after you knock yourself out just to forget how sad your life's become?" He responded wondering if Sara had any idea the things he had done and would do for her.

"Nobody forced you to do those things Greg." Sara replied in a low voice. "You shouldn't have bothered."

Greg didn't say a word he pushed Sara up against the nearest wall his lips colliding with hers as he breathlessly kissed her. She didn't fight him off her arms tangled around his neck, her fingers in his hair pulling him even closer towards her.

"I did those things because I love you..." He muttered breathlessly pulling away only for a moment before placing his lips hungrily on her neck wanting nothing more than to taste her skin.

"I haven't been a date in years...because you're the only person I want..." Another confession as he tore open her shirt throwing it aside like it were nothing but a useless barrier trailing his tongue down her throat relishing the vibration of her groan.

"You're the only person I want to get close to..." He thrusted against her as his hands blinding undid her jeans.

"You're an idiot" she muttered, her words withering on her breathless lips "You couldn't have told me this before?"

Sara turned them around so Greg was against the wall her hands unbuttoning his shirt as she kissed him not wanting to see sense or stop what she was doing.

"You never gave me the chance..." He accused her swiftly spinning them again.

The sound of the music thumping in the party below them matched their uneven breaths as the cold night air crystallised the sounds escaping their lips into clouds of lust that vanished into the stars.

Leaving their marks on each other's skin they were staking a claim- they were making this real.

Scratches reminding of every placement of their hands, bite marks for every kiss and bruises for the need to just be closer.

Their bodies only slowly for oblivion; an animalistic sound tearing from Sara's throat as Greg watched on in amazement as she unravelled.

"You're still an idiot." Sara grumbled as he stepped away from her.

"Yes..." Greg couldn't help but smile. "But I'm your idiot..."

The End