All of the moments that already passed
We'll try to go back and make them last

("Try", Nelly Furtado)

5. Lightness of Being

It turns out Malcolm has known all along. Harry spends several hours wondering how to extract the information, eventually deciding on the direct approach.

"Where is she?"

Malcolm seems almost relieved to tell him.

For the first time in almost a year, Harry's heart feels light.

He knows he cannot act rashly. He needs to think, to plan, to make sure that nothing goes wrong. So it's almost a month before he finally sees her again.

She is sitting in a coffee shop, head bent over a book, lost to the world. Her hair is slightly shorter, she's wearing that same necklace, and she's beautiful. Prague has obviously been good to her. A waiter brings her a pot of tea; she glances up briefly and smiles before returning her attention to the book.

Crime and Punishment. In the original Russian. Of course.

He smiles, and crosses the room. "Excuse me, Miss Eyre. I think this belongs to you."

He slides a book across the table and sits down, enjoying her expression of surprise. She glances at the new book and smiles.

"You know, in the book, Jane goes back to Mr. Rochester."

Her smile fades. "In the book, Jane can go back."

"Fortunately your Mr. Rochester doesn't give up quite so easily as Jane's."

She touches the teapot. "Something to drink?"

She has always been strong, but looking at her now he sees new strength. "Tea? How very English."

"Harry—"

His hand finds hers. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too, but you know I can't—"

"Actually, you can." He grins; that's twice in one day he's rendered her speechless.

"Harry." She shakes her head.

"It's over. You've been cleared. Come home with me, Ruth." It's the first time in months he's said her name aloud.

She blinks quickly; her eyes are bright with unshed tears.

"Come home with me, Ruth," he repeats, just to make sure she's heard him.

She's still shaking her head, and it occurs to him suddenly that Ruth might not want to return to her previous life. It has been almost a year, after all. Maybe she's moved on, met someone, made a new life that has no place for him in it.

But then she says, "I can really go home?" and Harry's doubts disappear just like that.

"If you want to."

"Yes. Yes!" She begins to laugh, and he has the impression that, like him, she hasn't had much to laugh about this year.

He's laughing now, too.

"When can we leave?"

Another brief moment of uncertainty. "There is one more thing. Your house was sold."

"Oh. Well, of course."

"So what I was wondering when I said, 'Come home with me,' was if you'd come home with me."

This makes three times she's speechless.

"You don't have to answer right now."

"Yes," she says, and her smile is the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.

"Since you already have my cats," she adds.

"Of course."

And Harry is whole again.