Story Title: Fall
Genre: Dollhouse
Characters/Pairings: Adelle, Dominic; DeWitt/Dominic
Rating: PG
Summary: He'd always said that if they fell, they'd fall together. He won't let her go alone.

"Laurence," she says. Her voice is soft, but he still looks up from where he sits on the other side of the room. She's standing at her window, looking out on a world gone to ruin; a world she's helped to create. Her hands rest on the glass, and she leans into it. It's a long drop to the ground from way up here. For a moment she lets herself imagine what it would be like to just step out and fall. It would be quick, not painless but she doesn't really care about that anymore. More than anything, it would be easy. She could end it all, just like that. No more guilt, no more pain, no more having to struggle through each day, hoping for a miracle. She could just cease to exist like so many others before her.

She pushes harder against the window, feeling it give way slightly. Before, these windows were the strongest the world had to offer. Now they've been worn away at. They've seen the demise of the world and they have no more fight to give. Her hands grow insistent on the glass, pushing harder. She wants to end it all, she doesn't want to live anymore.

Then, she feels arms wrap around her waist and another body mould to hers. His lips are at her neck and he whispers, "Don't," low and soft in her ear. She's still while he kisses her, and then slowly her hands drop from the glass.

"I'm sorry," she says.

"It's okay."

He'd always said that if they fell, they'd fall together. He won't let her go alone.

She turns in his arms so she's facing him and peers up at him. "I didn't really want to jump… I don't think." She frowns and then sighs. "God, what's happened to me? I used to be so assured, confident that everything I did was right and I knew what I wanted and never questioned my actions. Now look at me! I can't even tell whether I wanted to jump out a window or not. I'm just so… confused."

She knows she's insane. Not as crazy as Topher, maybe, but she thinks she might be getting there. She's just glad she has someone to pull he back off that ledge once she gets too close and keep her safe and secure in the new world.

"It's okay," he tells her again, his hands coming to cup either side of her face. "We're all confused at the moment. Frankly, if you weren't I'd be a little scared. It's just human, Adelle. You are only human."

When he kisses her, she feels heat rush through her veins and curl her toes. She feels safe in his arms, protected from the world. She knows that, even though they exist in a world that's fallen to pieces, and she's consumed by guilt and pain and struggles, she wants to be in this world. She doesn't want to die. He's given her something to live for, a reason to keep breathing. He's given her love, even in the most unlikely of places.

Together they turn and stand to watch the world turn to ash, his arms still firmly around her, holding her down with him, keeping her sane.