Title: Can't
Author: csiAngel
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: I do not own Lie to me*. Sobs.
Summary: post Double Blind (3x04). She can't tell him that they're okay…
A/N: I wrote this in October, just after the episode aired but I just wasn't sure about it. Now I am. Thank you to Victoria and Lightwoman for reading this for me and assuring me it is fine.

… … …

"I can't tell you that we're okay," she responded to him, turning her body slightly so her eyes could follow him as he walked away. "And you know I can't."

He stopped walking and turned only his head to meet her eyes. "I know."

Their gazes held across the room, a silent discussion that they both understood what was going on.

"I'm trying," she told him, quietly.

"So am I," he assured her quickly.

"I know you are…"

Another moment of silence. Another exchange of looks - longing for things to be different.

"But it's not enough, is it? It can't be enough."

She took a step towards him, wanting to reach out to him, wanting to make it all okay as was her usual role in all of this. She stopped herself. "It'll have to be."

"It won't be, Gill… This'll be the beginning of the end."

"That's what we're trying to prevent, Cal. We don't have to let that happen."

"We can't carry on as we were. We can't carry on as we are. There are two options for moving forwards - and we can't take one of them."

"You've decided we can't," she reminded him, quietly, and watched his eyes flicker wider before he got them under control.

"Tell me how we can," he challenged her.

Because he knew she wouldn't be able to do it. Because he knew as well as she did that they were on ground that was too unsettled to start building something now. And he knew he'd brought them to this point.

And she knew that was what was tearing him apart the most.

"You can at least stop leaving me out of things. We need to get back the way we were and then maybe we can…" She trailed off. They both knew it was all highly unlikely.

"I'll try." He promised her.

She hoped he meant it. She hoped it would matter.

She nodded and offered him a sad smile, holding his gaze for a further two seconds before looking towards the door and heading in that direction.

"You really did look beautiful last night, darling."

She stopped at his words, glancing at him to show her gratitude, and then she continued her exit.

She really hoped he meant it.

THE END