The kiss was electrifying, just as he'd known it would be, when it finally happened. He leaned in to meet her, relief and heartache mixing together as he wrapped his arm around her back, pulling her closer. It tasted like desperation and panic and freedom. He'd let go of her hand only so he could move his up to her face, stroking back to cradle the back of her head.

When he finally pulled away, he found himself short of breath, and leaned his forehead against hers, like he'd wanted to the other day. "You..." He swallowed against the hoarseness in his throat. "Thank you, for telling me. I'm so sorry, so sorry." He wasn't sure exactly what he was apologizing for; that she'd felt the need to tell him, to relive the experience even in those few sentences, or that she'd had to experience any of it in the first place.

"I'm not gonna let anything happen to you, okay?" He leaned in again to press a soft kiss against her mouth, to seal the implicit promise in his words. "Anyone finds out, anyone comes after you, they'll have to come through me. And you don't know this yet, but I am the most stubborn asshole you'll ever meet."