Don't Give Up

I would never

It didn't take a lot of convincing for Mark to agree to come over. The way Stevie's voice cracked on the other end of the line was enough for him to rush to his room, change clothes and get in his car. Stevie told him that if he was doing something, it wasn't necessary for him to drop it, because she asked to see him, but he assured her that she was a lot more important than whatever he had been doing prior to her call.

Mark arrived quicker than usual, reaching to ring the bell, but he stopped himself, remembering what time it was, he knocked instead. Stevie appeared in the doorway a moment later, tear stained face and a glass of wine in her hand.

"What happened?" Mark asked, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. 

Stevie didn't reply, just opened her arms for a hug. He embraced her without hesitation and they just stood like that for a minute, Mark alternating between stroking her hair and rubbing her back.

"Why don't we take a seat, huh? And you can talk to me." Mark suggested and seeing Stevie nod, he took her by the hand without thinking and guided their way to the living room. 

"I went to see Lindsey today." Stevie spoke up after some time, pouring the last of the wine into her glass. "I waited anxiously for his therapy session to be over and when he came back, he was in a wheelchair. It hurt me to see him like that and he was shocked to see me. But that emotion was quickly replaced by anger." She said, leaning against the back of the couch, sipping on her drink. "He asked me, why I was there if he didn't want to see me. I told him that I missed him, but he wasn't hearing it. He stuck to his previous words to me, saying that he's useless. He called himself a burden again and I tried to make him understand that he's not that to me, but..." She trailed off, sighing. "I told him that I love him and that it would be easier for him if he let me go through this with him, but he doesn't see it that way. He told me, there's got to be someone better for me than him."

"He's hurting too, Stevie." Mark said, when she grew silent. "You can tell from the things he says. He's pushing you away, because he thinks that's what he's supposed to do. It doesn't necessarily mean it's the right thing to do however."

Turning her head to face him, Stevie ignored Mark's words. "You know what else Lindsey said? He said, Mark sounds great."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise and it took him a minute to be able to talk again. "Me? How does he know about me?"

"Well, Julia obviously told him. He just doesn't care anymore. He said, I could do whatever the hell I wanted to do." Breathing out heavily, Stevie got up from the couch and went for another bottle of wine, opening it in the kitchen, she brought along another glass, handing it to Mark. 

"I don't think I should be drinking." 

"One glass won't hurt." Stevie filled it halfway. "What am I supposed to do, Mark?" She asked, sounding hopeless, as she sat down, a little closer to him. "What have I done wrong?"

"Judging by what you've told me, you loved him." Mark replied, tasting the wine. 

"I loved him. I love him." Stevie nodded, closing her eyes, laying her head on Mark's shoulder. "It seems like it's not enough anymore. I've tried so hard, I insisted on helping him, on staying by his side through this and he keeps pushing me away. I'd like to think that I'm a strong person, but I'm not strong enough to take any more of this. I am a human being, I have feelings and everything Lindsey's done and said lately has only hurt me."

Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, Mark pulled Stevie closer against him, as her arm lay across his middle. "I hate to see you in pain. I wish I could do something to take this away from you." He spoke, drawing invisible patterns on her upper arm.

It seemed like Mark noticed there had been a record playing this whole time, only when it stopped. Stevie had already gone through three albums of old classics before Mark arrived. 

"Do you want me to flip the sides or put on something else?" Mark asked, looking down at Stevie, who shook her head. 

"No, I don't want you to move." She admitted, finding comfort in his arms. Her answer wasn't something Mark expected to hear. 

With her glass empty once again, Stevie pulled away from Mark, putting it on the coffee table, also taking his away, too. Sitting up straight, she turned to look at him over her shoulder. She was stupid for thinking about it, but she was a complete idiot for acting on it, as she slid back into his embrace and kissed him. He was shocked she did that, but he couldn't say he wasn't hoping for it to happen, as he kissed her back equally as eager. 

However, already cursing at himself for doing it, Mark slowed down and broke their lips apart completely. Cradling her face in both of his hands, Mark sighed, saying. "God, I want to kiss you again, but..."

"But what? I shouldn't have-"

"No, no, Stevie." He shook his head, brushing his thumb over her cheek. "I pulled away not because I wanted to, but because I had to." Confusion crossed her face, so he continued. "You've clearly been drinking a lot tonight. You're not thinking straight. I wouldn't want you to feel regret or guilt after whatever that might have happened."

"Don't tell me what I would feel." She said defensively. "I wanted to kiss you." 

"I can't be sure." Mark tried to explain softly. "I would never take advantage of you. Or any other woman for that matter."

Covering his hands with her own, Stevie lowered them from her face. "I'm such an idiot..."

"You're not, you're just emotional and a bit drunk." Mark hoped to lighten up the mood. "Come on." He stood up, holding out his hand. "You're tired. Let's get you to bed."

Without putting up a fight, Stevie laced her fingers with Mark's and wordlessly they climbed the stairs up, making their way to the bedroom. Mark was going to leave, thinking she was going to change her clothes, but Stevie went straight for the bed. Messing up the comforter, she got under it.

"What I said, it still stand. Call me whenever." Mark half-smiled. "Goodnight, Stevie." He said, before turning the lights out and quietly closing the door to her bedroom. 

With a heavy sigh, he leaned up against the door for a moment, closing his eyes. He didn't know where he found that power in him tonight, but he wasn't so sure if he was going to be able to resist her the next time.