His hand ripped away from her, her own fingers pawing uselessly at the air before retracting, clutched to her chest just as fear gripped it.

"Cullen?" She asked, worry evident in her voice. She was not sure what she had expected - rejection, maybe. But not this. Not the panic that seemed to grip him, echoing fears she knew nothing of. Maybe she should not have said it at all; kept it buried like she had for years.

His question confused her, until she started to piece things together. Was this real? Did he think this was... a hallucination? A trick?

"Cullen." Softer this time. "I am here, flesh and blood and bone. I promise. I swear to you I am real."