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Scott and Hope sit at a quiet corner of the beach that Hank and Janet had chose to put their home. It had been a long time since they were able to have some quiet time together, especially after what happened with Germany. Scott was pretty sure he could still feel the adrenaline running through his veins from the events from 3 days ago.
After the whole Ghost and Sonny situation, Scott and Hope had parted ways, each going to spend some well-deserved time with their families. They had missed each other dearly after having spent 2 years apart, but neither was willing to admit it. Scott would have asked to meet Hope immediately after everything had settled, but he’d hurt her too many times and it seems like they’ve always been moving backwards in their relationship.
Two steps forward and one step back.
He knew she needed some time. That was until 3 days later, Scott gave in and rang Hope up.
Hearing the dial tone coming from the phone in his hand gave him a lot more stress than he expected. Were they even talking anymore? Maybe she’s still mad at him. What if she just wants to cut off all ties-
He didn’t get to finish his thought when the call was picked up.
"Hey, Scott." God, he missed her voice.
"Hope! Hi! I was wondering um… I- Wait, no- um… I- Sorry, um… Are we still talking?" Scott mentally slapped himself. Why was he so flustered? It’s just Hope.
But that’s the thing, isn’t it? It’s not "just Hope". It’s Hope, his partner in crime, the person who he'd take a bullet for. The person he'd follow to the end of the world. It’s Hope, the love of his life.
"Well, I picked up, I would hope we’re still talking." He could hear the smile in her voice that he knew she was trying to stifle.
"Oh, right. Good, good. Um, can I see you? I- I’ve missed you."
Hope hesitated, and Scott could only wish that he hadn’t said the wrong thing.
"Um, well, Mom’s cooking dinner, she said she wanted to get back into it. You could come join us? I-If you want."
Scott agreed without a moment of hesitation. He had expected to feel like an outsider, like he was intruding on this family gathering. But somehow, as he sat next to Hope at the dinner table, eating and chatting, things felt right. Like this was how it all should be.
After dinner, Scott and Hope decided to go on a walk, which is how they ended up here, sitting in the sand just a little further down from where the house was. They had been sitting in a comfortable silence for a few minutes now, both very obviously ignoring the huge elephant in the room.
Eventually, Scott broke the silence, "Listen, Hope. I wanted to apologise. I know that I hurt you, and no amount of apologies will be able to make up for that. But I want you to know that I really am sorry, and I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I just… I want you to know that I really care about you and you mean a lot to me, and I didn’t mean to hurt you. I know that doesn’t really mean much but I-"
"Scott," Hope interrupted him before he could spiral, "It’s okay. I... I've already forgiven you."
"Oh. Really?"
Hope nodded and shifted to rest her head on Scott’s shoulder. Scott felt his heart warm at that, moving to accommodate her more comfortably.
"I think I forgave you the moment you came to break us out of jail."
Scott breathes out a laugh, his arm slinging around her back. Silence fell over them again before Hope spoke up.
"Why…" Hope started, "Nevermind, it’s nothing."
"Hey, if you’re thinking about it, it isn’t nothing. Tell me." Scott reaches up with his free hand, brushing her long brown locks away from her face.
"Why didn’t you tell me? That you were going to Germany, I mean." Her fingers had trailed to the end of his jacket, fiddling with the zipper.
"I was trying to protect you. Which I know is stupid considering you are so much stronger than me in literally everything," Hope let out a laugh at that, "I thought that if anything went south, I would face the consequences without having to drag you down with me. I know now, that it didn’t really make a difference anyway."
Hope lifted her head from his shoulder, and he was painfully aware of the loss of warmth. She looks at him so intensely that he was sure she could see the tips of his ears reddening when he met her eyes even in the low light of the evening.
"We’re supposed to be partners, Scott. If anything happens, we face it together."
Scott tucked her hair behind her ear, leaning his forehead against hers. A quiet moment between them. Her arms circle around the back of his neck, letting her eyes flutter close.
"I missed you," Scott whispered.
Hope’s breath hitches, and for a second Scott fears that she would pull away, close herself off and build up her defences all over again. It was something that he had seen her do time and time again whenever it got too much, whenever there were too many emotions involved. But instead, she leans in closer, pressing her lips to his in a tender kiss. Scott swears he could feel electricity buzzing through him, the warmth from every point they touch burning just enough to make him feel light-headed. He savours it for every moment they have missed. For every tear she had shed because of him.
When they finally part, Scott’s eyes trace over every part of her face, the delicate curve of her nose and her cheekbones, every freckle scattered across them. Every eyelash that frame her eyes just right, the gold specks in her eyes that make him fall in love more and more every time. He’d missed this. Missed the times that it was just them, "you and me against the world". Missed the quiet moments, where he’d see her unwind and let loose in a way that no one else would see, and he'd question why she chose him to be the one to see it. Missed the times where they could forget all their worries and just be with each other. Missed her.
He kisses her again, short and sweet, and his heart flutters when he pulls away to see her lips quirk up into a smile. He commits this moment to memory.
He didn’t realise he had spoken until the words left his mouth, "I love you."
He fears he had said too much. Hope's eyes widen, a slight shift that would only be noticeable if one was this close. He fears that it was too soon, that this would be what pushes her to close off again, and he wants to take back his words. But yet, he feels a sense of relief he never thought he would feel, now that she knows. Scott watches as Hope’s lips part just so, and he swears he could see the gears turning in her head.
"Really?"
Scott couldn’t help but smile, because how could she even doubt it. He couldn’t see his life without her in it.
"Yeah. Yeah, Hope. I love you. I love you so much."
Scott sees her bite her bottom lip to hide the grin threatening to break across her face, the corners of her eyes creasing in the usual way it does when she smiles which is what gives her away, "I love you too."
Two steps forward and one step back is still one step forward.