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"Thanks for your help, and all you've done."
The tears are trickling down her face. Emmett frowns. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"Maybe some day you can visit me," she says, smiling through her tears. It's breaking Emmett's heart and he doesn't even know what's going on. "I'm sorry, I'm letting everyone down." She covers her mouth, lets out a silent sob. "You did your best, I'm a hopeless case."
"What - that's ludicrous," Emmett splutters. He goes to put a hand on her shoulder but she shrugs away. "You're the best thing about this place," he begs. He can't let her go. Not now. He takes a deep breath. "Elle, there's something you should -"
"Callahan hit on me," she blurts out.
Emmett freezes. Creeping rage threatens to swallow his words. "He what?" he snaps, and immediately regrets it as Elle flinches, crying harder.
"He kissed me, and then he fired me." She shakes her head helplessly, reaching for the doorknob. "There's no reason for me to stay." She slips through the door before he can stop her. Fuck. He leans his head against the door.
"What about love?" His voice sounds pathetic, broken. From inside the room her sobs intensify. "The timing's bad, I know, but Elle, god, I - I love you. Please don't go."
No response, just labored breathing and -
He recognises this.
No.
Please no.
"Elle," Emmett says, voice measured, "please open the door."
She doesn't.
He almost kids himself he can hear the dripping of a liquid, not tears, thicker, tinted a deep dark red -
"Please, open the door," he tries again, desperately this time.
Elle's voice rises tremulously, talking to herself. Talking to herself, almost dreamy. The euphoria she's feeling from - he can't even think the words. "Back to the sun, back to the shore," she breathes happily, interspersed with little gasps that - fuck, those are definitely from pain. "Some girls fight hard, some face the trial. Some were just meant to... smile..." Her voice breaks.
The tears are obscuring Emmett's vision. He can't lose her too. "If you can hear," he pleads, "can I just say how much I want you to stay?" God, he needs her to stay.
"It's not up to me," she sobs. "Just let me be legally blonde." Her laugh is bitter, broken.
"I need you to stay," Emmett whispers.
"It's not up to me," she repeats. He sinks to the floor. "Just let me be legally blonde."
At last, the doorknob turns. Emmett stumbles in to find her on the floor. Fuck. Blades dripping red. Fresh cuts. He flies over to her and takes her into his arms. Elle folds, shaking with sadness. Her blood stains his shirt. His tears soak her hair.
Their hearts break together.