Her throat works as she searches his face, the storm vanished from her eyes like clouds blown out to sea. "Me too," she says, softly.

But he can't, and that means they're at a stalemate for now. That's okay; at least now she knows what she's dealing with.

She takes the last few steps required to come close enough to take his hand and lift it to cup it between her own. Very gently, she places a deliberate kiss into his palm, then folds his fingers around it and lowers his hand back to his side, looking back up at him again.

"I'm not giving up," she tells him, and her voice is quiet but clear. "I promise I'll respect your decisions. But I'm not giving up. Just so you know."