Harry and I sit on the floor across from the painting of the Aemon, both looking at each other with childish smiles on our faces as he tells me about England; his friends and family and what it was like skipping school and running all over Europe to learn how to properly tattoo from professionals. The afternoon sun lights up the room as he explains how his mom has missed me and wonders about me all time; I blush. Anne has eyes that said she understood exactly what was happening to me back then, even though I never spoke a word of it to her and I know Harry didn't either.

We hear the bells above the door chime and turn to see a haggard looking Liam enter.

"Mold?!" He says, with his eyes fixed on Harry and not noticing my presence at all "Why are you just sitting around when we've got mold in the walls?!"

"I was going to call the landlord but then i figured you ought to do that since you have the professional touch. Where you would calmly discuss and come to an agreement, I'd berate him and punch him in the face and then where would we be?"

Liam shakes his head then nods it as he considers the logic.

"That is true..." He runs a frantic hand over his face and lets out a deeply overwhelmed sigh. His eyes dart around the room. "That's a cool two thousand dollar paint job down the drain."

"We were idiots to give them two grand to paint the place anyway, we should have just done it ourselves....looks like we'll end up doing that anyway."

They exchange complaints and woes like two old women and it's amusing to watch; but I feel bad for them as well. They've jumped to the worst possible conclusion; it might not be as dire as ripping out all of the walls.

"It might not be that fucking bad, guys, just calm the fuck down a little bit. You're making me nervous." Harry laughs at me as Liam's eyes shoot in my direction. They open in surprise as though he'd seen a ghost. I smile sweetly at him. "Hey Payno."

The grin that spreads across his face catches me off guard in the best possible way; so does the fact that he grabs my uninjured wrist, pulls me up to my feet and hugs me tightly, lifting me from the ground as he does so. My body is rigid, of course, but I smile anyway. Liam hasn't seen me since before the incident; its a little amazing he recognizes me at all.

"Where have you been? Its like you disappeared for years! No one knew anything; there were so many stories." He puts me down and holds my face in his hands, staring at me, studying me, like he can't believe I'm real. It's touching and sweet, but also a bit odd; Harry hadn't reacted this enthusiastically to seeing me, and I never knew Liam cared so much. "You look beautiful, CeCe."

At this point Harry stands up, a deep scowl on his face, and loudly clears his throat. Liam tears his eyes away from my blushing and beaming face long enough to glance over him.

"She knows she's beautiful, 'Payno'." His tone is mocking and the way he stands with his arms folded across his body gives away his jealousy. "Why don't you give her some space? I'm sure she'd like to breathe."

I roll my eyes and stick my tongue out at Harry who links our hands together the second that Liam backs away. Liam just chuckles.

"Right back together again, huh?"

"Damn right."

"Not exactly..."

We speak at the same time and I turn my head, looking over at Harry just as he turns to look at me. He's confused so I do my best to look resolved; he can't possibly think we're picking up where we left off. I have too much shit to deal with to even consider the idea of having a boyfriend.

"Harry definitely still thinks he owns you."

"He doesn't think that."

"I don't think that, man! Shut the fuck up!"

He snarls at Liam who sniggers. I hold onto his hand a little tighter.

"He's just passionate...and enthusiastic...and an optimist." I smile up at Harry, who forces a smile of his own in return; his feelings are hurt and it has nothing to do with anything Liam said. "He's sweet."

"I'll take your word for it."

"Well only she would know. We're going out for food, give you a chance to call the landlord without me around."

"But you should stay and be sweet to him."

"Don't make me kick your ass in here, Liam."

I hold his hand tightly as we leave the shop but about midway down the block he lets go and stuffs his hands into his pockets. I smirk at the ground.

I'm in for it now for sure. I keep walking right at his side and wait for the quiet storm to erupt.

"What does 'not exactly' mean Cilly?" He asks me, looking over at me, his face stern but his eyes looking dim and rejected. I pout a little in sympathy; I can't stand to see that look on anyone, but especially Harry. It makes absolutely no fucking sense for someone as beautiful and wonderful as Harry is to think they could ever be unwanted. I slide my arm through his and feel him try to shrug me off. I hold on to him and bump his hips with mine until he smiles in spite of himself. "Stop it. I'm serious. What does that mean?"

"What do you mean, 'what does that mean?': it means what I said."

"He asked if we were back together and you said 'not exactly'! "

"I know what happened, Harry, I was there." I let him go and place a hand to my forehead, feeling a tension headache forming. I don't want to flip out on Harry, but I might have to if he doesn't calm the fuck down. "Calm down."

"Why did you say that?"

He suddenly his voice is quiet and his shoulders fall and he looks embarrassed. I place my free hand on his back and gesture for him to sit down on a stoop. He looks up at me with those big bright eyes all full of curiosity and hope and my heart melts right into my boots. I bite my lip and stand in front of him as I think carefully of what to say next.

"I said it because its true, Haz," I hope his nickname lets him know I haven't forgotten any of it, not one moment of the way we'd been before. "We are not who we used to be, or how we used to be, or what we used to be. We didnt get there overnight and we can't go back there overnight...Anyway, once you see who I am now you won't want to."

"I've seen who you are now, Cilly, don't be over dramatic." He looks me in the eye and I can tell the conversation is about to turn serious. "You're just hiding behind all that shit. You know that I know who you really are and I can see you when no one else can; even if you can't anymore."

"I'm not hiding from any fucking thing, Harry."

"Then why would you put all those rings in your face and-" Suddenly his eyes narrow and scan my body; he looks absolutely horrified. "Where else are you pierced, Cilly?"

Unbelievable.

"Jealous, overly possessive, bastard!"

"Tell me where the hell else you're pierced!"

"Well let's see one night I strolled into the shop naked and said 'stick me wherever you can grab.'"

"Cilly."

"I got everything you can imagine pierced, I just wanted to feel the piercer's hands on me, I got off right in the chair. "

"Don't say that shit to me, Cilly. I don't care if you're joking; it's not funny!"

"Then I went back and added a few more down there...I thought it would help me feel all the amazing sex I was having with strangers all over the city," I continue as though he said nothing. I'm not done antagonizing him yet. "Turned out to be a waste of money since I still can't feel a damned thing but I do have fun trying."

"Fuck this, I'm asking you to be real with me, pouring my heart out to you and you make a sarcastic ass joke? Fuck this shit."

"Well fuck it then, I don't fucking need this shit anyway."

I throw my hands up and stalk off down the street, not bothering to look behind me as I go. We always fought before, but never like that; I was never quite so brutal, opting instead to diffuse the argument quickly and painlessly whenever possible. Now I'm seasoned at getting the last word and going for the jugular: things you pick up while living in a home for juvenile delinquents and wards of the state.

I stand on the corner, hailing a taxi, and the gentle but unexpected hand on my back startles me. I swing without a second thought, and before I can stop myself my hand connects with the side of Harry's head.

"Ow!" He yells, his voice deep and shocked as his hand flies to his face. He backs up and winces. "That was my bloody ear!"

I step towards him, he backs away.

"I didn't mean to do that. I didn't know it was you. I'm really sorry, Harry..." I remember myself and our argument the minute I see that he's alright. His scowl

Let's me know he never forgot. "Even though you deserved it, you bastard."

"Let me take you to get something to eat, Cecilia."

He's really pissed at me to use my real name. I sneer at him and finally get a taxi to stop.

"You're insane if you think for one fucking second I'll spend one more minute with you, let alone an entire dinner."

"Stop it."

"Fuck you and your gigantic ego." I open the cab door and slide in. He catche it before I can close it and to my surprise pulls it open and holds it open despite all my tugging and attempts to shut it. "Let Go! The meter's running!"

"Get out or I'm getting in."

"Just leave me alone, Harry. I don't want to fight with you. This is stupid."

"I don't want to fight with you either! Now stop acting like a spoiled little princess and get out of the cab...." his brow furrows and his voice lowers as he chokes out the next word. "Please."

The fact that he referred to me as a 'princess' isn't lost on me at all; but I won't let it sway me. I glare at him and he glares back and we engage in a glaring match.

"Hey lady, we rolling or not?!"

"Shut up and wait!"

We yell in unison to the cab driver who looks and sounds like the old man from Up. He grimaces at us before turning back around. Harry continues to hold the door and stare me down and though I hate it I see how impossible the situation is. I imagine he can feel the daggers my eyes are shooting him as I climb out of the cab. He doesn't seem to mind them though.

Clearly his stubborn will is still in tact but so is mine. If anything mine's gotten worse. Harry pulls out his wallet and pays the man for his wasted time. He happily drives away from our drama and I'm envious; if only I could get away from it that easily too.

"Come on."

He barks at me with an annoyed huff, but takes my hand in his anyway and leads me down the street.