burned by you before

"i won't be, i promise." she could burst into tears at how lucky she was to have the friends she did in her life. they had been so supportive and kind throughout the hardship she was going through.

babette gave her a squeeze in their hug "mary gibbs, you really are the best of us. your optimism, kindness and grace are astounding. most people would've had the crash out of the century, myself included, and turned cruel." it was a credit to how much of a good human mary was. for her to still want adam to have a life full of happiness and love after their relationship broke down could've brought babette to tears. "i'm sure he wants that for you too. he really did love you mary, i hope you know that"

it can't end like this. their relationship was fire, it was fireworks, it was a stick of dynamite blowing up in your face. this was devastating to watch that always burning flame finally fizzle out to nothing. he never thought he'd see the day. "timelines don't mean shit, you can't put a timeline on this." he argued, pointing between them "you're putting timelines on your feelings and it doesn't work like that. we talk it out like we're doing now. things could change." he was clutching at straws but it was all he had. "and what if you miss this working because you let it go? you're that person for me, babette. just because i'm not there yet doesn't mean i'll never be. you're asking me to watch you fall in love with them. you're asking me to lose you, and i don't think i can do that."

"timelines mean something. do you expect me to wait around forever for you to decide what you want? i'm supposed to put what i want in life on hold to suit you?" this was exhausting. they had been going round the buildings with this argument for years. "could being the operative word. you can't say they will and you can't say they won't." this was torture. they fought for each other over and over again and now she felt like this was the first time the fight wasn't enough. "victor, we've been together for years, if you're not there yet you're not going to be; and that's okay. i'm not asking you to do anything but figure out what you want in life. i'm tired of waiting around for something that you're never going to want."

"i think i've seen so much of the worst in people, and spent so long in dark and abandoned places... that i just know it has to get better, that there's something else on the other side. no matter what, you're just one more step away from the light. i'm a practical optimist that way," he added with a small smile. gabe watched as she decided how to answer him, his expression softening as she did. ah. heartache. now there was something he could relate to quite well. "i imagine that's not been easy for you, babette. the firsts are always challenging," he said softly, gently spinning her around. "i hope it's been okay, so far. a little fun, even."

"it's an admirable thing that after all you've seen and experienced that you still have hope that there's something better. it would be easy enough for you to be cynical and turn your back on anything good but you remain optimistic." she answered, mirroring his smile. "it was my choice and i have to live with that." she explained before she was spun around, returning to him "i will admit you have made the evening much easier and it has been fun, so thank you for that. i don't think i would've had the same experience without you"

gabe tried and failed to fight off a smile when she said that. he'd be lying if he said running into babette again wasn't a welcome surprise. "well, i've never shied away from being kept on my toes. it sounds like you've made quite the home for yourself, here. i think i might be beginning to see the appeal of it all myself."

he had been a welcome breath of air in her life since her split with victor. sure, the breakup had been on her mind but thanks to gabe it hadn't been all-consuming. "i don't think you could shy away in this town even if you wanted to. i have, it's taken time but i'm glad that i made the move out here. the appeal can creep up on you and catch you off guard, it did with me."

Nani felt like she was being asked a trick question. The very large gaps in her dating resume hinted that she might not be the best person to ask. She narrowed her eyes at Babette, trying to figure out where this was about to go.

babette let out a groan and put her head on the table before sitting back up and taking a sip of her wine. if nani had this stance then she knew becky was going to be far blunter.

he hated everything about this, and he hated that after all of this he still wasn't sure that he could give her what she wanted. he wanted her more than anything but that didn't mean their goals alined. "call it wishful thinking from a hopeless romantic" he sighed, a sad smile on his face. "i don't expect you to put your wants and needs aside to suit me and i know you don't want me to do that either, but i can't envision my life without you in it in that capacity. we could find a middle ground, work out a timeline. etta, are we going to to leave everything at the door? for what? us both to be miserable? us to find other people and wonder what if with us for the rest of our days?"

she could see that he was trying, he really was; and if they were younger it might've been enough to prolong what was currently the downfall of their relationship. wishful thinking was all fine and well but it wasn't going to solve the elephant in the room. babette met sad smile with sad smile and lifted her hand to cup his cheek, her thumb softly grazing his skin "victor, we've had timelines in the past, we've just never acknowledged missing them. besides, what happens if we were to set one again and at the deadline you still felt the same way you do now? it doesn't get any easier." this conversation wasn't getting any easier "and what if you met someone that you felt like you wanted to settle down with? that you wanted everything i want? what if you miss that because we can't let go of one another?"

"i know...it's all still just a little too fresh right now. stepping in there would reopen haling wounds, everything in there reminds me of him" babette and victor might be in charge at the moment but it's his café. she'd first met him right outside the door and now she couldn't bear to look at it.

"i get that...just...don't be a stranger, alright? we all worry about you and we don't want to lose you as a friend" honestly, she could understand why mary didn't want to be anywhere near the café, but a selfish part of her missed her friend stopping by the café, spending hours chatting with her while she worked.

he didn't want to talk about sandwiches, he wanted to talk about her. about them. how he was an idiot and how much he missed her. how he missed the way she would yell at the tv in french at game shows, how she would always share her coffee with him, how she would subtly sneak sultan treats when she thought he wasn't looking.

it felt like another life now. in maybe another world that it would all work out and none of this had to happen. her life felt emptier without him being there all the time.

she hummed in agreement with babette. "i think we're all praying for peace. never thought i'd see the day for everyone in this town wishing for all drama to be over and hoping things stay quiet. i'm doing okay, tired and burned out like everyone is, but i'm coping. the hospital thankfully has the resources to help anyone who goes through their doors to keep everything running smoothly"

"you're right, hell must've frozen over for all of us to want such boring lives these days" she agreed "take care of yourself, yeah? you need to have plenty of rest. i don't know how you and the other hospital staff manage"

"i know and i appreciate that, thank you" it was nice to feel like she wasn't alone and her friends had been her saviours during the recent weeks. it was a blessing to her to have people like that in her life that would rally around her the way they have.

"we'll always be here for you mary. adam being the cafe owner and him being gone right now doesn't change that, and he wouldn't want that to change either" she really felt for the woman in front of her. babette was so certain that mary and adam were going to be the couple that made it. the one that proved love was real to all around them.

"wow, okay, are you implying that the tip jar only gets filled because old ladies ogle me? am i nothing but a piece of meat? maybe it's my stellar customer service" even he smirked at that one. the extent of his customer service was swearing, throwing people out of spraying them with the water hose. "whatever happened with you both, sorry to see it not go the way you'd hoped. complicated, yeah sounds about right for some of the situations around here"

"i don't need to imply it. you're a-five japanese kobe beef to those old ladies and you know it, patrick being wagyu steak. they would eat you up if you let them." she laughed "but then again, that's nani's job isn't it?" they may not have been the closest of friends before he and nani started their dalliance, but she appreciated his words. "we tried and we gave it a great run. that's all i could ask of him. if he wasn't ready for more then i have to respect and accept that, but i also have to make my call and i did." she shrugged, there wasn't much more to say about it "redwood hollow couples and complicated go hand in hand"

he used to know every thought of hers and now he can't even figure out if she wanted him around her. this felt worse than hating one another. it was civil, it felt like strangers. he hated it.

it felt awkward and painful. normally a relationship ending would be a clean break but victor was complicated, victor was victor. they had years of history and they worked together, they ran the cafe together. there was no escaping one another.

At this point, Nani was so used to everyone and anyone walking into her house that she wasn't at all surprised to hear Babette's voice ringing out from the kitchen. "Just a small one!" she called back from the bathroom. "I'm working in the morning!"

babette was over to nani's house this much she might as well be considered a piece of the furniture. hearing nani's answer, she pulled out two glasses from the cupboard and poured two measures.