His blue eyes are shining bright, glistening with unshed tears and volumes of emotion. It hurts her almost to look at him. She knows he's hurting, and she knows he's hurting because of what he's done to her. But she still hurts herself from what he's done, from so much that he's done. His hand shakes as he reaches out and cups her cheek. She feels him trembling as he draws his thumb across her tender flesh.

Her pointy ears twitch. It's in her Fae blood to dart away from him now, to have fled him years ago. But she cannot. She loves him, and no matter what he may otherwise think, he needs her. "Brian -- " Her voice breaks. Her bottom lip trembles. Outside, the rain pours like God's tears. The Maker has seen all he does, all he has done, and she can not help but to think none of the spirits are pleased with her beloved.

"Meggan, please don't leave me." Her nose wrinkles against the stench of liquor; she cannot help it. Nor can she help the instincts screaming through her to pull away from him, to pull away from his currently gentle touch and all the danger she knows too well he also silently represents. "I can't do this without you."

His hiccup doesn't help matters, but he presses on nonetheless as lightning cuts jagged, cruel fingers across the sky. Between his touch and the roar of thunder, she does flinch. She can't help it. But she also cannot help the pain that hits her heart as she witnesses the guilt and hurt in his eyes. He does love her, as much as he's able to love anyone. He's just never been loved and doesn't know how to love. She's never been loved either, but she knows that love is not meant to be pain, something she's suffered far too many times both in this world and at her own betrothed's hands.

"Please don't leave me," he repeats again, his soft, low voice almost a whimper. She closes her eyes as her heart and mind war. She knows staying here with him is not safe, but neither is the world. He also sounds like a wounded animal, and she knows his wounds are far, far deeper than flesh. She's supposed to be able to heal. She's supposed to be able to save. If she leaves him, she knows he will never mend. Leaving may keep her safe, but it will also cut her far deeper than any physical injury could for, despite everything, she still loves this man. She knows she always will; she cannot imagine a life without him, or any world without him in which she may actually want to stay, no matter how much safer she may be away from him.