[ While she picks at his shirt, his fingers busy themselves with gingerly tracing a fading scar at the line of her jaw. ]

Nothing's changed, darlin'. [ They're alone, uttering the term of endearment comes easily to him, full of meaning. Full of affection. Anywhere else where there are people and he would just use her name.

Up now to the beauty mark at the corner of her left eye, a rough finger pad strokes over it. Joel watches her, searches her expression. He's vulnerable right now; she's one of the very few he's allowed past heavily guarded walls to see that, as his normally gruff visage is softened by what she's confessing to him. ]

There will always be a you and me. Until you tell me you don't want anything to do with me anymore.