Oh hi! I wanna thank you for your lovely reviews and I excuse myself for not uploading in a long time. It was a bad gesture from me, I know.

This chapter is pretty short, but if you like the direction I can post the next one as soon as I can. (And my mind wants to).

Tic, toc. Tic, toc. Tic, toc.

The emerald green porcelain is cute.

Tic, toc. Tic, toc.

Damn it… damn it. Eve's face furrowed beneath her hands.

How is that she wasn't aware of all this? This kind of cases are the ones that leave Annalise exactly the way she is. She is one of the few people that can actually know how a case could affect her.

Or how it can help her…

"What have you just done?" She asked piously to her partner.

Annalise sighed thickly. Like a piece of air that knows that remaining there would save her from saying things that could put her in danger. "I'm sorry, Eve." She answered with the empty gaze. She really didn't know what else to say, but she wanted to fix things. It was just one second when she didn't think about what she was doing. "You have a fantastic future" the DA told her in court. "Do you take my proposal?" THAT DAMN QUESTION. She was the wrong person to be asked with that.

Annalise hesitated. Hesitated a lot. She looked through the glasses of the courtroom door. Eve was just seated there, right where she was seconds ago… So innocent, so pure. "You said…" she started. "You said Eve was the chosen for this case in particular."

"Yes. But that… that was absolutely a hunch."

"A hunch?" The young Annalise asked surprised. "She's my friend, sir. I cannot betray her in this way."

"Whatever you want, Annalise. But in this job, you can't allow yourself the luxury of having friends…" THAT DAMN QUESTION. She could swore her mind was absolutely blind. Not a single thought was going through there, just the vision of Eve sitting quietly, probably waiting for her…

"You can't imagine how difficult this was for me."

"Really?" she answered with her voice practically broken. "Do you-..." she swallowed her tears once more. "Do you think… THIS is difficult for YOU?... Why to do that to a person you allegedly love, Annalise?"

"I DO love you. Not allegedly."

"It doesn't fucking seems so."

Her eyes were drowned into the floor of Eve's bedroom.

"Can you please leave me alone?"

"We have to talk about this, Eve" she said with her eyes wet.

"And what exactly do you expect me to do? Or say?... Every plan that we had is gone, Annalise, forever."

"Don't say that" she practically begged.

"Why are you denying the reality? Why don't you just go and this will be healthier for both…" her tone sounded tired. Really tired. She was adding that slow pace to her words Annalise knew she put when wanted to finish something.

"Are you honestly asking me that?"

Eve threw her a gaze. A gaze. But she couldn't define it. It was so full of angst and yet so full of pain. "Go, please."

"Eve" Frank's voice shocked her.

"Ah, yes" she quickly wiped the few tears remaining in her face. She was used to do it.

He seated beside her with trust. He felt her like somebody that he could trust in… and even more knowing that there was a special nature between Annalise and her.

"I spoke with the doctor that is going to set the surgery."

"And?"

"In a few hours."

"Good."

"Don't you want to… go home and rest a little?"

"No, I'm good" she smiled kindly. "Thanks, really."

"Okay… but, ah… remember. We are all friends now. There is no law or cases or work."

"Yes" she smiled again.

"You really need to talk with someone"

"Maybe…" she nodded. "Why do you say that?"

"Let's just say that I have this skill of detecting when a person feels alone. I know how that feels."

"Well… then you understand how in a difficult position I am."

"Yes." he replied convinced and firmly. "You love her, and I can see it. She loves you too."

"Are you sure of what you're saying?"

"I am. I have known her for way a long time. I know what her gazes mean. And I have noticed the way she looks at you."

"Oh, please don't tell me that" she spilled the last words with a sigh.

"Everything is gonna be fine, Eve. She's tougher than any beast."

Both laughed. "Yes she is" she said.