Title: Stalemate

Author: wildwordwomyn

Word Count: 229

Fandom: Flashpoint

Pairing: Ed Lane/Sophie Lane, Ed Lane/Greg Parker

Rating: PG for angst

Author's Notes: This is my first foray into the Flashpoint fandom. Hopefully I did them justice...

Disclaimers/Warnings: Spoilers for "The Other Lane". Otherwise, as usual, no own, no harm intended.

Summary: For the first time in his life Ed Lane has a problem he can't fix.

She's not coming back.

It's so quiet in the house. So empty. All my training, all I've been through, as made me independent and strong. And yet I can't stand being alone. Give me work and problems to solve, I can get it done. But somehow when you give me a wife and a child to raise I keep getting it wrong.

I know what she was asking. That's the worst part. I've known Sophie too long not to. She wanted me to stop her. To say I'd do whatever it took to make it better between us. I just couldn't. It was on the tip of my tongue to say, Wait. Instead, If you think it's best...And it's only for a little while... Doing what I've done, seeing what I've seen, has changed me into someone that will always be right out of her reach. Now she finally realizes that.

I can't cry. I want to but...When Greg shows up later with a six-pack of beer and a pizza I'm not surprised. What does surprise me is how easily I go when he pulls me into his arms and how fast the tears start to fall when he tucks my face into his neck. Eddie, he sighs in sympathy. I'm here, buddy. It's okay. I'm here now.

She's not coming back. And I can't say I blame her.

The End