She closed her eyes and steeled herself, and when she opened them, they were harsher, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "I have to go," she said eventually, stepping back from him.
He was quiet at first, his eyes on the ground. "I never stopped, you know, " he said lowly. "I never stopped loving you."
He would be able to see her eyes weaken slightly, and she inhaled shakily. "I have to go," she repeated, softer this time.
"Please, Francis," she said, shaking her head. "Please don't say this." Amy walked up in that moment, and threw an arm over Poppy's shoulder. "Pops, who is this?" Poppy bit her lip and frowned. "This is Francis Craw." "Oh, the guy who was just promoted! Good to meet you!" Poppy's eyes widened and she stepped forward, her eyes meeting his. "You were promoted," she said breathlessly, hope lighting her eyes. "To what position?"
His expression changed, though it did not become warmer. "A higher one," he said coldly, before turning to Amy with a small smile. It may have seemed forced to Poppy. "And it's nice to meet you as well."
"How much higher?" she asked desperately, her hands to her head. Amy grinned at him before turning to look at her quizzically. "Pops? What's wrong?" "Please. Everything lies on this."
"Head of the Response and Services branch." He crossed his arms, the movement stiff. "It's a high position, but I don't see why it would matter to you."
"I suppose," he said slowly, still crossing his arms. "There's a study in here that nobody is in, I think. "
"Okay," he said lowly, before leading her into the study. When they entered he shut the door behind him. The room had two large bookcases, and an intricate oak desk. Behind the desk sat a window, the blinds drawn closed.
She paced, pulling on her fingers nervously. "Okay. Okay. Okay." "The night that I left, when I went to go change, Vivienne was waiting for me. She told me that if..." She cleared her throat, trying to force the words out. "She told me that if I stayed, she would ruin your entire career. Get you fired. Everything. You... You would have nothing."
Francis was silent, and stared at her with wide eyes. He leaned against the desk, and didn't meet her gaze. "You're kidding, right? That's why you left?"
"I couldn't.." She shook her head. "I couldn't do that to you, Francis! I mean, it's been your dream since you were young." She sighed, and buried her head in her hands. "She told me that I wasn't allowed to tell you. I wanted to. God, I wanted to. But I couldn't."
"Poppy, I would rather have chosen you," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We were supposed to get married."
"I know," she said, her voice breaking. She shut her eyes against the sudden influx of tears, and put her hand to her forehead in disbelief. "But she said she would take away everything you had set up. Everything you had established. You would have nothing."
