23:52, Dec, 15, 2065
 

On a consistent schedule, biannually in the case of Underground, many of the lounges would close for repair and maintenance. Extensive cleaning, not just the everyday, five-minute mop over, was part of the operation. And before it could be cleaned, it had to be reconstructed from the mess the few maintenance workers had made of it.

The floor had been torn up, to be replaced with a fresh layer of cement. Ignored by the labor crew, Neil stole off with some discarded fragments; with them, he fled to the stair landing, and proceeded to break the fabricate rocks apart. The crunching of the pieces wasn’t deafening, but just loud enough so that gritty footfalls were drown out in a pitch of scraping.

So, when the man turned his head at something inconstant on the edge of his vision, he startled at the nondescript boots that had materialized beside him.

"I know I’m not exactly your favorite person in the world, but would you please not try to scare me to death next time?"

"Can’t promise."

Jane sat down, and Neil turned to examining one of his cement shards.

"Trouble sleeping?"

"Som’m like that."

He wouldn’t look at her, concentrating instead on the powder he had grated. He dusted the grains together, flattened, piled, and arranging them at his fingertips.

"Ryan… was tellin’ me, that I should ask you if this’s what you really want," drawl, but the tech smirked, "I told ‘im, you know what you want, and can make up your own mind."

It wasn’t what he wanted to believe. Jane knew that. She also knew he was trying, in his way, to face reality for what it was. From what she knew, his way must have been harsh.

"First love never lasts, does it?"

Neil paused, brushing the dust from his hands, "Mine didn’t; don’t know anyone else’s that… is not true; I guess it does, but it’s not really the same… same…." He sighed, in a breath, " y’know what I mean.

"And I knew it was getting bad; but I didn’t think you’d… I thought I had time to do something about it."

"I didn’t mean to hurt you like I did, I just couldn’t stay," Neil recognized the brusque apology, as roundabout as it was, it didn’t help much.

"Yeah; so…" he concluded, "You don’t hate me, but you don’t like me enough to love me. Where’s that leave us?"

"Back at the beginning," Jane resolved, easier than he thought possible, "Hopefully a little less rushed, this time."

Standing to leave, she caught his full scrutiny, and he huffed as he watched her go.

"Goodnight."

The soft, almost fragile word stopped the woman. For a moment, she turned to look at him, and she smiled.

And so did he.