It wasn't easy. None of it was. Yet Karen felt better than she had hours earlier about her and her life, about Matt. She had been trying not to think about never seeing him again, about what would happen if he just disappeared from her life. He hadn't, and that left her shaking and yet caught between her emotions as if it was a storm buffering her from the inside.

She waited, watching as he opened the door. "Where were you when I wanted to key my ex's car," she teased, jokes making life easier. At least she thought, even if they were lame.

"I may tell the landlord someone tried to break in tonight," she noted. "Get him to fix it for me," she said, heading for the kitchen area. The wall still showed signs of the shooting that had tried to kill her, the wall covered with pieces of plywood. "Because you can see they've been so quick on repairing the other problems," she said, coming back with two bottles.

Her eyes were red, the rim of her nose red. She looked pale and was trying to smile.

"I really...I really did think I wouldn't ever see you again," she finally whispered. "I know I didn't handle you telling me well, but I was shocked and still so confused, and..." And it had been Christmas, and she spent it alone and it had all been so much.