Her words make Caroline brace for impact, her muscles tensing as if a potential breakup is a physical ailment she’s about to suffer from. Couldn’t do this over the phone. She feels sick with the idea of it and – it’s not –

Her own brewing stomach ache recedes somewhat when she looks at Hannah again, searching her face. She looks somewhat embarrassed, and she’s wearing Caroline’s clothing. Which just doesn’t feel like a breakup?

“What couldn’t you do on the phone?” She asks, cautiously, even as her hands ache to reach out and touch Hannah. Anywhere on her.

Hannah’s eyebrows furrow, as she slowly shakes her head. “I… I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. And the thing is yes, I want – no, I need my independence and to be in control of my own life. I need that. But I know that I can…” She trails off, searching for her words, and Caroline knows verbalizing it all isn’t easy for her. “I can, and have used that as an excuse, because I’m afraid. Of all of this.”

She opens her mouth and then closes it once, then twice. Before she reaches out to grab the portfolio that Caroline hadn’t noticed, farther down on the couch, and places it protectively against herself.

“Please, just – look through these.” Hannah says, but doesn’t actually offer them yet.

“What is it?” She doesn’t think she could possibly be more curious if she tried, yet, strangely, she still feels like she’s able to wait patiently for them.

Hannah takes a deep breath, dropping her gaze to look at the closed mystery portfolio. “Annette – Dr. Hogan? You gave me her card, last year.”

Caroline slowly nods, easily remembering the car ride. Maybe one of the first tentative moments of something like a friendship between them. “I didn’t know you went to see her.”

“That’s because I didn’t tell you,” Hannah’s smile is quick and teasing and it lights her up. “I… we talked about how I struggle with putting my feelings into actual words, sometimes. She wanted me to journal, which I sometimes wasn’t wonderful at, when it came to summing up all of my feelings succinctly. And she told me I should draw to get some of those emotions, um, flowing, I guess. And then see if I could write anything, along with the drawings. To sort out my feelings. And so, it just became something I started doing. Scribbling down thoughts or –” She blushes. “Yeah. So. You’ll just, see.”

With a deep breath, Hannah slides her the portfolio of her drawings.

“These are… they’re private.” She wants to look, so very much, but holds herself back with whatever willpower she has. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to give me anything.”