This is Forever

Comfort

Ellen just ignored her phone. Patrick finally found her. "Oh Ellen. Talk to me. What's going through your head." He said sincerely as he bent to eye level. "El, I'm sorry maybe that was too much." He couldn't bare to let her sit here vulnerable in public. "How about we go back to my house? Or yours? Whichever you are comfortable with." He calmly suggests.

"Yours..please" She whispers. Patrick offers his hand and helps her up. She collapses into his embrace and they stand there. Just the two of them in this moment. Nothing else matters. As her breathing calms, he pulls out of the warm embrace. She follows suit with tears still streaming down her face. He gently lips them away and Ellen leans into his hand. 

"Let's go El" Patrick says gently. He leads her to the car and they leave. 

Once Patrick parks in his driveway, he helps Ellen inside. "You know I can open a door by myself, right?" She chuckles while sniffling.Patrick smiles softly. 

"Yes, of course I know. I'm just trying to be nice. I can stop if you'd like me to." Patrick replies. Ellen shakes her head in disagreement. They sat on the sofa and sat in silence for a moment. "Listen El. I don't want to push or pry but I just want you to know that I'm here for you. No matter what."

"My last relationship, uhm, didn't end very well. He was abusive and if I didn't, uhm, I guess you could say escape, when I did he would've raped me and taken my virginitiy. It took me ages to fightback and leave him." She managed to speak, through tears while fidgeting with the hem of her dress. "I don't' know if I'm technically safe from him, but Patrick?" She looked up at him with bloodshot eyes from crying and looked back down, ashamed of looking like a mess. "I'm just afraid that, well what if"

"Ellen. I want you to know that I would never   hurt you or do anything like that to you. I don't know who could ever hurt someone as kind as you. I-" He reaches for her hands. Ellen hesitates but grasps his hand tightly. "Please know that all I want is to protect you and make you feel safe and loved. If there is anything I can do, or if this is all too much for you right now I can wait. I love you." Patrick says softly with a smile and kind eyes.    

"Patrick. I love you too, but I can't tell you who it is, not yet anyway. I'm not ready. I'm sorry." Ellen says letting another tear slip. Patrick nods in understanding. "Thank you for being so understanding and I will tell you if I need anything. I promise." She says with a small smile. 

Patrick brings her into a warm embrace. She clasps onto him and lets out her last few cries. They both pull back and lock gazes. "Can I kiss you?" Patrick whispers softly. 

"uhm, yea. I think that would be okay" Ellen nods. Patrick waited for a moment just to be sure before pulling her into a gentle and loving kiss. With one hand on her cheek and the other holding intertwined with hers, it was their first kiss. They had kissed millions of times before, but as Derek and Meredith. Not as Patrick and Ellen. 

After a moment, Ellen pulls back in awe. She takes a moment to catch her breath. "I should probably get home and get to bed. It's getting late." 

"I can take you home or you can stay here El. Really, it's no big deal." Patrick gives her a loving look and rubs his thumbs across the back of her hand. Ellen nods.

"Okay. I'll stay. Only if you give me a ride to work tomorrow." She smirks. Patrick chuckles and shrugs.

"Anything for you, my queen" The both laugh and stand. He leads her upstairs to his bedroom. She's been in here before but it feels different. "Here's a t-shirt and some boxers if you want to change" 

"Thank you. I'll be right back." She smiles, taking the clothes from his hands. She locks the bathroom doors and lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She really did have feeling for her best friend. Ellen changed and left her jewelry on the counter and hung her dress in the closet.  She finished removing her makeup and walked back out.

Patrick was sitting on the side of the bed on his phone. "Hey" Ellen says leaning against the door frame, back to her normal self.    "I hope it was cool that I left my jewelry in there and hung my dress up"  

"Hi love. Of course that was okay"Patrick said putting his phone down and walking over to her. "You can sleep here. I'll sleep down on the couch or in the guest room" He said with a tired smile.

"Patrick, actually, uhm, could you stay with me tonight?" She asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist.   

"Of course. Only if you're comfortable with that." Patrick replied. She smiled and played her head on his chest.

"I would love nothing more." She sighs. They both climb into bed and he pulls her into his arms. Ellen felt so safe and never wanted to leave this moment. They exchange their 'I love yous' and go to sleep.