It's amazing, how much has changed.   Sometimes at night she wakes out of a sound sleep and thinks it can't be true - it's all a dream.  Sometimes, even now, she spies the person next to her and expects him to be broad and slightly stocky instead of long, lanky and gangly.  She sighs in relief on those nights, shifts closer and waits for his hand to slide along her waist and his arm to pull her towards him. 

It's then she knows for sure it's different.

It's amazing, how much hasn't changed.  Sometimes she expects it to be weird at work and it is, but in the ways it was always weird.  Their jobs are still the same, the fact that having each other there makes it the least bit bearable is still the same.  Even with the stolen kisses and lingering glances so much is like it was…before.

They don't talk much about it.  Oh - they've talked about it but not in a way that scares her.  Not in the "If you just could have…" or "It's your fault that we…" type of way.  There's a silent acknowledgement of things past, admittance of mistakes made, and an agreement to simply move forward instead of clinging to what used to be.

xoxoxo

It's amazing, how much has changed.  Sometimes he wakes up in the morning and forgets where he is.  Foggy headed he can hear the shower running and smell coffee brewing in the kitchen.   He sees her skirt and sweater tossed on the edge of the bed and smiles.  She's all bright colors and bows these days and he likes to think that fact has something to do with him.   She comes back in the room; skin flushed pink, half from the steam of the shower and half because he's simply looking at her.

It's then he knows for sure it does.

It's amazing, how much hasn't changed.  She still pours his favorite candy, still tries to kick his ass at Sudoku, and still makes his heart stop simply with her smile.  Even with the 'longer than usual' lunches and the mornings when they both come in a little bit late so much is just like it was…before.

They try not to overanalyze.  Still, in a way they both expect it all to disappear in an instant, for a simple squabble to turn into a full blown argument, for either one of them to say one wrong word that'll ruin everything.   But it doesn't happen, or hasn't happened and neither one of them wants it to ever happen so they decide to work at making sure it doesn't. 

They've come too far and waited too long for that.

This thing?  It's not perfect, by any means.   They're learning so much about each other, some things better left unlearned but that's all par for the course, they both agree.  They know that there are things they can learn to live with - but they know there are also some things (or is something) neither of them can live without. 

Acknowledging that, knowing that is everything.

It's amazing, how much has changed.