hands in her pockets with shoulders slumped, lauren approaches her friend with a surprising amount of hesitation. why is she hesitating? there’s nothing to hesitate for, is there? biting down lightly on her lip, she sighs, head dropping as she gives in, “so, uh… there’s not really anything keeping me here right now.” no job, no girlfriend, no real friends — god, what a mess — “i know you’re having max, um, having max stay here. i guess i was wondering if you’d mind much if i just… came to london with you until he’s done here.” a pause, and a hint of a smile, “i already told him that he can stay at my place, if that helps in your decision making,”
telling max to stay was far from easy. you had struggled with the decision up until you saw him outside of the dam, the look in his eyes and the reluctance in his body : at the time, you couldn’t help but remember what he said back in london. that he had moved to another country, for her. you know him staying isn’t him choosing the hospital over you. but you also know that he wouldn’t have told you he wanted to stay even if you had asked. so like he decided to move for you, you decide that he must stay for him. it doesn’t make it hurt any less, knowing that after all you’ve both been through, when you’re finally settled and happy in london, you’ll be apart again. but it’s what’s best for new amsterdam, and it’s what’s best for max.
you don’t quite know what going home will entail. you are still considering the changes this will bring not just to your lives, but to luna’s. it’s for that reason you are startled by lauren’s approach, and your lips form an empathetic smile. ❝ true, ❞ you agree, though there is a crease between your brow as you frown. choosing to stay on at new amsterdam had been lauren’s decision, despite what you had both talked about earlier, and you were supportive of that decision provided you thought she could handle the stress. being forced to leave had not been a possibility either predicted. your brow furrow as lauren talks, your smile growing gently with every word and you find yourself answering before lauren can even finish asking to join you. ❝ yes ! god, yes, please come with me : no decision needed, i’m glad he’ll have somewhere to stay so he isn’t wasting money on a hotel but god, please, did you really think i would say no ? ❞