The redhead consumed her roast chicken breast, rice pilaf and green beans with obvious relish, and it made the Canadian's heart hurt.

She was so innocent.  So very innocent to what was about to happen, to what he was going to say and do.  It would break her heart.  He would break her heart...

Amy cocked her head slightly to one side as she eyed him, a tiny smile touching her lips as she chewed with her mouth closed.  She gave him a quizzical look and swallowed before she spoke.

"What?"

"Huh?" the blond man said, coming back to his senses at once.

"You look so pensive," the redhead said.  "I'm just wondering what's on your mind..."

"Oh..."  Adam cast around inside his brain quickly, realizing suddenly that he was too cowardly to just spit it out.  "I was just thinking about Shane and Stephanie...They haven't called us yet..."

Amy arched an eyebrow prettily as he spoke, and the blond man wondered if she could see right through him.  He guessed she probably could and did, but the redhead didn't say anything against what he'd just said.

"Maybe no news is good news in this instance..."

"Yeah...I hope so," he replied.  He shifted his gaze elsewhere for a beat, hoping the woman before him would be unable to detect the inner turmoil that was plaguing him.  However, she was so perceptive and knew him so very well, he wouldn't be surprised if she could see right through him.  She continued eating but didn't say anything.

Adam sensed she knew something else, something far deeper, was on his mind, but she didn't want to press the issue.  He sighed, knowing he would eventually have to spill it.  Things such as what he would have to do should be done quickly.  Although it certainly wouldn't be painless, faster was definitely better.

Now finished with her meal, the redhead wiped at her mouth with a cloth napkin.  The Canadian took a deep breath, knowing that this was it.

"Err...Amy..."

"Hold that thought," the diva said, lifting one finger in a 'wait' gesture as she stood up and pushed her chair back.  She slipped into the bathroom, and a few seconds later, Adam could hear the water running in the sink as she washed her hands.

He raked a hand through his hair as he waited another few seconds for her to return.  Dear lord, how was he going to do it?  He didn't want to, that much was for sure.

Amy stepped through the doorway of the bathroom, and his gaze was instantly drawn to her.  God, she was so beautiful... So sweet, so unassuming.  She was his angel... How could he ever hurt his angel?

She smiled as she neared him, coming to sit beside him on the edge of the hotel bed.

"I can't tell you how nice it is to be out of that hospital...Even after everything that's happened, I'm glad to be here - with you..."

The tall blond man gazed deeply into her lovely hazel eyes, and he felt even more like an asshole than he had before.  In fact, he considered himself more than a mere asshole - he was a cowardly son of a bitch.

"I'm glad you're here with me, too, angel..." he said softly.  He slid an arm around her waist, gently pulling her to him.  He couldn't help himself - not when he was around this woman...

She winced slightly as she turned to meet his embrace, and alarm filled Adam.

"Are you okay?  What's..."

"I'm still a bit sore," she explained, looking down at the area in which she'd been shot.

"Poor baby..." he crooned, his green eyes almost caressing as they gazed at her.  "Do you need your pain pills?"

"No...I'll live."  The truth was, despite the prescription for painkillers she'd been given, the redhead was reluctant to take the medication.  Being in the business in which they were involved in particular, she knew all too well the danger of addiction to such drugs.  And anyway, the pain wasn't that bad anymore.  She thought she would rather grin and bear it than risk becoming addicted to painkillers.

The next thing Adam knew, the redhead was snuggling up against him, and she turned around a bit so that her arms could encircle his neck.  Her breath was warm against him, and her voice was soft and full of passion as she spoke.

"God, I've missed you..."

And then, as though in a dream sequence, they were kissing - passionately, hungrily.  The Canadian's mind seemed to scream for him to stop - this wasn't right, no matter how much they loved each other - not given the dire circumstances.

Despite the nagging voice in his head, Adam undressed Amy frantically but gently, taking care not to come into strong contact with her wound.

Before long, they were both naked, and he gazed with tenderness at the still-healing bruise on the milky flesh of his girlfriend's shoulder-upper chest region.  Wincing, he tenderly touched the area with one forefinger, then, with even more gentleness, he leaned down to kiss the wound.

Their lovemaking was more intense than ever, and Adam couldn't help the guilt that coursed through him.  After awhile, he pushed it all to the back of his mind - asshole that he was.

When it was over, they lay in one another's arms, Amy with her head resting gently on his chest.

After a long stretch of silence, the blond man spoke, and it was too late for him to stop...

"Amy...We have to talk..."