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ever_lovinBen is standing in one of the many observation rooms of the Baxter Building, this one over looking the Hudson river, when his phone rings. He's ready to send it to voice mail when he realizes that it's Debz and picks up. "Hey babe."
"Hey," she replies and just from that one word Ben can hear she's been crying. This isn't good.
"How you doin'?" he asks in his best Joey impersonation even though his heart has fallen into his stomach.
"Oh Ben..." she says before her voice breaks. She clears her throat and continues, "Well enough I suppose. Ben I hate doing this over the phone but..."
"It's okay I understand," he says in a whisper.
"No Ben you don't," she snaps. "The school here wants to offer me a job. For the next year. It's a wonderful opportunity. I haven't quite decided yet..."
"Hey if it's a good deal go for it."
"Won't you miss me?"
Ben shakes his head though she can't see. "Of course I will babe but I ain't gonna stand in yer way. 'Sides people have long distance relationships all the time right? An' what's half way round the world ta a guy like me?"
She laughs then though it sounds a bit forced. "I'll be honest Ben, I think I want to try an ordinary life again for a bit. The school here can give me that, no metal detector, no gangs...well not like New York, no super heroes..." Her voice trails off.
"No me," Ben finishes for her. He knows he should feel something but he doesn't know what, anger maybe but he can't really blame her. "So this is it?"
"I don't know. Maybe we can see where we are in a year? When the job here is done?"
"Sure babe, inna year." The words are hard to say but he isn't going to force her to stay.
Silence fills the line for a few minutes until Debz asks, "Ben why were you calling me at 1:15 every day this week?"
"I was tryin' ta get in the habit of callin' everyday so's you'd know if somethin' big came up by my not callin'. Silly I guess."
"No, no it wasn't but why 1:15?"
"Cause that's the time I first saw you, when Reed and I came into yer classroom."
"Oh Ben," she says no bothering to hide her tears. "I love you."
"I love you too babe. I'll see you in a year?"
"Plan on it."
"'Kay. I've gotta go now, Reed needs me fer some experiment," Ben says to get off the line before he breaks down. "Can I call ya later?"
"Sure."
The line disconnects and Ben calmly pulls the phone from the side of his head. He stares at it and resists the urge to crush it. He doesn't notice it's trembling until Susan's hand picks up the phone.
"I'm so sorry Ben. I didn't mean to intrude." He doesn't fight her as she takes him in her arms and holds him. Finally the tears come.
"Hey," she replies and just from that one word Ben can hear she's been crying. This isn't good.
"How you doin'?" he asks in his best Joey impersonation even though his heart has fallen into his stomach.
"Oh Ben..." she says before her voice breaks. She clears her throat and continues, "Well enough I suppose. Ben I hate doing this over the phone but..."
"It's okay I understand," he says in a whisper.
"No Ben you don't," she snaps. "The school here wants to offer me a job. For the next year. It's a wonderful opportunity. I haven't quite decided yet..."
"Hey if it's a good deal go for it."
"Won't you miss me?"
Ben shakes his head though she can't see. "Of course I will babe but I ain't gonna stand in yer way. 'Sides people have long distance relationships all the time right? An' what's half way round the world ta a guy like me?"
She laughs then though it sounds a bit forced. "I'll be honest Ben, I think I want to try an ordinary life again for a bit. The school here can give me that, no metal detector, no gangs...well not like New York, no super heroes..." Her voice trails off.
"No me," Ben finishes for her. He knows he should feel something but he doesn't know what, anger maybe but he can't really blame her. "So this is it?"
"I don't know. Maybe we can see where we are in a year? When the job here is done?"
"Sure babe, inna year." The words are hard to say but he isn't going to force her to stay.
Silence fills the line for a few minutes until Debz asks, "Ben why were you calling me at 1:15 every day this week?"
"I was tryin' ta get in the habit of callin' everyday so's you'd know if somethin' big came up by my not callin'. Silly I guess."
"No, no it wasn't but why 1:15?"
"Cause that's the time I first saw you, when Reed and I came into yer classroom."
"Oh Ben," she says no bothering to hide her tears. "I love you."
"I love you too babe. I'll see you in a year?"
"Plan on it."
"'Kay. I've gotta go now, Reed needs me fer some experiment," Ben says to get off the line before he breaks down. "Can I call ya later?"
"Sure."
The line disconnects and Ben calmly pulls the phone from the side of his head. He stares at it and resists the urge to crush it. He doesn't notice it's trembling until Susan's hand picks up the phone.
"I'm so sorry Ben. I didn't mean to intrude." He doesn't fight her as she takes him in her arms and holds him. Finally the tears come.
