Hey -- hey, now. [ one raised hand, palm flat. she keeps an even tone. ] If that was all this visit was about, you can be damned certain I wouldn't come wearing heels. Or unarmed, for that matter. I don't want to be enemies, Winter. I --

[ against all her better judgement and all her self-proscribed caution upon her arrival, she'd come to care rather completely for the man standing in front of her. ] It's only right we talk about it, don't you think?

[ until now, she's only ever danced around it. but circumstances have changed. ]