All of the angst he had been feeling, the hopelessness and the guilt melted away as if the very tide that lapped at the wall itself had taken it from him and carried it away. The sound of the water was soothing and the view of the cityscape suggested another life. He had begun to loathe every part of those buildings, hate every part of what that urban jungle stood for. Once upon a time he had thrived in a city just like this one, though the City was a far cry from Detroit, he would have owned this place long before. But so many things had changed and his solitary lifestyle had rejected the idea of urbanization. Even coming from the solace and solitude of the dinosaur ridden jungle, he preferred that to the city having known what lay in store.
But now...now as he sat in her presence it all seemed a distant memory. It seemed wrong to dwell in that here. That all was best left at the City line, and not polluting their newfound sanctuary. This was their place and he would not destroy it with the darkness he kept inside. Because he had to protect her even from himself and he would at any cost. He would not make the same mistakes with her he had with Macklyn.
"I've missed you too." He didn't apologize for the distance, he didn't need to. She would have understood had he told her but he didn't feel it was necessary just then to explain. Peter could probably find the words to better explain Eric's plight than he ever could. Peter knew some of the story. But Eric would tell Lee all of it if she asked. But this wasn't the time for that.
"I am," Eric replied. He shifted closer to her so that they sat almost hip to hip, and an arm wound about her own. He basked in her presence. He was glad she had missed him because he needed her warmth and her guidance more than he remembered until that moment.
"What about you?" It was an idle question, he knew she was happy. It radiated in her. Peter was treating her like she deserved, and more. Eric always trusted that Peter would do what it took to ensure Lee stayed intrigued and excited, as well as loved and happy. Peter would not hold her back, either, spirited as she was and would always be.