Peter: "I mean, thanks. We didn't even know Maddie was in play."
Alicia: "I honestly don't even know what I did."
Peter: "I guess it doesn't matter."
Alicia: "We might be dating? It got complicated for a minute."
Peter: "I can honestly say I don't have a problem with that."
Alicia: "Where are we even going on this bus?"
Eli: "HOME! Or else we could do one more meet-and-greet if you're into it..."

They crack up, closer than they've been in years. She stays in her seat, though, and he stays in his. There's a cover of "Midnight Train To Georgia" playing, soft and then loud. Outside the city you could almost see stars.

Eli: "What are you two laughing at?"
Peter, lovingly: "You, Eli. We're laughing at you."
Eli: "That's right, King Lear's fool, that's me."

They stop laughing. They have a conversation, very long and very short, without opening their mouths. He asks, and she smiles. He wonders, and she pretends. He offers, and she accepts. Maybe not tonight, but soon. He sits back, against the banquette. She could throw her arms out, wide, tonight. She could have it all. She could take it.

NEXT WEEK

Everything comes crushing down when Miriam Shor reveals concrete evidence of that first night with Will. Other things happen too, probably, but holy balls.

JACOB CLIFTON is a freelance writer and critic based in Austin, Texas. He currently recaps Gossip Girl, The Good Wife and Homeland for TWoP. Jacob can be found online at jacobclifton.com, on Twitter, and on Facebook. IRL work appears in BenBella's SmartPop series of anthologies, his novel The Urges, and a novelette, "The Commonplace Book," appeared this month on Tor.com.