"No, it's still missing something."

"What's missing?"

"Your expression." Shawn cradled her face. "Galey, when you act cute, I'm completely defenseless."

Under his many years of teaching, Gale was no longer as shy as before. She would initiate kisses on the cheeks or lips. She would laugh and smile innocently, saying playful things that tugged at his heartstrings.

The current Gale carried a sense of detachment, avoiding intimacy. He knew what she was thinking, what she was concerned about. After the incident at the motel, she had become burdened with worries, and she was cautious and no longer as openly passionate as before.

Shawn loved to see and adore the Gale from before, but who knew how long it would take for her to return to her former self and become truly her again?

Shawn knew it was not going to happen anytime soon. The damage was too great, the scars too deep, and they would not heal quickly. He could only help her repair little by little.

"I..." Gale, of course, unders