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It was just before midnight when Elly poured herself a glass of wine and put on her favourite song, Now And Then by The Beatles. She listened to the song really often, it always soothed her in some way and also made her feel very nostalgic, though she didn't understand why.
Walking past a sleeping Alfie, she stroked him and smiled as he rolled onto his other side and slept contentedly on. She reached the step that was between the study and the kitchen and sat down, stretching her legs and taking a sip from her glass of wine, listening to the song that was playing. She didn't really know why, but she felt sad most of the day today and couldn't explain why.
She had no idea that there were several cameras in her house that had constant access to her privacy. But now, at this moment, there was only one person watching her. It was Aidan, who, thanks to Division's connection to the camera system, was also able to hack into it. He didn't like that Elly could be watched every day, but on the other hand, that way he could also keep an eye on her if needed.
Today was different though, he wasn't watching her because she was in danger, he was watching her so he could at least be with her like this, from a distance. He missed her. He missed her every day he couldn't be with her. Today, today was the day that could be called their anniversary.
And this song was theirs. The first time they danced together, in a seedy bar, it played from an old jukebox. It was as if the lyrics sort of foretold their future.
When Aidan found out that Elly listened to her so often, it gave him hope that even if her memory didn't remember him, he still had a place in her heart. He would give anything to know what she was thinking when she listened to the song.
Elly's eyes were closed, her mind a blur of images. She didn't like dancing, she was sure of it. But in her fantasies she was dancing, dancing with a man who held her tightly in his arms, who caressed her and with whom she felt safe. She had no idea it wasn't just her imagination. It was a lost memory that seemed like her unattainable dream, in her moments of loneliness.
Even Aidan was listening to the same song, even he was remembering the moments when he held her in his arms as they danced together. When they'd stolen moments for themselves amidst all the chaos.
Their last anniversary together had been just like that, drinking wine together, dancing, even for several long minutes, over and over, to the same song playing on a loop. And it played even when they were no longer satisfied with just dancing, but when they kissed on the way to the bedroom, when they undressed, when they were in bed together and making love.
Elly opened her eyes, her cheeks burning, attributing it to the wine and not to the fact that this was exactly what she had imagined as well. She finished the rest of the wine from her glass and carried it to the table. She looked around the room, which was lit only by the fire from the fireplace. She wrapped both arms around herself as if she were cold, but she wasn't. She was close to tears, the feeling of missing someone so much was almost unbearable at times. She couldn't have known that it wasn't just about being alone in the big house, that she missed Aidan.
Aidan closed his eyes, he knew exactly how she felt at that moment, but he knew exactly why. In his mind's eye he imagined that he was in the house with her, that he could come to her and hug her, that he could tell her that it would all be okay again.
And he hoped that one day it would be so.
"Happy anniversary, kid..." he whispered.