Tom listened to her, the effort she expended in trying to comfort him over something...that really didn't bother him anymore. Well and truly...not now that she knew.
He shook his head, meeting her gaze. "That's not it." he explained, licking his lips in a rare gesture of mild disquiet. "I was just a kid when it happened...I had all these plans and then this thing comes along..."
He paused, gesturing to the photo in the obituary. "I'm not WITSEC, not exactly...I didn't change my face, I needed reconstructive surgery after the damn explosion. The Agency faked my death to protect me while I gave 'em all the info I had on that operation. Wasn't much, but it helped...and after they took down an East Coast Alliance cell based on my intel, they offered me a job and a new identity."
After a beat, he reached up to take her hand in his, running his thumb over her wrist in a silent gesture of affection. "I guess...I guess what I want you to know that this life I have now...this isn't a new life. It's the old one I didn't get. I left a lot behind...but I swapped serving my community for serving my country, and I'm not running from the sons of bitches that nearly killed me, I'm sticking it to 'em every day. I was too young to be someone else, to have another life before this all happened. I told you no more lies...and I just want you to know I mean it. The guy sitting here now...it's the same guy in that photo. You understand what I'm trying to say?"
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2006-07-27 07:11 pm (UTC)He shook his head, meeting her gaze. "That's not it." he explained, licking his lips in a rare gesture of mild disquiet. "I was just a kid when it happened...I had all these plans and then this thing comes along..."
He paused, gesturing to the photo in the obituary. "I'm not WITSEC, not exactly...I didn't change my face, I needed reconstructive surgery after the damn explosion. The Agency faked my death to protect me while I gave 'em all the info I had on that operation. Wasn't much, but it helped...and after they took down an East Coast Alliance cell based on my intel, they offered me a job and a new identity."
After a beat, he reached up to take her hand in his, running his thumb over her wrist in a silent gesture of affection. "I guess...I guess what I want you to know that this life I have now...this isn't a new life. It's the old one I didn't get. I left a lot behind...but I swapped serving my community for serving my country, and I'm not running from the sons of bitches that nearly killed me, I'm sticking it to 'em every day. I was too young to be someone else, to have another life before this all happened. I told you no more lies...and I just want you to know I mean it. The guy sitting here now...it's the same guy in that photo. You understand what I'm trying to say?"