Written for 15minuteficlets, but never before posted. (You lucky people you.) In ten minutes, actually -- the only time I've ever been *under* time limit, but, well, it's really short. No set time period, although probably after Til Death Do Us Part.

"I'm *tired* of this," Shane moaned.

Lily stroked his hair. "Of what, sweetie?"

"Of always having to be *good*. No, not that --" He paused; took a deep, gulping breath. "Better than good. Someone to look *up* to. Like Mo-- like...Linda." He rubbed his eyes. "Where you know not everyone is going to be perfect, and you try to do it *for* them."

"No one said you have to be perfect, Shane," she murmured.

"It's just..." He sniffled. "I've spent *years*, Lily. *Years* thinking, this will be the day he comes out of it. This is the day he comes back to me, and asks for forgiveness. And because it's the right thing to do, because it's what *she* would do...I forgive him."

He paused. "I don't want to forgive him anymore," Shane said, a hardness at the core of his voice. "Now I want him to *pay* for everything. For all the -- for everything he put me through. He *knew* he was doing it. He *had* to know. I want him to suffer like I did." He turned pained eyes to hers. "But that's not very heroic, is it?"

"No, Shane," Lily sighed, drawing him into her arms. "It's human."

~*~*~

(The word, of course, was forgiveness.)