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Noah was still explaining his reasons for being against a friendship between Laila and Jake, after he had apologized to her for the way he had attempted explaining things the first time around. This time he was being more calm about things and tried to keep his emotions out of it. At least the part that was making him act out of line before.

In a calm tone he said, "Being okay with being friends with an ex is already asking a lot of a partner, but asking to be friends with an ex like that, I think that might be too much to ask. Who knows, maybe time will change things, maybe his behaviour from here on out will change me, but for now I am 100% against this friendship. As I said before, I won't stop you, but I do hope that you will take my feelings in consideration if you do decide to continue with this friendship."

Noah's words were a lot to take in for Laila. He had been very vulnerable with her and that was one of the things she loved about him. So, she wanted to pick her own words carefully. Although his stance hadn't changed, he had expressed in a way that she could much more easily accept and made her realize even more where she had been lacking in her approach to the situation.

The tough front he tended to show in front of Steve and at work was something quite new to her, but this sweet, caring side of his, she was quite familiar with. This side that was able to reflect on his own actions and emotions, this side that didn't mind saying he was wrong first, and did it so honestly, that side reminded her of how things were back in the day. Although the nature of their conversations had changed, and he wasn't so outspoken as this back then, the moments were definitely there. Even if he would say it in fewer words in those days, if he even used any words at all, he would always come to her and reach out first when there was any type of falling out, making it easier for her to grab his hand and for them to move past things. Since she was stubborn in those moments, he chose not to be. Apparently, after all those years, this hadn't changed.

Laila covered Noah's hand with her own, making the hand-sandwich complete. She then smiled at him and said, "Thank you", in a soft voice. After that she began telling Noah where her part of the blame had been in her eyes. "I am glad you said sorry for bringing up my past and admitting that your emotions and past insecurities got the better hand of you BUT I too am to blame for things escalating like that. I too am sorry. I intended for it to be an open conversation, yet when you didn't give me the answer I wanted, I became annoyed and defensive. I know that I am asking a lot from you, and it isn't fair for me to expect you to be okay with this just like that, especially after all that has happened. Although I do truly want to give being friends with Jake a chance, from the very beginning I wasn't willing to let it affect our marriage. As that is more important to me by a lot, and Jake knows that. So, if the beginning is already enough to cause trouble like this, I might have to reconsider it all together. How about we let the matter rest for now and take our time to think about it, before we revisit the idea. If you still feel so strongly about it by then as well, then I will forgo this idea."

Noah and Laila settled on that, and they shared a tight, long, warm, hug to end their disagreement just as quickly as it had started. "Now that we have talked it out, are you ready to head over to Steve's place?" Laila smiled as she nodded to show Noah that she was ready to go. With the suitcases already in the trunk of the car, all they needed to bring downstairs, was themselves. Soon enough they were finally on their way over to Steve's house.

During the ride Noah asked Laila, "This will be your first time visiting his house, won't it? In reality you have been there once before, but since you don't have the memories from the time before your arrival in this timeline, this will be the first time for you as you." Laila chuckled at the way Noah had struggled to explain what he had meant. She found it endearing and placed a kiss on his arm in response, before she placed down her head on it. "Yes, this will be my first time as 'me'. I am quite curious about his place. Not only because I can't really imagine what type of place a person like Steve would be living at, but also because I want to see where Maria will be staying for the next couple of weeks. It somehow doesn't feel right to leave her with Steve alone and unsupervised. My sweet Maria is more innocent and fragile than she appears to be, and I don't want Steve to take advantage of that. But then I tell myself that Steve wouldn't do that, and that this will be good to create some more progress between them before Maria goes back home." This time it was Noah who chuckled and he glanced over at Laila, but he could only see the top of her head as she was still resting against his arm. So, instead he settled for a kiss on the top of her head and some words of assurance.