Mark screws up his face and shakes his head. "Nah...No I acted too quickly in the past. I did things I shouldn't have and I got what I deserved." He smiles a little at her. "Well as a coffee afficionado, I can tell you only the Italians do a better cuppa than you." He chuckles. He looks up at her when she sits down. "Yeah that cat can be an evil bastard at times." Mark thinks for a moment about the tour, calculating a few things. "I leave tomorrow night again to go to England. But I'm back on Tuesday. Back home for a bit. How come?"

Mark shrugs. It wasn't that he had fallen out of love with her at all. He just got scared and confused by his own feelings. "No...I...acted too quickly. I should never have left." He narrows his eyes. His mother had spent most of Christmas berating Mark for leaving Layla. "You're good for a lot more than that. You're an amazing woman, Layla." he smiles softly. He meant it as well. She was perfect, and he never realised it until now. Anyone else would have hated him for what he did, but not Layla. "I saw my parents yesterday, but I had a lot to think about today. How about you? No family Christmas?"

Mark listens to Layla speak, nodding along gently. He could listen to her speak all night. She just had that soothing tone that made him feel at ease. And then she said she loved him, and Mark didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He loved her too, and he was so pissed at himself for leaving. He shakes his head. "That's the thing, Layla. You were..you are...perfect for me. I'm the jackass that didn't see that til it was too late. I was happy, then. I'm not happy now." He sighs. She would probably ask him to leave for being so open and honest, but it just came out before he even had time to think about what he was saying. Besides, everything he said was true. Layla had been patient and loving to him, and he had just ran away. "I'm sorry I ruined Christmas too then," he muses. "You shouldn't have to face all the questions for what I did."

Mark knew that he had hurt Layla. His had never been shy in telling him just how he had hurt her. The last thing he wanted was to do that to her again, and he knew there was no way she would trust him. He often tried to rationalise his actions. The fact Layla was the first woman he had been confident around made him think he could be more confident with others and meet someone amazing. But the truth was that there was no one more amazing than Layla. When she speaks, she confirms what Mark had feared, that she had been pining for him. He felt awful that he had left someone who had given him everything and more - all of herself, and he would give anything to be back with her. But he was Mark. Mark never made bold moves. Mark didnt have the balls - so he was told so often. Or did he? He stares at Layla for a moment. "I fucked everything up. I was happy though. I will never be as happy without you. I can see that now. It's why I still have my ring. I keep it...." he pulls a chain out from under his shirt. "Here. It's the piece of you that keeps me going when I feel shit and in a dark place. You always made me feel better." he sighs. "I'm sorry I fucked it all."

Mark sighs when Layla looks down at the ring he still kept beside him all the time, nodding his head slowly. He always felt a bit lame for wearing it, but the fact she didn't think he was made him feel a little better. He watched her as she started to get a little emotional. He wanted to ask her to give him another chance, but he didn't know how. "I'm sorry, Layla," he says when she gets emotional. "I'm sorry I made you cry. I just wanted to show you the truth. I feel you deserve to know..." he goes quiet for a while before he looks up momentarily, before reaching out, as if to hold her hand. He knew it couldn't be straightforward, not now, but he had to know if it was all over for real or if he still stood a chance.

Mark smiles a little when she holds his hand, gently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. He looks down at their hands together, thinking how right it looked still, and how crazy he had been to give her up before. When she speaks, he listens to what she has to say Carefully. In a way it hurt that she couldn't trust him yet, but that was his own doing and he couldn't blame her. "I understand," he says softly. "I'll wait for you. I'll wait forever if I have to. You should take it as slow as you need to." he meant it too. He didn't want her to rush into anything and end up regretting it, even though he knew now more than ever that she would always be the only one for him. "I love you too. I will love you for as long as I live."

Mark smiles when Layla offers him the chance to come home for a while. It seemed like she really did want him as much as he wanted her. "You mean that?" he asks softly, taking her other hand with his and squeezing gently. "I would love to Layla. It'll be great to have the chance to be back home. Especially with you." he smiles at her. "I'll do my best to show you how much I love you." Mark knew he couldn't afford to screw it up this time. Layla was putting everything on the line, particularly her pride, and he had to prove himself as worthy of her love. "I've missed you too. I've been hurting so bad. I know you might not believe me, but I promise I won't hurt you again."

Mark smiles when Layla does, delighted to see her happy and smiling again. When she leans in, he closes his eyes and kisses her softly, immediately knowing that this was right. When Layla's lips were pressed against his, it just felt perfect. They felt so soft, so familiar and so right for Mark as he allows his fingertips to touch her cheek. "No. Don't apologise. I missed your kisses so much. I should never have gone, Layla. I love you more than anything." The kiss had brought everything back to Mark, all of his feelings, and showed him just how important Layla was in his life. He always remembered everything about their relationship, and he smiles as he thinks of the new chapter they were starting.
He walks around the counter to stand beside her, leaning in to kiss her again. "You're such an amazing woman Layla. I always was lucky and now I feel even luckier."

Mark smiles. "I feel like I should be offering you something to eat, not the other way around," he jokes. "Are you hungry?" When she kisses him, he smiles at her again. It felt good to be back with her. It just felt so right, and he was prepared to give Layla as much time as she needed to feel normal again. "You know...Gia will be so pissed at you if she hears about this. She hates me," Mark says with a little sigh.

"Really? That sucks. Maybe I'll make a Christmas dinner for you when I get back from tour next week. I'll get my mom to tell me how." he laughs a little. "No I'm fine. I'm not really hungry either. Im just happy right now." He smiles and scratches his nose when she mentions what Gia said. "I doubt she would have wanted you taking me back though. Because she's protective, I mean. Do you reckon I shoul.ld expect some sort of lecture from her?" He looks a little nervous at the thought of Gia shouting at him.