Yes, Josh had seen his face. If he hadn't been determined to get Emery home with him before, his face alone would have convinced him, not to mention his feet. At least one of them was bleeding; Josh couldn't see the sole of his other foot to be sure, but he would hazard they both were. The sooner he got his point across the better. "I drove here. Come with me. There's food and we can talk."

"We have nothing to talk about." It wasn't dismissive — it wasn't an attack. It was resigned, matter-of-fact. As if Emery had long ago made his peace with them never speaking again. Maybe he had. Josh certainly had, before tonight, but now...

"You look like hell and it's cold out here. Please," he entreated. "Come with me." He couldn't see Emery's expressive brown eyes with the poor lighting, but he imagined they were as distant as the other man could make them. Josh gripped the wooden seat tight enough to hurt, to keep from trying to draw Emery into a hug the other man might not even allow.

Emery's voice was not unkind. "Going with you would serve no purpose, Josh." More dry coughing. Josh needed to get him to see a doctor tomorrow. But first he'd need to convince him to come. "Leave me be. Go home."

"Go ho— do you honestly think I could just go home and sleep knowing you were out here?" His heart clenched. "Where are you planning on sleeping? On this bench? In the woods?"

It was jarring, seeing Emery rub at a beard he'd never have chosen to wear. "I'm not your problem. Walk away."

"I left the car next to Natural History Museum. Double-parked, so it might not be there long. Can we at least have this conversation there, where it's warm?"

"You left it where? You've taken complete leave of your senses. You'll be towed."

"That's something you're willing to talk about? My car being towed? While you see 'nothing to discuss' about you sleeping on the streets?" Josh felt as incredulous as Emery had sounded. "Emery, I'm begging you—"

"Goodnight Josh," the other man rose, shivering as his bare feet made their slow painful path away from the bench. "It was good seeing you."

Josh had hoped it wouldn't come to this. He wasn't sure Emery would forgive him for what he was about to say, but he could see no other way forward. "Emma would never have forgiven me if I just left you here like this."

The effect was immediate. Emery spun to face him, radiating hurt and betrayal. "Don't use her like that."

"You're not giving me much of a choice. And you know how she was." He swallowed, hating the painful memories he had to dredge up. "How much she loved you. Please come home with me. At least for tonight. Take a hot shower, eat something, sleep in a real bed. Tomorrow morning we can talk and, if you still insist, I'll drive you wherever you'd like. Please. For her if not for me."

Emery was about to answer when his frame was wracked by another bout of dry coughing. Josh waited patiently, hoping against hope he'd gotten through to him. The other man studied him intently. "Very well. Just for the night. And tomorrow you'll let me leave."

"After we talk." He held his breath.

"After we talk," Emery confirmed.

Josh finally let go of his grip on the bench, hands aching, as he let out his breath in a rush of relief. He'd get Emery home. Warm, fed, safe. If it'd been up to him he'd have carried the other man to the car, so he didn't have to walk, but it was enough to know he'd be comfortable soon.

And, if Emery thought Josh would just let him leave in the morning without a plan, then he had another thing coming.