Firmly Behind As Long As She Was Firmly In Front

He always said he would be right behind her, every step of the way. 

Whenever she felt she could not go on, he would reassure her that she could, that she was strong enough to face any challenge, that she was good enough to accomplish anything she set her mind too.

Little did she realize that when he said he would always be right behind her, it was only because he was using her as a shield, as a means of blocking out all the flak that he himself could not bear.