by Kim Pritekel
Dean's heart broke as Will shattered before him. Pushing himself up to a sitting position, he pulled Will in again him. "Shh, it's okay," he whispered, rocking the sobbing man. "Keller and Garrison made one last go at it, and they found us, Will. They went for you."
Overtaken yet again, Will clung to Dean, burying his face in a warm neck. "Oh, my Dean."
* * *
Rachel sat up against the headboard, Reenie's laptop balanced on her thighs, an empty Word doc waiting to be filled. The cursor had been blinking at her for ten minutes, the screen finally going black before it changed to Reenie's screensaver of dancing penguins. Green eyes didn't notice, instead staring straight ahead.
It amazed the blonde how she could be in a place that was a second home to her, filled with familiar sights and smells, and filled with the love of her best friend. Yet she had never felt so alone.
The slight tapping on the closed bedroom door brought Rachel out of her distant, dark thoughts. "Yeah?" Shaking her head, Rachel looked down at the screen as though seeing it for the first time. She ran a finer over the touch pad the dispel the screensaver.
"Hey. Here." Reenie stepped into the room, a steaming mug in both hands. "Mint fudge hot chocolate."
"Ohh," the blonde almost purred, setting the laptop aside as she took the proffered mug. The brunette slid onto the bed beside her friend. Dark brows drew.
"You've been in here for two hours, and haven't written a thing." She met sheepish green eyes. "Honey, that's not like you." Reenie reached up, brushing a long, golden strand out of the author's face. "Are you okay?"
Rachel sighed, resting her head against the editor's shoulder. "I was fine, Reenie. I was totally focused on my career, my writing was steady and my head clear." The blonde's voice was soft, almost a whisper. She sipped from her drink, swallowing slowly. "My life was fine."
Reenie heard the soft words, bringing up a hand to run through the long strands. It was strange for the brunette, expecting to see Rachel's beautiful, golden, short hair. The longer style just didn't suit her, somehow. Bringing her focus back to Rachel's words, she cleared her throat.
"What happened, Rachel?" The blonde set her mug on the side table, then turned back to her friend, curling up to her side. A comforting arm snaked around her shoulders. "Talk to me."
After a deep sigh, Rachel began her story. "I met the most amazing soul on that island, Reenie. My eyes and heart have been opened in a way that I just don't know what to do with here back home. There," she snorted ruefully, "she was just part of my everyday." The blonde felt the sting of tears behind her eyes. "I feel so lost," she whispered.
Reenie was stunned, but said nothing. She rested her cheek against the top of Rachel's head and continued to run her fingers through her hair.
"It's not only her. I just feel like my entire world, the world I knew, doesn't exist anymore. I'm not sure where to begin."
"I'm so sorry, sweetie." Reenie kissed the golden head. "I can't imagine what you're feeling right now."
"I just feel numb. Completely and utterly numb."
"You've been given a second chance, Rach. That has to be for a reason. You're not alone, and I'll be here for you every step of the way. You've got to know that."
After a moment, Rachel nodded. "I do know that." Another pause. "I'm going to ask Matt for a divorce. I need to set him free."
"I can't believe that son of a bitch did that to you." No matter what kind of amends the editor and the detective had made, it still made Reenie angry to think of the pain he'd caused her friend. Rachel shook her head.
"None of that matters anymore Reen. I'm over it, and ultimately I can't say I blame him." She felt the editor grow stiff as her anger grew. Rachel pushed slightly away, just enough to look back at her friend. She placed a calming hand to the woman's shoulder. "It doesn't matter, Reenie. Truly. That's all over with now."
The editor decided to let it go. After all, it wasn't her marriage. "So, tell me about this woman."
Rachel's smile was instant, yet her heart began to ache. "She's wonderful," the blonde whispered, staring off into distant space. "She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, Reenie. Her heart, it just, it just... glows."
"Rachel?"
"Hmm?"
"Have you ever been attracted to a woman before?" The editor sipped from her cooling mug of mint chocolate.
"No. In truth, I've never been truly attracted to anyone. Before. No, not even Matt," the blonde said, forestalling the question she knew would be coming. "I feel like I've been reborn."
"Where is she now?"
"I don't know. On her way back to her partner in Buffalo, I imagine."
Silence reigned as Rachel felt silent tears run down her cheeks, Reenie lost in her thoughts. She was trying to get her mind to somersault over what she had just been told, yet not react. She could feel the pain radiating off Rachel in waves, the slight body shaking with the intensity of her emotion.
"It's going to be okay, sweetie," she whispered, placing another kiss on the blonde's head. "It's going to be okay."
* * *
Tiffany chewed on the oversized sleeve of her sweatshirt, body curled up against the arm of the couch. She watched the images on the screen, now just about the only thing on TV. She tried not to listen to Hannah's pleading voice on the phone.
"There has got to be some way for you to get me through," the brunette demanded to the woman on the other line. Her forehead was wrinkled in consternation. "I don't give a shit what the station manager said! One of the survivors that were brought in, and your cameras caught, is my goddamn partner!"
Tiffany was startled by the loud expletive then the sound of the phone slammed into its cradle. "No luck?"
"No," Hannah blew out, running her hands through her hair. She pushed up off the couch, almost tossing Tiffany off with the force. Walking to the front window of the small house, she blew out another breath. Hannah's mind was filled with a tempest of thoughts and feelings. She was standing in her girlfriend's house, where they'd spent the past thirty-three hours sharing their bodies, and she believed, Tiffany's heart. So many thoughts and feelings were throwing themselves at her, Hannah wasn't sure which one to latch onto first. So deeply entrenched in her thoughts, she cried out in surprise when her cell phone chirped to life in the other room. The researcher hurdled the coffee table in her haste to get to her phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey, baby. It's me."
Hannah blew out a breath, falling to sit on the edge of the bed, eyes squeezed shut. "Oh god, Denny. Oh, god. I saw you on the news, I've been trying desperately to find a way to get hold of you..."
Denny ran a hand through her hair as she rested her elbows on her thighs. She wasn't sure how she'd feel once she heard Hannah's voice: would she be filled with guilt? Uncertainty? Regret? She felt none of those things- only relief.
"I'm here, Hannah. I'm coming home today. I'll be in later tonight." Denny's eyes slid closed at the sob she heard on the other end of the line. "Please don't cry," she whispered. "I can't stand it when you cry." She felt her own tears brimming.
"God, Denny, I've missed you so much!" Hannah gushed, suddenly overwhelmed by her need to see the tall brunette.
"I've missed you, too, baby." Denny covered her face with her hand, trying valiantly to focus her sole concentration on the voice at the other end of the line. "I can't wait to get home, to you, get my life back," the last words were muffled behind her hand.
Hannah's eyes flew open, her hand covering her mouth. "Oh, god," she breathed.
* * *
One last shuddering gasp, and Dean found himself enveloped in a desperate, full-body hug. He tried to get his breath back as he clung to Will, who had begun to string baby kisses along his neck and jaw. The attorney chuckled, gently pushing at Will's shoulders.
"I need a breather, baby," he panted, wrapping his arms around the architect's neck and pulling him close. Dark eyes closed as Dean inhaled his partner's scent.
"Mmmm, I mi
ssed you," Will whispered, rolling to his back and pulling Dean with him. Dean said nothing, just snuggled in, luxuriating in the feel of skin, the hardness of Will's body and softness of the bed beneath them. "We're going to have a huge party, invite all our friends, reintroduce you back into the world."
Dean sighed, content and sated. "I want to just lie here with you forever, Will."
"We can do that, too."
Dean raised himself so his cheek rested in his palm. He studied the handsome face of the beautiful man he'd just spent all afternoon making love to. It had all happened so soon, so quickly, like a whirlwind. One minute they'd been there lying on the carpet of Will's office, the next settled into Will's Lexus, driving home. Dean hadn't been able to take his eyes off the architect the entire ride, drinking him in like water in the desert. As soon as the car was parked, the two men had hurried inside the building, Will pushed against the elevator wall as the door whooshed shut. Dean couldn't keep his hands and mouth off of him, the year's worth of abstinence catching up in one fell swoop.
At the moment, lying in their bed. Almost forgotten in Dean's album of memories, nothing else mattered- not the luxury cars, the amazing loft in downtown Manhattan, not even the hundreds of pairs of finely polished Gucci loafers lined up in the closet, all waiting for Dean to come home and wear them. Gazing into Will's face, brushing sand-colored hair back from his brow, Dean realized his world was complete.
"I love you so much," he whispered, leaning down to place a soft kiss on Will's lips. The architect smiled softly. He always knew Dean loved him, but he couldn't remember the last time he'd heard him say it in such a long time, even before he boarded that plane for Milan.
"I love you, too, Dean. Always."
"And forever."
PART 14
"TAKE CARE OF yourself, Mikey." Denny smiled up at the wrinkle that formed between the big man's eyes at the endearment. She leaned up, placing a kiss on his weathered cheek. "Tell those kids of your hello for me, ’kay?"
Michael nodded, looking down into moist blue eyes. "Good luck, Denny. I'm gonna miss you, darlin'." He took the tall woman in a massive hug, taking the very breath from her lungs. "Be good to yourself."
"You, too, big guy." One last painful squeeze and Denny was released. She surreptitiously took a deep breath, watching as the Texan walked over to Pam, taking her into a similarly tight hug.
Pam reached up when released, cupping Michael's newly shaven face. She smiled, he was such a handsome man. "Take care, Michael," she said softly, reaching up and placing a soft kiss on his lips.
"You, too. Go make nice with your daughter, Pam. She's all ya got."
The veterinarian nodded, trying to hold back her tears. Her family was slowly slipping away, the last vestiges boarding planes heading in two different places than herself. She and Denny watched as Michael stepped into the helicopter, Duke behind the helm. One last wave, the door was pulled closed and the giant bird gracefully lifting into the air.
Denny was surprised to feel her heart falling the higher Michael got. The world she'd known was dissolving, the people she'd come to know, love and trust, all gone, scattered to the four winds. She'd been pleased to find the note Mia had left for her at Duke's house, her gratitude written underneath her phone number, along with a reminder for that promised mocha breve. She felt a warm hand take her own.
"Your turn, kiddo."
The brunette accepted Pam's warm hug, feeling tears glaze her cheeks, for not the first time in the past hour. "I'm going to miss you, Pam."
"I'll miss you, too, sweetie. I'm so happy for you and Hannah. I'm sure she's beside herself." Pam felt Denny's pain, could see it in her eyes, and knew it had nothing to do with her partner. She also knew Denny was far too honorable a woman to not do what was right.
"Good luck with Tracy, Pam. You two can make it work, okay?"
Pam nodded. She had been shocked to find out from Colleen that Tracy and Luke had moved to Montana. Right then and there, Pam had made the decision to follow. New York meant nothing without her daughter and grandson, a realization that Pam hated herself for not making before. Life is taken so terribly for granted when it's expected to rise every day.
Denny released the older woman and walked over to Garrison, who waited beside her partner, and the Cessna that would be taking the brunette home.
"You are the most remarkable woman I've ever known, Garrison. We all owe so much to you and Keller. Truly phenomenal human beings."
The blonde pilot smile, her face flushing as her gaze dropped. It almost felt like the day after Christmas, such a let down to the great build up, as the last of what the media had dubbed The Island Six, went home. She accepted the hug, rubbing Denny's back.
"Good luck, Denny," she whispered. The brunette turned to Keller.
"Ready?"
"Anytime you are."
Denny gave the two pilots some privacy to say their own goodbyes, ducking as she climbed into the Cessna, taking a deep breath as she buckled herself in. She wasn't too keen on another bout of flying, but knew it was a necessary evil. She took the headset that was offered to her by Keller, who settled in beside her.
"This flight will be way more cool," the tall pilot grinned, putting her own headset into place. "The world looks different from the cockpit."
"Okay," Denny said, slightly shaky.
"Let's rock and roll! Get you home!"
* * *
Denny managed to get some sleep after awhile, finally overtaken by exhaustion from such a busy, crazy day. They'd been taken to Duke's house, where a nice, hot shower, with as much soap and shampoo as their bodies could take, awaited them. The meal of homemade chicken noodle soap had been Heaven on earth. And the shower! Denny's lips were graced with a small smile as she remembered the sensation of the hot water running down her body, feeling fully clean for the first time in far too long. And the sensation of grainy toothpaste, sadly painful. Her gums were tender, teeth in bad shape. They'd done what they could, chewing on fragrant plants and picking their teeth with the tiny bones of the fish they ate. She knew she had a smattering of cavities, which pissed her off. Denny had always taken pride in her teeth, vane with their bright white perfection. A dentist was a must, and soon.
Images of Hannah swept through her mind, their house and neighborhood in Allentown. A nice place, three bedroom house, small but well-kept. She thought about the day they'd bought the house, their excitement at finally having a place of their own. They'd gone out to a home improvement store, picked out wacky paint colors, only to settle on more traditional, safer hues. The fun of painting, splashing each other, eventually making love on the plastic spread out, protecting the carpet.
Denny smiled at the memory, wondering if the house would look the same, or if Hannah had made any changes. Was Denny's old Volkswagen bus still working? Or had it just been parked at the side of the house, left to rust?
"So, are you excited to get home?" Keller's tinny voice asked in the brunette's ear. Denny thought about the question for a moment, then nodded.
"Yeah."
* * *
Tracy Sloan looked around the ranch house, making sure it looked perfect. Her heart was pounding, and she was filled with emotions, many of which she couldn't quite identify. Colleen had called her the night before, the machine attached to Tracy's phone displaying in green electric letters what Colleen was saying. She had stared at the small screen, falling to the chair at the desk the phone rested on. Unable to believe what she was reading, deft fingers raced across the small keyboard, asking for clarification. Colleen said that, yes, she had Pam on her cell phone, she was alive, had miraculously survived the crash, and was coming home.
After the call, Tracy had cried, head buried in her hands, tears leaking through her fingers. Luke had hurried over to his upset Mommy, hands flying as he asked what was wrong. Tracy had answered with a few simple graceful strokes: Grandma's alive.
Apparently Pam had been stunned when Tracy's old number no longer worked, and the v
et had been frantic, finally calling Colleen. She was due in Billings in less than six hours; Duke would be flying her in, as he had a cargo drop in Canada.
Luke wasn't sure what to think. The child didn't see much of his grandma in the first years of his life, and now, more than a year without her in his life at all, the eight year old just didn't much care either way. He knew that his grandma often made his Mom cry, so because of that, he was fiercely protective, being the man of the house and all.
Maybe this time his grandma would be nicer.
* * *
Meredith Adams' heart was pounding so loudly, she could barely hear. She hadn't believed it for one minute when the call had come in earlier that morning. It was a lie, a hoax, something. Michael could not be alive, especially after all this time. Then for a split second, the older woman's heart had sped up, maybe there was a chance for her daughter if Michael was still alive. She had gotten the answer, her heart breaking all over again, hope replaced by profound disappointment.
Michael had said he only had a minute, no time to speak to anyone else, just to let them know he'd be in Beaumont within three hours.
Meredith placed her hand over her heart, taking several deep breaths. She had to tell the children. And Walter.
Jennifer had taken she and Conrad to buy some clothes and supplies for school, which would be starting in less than a month. Meredith had to stay home and keep an eye on her cooker, Ball jars all spread out, freshly steamed and ready to be filled with the canned tomatoes, peaches and green beans.