#endless ending

Hurt like hell or not, Taylor was excited. For her, this experience would be once-in-a-lifetime, and she was determined to soak it all up and live it to the fullest. Her enthusiasm must have been contagious, for she’d somehow managed to convince every single one of her friends to go through the trial-- though some among them saw a lot more of a draw in the wild partying that had been promised. Everyone getting together to do something crazy? Well, it was almost like old times, and Taylor had no doubt that this event would be one she’d cling to the memory of when her days inevitably grew numbered.

“Are you sure you don’t mind me running ahead?”

“God no!” Taylor cried, shaking her head. “Have one of the boys take out ‘fastest human on the course’? No way. The way Jake and Sean have been puffing their chests out at one another, neither of them are allowed to bring home bragging rights.”  

“So… my kicking their asses is a service to the community.”

“Exactly! I’m not sure if it’s a testosterone thing or sexual tension, but the air between them has been so charged I’m getting flashbacks to the first week in the Celestial.”

Estela was thoughtful. “I might try to keep up with Varyyn. Some company would be nice… it’s a long course after all. Better to deal with whatever La Huerta has to throw at me if it’s not, well, just me. If I can’t keep up with his pace, I’ll just coast a few steps ahead of the testosterone factories.”

Taylor laughed, and wandered into the bathroom to finish getting ready. This, she was determined, would be good for her. A break from dwelling on the sacrifice she’d committed to make, and the guilt she felt over tearing away the happy ending Estela deserved. No-- she only had so much time, so she had to make it count. She put her hair back in a ponytail and looked herself in the mirror. Ready to take on anything? Well, at least she looked the part.

___________________________

There were few times Taylor could recall such a large turnout; Elyys’tel was absolutely heaving with people. Those who were to undergo the trial paraded across the bridges, cheered on by brightly adorned revelers perched upon what seemed like every branch of the great tree. Music was playing-- so loud the tree itself felt to vibrate with it, food cooking, and already drinks were flowing.

“You know, I wouldn’t have thought getting hammered and then going running into the jungle of death was the best idea, but they all make it look so fun!” Raj’s eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight of a particularly extravagant cocktail. “Dudes, how do they even make it that colour?”

“The answer,” Sean said, steering his buddy away, “is the same as most. ‘Just some weird La Huerta crap’. Maybe we take a drink first next year, but I think we’d all do best to test this course out on a sober run.”

“Boooooo!” cried Craig. “I love you, man, but, booooo!”

Zahra gave him a look. “Did you think I was gonna carry your drunk, sweaty ass home over my shoulder when you inevitably pass out wasted in some murder swamp….”

Varyyn showed up, his expression serious and thoughtful. “There is no swamp section in the course. But you will go through many other places that are not convenient locations to find one’s self… ‘wasted’. Of course, the healers will be happy to help if you need it.”

“You know, V-Dog,” Raj admitted, “I think a hangover will be more fun from the comfort of my hammock.”

“If you don’t want to get on the wrong side of Michelle,” Taylor said, a little smirk upon her face, “that would probably be for the best. I don’t think her ‘happy to help’ extends so far as you guys getting carried away before we’ve even started.”

There were people everywhere, but the crowd upon the hillside sorted itself, with those who intended to make the journey as quickly as possible forming a large and boisterous band at the front.

Varyyn gave Diego one last kiss upon the forehead. “I will think of you with every step,” he said solemnly.

“And I will think of you with every step,” Diego reciprocated, and he hugged his husband tight. “You and, ‘holy crap, I’m not remotely fit enough for this’.

“Don’t you worry, Varyyn,” Taylor assured. “We’ll take good care of each other. I’ve got this man’s back, no questions asked.”

Varyyn smiled warmly. “I know. You are a very good friend. I hope that you will both enjoy your very first Miraa’torr Vaanu!”

“Yeah-- cross-country round La Huerta? How could that not be fun?”

Zahra narrowed her eyes. “I genuinely can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or if you need your head checked.”

“Bit of both, to be honest. I’m excited to experience it, whatever kind of a ride we’re in for.”

“Yup,” Zahra decided. “Cracked.”

Watching Estela jog off with Varyyn, Jake, Sean and Craig-- who’d eagerly put his hand up to endure a brutal pace in order to be his QB’s right-hand man through whatever lay ahead-- to join the ‘fast’ participants, Taylor felt a cold pit in her stomach. It was good for them. She knew that. They couldn’t just hole up away from the world together until their year and a day was up; they had to live. And that meant letting go just a little.

The ‘slow’ group took to a trail into the forest, following markers laid out-- though the tracks of what must have been near a hundred of the quicker-paced runners showed the way just as easily. Together, Taylor and Diego gradually broke away from their group, picking up a brisk but comfortable pace. All the time spent with their respective partners had increased both of their fitness levels, and their was an unsaid agreement to push their limits. Diego, in his desire to be feel he could hold his own in a treasured Vaanti tradition, and Taylor to see whether all her physical training with Estela was paying off… whether she was strong enough of body that she might have a chance of surviving the sacrifice she’d committed herself to.

In Diego, Taylor couldn’t have asked for better company. Through the easier stretches, they chatted together comfortably about all the Vaanti customs and traditions they could try taking up; Diego was, naturally, pretty well-versed in this area. Unfortunately, though, the reality of Taylor’s existence and purpose had its way of clouding anything that would otherwise have been pure excitement. She found herself mentally mapping out which celebrations she’d likely be still alive for… which honestly, sucked. The conversation petered out as she retreated inside herself, to dark places she couldn’t drag her friend into.

Noting her demeanour gradually change, Diego slowed his pace and tried to catch Taylor’s eye. She just looked so sad. Why?

“I feel like I hardly see you away from Estela these days,” Diego commented, a little tentative. “Not that I blame you or anything-- I definitely get the wedded bliss thing-- just feels like something’s changed. I guess… I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

It was all Taylor could do not to outwardly wince. Of course she seemed different. She wanted so much to hide it, but…. Two months had passed since she’d come to the crushing realisation that she couldn’t escape her destiny… since she’d decided to live out the year on La Huerta and then rejoin Vaanu, saving the world at the expense of her own life.  That decision had changed everything for Taylor; her outlook on life, and her relationship with Estela. She wasn’t sure that she even loathed herself less for giving in to her conscience-- she might be saving countless lives, but it meant tearing her wife’s heart apart, and that was something Taylor swore above all else she’d never do.

Taylor stopped where she stood and looked into Diego’s face. If I could tell you….

He’d stop her. Of course he would. Any of her friends would, but Diego… Diego especially. He’d do anything to protect her. The same way he let himself be taken at the siege on The Celestial all those months ago. He’d talk her out of it.

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I really am. I’ve just been processing a lot recently, you know? Actually, ‘Stela as well.” Maybe some things she could share…. Her voice became a whisper. “I’ve been so afraid of letting her down. She just… she deserves to be happy, and I wish I could make everything okay…. We’ve got our home here now, a house that’s all ours-- even room for a baby down the track-- but it just feels so fragile.”

Diego put an arm around her. “I get it,” he said. “I mean, we’ve already lost just about everything. How do you believe anything good is for keeps anymore?”

Taylor sighed heavily and nodded. More than anything, she wanted it to be. Her life for keeps, not just an expendable tool, but an actual human life.

“Actually,” Diego continued, “that’s kinda why I’m loving this so much. All the traditions that have been built up around this event-- that’s been going on for as long as anyone here can remember, and it’s keeping on going. Life, uh, life finds a way.”

Then out of nowhere, a dreadful swooping feeling in Taylor’s stomach with the dawning of a possibility she’d not considered-- how could she not have considered it?

Is all this going to keep going?

Was the very world she and her friends had become a part of even compatible with the one they’d left behind?

In an instant the whole world around her simultaneously blurred and stood still. There was nothing, just the thundering of her own heart against the vision of the world-saving sacrifice she’d already agreed to. Timelines merged…. If the wound in time was healed, what did that mean for the people born of its impact?

Taylor swayed on the spot.

“...Hey…,” came a distant voice. “…Tay, are you all right?…”

Would the great tree of Elyys’tel never have grown? Would La Huerta itself even have risen from the ocean?

Her blood ran cold as she let her mind linger on the most horrifying of possibilities.

If she saved the world beyond La Huerta… was she going to kill the Vaanti in doing so?

That voice… it was Diego. She came back to her senses and staggering, settled down on the forest floor, damp from a rainstorm that had come through the night before.

“I’m….” How do you explain this? ‘I’m scared I might commit genocide?’ “Just need to sit down. Came over all….” She shuddered, which turned to an uncontrollable trembling.

Diego hunkered down with her, his dark eyes brimming with concern behind his messy-- rather sweaty-- hair. “Maybe you could use some water? We’re probably both overdue a drink.”

Taylor managed to force a stiff nod. She was trapped. She was sick with the thought that she might have overlooked something enormous in her need to ease her own conscience.

She managed to take the water bottle from her friend’s hand and bring it to her lips, clattering noisily against her teeth as her whole body continued to shake.

If… if she was going to harm the Vaanti in saving the world… she simply couldn’t do it.

Then, another feeling-- was it relief? Only for it to be drowned out immediately by a voice, familiar and haunting, echoing through her mind.

“Do not fear, child of mine.”

Taylor closed her eyes tight, wanting to block it out. Tears rolled down her cheeks, caring little for her fight against them. “Leave me--!”

“Taylor. You must listen. Let your fears be eased.”

“You can’t know….Why didn’t you show Diego a future with Varyyn?” she demanded. “If I haven’t agreed to something that will wipe out an entire race of people, then why?”

“Taylor. I showed your friend one of many possible futures, but only a fleeting glance of one. I showed him precisely what he needed to draw courage in that moment, and that was himself-- just himself-- and all he was capable of.”

“So, tell me plainly,” she said, “the merging of the timelines… what does it mean for La Huerta?”

Diego’s voice cut through, calling out in worry. “Taylor! Can you hear me?”

Then, quiet.

When she opened her eyes, she saw that very same lecture theatre Vaanu had shown the two of them all those months ago. Diego was there, neater, better groomed than the one sweating with her on the muddy forest floor just moments ago. He was seeing off his class, brief exchanges with his students as they passed by.

He’s so confident. Unapologetically him.

But it looked so bizarre after all the months they’d shared on La Huerta. Diego was at home in Elyys’tel, he was home with Varyyn. He had personally played a huge part in making the rest of the Catalysts’ transition into life alongside the Vaanti as smooth as it had been.

When the last of the students had left the theatre, this other Diego pulled out his phone and after answering the call to his father, put it to his ear once more. His face lit with the broadest grin almost instantly.

“Hey…. Were you waiting by the phone?”

The muffled voice on the other end replied. “If I did not, I might have had to wait moments longer to hear you again! I could not do that to myself, my love.”

Diego chuckled softly. “I hope I didn’t keep you in suspense too long….”

“Any time is too long, Diego. But knowing you are making your dreams happen is enough for it to be bearable. How did you find it?”

“You know how terrified I was?” Diego asked. “Turns out it was for nothing. I just got up there and… it kind of came naturally. It felt really, really amazing. I just wish you could have seen me!”

“I knew you could do it,” said Varyyn. “When you are home, I will enjoy watching the recording with you, and be as proud as I am now. My husband, the Professor of Stories.”

His eyes welling, Diego’s voice became choked. “I love you.”

“And I love you.”

“--Taylor! Taylor! Look at me, okay?”

“--hng?--”

The forest around Taylor faded back into focus, and there was Diego as she knew him now, long hair mussed from the trek through the jungle, his face a picture of concern.

“You with me, Tay?”

Taylor realised she was still shaking. “I… I just spaced out a little.”

Diego put a hand on her shoulder. “It seems like it’s a habit of yours, hey?” He frowned. “You’re okay, though, right? You looked upset. Really upset.”

Taylor slowly tried to steady her breathing. She couldn’t look him in the eye, not when she couldn’t share the truth of what was tearing her apart. “Everything’s just… got on top of me.”

She could have sworn she saw a flash of hurt across his face. Of course he knew there was something more-- he was her best friend. Unable to say anything more, she collapsed into his arms and cuddled close as he held her.

“I’m such a goddamn mess, Diego.”

Her head was swimming and her heart hammering. After her initial horror at what a sacrifice might have entailed, for a shining moment, she’d seen a way out for herself. An excuse to stay; one that could have lived with. But now, here she was again, facing the inevitable.

A rustle in the bushes snapped Taylor instantly to her senses. She grabbed Diego’s arm, alert.

Then, out of the shadows emerged a monstrous beast; a pig of gigantic proportions, its elongated fanged head more than half the length of Taylor’s body. Beady eyes flicked over them, and the bristled hairs down the creature’s spine stood upright.

“Holy….”

“You know,” Diego muttered softly, “I have a really bad feeling about this….”

Instinctively, Taylor’s fingers reached for the knife strapped by her shoulder, and as the pig-like creature stepped forward, head-raised, teeth-chattering in threat, she grasped it tightly.

Yep, I’ve got a pretty bad feeling too.

Guessing that their best bet was to try to scare the pig-like creature off, Taylor rose to her feet and raised her arms, shouting, and Diego joined her. But rather than cowering, the beast surged forward, clacking its massive jaws, and the two of them had to dive to the side to avoid getting trampled or worse. Scrambling, Taylor hoisted herself up onto an easy to reach branch and hauled Diego up behind her.

Welp, that’s not good.

“I did not,” Taylor panted, “survive this long to be… to be taken out by Babe’s hideous cousin.” She roughly brushed a sweaty strand of hair from her eyes. “If we can’t scare it off, we’re going to have to kill this thing.”

“Hooray…,” laughed Diego weakly. “You did notice that it’s freaking huge, right?”

“I know. Trust me, I’m no happier about this than you. But if we don’t deal with this… someone could get really hurt.”

The thought of any of her friends coming around the corner and being suddenly faced with this enraged monster was enough to steel Taylor. It seemed pretty likely that they wouldn’t be able to simply scare this thing away; this was La Huerta, and the wildlife meant serious business.

She took a deep breath.

“Right. We’re just going to have to tag-team it. Being able to work together is what we’ve got going for us.” Even as she spoke, Taylor looked down to the beast charging at the tree again, its small eyes flashing and sharp teeth gnashing. Taking care not to lose her balance on the slippery branch, she pulled her machete from her backpack and handed it to Diego. “You ready to jump down on my signal?”

“Absolutely not!” But Diego’s eyes were full of fire. He trusted her. “Who cares-- let’s bring home the bacon!”

Taylor knew that in spite of the beast’s size, they did have an advantage; even if they weren’t the best climbers around, they could still best a large pig going up trees. They just had to have one another’s backs, and stay close to escape routes, and they could do this.

They jumped down, and working together, they managed to keep the beast from getting close enough to either of them to strike, though it charged and it clacked its mighty jaws menacingly, aggression rising as it grew more and more frustrated. It quickly became clear that Taylor’s hunch had been unfortunately accurate; this stubborn and very angry creature would not be bluffed into simply fleeing back into the forest. Somehow, they would have to get close enough to strike it… whilst not getting chomped in half.

Taylor dared come closer each time she charged at the beast, until she could almost reach out and make contact with her knife while Diego held its attention. But the damn thing could spin around in its tracks so damn fast….

As Taylor made to dodge, she stumbled upon the steep and uneven jungle floor and she crumpled, “Shi--!” just as the beast’s head plowed forward. Time seemed to stand still as she fell, then the mighty animal slammed into her with a sickening crunch, and the air was forced from her lungs with a high-pitched squeal.

“Taylor!” Diego jumped forward and grabbed her by the shirt, pulling her roughly to her feet.

Even as she gasped for air, Taylor swung her blade forward, this time striking the beast’s thick neck. It swung around with impossible speed, catching Diego’s hand with it’s teeth, then backed up, clacking it’s jaws and barking in fury. Blood poured from the wound on its neck, dripping onto the leaf-litter.

Taylor braced herself against a tree, doubled over and wheezing-- the very rise and fall of her chest agony--, but unable to look away from the creature lest it charge again. Blood ran down her fingers where it had struck her, its long fang having swiped her side at the impact.

“Hey, you got it…,” Diego panted. His hand was badly bleeding, and in the struggle he’d dropped the machete. “Too much… to hope this guy’s rethinking whether we’re worth the effort…?”

God, Taylor hoped not. She couldn’t see a way of getting hold of the machete again without either of them basically placing themselves in the beast’s jaws. She was pretty sure she’d cracked a rib. And as rough as the pig-thing now looked, Diego was bleeding just as heavily.

While they were staring it down, though, the best seemed loathe to make a move. It was a stalemate. Perhaps… another good hit might be enough to make it retreat.

“All right, Diego, do you think you can still scramble up that tree over there with your bad hand?”

“I guess we’ll soon find out,” he laughed nervously.

“If it follows you, thing that big would get tangled in all those vines and creepers--”

The beat bellowed, cutting Taylor off. The sound was like something out of hell, a rattling shriek. It made a shiver go right up her spine, and again the sharp pain to her chest redoubled. Shit, I’ve definitely broken something. Shit, shit, shit.

She finished more shakily; “--then I should be able to hit it where it hurts.”

“Oh my god, Taylor, you’re not gonna give it a student debt?”

So, this was how they were going to go out; making quips about student loans.

Waiting for a momentary lapse in the hulking beast’s focus, Diego then jumped down, letting Taylor distract it for just long enough for him to avoid its sharp tusks, then throwing a rock to get its attention as he reached the target tree.

Taylor bit her lip, struggling to brace herself in the tree as the pain in her chest and side became near unbearable.

C’mon… c’mon….

Then the creature took the bait, swiveling at lightening speed in Diego’s direction and sniffing the air. It seemed to have poor vision-- at least one thing in their favour. If it ran at Diego as planned, it would be more likely to run into the tangle of spiky vines than it was to hit the moving target of a human actively trying to avoid it.

As if on cue-- crash!--

Porky Pig down. It squealed a god-awful squeal, and Diego had to move fast to fling his body out the way of a great snap of its jaws… but its legs and torso became only more tangled in its struggle. Taylor stumbled over, one hand clutching her side, the other holding her blade aloft. It dawned on her alarmingly that she was really in a poor position to make any kind of quick escape if the monster pulled itself free.

The beast thrashed, its jaws still dangerously close to Diego, and he made to clamber up into the tree for safety. But as he propelled himself up, Diego’s wounded hand wouldn’t hold him, and he fell back down, landing hard on one foot which collapsed immediately under his weight.

“Shit!” he yelped, and rolled to one side, only narrowly avoiding the flailing creatures tusks.

Taylor gathered all her strength to help her friend out of the way, and in that hesitation, the enraged creature tore through the vines with sheer brute strength. It stood over them with its vast mouth gaping, then lunged….

--Thud-- 

The beast dropped like a stone, landing heavily onto its shoulder, a spear protruding from the opposing side of its chest.

Taylor knew instantly who that spear belonged to. She laughed, a little hysterical, and slumped to the forest floor, swallowing a sharp gasp of pain.

“Oh.” Estela heaved a sigh, shaking her head as she emerged from the undergrowth. “Of course, it’s you. Jesus Christ, Taylor!”

“How did you--?”

“D’you think you were being quiet? It was pretty damn obvious someone behind me had got into trouble of some kind.”

Barely glancing at the vast body of the felled beast, Estela strode over to Taylor’s side and crouched down next to her. She knew an attempt at putting on a brave face when she saw one-- she’d tried to pull that trick enough times herself. “How… how badly are you hurt?”

“I think I may have broken a rib,” Taylor winced.  “It… it slammed into me… I caught one of its tusks.” Carefully, Taylor lifted her shirt and pulled down the top of her pants, revealing the gash surrounded by already-purpling skin. No wonder it fucking hurts. “But I’m okay… I’m okay….”

Taylor didn’t get another word out before she was wrapped in a careful but tight embrace. The sheer relief there was palpable; Estela had been afraid for her… really afraid. She hugged back, firm enough to give an impression that she was strong and well-- or at least, that was her intent.

“I’ll live,” she said. “Promise. Good shot, by the way!”

Stepping away, frowning, Estela seemed to properly take in Diego’s presence for the first time, and noted him cradling a swollen ankle. “What about you? Can you walk?”

“Well, I definitely can’t run. Walking… er, TBC. Varyyn didn’t say if there was ever a precedent for someone finishing this thing on a sprained ankle, did he?”

“And your hand?

He gingerly lifted it. “Copped a bite. Turns out I might not be La Huerta’s answer to Steve Irwin after all.”

“I could have told you that,” said Estela flatly.

“Haha!”

Frowning, Estela squatted down to rummage in her backpack, and quickly emerged with a first aid kit.

“Right, anywhere you’ve had the skin broken by that pig-thing you’re gonna want doused in antiseptic.”

Taylor winced. “Thankfully, I think it’s just my big gash, but ow.”

“Super-duper healing ointment won’t cut it?” Diego suggested.

Estela met Taylor’s eye, apologetic. This was going to hurt. “Maybe it would cut it. Or maybe it won’t-- it could just as easily just deal with the surface wound and leave all kinds of crap underneath. Looking at that monster’s mouth, I wouldn’t risk it.”

Gingerly, Taylor sat herself down upon a mossy log. Reluctant though she was, she nodded. If there was anyone’s judgement she trusted in a survival situation, it was her wife’s. “Yeah, you make a good point. Besides, nothing I can’t handle.”

“This is gonna sting like a bitch. I’m sorry.”

Taylor managed a little smirk. “Good thing you’re administering, then. Anyone else would be risking getting punched away.”

Again, her eyes met with Estela’s. There was so much care there; the situation might not have been pleasant, but Taylor just couldn’t help but want to be nearer to her.

I really appreciate you taking care of me. She said it with a small, soft smile, one she saw reflected upon Estela’s face in spite of the worry that lingered there.

“Best to just get it over with,” Estela said with a sympathetic sigh, and she began applying antiseptic to the wound.

“Son of a--!” As she jumped with the sharp sting, Taylor jolted her injured ribs and yelped.

Estela caught her gently in her arms. “It’s done,” she said. “I’ll just go over it with ointment so it seals up, but next to the antiseptic that’ll feel like a spa treatment.”

“Spa treatment? I could go for that. It’s hard not to be bummed out right now….”

Diego sniggered knowingly, his own disappointment a shadow in his eyes. “Miraa’torr Vaanu-- one, Taylor and Diego-- zip. Guess there’s always next year.”

‘Next year’. Those two words hit Taylor’s heart like shards of ice, and she saw in Estela’s face the very same blow being felt.

“You still took part,” Estela said gruffly. “And coming back with that thing.…” She toed the leg of the felled beast, “I think you can expect a hero’s welcome. It was pretty clear the feasting was about as important as the actual run.”

Taylor looked into Estela’s face and managed a shaky smile. Okay, there was something of a win had here. “Can you imagine Raj’s face when he sees this massive hunk of pork? To think we might have missed out on that.”

Estela returned the smile, her expression softening as a mirror to Taylor’s. Understanding passed between them. Miraa’torr Vaanu might be one less event Taylor would have a chance to fully experience, and that couldn’t not be a blow-- just a reminder of everything else she’d likely never ever have another chance to do-- but she’d faced a danger of La Huerta and kicked it in its butt. Winning looked different to what she anticipated sometimes, but it was still winning. Really, it was the only way they could see things if they were to not fall into despair.

As Estela moved on to properly cleaning Diego’s injured hand, the slower walkers at the back of the pack began showing up; first Aleister and Grace, followed shortly by Raj, Quinn and Zahra, who’d been keeping Michelle company as she brought up the very rear on medical duty.

“Oh my god, you guys!” Quinn exclaimed, her eyes wide as she saw the colossal form of the downed beast. “You’re hurt?”

Taylor tried a reassuring smile, but the result was more of a grimace. “Diego’s got a bad ankle and I’ve got bad ribs, but we’ll live. The things we do to put dinner on the table, I swear….”

Michelle quickly swooped in to gave both her and Diego the once-over and some good pain-killers, but was quickly satisfied by how well the injuries had been dealt with. “You’re lucky you’ve got Estela following you around and cleaning you up…. Taylor, do you just attract trouble for fun?:

“Apparently, I’m irresistible. But I’m fine.”

Her attempt at reassurance must have worked, for the concerned look on Raj’s face had been replaced by one of utter delight.

“Dudes… duuuudes, you know, I don’t think we’ve even got a spit big enough to roast this thing! What is it, pigzilla?”

“Clearly, it isn’t a pig,” Aleister said sharply.

Taylor turned to him, baffled. Sure it was the horrifying La Huerta version, but it looked pretty damn much like a pig to her. “I beg your pardon?”

“Don’t you see the straight tusks? More like large fangs. Any fool can see this is a peccary-- and we are in the region of the Americas after all.” He looked questioningly from the beast-- a peccary, apparently-- to Estela. “You didn’t have peccaries in San Trobida?”

“We had something similar to this, I guess. Only we called them ‘javelina’.”

“Yes, that’s a peccary.”

Estela shrugged, disinterested in semantics. “It’s dinner is what it is. Pig, javelina, whatever, it’ll feed a lot of people.”

“Makes sense why it takes such a knack to cook!” Raj commented, still beaming. “Touch the wrong place on its back and the meat gets drenched with stink-- it’s all kinds of nasty. I thought it was just a fun extra feature they gave pigs on La Huerta; guess you learn something new every day!”

Zahra wrinkled her nose. “So that’s what the weird taste in our bacon was….”

“Is it bacon if it isn’t actually a pig?”

Taylor cleared her throat loudly.

Nodding to her, Estela stood up. “I’d carry you back, but I feel like it’d only hurt you more. Freaking pain in the ass pig--”

“--peccary.”

“--caught you in a really awkward spot. I’ll get you home safe, though, okay?”

Taylor took Estela’s hand, and wincing, got to her feet. “Never a doubt in my mind.”

“You,” Estela said to the main group,  “can all work out how you’re transporting Raj’s new project back to Elyys’tel-- though I’d suggest tying it to a pair of sturdy branches to carry it. I’m going to be helping the casualties get back, but between the lot of you it shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Does this mean I’m effectively trading in a cross-country marathon for a doing a spit-roast?”

Taylor chuckled. “Raj, you may be giving up the marathon, but you’ve still got to lug that thing all the way back to Elyys’tel. I guess we’ll have a race; you guys carrying pigzilla--”

“--it’s a peccary!--”

“--versus me limping and ‘Stel hauling Diego. Last one back’s buying a round of Breath of the Moon.”

Michelle raised her hands. “If you can all just… make it home safely without stirring up any more monsters from the pits of hell, I’ll buy you whatever drinks you want.

_______________________________

Taylor gave a soft moan as she gingerly lowered herself into herself into a deck chair that had been padded out with firm but comfortable cushions.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow….”

At the edge of the beach, overlooking an extravagant obstacle course that had been set up for the children of Elyys’tel not yet old enough to participate in the main event, a freshly-showered Taylor tried to get herself comfortable. The slow and stumbling trek back had left her flushed, drenched in sweat, and with a layer of dirt over much of her body. Even with the pain-killers she’d taken, she felt an stabbing at her lower chest with every movement, but she forced herself to take a shower, desperate as she was to refresh. Estela, of course, had helped her with every step. Together, they looked out over the festivities, keen not to miss Taari’s first ever run on the kids’ course.

“It’s a good thing you and Diego went for help,” Taylor said, now happily nestled in a position that was reasonably inoffensive to her poor ribs, “otherwise I’m pretty sure the others would still be dragging that monster back through the jungle. And Raj would miss dinner.”

Estela edged closer, so that she was almost as much on Taylor’s lounger as her own. “I think his mammoth hog roast is going to have to wait ‘til tomorrow… unless he wants to cook the damn thing overnight. It’s massive.”

Taylor laughed and instantly regretted it. Ouch. You’ve really got to stop doing that. “Yeah, um, Raj and being over-eager? Where food is concerned?”

“Okay, yeah, so he’ll be doing that overnight.”

“Drinking and smoking and turning a giant pig on a spit. Basically, Raj just living his best life.”

The sun was setting. Colourful lanterns were being lit all along the beach. The kids who were waiting to participate had all gathered around the injured Diego, clamouring for one more story while they stretched their young muscles. It warmed Taylor’s heart. Though not to the same extent as her best friend, she felt a sense of belonging here-- especially since the whole Catalyst gang had moved from the Celestial to their own village in greater proximity to Elyys’tel. She still had to make her sacrifice, of that she was sure, but in the meantime, life for her friends was good. They were welcomed, embraced even. If it weren’t for all those lives she needed to save… she could easily imagine this being forever.

“Are you okay?”

Taylor realised her eyes must have glazed over as she lost herself in her own thoughts. It had been a welcome little escape from reality.

“Just disappointed. This isn’t exactly how I imagined it going.” She bit her lip. “And, I guess… when you’re on limited time and it’s vitally important you stay strong, broken ribs just… really suck.”

“It’s a bump in the road. Broken ribs or no, you’re strong, Taylor.” Estela carefully leaned in to kiss her wife’s cheek. “I’m sorry, though. If I’d stayed with you, you might not have gotten hurt like this in the first place. I thought it would be better if I wasn’t clinging to your side all the time, scared of anything happening to you, but this is La Huerta and shit does happen. I let you down.”

“Hey.” Taylor clasped Estela’s hand and squeezed. “This is not on you. I don’t wanna spend what time I have being afraid-- I mean, any more afraid than is reasonable when you’ve got a likely expiry date looming-- I wanna live my life. And you’ve got to live yours too. You know how insufferable I was gonna be when you beat the guys to the finish?”

Estela chuckled, shaking her head. “Well, my money’s on Sean now. He’s got Craig backing him up; big guy’ll probably tackle poor old Top Gun into the dirt if it comes down to a final sprint.”

Taylor couldn’t help but giggle. “Oh god, please don’t make me laugh!”

“Sorry-- sorry! I’ll, er, try to keep my comedic wit in check. Can’t have you hurting yourself, querida.” “Fair sure Jake and Sean will look after one another the whole way through, at least ‘til chest-puffing rights are really on the line.”

“Who’d have thought those two would actually become really good friends?”

“A lot can change when it’s life or death. You realise what’s true.”

“Yeah…. I think I can live with them trying to one-up each other all the damn time now that it’s friendly.” Taylor exhaled deeply, though it hurt, and looked into Estela’s face for a long moment. They really had a family now; all of them, together. If her life had to be short, she was grateful for the people in it. She'd tell Estela about the panic she'd had tomorrow; for now, she just wanted to soak up the good feeling and rest her weary-- and in some cases broken-- bones. “So… Miraa’torr Vaanu wasn’t exactly what I anticipated but… I guess it didn’t turn out so bad. It’s still gonna be a memory I’ll appreciate having.”

The kiddie runs began, and young Taari was delighted to have several Catalysts watching alongside a proud Seraxa as he lined up ready to take his turn.

“Are you watching, Cat-a-lissus? Don’t look away!”

“Aw, Taari,” Taylor called back. “How can we look away? You’re so fast, if we looked away we’d miss you!”

At that, the little boy beamed. “That’s what I thought!”

“There’s others coming too-- they’ll be here in time to catch your second run!”

Seraxa knelt down to him, putting strong hands on his shoulders. “However fast or slow you complete the course, if you finish at all, you must know that I am proud you are mine. Now, go out and show them all you are the son of our War Chief.”

“Heehee!” Taari leapt to hug her around the neck, then ran forward, ready for the moment he’d been waiting so long for.

From their loungers, Taylor and Estela waved to him and cheered.

“So,” Taylor said to Seraxa, “it all makes sense now why you weren’t running this time.”

Seraxa nodded. “I have completed Miraa’torr Vaanu many times; all my warriors know my capability. Now, what matters is Taari. It is different to what this time used to mean to me, but I hold it in no less importance.”

Taylor cuddled against Estela’s shoulder. ‘Different to prior expectations’ really could be rather nice. When she took in the atmosphere-- the music, the happy shouts of the children, the smells wafting from a hundred food stalls, and the smiles on just about every face-- it lifted her spirits and washed away even the most persistent of fears. Perhaps, just for these few days, she could carry the optimism projected all around her in her own heart.

Perhaps Estela was feeling it too, because….

“Hey…,” she said softly, kissing Taylor’s temple, “maybe one day our kid will be doing this, and we’ll be cheering them on.”

Taylor could have cried. Ever since she’d made her decision to return her life energy to Vaanu, she’d not once known Estela to look beyond that sacrifice.

“Yeah…,” she whispered back. “Taari will show them how it’s done.”

This whole society into which they’d been adopted; it was born of Vaanu’s energy. If they could survive Vaanu’s return home, there had to be some hope for Taylor as well?

“Right,” she said, turning from the icy waters to her friends, who surrounded her on the deck of the vast ship.“So, after checking on the hotel guests in the stasis chambers, the priorities are gonna be to scope out the greenhouses, and see what medical equipment and supplies we’re able to move ourselves.” She looked to Iris, who was by Aleister’s side as usual. “Your inventories are going to be a massive help; it looked like an absolute maze in there.”

Iris beamed. “I’d say even Everett didn’t know his way around the biological laboratories as well as I do. I daresay you’ll make more ethical use of that knowledge than he ever did. As for everything else, I’ll certainly be able to assist if you have items of interest you’d like me to look up.

“Aleister will be some use as well,” Estela said, and she turned to her… she couldn’t think of him as her brother, but… well, that guy. “You must have got pretty familiar with the place after you sold us all out.” The venom in her voice was unmistakable.

“Estela!” Grace exclaimed. It had mostly been plain sailing between the unexpected siblings, but with emotions running high in the lead-up to the mission, that uneasy peace was being tested. “That’s not helpful!”

Estela shrugged. “We should utilise what we have. It’s not my fault ‘what we have’ comes with an uncomfortable truth.” Should have damn well thought of that before he left us to our deaths….

His cheeks pink, Aleister bit back a sharp protest, but he couldn’t stop the scowl that soured his face. Uncomfortable was right. For a few moments, no one, bar Grace, would meet his eye. It came as no surprise to him that Sean was first to recover.

“We’re all on the same team now. This is gonna be hard enough without us turning on each other, all right? But, it is true; we can use all the information we can get-- this is about building our future.

“Thank you, Sean. At least some of us have the maturity to let bygones be bygones.”

“I’ve already forgiven you,” Estela growled. “Considering your stupidity got me pinned down with my mother’s murderer holding a gun to my head, you should be grateful for that much. But there’s no way in hell I’ll let you forget.”

She stalked off without another word.

Zahra gave a low whistle. “Welp. She’s in a fun mood.”

Taylor exhaled heavily. Emotions were already running high, and she couldn’t honestly say that she was surprised.

“I’ll talk to her,” she said quietly. “This trip is bringing a whole lot of personal stuff up. Estela might need some space just to spend time in her mom’s old office, and just… feel things. I think we’re all gonna need to cut each other some slack today; this is gonna be a tough one.”

In the weeks prior, a Vaanti team had utilised their wizardry with pulley systems to create a network of elevators accessing the facility entrance high above the rushing waters. While several of her friends helped secure the boat and prepare to ascend, Taylor followed Estela to the boat’s stern, where she stood, shoulders hunched, watching the falls with glazed eyes.

“Hey.” Tentatively, Taylor put a hand on Estela’s shoulder.

Estela smiled weakly, and wrapped her fingers around her wife’s. “Hey. Are you ready for this?” I’m not. Obviously.

“Actually, yeah. It feels good to be doing something.” Taylor gazed up the towering structure before them. “Not gonna lie, though, my stomach’s doing some mad somersaults right now. It’s been a while since I’ve had jitters like this.”

“It’s almost as if last time we were here we witnessed the end of the world, got captured and held at gunpoint, got attacked by Jake’s brainwashed long-lost best friend… and, hang on-- didn’t you fall out of a crashing helicopter?”

Taylor chuckled. “Well, if you put it like that. I think my nerves might be fairly rational. Thank god we’ve got Iris scanning for threats.” She tenderly stroked her thumb against the base of Estela’s neck. “However long you need to take; it’s fine. We’re on your side.”

“Oh, mi amor… I know you are. But I’ve still got to summon up the courage to walk in that door. That’s… got to be me.” Estela wasn’t expecting to find much in her mother’s office, but the fact that Taylor had encountered a virtual reality cry for help told her that any cleaning out of the place had been at a surface level. There had to be something, some trace. In their pocket of sanctuary at the end of the world, a trace of a lost loved one would be nothing short of a miracle. But Estela remembered that numb nothingness she’d felt in the Elysian; the warmth that she’d felt from her mother had long since vanished. Once she stepped into her mother’s office, she’d either have her miracle, or just more… nothing. She took a deep breath and turned, seeing her friends begin to disembark. “Let’s do this.”

 ________________________

 “Damn, this is eerie,” Diego said as he followed the group through the entrance corridor. He was profoundly grateful for Varyyn’s presence at his side. “I mean, great it’s not crawling with Arachnid creeps anymore, but I keep expecting someone to jump out from behind a corner and point a gun at me. That’s not just me, right?”

Taylor shuddered. “Definitely not just you.”

“Would you like me to run another sweep to put your minds at ease?” Iris offered.

Estela nodded. “Can’t be too careful. Even if anyone had somehow escaped the bloodbath after the mutiny, they wouldn’t have much to gain by attacking us now, but… I don’t think any of us want surprises here.”

“True that,” Raj agreed. “Unless it’s that Rourke had been keeping a secret greenhouse in here for fun medicinal substances, I’m putting an order in for a nice surprise-free expedition into the evil-genius lair. Rourke’s surprises have been more murder and less unexpected birthday bash, so I’m not holding up much hope. Hey-- you know, maybe a hash stash would have done that guy good….”

“Yeah,” Jake snorted. “Clearly, when Phony Stark was trying to yeet Princess into a mad time-vortex thing, we should’ve just offered him a joint. That woulda smoothed it right over.” He shook his head. “Nah, we handled it right. So, uh, Katniss, on a scale of one to ten, just how turned-on were ya when your girl booted the bastard straight into hell?”

“Shut up.”

“That’s a ten fo sure!” Craig cried, while Estela just rolled her eyes, a slight blush dusting her cheeks.

“Must you people be so crass? All the time?”

Quinn laughed gently. “They’re just lightening the mood, Alli. I think some of us need that.”

When the group arrived at Hydrodynamic Stasis, a sombre air settled upon them, and no amount of joking around could shift it.

“What… what’s their status, Iris?” Taylor asked quietly.

“All vital signs are within the normal range. Despite the initial loss of life when some of the guests responded poorly to the stasis fluid, the survival outcome is actually much higher than the initial projection. There’s no reason to believe that it won’t be safe to maintain the current situation until you feel the time is right to wake the guests.”

“Thanks. I guess that’s the best we could hope for.”

Together, the group walked the length of the room, visually checking each of the hotel guests. Even knowing the inhabitants were safe and stable, it was some reassurance to see it for themselves.

“I hate this,” Sean lamented. “I really hate this.”

Taylor looked over the rows of tanks, bodies suspended in fluid, only the glowing readings giving away that life prevailed. She shuddered. How could anyone not hate this?

“It’s… seriously messed up. But it’s a rock and a hard place situation. What’s more cruel? Leave them like this, or wake them up to the knowledge that everything, everyone they’ve ever known and loved are gone?”

“Are we ever going to have a unanimous agreement on this? Really? Or are they just going to be stuck like this?”

Michelle put a hand to the glass of one of the tanks. Would she want to be woken up to this nightmare? Quite frankly, there were days that she’d envied the guests in their unknowing slumber. “This is too big to make decisions on anything less. This is people’s lives.”

The discussions had gone on for hours. In the end, the consensus had been that in the aftermath of the outside world’s destruction, there was not one person within the group with the mental and emotional stability to be expected to handle the strain that would come with waking up the guests, with helping them adjust to their new existence on the last refuge that was La Huerta. They’d give it another year; establish themselves, create a functioning community, try and sort out their own heads, work through a colossal mountain of grief, and then… then they’d talk it over again.

“Listen, I had a thought,” Craig piped up.

Zahra sniggered. “That’s the scariest thing I’ve heard this week…, and that includes ‘there’s a klaawyi in the hot tub’.”

“If we’re meant to repopulate the Earth or something, a few more people might help. You guys see anyone you like?”

“God, Craig! Do you really think that’s funny?”

“Nah, it’s just the facts! It’s gonna be a really tiny dating pool for you single peeps if we just leave all these people in tanks.”

Quinn gazed wistfully into the serene face of a balding middle-aged man, suspended in time. He could be sleeping. What he’d thought would just been a tropical island holiday might have saved his life… but what had he left behind? “It would be nice to talk to someone else from home. But we can’t do this for selfish reasons; if we make that choice, it has to be for them.”

“Agreed.” Estela nodded curtly. When Rourke died, they’d been left responsible for these people, and that counted for something.

“Well,” Taylor said, “there’s not really anything else we can do here. I think we should split up, get our bearings, and scope out what we should be taking back to Elyys’tel today.” She gently took the hand by her side. “Estela and I are going to check out her mom’s old office, so we might need a while. Maybe if we meet back in the entrance corridor in an hour?”

“Maybe make it two,” Jake suggested. “Last time I took on a labyrinth, I had to put aside a whole half a day.”

“A whole half?” Aleister sneered. “Do you even listen to yourself talk sometimes--?”

Michelle sighed heavily, cutting in. Coming face to face with Rourke’s suspended prisoners was affecting, and she was not in any mood to standing around listening to her companions’ crap. “Two hours? Sure, whatever.”

Most of the group filed out, but Quinn lingered, waiting for Michelle.

“Hey….” She grasped her friend’s hand. “We’re going to get them through this. After all the things we’ve done? There’s not a chance we’re going to fall down now. It’s… just going to take time.”

Michelle managed a weak smile. “I’m trying to believe that.”

Together, the two women sat down in the next room, relieved to no longer have their eyes drawn to those haunting figures that floated serenely in their pods, unknowing. Everything about this was hard. There were a million personal implications for the situation in which the Catalysts had found themselves; where they’d live, what they’d even do with their lives, and visiting the hotel guests was a sobering reminder of just how big of a question mark hung over it all. To Quinn, Michelle felt she could at least vent freely. That kind of friendship had been a lifeline.

“It scares the crap out of me to think that Craig might actually be right. Any chance of romance basically went down the drain with the rest of the world. How the hell am I supposed to make sense of how I feel about Sean when that’s hanging over me? I can’t be with him just because I’m terrified there will never be anyone else. But I care about him; so much.”

Quinn put a supportive arm around Michelle’s shoulder. “I think he knows. Have you… have you really talked since everything settled?”

“We have,” Michelle said. “And I’m so glad we did. Basically, we agreed that we’re open to getting back together in the future, but… we both need some time apart to get over the hurt, and to work out what it is we both really want.” She sighed heavily, leaning her head back against the wall. “Right now, I just don’t know. If I’m not meant to be with Sean….”

As Michelle roughly brushed a tear from her eye, Quinn caught her hand and gently squeezed her fingers. “One way or another, you are going to be loved,” Quinn said, and she met Michelle’s eye with all the sincerity that she could possibly pour into that gaze. What she saw there was uncertainty. “I… I get it,” she continued. “It’s not the same, but… I had a… sort of thing with Taylor, back when we first arrived on the island. Not anything serious, I mean, we weren’t ‘seeing each other’… but it was something. There were a few kisses-- amazing kisses-- and I felt really close to her. Then, it’s like… I blink and there she was, gone.” She hurriedly added, “Don’t get me wrong; I’m so happy for Taylor and Estela. They fit. I’m just a little….”

“Sad for you?”

“Yeah,” Quinn said, a weak smile quirking upon her mouth. “It’s hard not to feel like I missed my chance at something special. But, I guess… love has always been ‘now or never’ for me; it might be good for me to learn to trust that I have time. I’ve got a future now, and that uncertainty can also be, you know, hope.”

Michelle looked into Quinn’s brilliant blue eyes, and smiled. That perspective was so starkly different to her own outlook. It helped.

“Well, if you have any bumps in the road while you’re learning, I’ll always be here for you to vent to. So long as you don’t mind me bitching about life right back.”

Quinn laughed, and leaned her head against Michelle’s shoulder. “A girl can always use a bitching buddy. Especially when she’s got the end of the world to contend with. You are an amazing friend, ‘Chelle.”

Michelle’s cheeks grew hot. That was something she didn’t think she’d ever heard. Certainly not with any amount of honesty behind the words. And yet, coming from Quinn, she knew they were spoken with total sincerity.

“You too, Quinn.”

 Meanwhile, Estela and Taylor returned upstairs and reached the office of Dr. Olivia Montoya. Knowing it was the only way she’d ever get herself to do it, Estela pushed open the door without hesitation. Ripping off the bandage.

Save for dust and dis-used lab equipment, the room was pristine. It could have been anyone’s laboratory. Estela’s eyes wandered over the bulletin board, her eyes lingering on a complicated series of sketches. She felt a pang; her mom had drawn those up. Though she knew it likely pointless, Estela began opening drawers, and for the most part-- as expected-- they were empty.

“It’s strange to be here,” she said quietly. “In the beginning, Mom was so impressed. Rourke International’s labs in San Trobida were not state of the art, and this was just… the best of everything. I could feel her excitement when she wrote to me, like it was so big it couldn’t help but come through on paper. She felt like she was doing something good; purposeful.” It was impossible to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

Finally, her search came up with something… a few pages of notes full of scientific ramblings on the properties of the crystals, and a whole lot of equations. It was so chock-full of jargon it might as well be jibberish, but it made Estela’s heart leap. This, this simple thing, was what she’d been hoping for.

“None of this means a thing to me,” Estela chuckled sadly, “but it’s her.” She ran a finger delicately along the pen strokes. “There’s something so personal about handwriting, and I saw hers every day for fifteen years.” Something so little, but so very comforting. She looked up, and gave Taylor a weak smile. “I… think I’d like to spend some time here alone. This is the closest I’ve felt to my mom in so long. You… understand?”

Taylor hugged her. “Of course. This is personal; whatever you need, just… you’re sure you’ll be okay?

“Yes, I’m sure.” Estela gave her wife’s fingers a quick squeeze as she stepped away. “I’ll likely be a while, and you’ll probably be more useful actually doing something.” She took a deep breath. “You got me this far. Now I just… need some time.”

Then, she was alone. Alone with her thoughts and… something that stirred within. A feeling of closeness to a presence she’d long missed, a feeling that was both beautiful and agonising.

“I hope you know I’m here,” she murmured. “I made it. You saved me.” You’re at peace, right? She had to believe that was how this worked. “I couldn’t save Tio Nicolas-- I guess if there’s any part of you left, you’d already know that; you’d be together.” Her voice broke. “I-I’m so sorry. I owe him everything.”

Estela could not stop the tears from coming. She slid to the floor, and sat there, letting herself feel… and cry. The death of her uncle was something she’d not been able to take in; it didn’t feel real yet, not in the way it had been when her mom had died. Perhaps the burning of the world was too immense to be tangible in any real way… or maybe there was a barrier that her tired mind put up to prevent her from delving too deep into that particular area. There was only so much, she imagined, a person could take . God, she was afraid of breaking down. If she broke down, what desperate measures could it drive Taylor to? She couldn’t, she wouldn’t have another person sacrifice themself for her benefit. So, she worked through her pain one piece at a time, taking on just enough of her own heartache to keep moving forward; to heal rather than drown.

As the tears slowly subsided, she roughly wiped her eyes and once again picked up the page of notes, which she’d set aside for fear of damaging. It wasn’t enough. It could never be enough. Every small sense she gleaned of her mother just told Estela how much was missing. Then, her eyes fell upon a broken up computer, and her mind whirred. That thing was attached to a headset… which meant that it had to be….

She tinkered with the trashed machine, her frustration growing as she realised she didn’t have the faintest idea how to piece it back together.

“Work, you goddamn piece of crap….” she growled, while her best effort literally fell apart in her hands. Her eyes stung with tears. She was so close to seeing her mother’s face again….

“Yeah, uh,” came a voice from the doorway, “it got a bit banged-up when I rescued Tayls. My b.”

Estela jumped. It was not often she was caught by surprise.

“You don’t happen to have come across any more experimental weapons in here? Your mom didn’t just have the one laser cannon? ”

Zahra hurried in the door. “For fuck’s sake, Craig-- what part of ‘give her space’ is beyond your comprehension?”

“It’s okay,” Estela said, mildly irritated by the intrusion, but quick to see an opportunity. She made eye contact with Zahra, and held it. “But I could use a hand with this. If there was any hope of it actually working again… I’m pretty sure you’re it.”

“True, true.” Zahra sucked her cheek, thoughtfully. Feelings weren’t exactly her thing, but it struck her that encountering a virtual reality projection of one’s dead relative just might be akin to self-torture. But, she supposed, it was up to Estela. If she was going to argue with that chick, she’d save it for a hill she wanted to die on. “Fine. But I bear no responsibility for any emotional distress that comes of it. I’m just the technical support.”

“Z, you trust that thing---”

“Craig, it was not about to murder Taylor. It wouldn’t even have latched onto her head if you hadn’t literally told it to. Just learn from your experience and…. Don’t. Touch. Anything.”

Craig huffed a little, and sat down on a stool. “Well, I’m standing guard, just in case.”

Estela couldn’t help but quirk a small smile. “Our hero.”

“Right,” Zahra said, striding over to the busted terminal. “Let’s see what we got here.”

After nearly half an hour, and shushing Craig around eight times, Zahra stepped away from the computer with a look of satisfaction on her face. “Looks like we’re in business,” she announced. Then, she grabbed Estela by the sleeve. “Stand right about… here.

Estela felt her heart in her throat… then everything went dark. Suddenly, it was as though she was standing in blue-walled room, the foreign environment surrounding her in every direction. She could hear nothing but her own heartbeat, pounding, pounding away. And then… there she was. Her mother. Olivia looked real, solid, like all Estela needed to do was reach out, and she could be in her arms once more.

“Hello. I’m Olivia Montoya. For several years I’ve been assigned to Rourke International’s Omega Specimen project.”

The fear and urgency Estela saw in her mother’s eyes was haunting, and it hit her like a physical blow to the chest. It brought back that same feeling in herself, and the frantic, futile scrambling to prevent an unfolding tragedy. Tears rolled down Estela’s cheeks, cascading rapidly, beyond her control. Even as she grasped for every detail of the sound of her mother’s voice, the quirks of that serious face, the presentation passed as if a blur, and it was over.

“Rourke International must be stopped before this project becomes a terrible reality. Thank you.”

The headset unlocked, releasing itself from Estela’s head. Her breath became ragged. It wasn’t enough. Instinctively, she reached out, smashing the buttons on the interface, and once again the visor latched to her. The presentation played again, and for a few wonderful, painful minutes, Estela might have been standing in the room with her mom. It was all wrong; for all the appearances of reality, this vision of her mother stared right through her in a way the real thing never could. And still she couldn’t look away.

A third play-through. A forth. And then--

The headset released itself, and Estela returned to reality. Zahra was standing by the power-point, an apologetic grimace across her face.

“Sorry, ‘Stel--”

“--Don’t call me that.”

“Yeah, you’ve had enough. You’re teetering right on the edge of losing your mind, there. C’mon. Take a break. I won’t stop you from going back and torturing yourself some more, but take a break first, all right?”

For a brief moment, Estela wanted to lash out, to rage at Zahra. What right did she have to make her stop? But she caught herself, and instead broke down in sobs.

That, by Zahra’s reckoning, was even more uncomfortable to deal with. To her relief, Craig took the lead, sitting down on the cold floor beside Estela and wrapping her in a hug.

Comforted by her friend’s embrace, Estela let forth a torrent of emotion, until she was left hiccoughing through the last tears left to cry as Craig roughly patted her on the back. Zahra sat down by her other side, and didn’t flinch away as she rested her head on her shoulder.

“I know you think I’m an idiot,” Estela said bitterly as she wiped her wet face. “I’m not a sadist… I just couldn’t bear the thought of there being a part of her left, no matter what it was… and me walking away from it.”

“Bro. I would do anything to see my l’il man, Joey again, no matter how much it would rip my heart out. I get it.”

Estela exhaled, her body heavy after all the crying. She didn’t know how she’d wound up with such good friends, but they damn well meant the world to her now. After all that had been lost… there couldn’t be any judgement. For a long while, they sat there on the floor in shared silence, just letting the loss hang over them. Estela knew that at the end of the day… she was lucky. What she had was nowhere near enough, but it was far more than her friends had been left with. They were hurt, but they were with her.

“Craig,” Estela said, breaking the long stretch of quiet, “Joey was really lucky to have you. You’re a pretty good big brother.”

“How do you know tha-- oh! Heh. Thanks! You’re a pretty good terrifying little sister.”

Estela snorted a grateful laugh.

“You know, Estela,” Craig said, “I would have loved to meet your mom. Who the hell keeps a legit laser cannon in their office? Bad. Ass.”

“Of course,” she said. How could she not be proud of her mother? “You’re talking about the woman who raised me.” It was no damn wonder Rourke felt threatened. Olivia Montoya was far to strong to stand down in the face of a great evil; it was that which Estela knew she carried within herself.

“Aiight-- you’re clearly feeling better,” Zahra declared, edging out of the hug. “I’m gonna just disappear before this takes an even sharper turn into Sappytown.” As she looked up, she saw, to her great relief, Taylor coming to check on the wife she’d pretty irresponsibly left moping around her dead mom’s old office. “Oh-- hang on-- looks like the mayor of Sappytown is back.” She stood up quickly, and grasped the shoulder of a confused Taylor as she passed her in the doorway. “You’re welcome. She’s your problem now. Enjoy.”

“’Stel?”

Estela shook her head, sheepish, as Craig got up and followed after Zahra.

“Hello, Taylor.” She accepted a hand and got to her feet. “So… I wasn’t quite as okay as I thought. But I will be. Thankfully, I had Team Namasiao looking after me.”

Taylor’s face was awash with worry. “Honey, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you--”

Estela chuckled and hushed her wife with a finger to her lips. “Stop that-- I told you what I needed, and you listened. As much as you might want to, and I know you want to; you can’t shield me from things I need to feel.”

“Fine. I’m not sorry. I just want to hug you right now.”

“Better.” Estela hooked an arm around Taylor’s neck, nuzzled close to her, and kissed her cheek, hard. “I love you,” she said softly.

Taylor stroked Estela’s back, feeling the tension still held there. “I love you too. And even if I can’t stop you from ever hurting… I’ve got you.”

“I know.”

For a few moments longer, Estela gazed around the office, not letting herself miss a detail. There was so little of her mother left there, but the scraps that remained were precious beyond words. It was all she’d ever have-- and she was utterly thankful that in the hurry to escape, the group hadn’t simply blown the complex to smithereens, however much she’d wanted to at the time. She exhaled slowly and deeply.

“I’m done. I think what I need now is to do something useful.” She swallowed hard. “We’re here to work on our future; something safe and peaceful. Mom would have wanted that… it’s all she ever really wanted for me.”

Taylor hugged Estela tight wishing she could do so much more to help. “We’re gonna have all that. I promise.”

As she came away, Estela met her wife’s eyes and nodded. Their future would not be what any of them could have imagined; but it was theirs to take. “Come on. Everyone’s probably already meeting back up.”

  ___________________________

The mission stretched out into the afternoon, with a rest and lunch break taken in the middle of the day to keep any hunger-related bad moods at bay. At long last, though, it came time to begin loading up the boat with the mountain of medical supplies, useful machinery, and the entire contents of one of a high-tech greenhouse. A large team of Vaanti had assembled to help move some of the heaviest items-- those that even Craig hadn’t a hope of shifting.

Tired though she was, Michelle was buzzing. “I can’t believe it; our med centre is truly going to happen! We have defibrillators, we have EKG machines… blanket warmers, electrosurgical units, anaesthesia machines, a freaking X-ray machine-- I swear I’ve died and gone to medical-student heaven!”

Quinn, too, was grinning from ear to ear. Looking to the future was something that hadn’t always come easy for her, but now, with the beginnings of the life they were creating for themselves coming together… she could see clear blue skies ahead. “Just wait until we work out a way to bring that MRI scanner back,” she laughed.

A little way behind them, Varyyn and Diego were propping up massive glass tank, its windows foggy… and something moving within. Taylor and Estela caught up with them, immediately intrigued by whatever the hell that was.

A creature, something akin to a large salamander, lifted a dark, purplish and smooth-skinned head up from its long body. Its unblinking eyes were small and largely featureless, and smoke poured from the edges of its broad mouth. As it opened its mouth in threat, a glowing flow of lava dribbled forth.

“What the…?” Taylor exclaimed. La Huerta never ceased to amaze her. Whatever Rourke had been keeping this thing for, though, could not have been good.

Varyyn’s expression was one of conflicting emotions; of pain that the Hydra had taken possession of one of Vaanu’s unique living treasures… and relief that they could right the wrong that had been done. “You remember our theory that Furball is destined to become the next Mountain Guardian? Well, I am certain this is Furball’s counterpart from the Deep.”

Taylor approached cautiously. As the creature stared at her with dark, beady eyes, a fresh swell of lava materialised beneath its feet. That glass, steamed-up so thick that the creature would intermittently be invisible save for a red glow, had to be insanely strong. “Woah. So, Diego, I guess you can cross ‘catch an actual Charmander’ off your bucket list now?”

“You know, Charmander isn’t quite as cute as I’d expected. Still a win, though.”

“I guess,” Estela said, as the small monster turned and hissed at her, “you’ll be making a trip down into the caverns. I can’t see this thing adopting us as its family like Furball has.”

Varyyn nodded. “This young Guardian must be home. It causes me pain to think how long the Hydra kept him captive like this.” He shuddered, and Taylor put a gentle hand on his arm-- clearly offering the comfort Diego couldn’t reach to give. “The release of this creature will be symbolic for all Vaanti; Vaanu and all who live here are now free of the Hydra’s poison.”

As free as we ever will be, anyway, Estela thought to herself. Some things, she knew, lingered on.

The lava monster was carefully placed onto the elevator, and taken down to the boat under Varyyn’s direct supervision-- with Diego by his side to offer an extra pair of hands. With the most interesting find being loaded up, Estela turned her attention to Aleister, who appeared to be struggling with a trolley stacked with pallets of clearly-flourishing plants.

“You need a hand there?” she asked.

Aleister huffed. “Help me? I’m surprised your pride can take it--”

“I don’t wanna stay in this place any longer than I have to,” Estela said with a shrug. “We’ll be done sooner if I don’t just stand and watch you drop everything. Besides… I don’t want things to be bad between us.”

Though he said nothing, the shadow of a smile crossed Aleister’s face. It could only make sense that being in this place had made Estela touchy, but he also knew she was intelligent enough to not waste her energies picking fights with someone on her own side. He took a side of one of the stacked-up pallets, and with Estela holding up the other side, carried the awkward thing to the elevator.

It felt like an age before the boat was loaded up, and protective tarpaulins covering the many plants that had been procured. If a plantation was to be set up in the shadow of Elyys’tel-- near the site that had been tentatively chosen for a new Catalyst village--, then the precious cargo had to make the journey with minimal exposure to the inevitable snowfall between MASADA and more tropical climes. All manner of hospital-grade medical equipment had been safely secured, under the guard of Michelle, who excitedly explained the purpose of every contraption to the enthralled Vaanti healers who had already taken her under their wings.

Everyone got comfortable for the journey back to the village; once they arrived, it would be back to business all over again-- a boatload of supplies wouldn’t unload themselves. For the time being, though, all was relaxed and easy. Even the strange lava monster had ceased its angry hissing.

Taylor slouched across the side of the boat, her arm brushing against Estela’s and feeling her shivering.

“Just a few hours and we’ll be passed out on a beach, catching the last rays of the day,” she said, letting the image in her mind warm her, just a little. “I seriously cannot wait.”

Estela’s teeth chattered. She was not, nor did she believe she ever would be, a cold weather person. That afternoon chill coming off the sea was vicious and biting. “Y-you don’t m-mind keeping me w-warm in the meantime?”

Taylor put her arms around her wife and held her tight. She gently brushed a kiss to Estela’s cold nose. “How’s that?”

Estela smiled, her already rosy cheeks flushing with pleasure. “Much better.”

“Tired, amor?” Estela’s dark eyes seemed to glitter in the starlight. She pressed a kiss to Taylor’s cheek, warm from the fire.

Tired. Heavy. Hopeless. Helpless.

Taylor forced a smile, which she knew was stupid-- Estela could read her like a book.

“Yeah. Tired, and feeling… a lot of stuff. But it’s gonna get better? I mean, it’s not been that long; not really. We need to give it time.”

Time on La Huerta seemed not to exist; summer days flowing into nights, the weeks blurring together in a never-ending stretch of paradise. The horizon still burned, but it was almost another reality now. A dream from another lifetime. It was easier that way. To stop and remember, to feel the depth of loss, an agonising chasm that bore into all their hearts, made it near impossible to face each new day. Over the weeks and months, facing those new days came easier. It helped that they now at least had some kind of vision for a future they might have on the island. Slowly but surely, they’d each find their purpose. In spite of the grief and the heartache, the future actually looked bright. So why did the guilt only fester and grow?

Estela exchanged a long look with Taylor, searching… and finding in her eyes only conflict. “We have time. You and me… all the time in the world.”

Closing her eyes to a warm and tender touch of her cheek, Taylor willed herself to believe it. They had everything they needed. What was gone was gone; what mattered was what they had, and that was one another.

There was a great spluttering cry.

“It burns! It burns!”

“Craig, you were literally just holding it in fire. It might be fucking hot!”

Brought back to what was supposed to be an enjoyable night out with her friends, Taylor couldn’t help but join in a chorus of uproarious laughter as a clearly-concerned Furball shot a blast of ice into the flapping Craig’s gaping mouth.

As her giggles subsided, she leaned back against Estela with a heavy sigh. That there was another moment she would have missed if she’d chosen to accept her fate. This was surely who she was meant to be, wasn’t it? She watched as Varyyn-- wary after the performance Craig had made-- tentatively took a bite out of his very marshmallow. That face? Priceless.

Taylor held out her stick to the fire. She’d made it through another day without the burden of the entire world crushing her.

But there on the horizon, a hellscape of lava and ghosts uncountable continued to glow. It would not be ignored, and the burns upon Taylor’s conscience would only consume her. She was, and would always be, chained to her responsibility. Somewhere, Vaanu waited.

Catalyst Village, now complete and already showing weathering, was alive with the scents of tropical fruits, spices and meats. Smoke rose into the air from Raj’s central outdoor kitchen, drawing in Vaanti from nearby Elyys’tel. It was nearing sundown, and drinks were flowing. The anniversary of Rourke’s defeat, of the saving of La Huerta, had brought about festivities on a scale that the island had rarely seen. For the Catalysts, the occasion was tinged with melancholy. A year had passed since they’d said goodbye to their families, their futures, their homes, for the final time.

Taylor, up on the roof of one of the wooden houses, took a breather from decorating the place with glowing flowers. She scanned the surroundings, looking out for the arrival of Aleister and Grace, who’d been away overnight after their handfasting. No sign of them yet. With cat-like grace and balance, Estela wandered over to her side of the roof.

“You think that’s enough?” she asked, sitting down so that her chest was against Taylor’s back.

 As much as Taylor wanted the house perfect for when the newlyweds returned to it, time was of the essence. She gave the place another glance over. “I guess it’ll do,” she said. It wasn’t quite as magnificently decked out as the place she shared with Estela, but it was sufficiently decorated to properly honour Vaanti handfasting tradition. “Besides, I think we’ve earned ourselves a couple of beers by now.”

She descended from the roof slowly, knowing that she lacked her wife’s surefootedness. As she reached the ground, Estela took her in her arms and held her tight. At her touch, she felt a heavy guilt for what she had to do, so frighteningly soon. “Hey… are you… are you holding up all right?”

Estela’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m trying to forget about it,” she said. “Today should be happy. You deserve that much. I’ll save my tears for if I need them, but right now, I’ve got you by my side.”

They touched foreheads, taking a moment before joining the party.

Taylor exhaled loudly and took Estela’s hand in her own. “Okay,” she said shakily. “Let’s do this.”

 _________________________________

A cold beer in hand, Taylor wandered onto the sand towards Diego, who’d been roped into a traditional Vaanti dance. He was a part of Varyyn’s world now, fluent in Vaanti and living a bi-cultural existence. It had been hard sometimes. As deeply as he was in love with Varyyn, he could not totally belong with him. Diego couldn’t stand to be set apart from his friends, whom he treasured in a way that someone who had not endured years of loneliness could ever understand. Especially Taylor.

Getting his legs in a tangle, Diego was about to fall face-first into the sand when Taylor caught him, slopping beer down his front and giggling in the process. Taari, dancing wildly nearby, gave a shout of laughter.

“You’re a funny dancer, Da-yaygo!”

“Oof!” said Diego, clutching his heart, pretending to be deeply hurt.

“Aw, don’t worry, buddy,” laughed Taylor, “we know the Time Warp’s more your speed.”

Diego wandered back towards the main gathering with Taylor, watching wistfully as Varyyn jumped and stamped in perfect time with a large group of revelling villagers. “I don’t think there’s enough alcohol in the world to make me dance like that…”

“We should have got Varyyn in on our Dance Fighting Showdown last week. He would have rocked it!”

Craig’s ears pricked up. “Wait- are we doing that again? Now? Chyeeeeeeeaaah, boi! This time it’s in the bag!”

Taylor scoffed. “Last time you ended up with a black eye. And you hurled into a ceremonial horn.”

“I don’t remember that?”

Diego shuddered. “How? You’ve still got a hint of purple in the right light. Anyway, I chickened out last time, and I’ll do it again. Somehow Estela’s even more terrifying when you put her to music…”

“Yeah, we’re not drinking enough to be up for part two. Some other time, though, Craig.”

“Whaaat? This is meant to be one of the biggest rages of the year! If you don’t have your head in the toilet by the end of the night, you’re doing it wrong.”

They joined Raj and Zahra at the main bar. Undeterred, Craig continued to press his case with a glass raised.

“Dance fighting tournament- part two. Who’s in?”

Zahra shrugged. “It’s a toss-up. Watching you dance might actually destroy my remaining will to live. But it was almost worth it when you got destroyed by a girl half your size. Eh. I could go either way.”

Raj downed another drink- already he’d stopped bothering to count- and shook his head. “Doodlebugs, these things have gotta happen naturally. You can’t force a dance fighting tournament. Just keep drinking, and the night will decide.”

“Well, I don’t think I’m gonna be feeling it tonight…”

“Taylor, bro, you need another drink! You’re feeling sad? Nothing a little booze won’t fix! You want to celebrate the fact that we’re not all dead? Getting drunk’s good for that too!”

Diego looked at Craig in amazement. “You know… I honestly can’t fault that logic.”

Raj beamed as he poured out a glass for Diego. “Nothing like booze to bring out the inner genius!”

“Craig has an inner what?” Zahra’s eyes grew wide. “Raj, what the hell are you smoking?”

Taylor shook her head. “Sorry, guys. I’m pacing myself. Someone’s gotta keep their head screwed on.”

“Boooooo!”

 ________________________________

Estela splashed down into the shallows, knocked aside by a swift kick.

“You’re way off your game, Katniss.” Jake smirked, but offered her a hand to get up.

Shaking water from her hair as she got back to her feet, Estela knew he was right. Her head was all over the place. She’d always known where she was going… even if the destination wasn’t pretty. The uncertainty of what was to come made her anxious. All she could think to do was to try and release some of the tension from her body so she could be the support Taylor needed, but she was just too distracted to keep up. She huffed, her face set in a stony frown. “You know you’re having a bad day when the damn flyboy can keep up…”

She made to block the hits, one after the other, but her heart wasn’t in it. Her mind took her back to the day before the siege on the Celestial, when she’d taught Taylor to fight. A natural, Taylor had knocked her off her feet by the end of the lesson. It was small wonder she became infatuated so fast…

There was a dull thwack followed by a splash, and once again, she was down. Her frustration growing, Estela hauled herself back up, and she panted to catch her breath back. She steadied herself, and looked at Jake, already squaring up for another round. She tried to imagine him as the embodiment of the entity that was determined to rip the best part of her life away from her. Emotion bubbling up inside her, she let go of her better judgement and threw aside her usual defensive approach. She launched herself at Jake with a whirl of fists, taking him by surprise. The change of tactics was enough to put him on the back foot, and her unrelenting onslaught of punches gave little room for recovery. Within seconds, and with an indignant yell, he was slammed into the water.

“I yield! I yield!” Jake cried, as the punches kept coming. “Hey!” He managed to grab hold of Estela’s wrist and pulled her down into the water. ‘Take it easy…”

Estela panted heavily, coming out of a trance-like state. “Sorry… my head’s all screwed up today…”

Jake sat up and rubbed his head, where he’d received a particularly hard whack. “Thinking about your tio?”

“Something like that.” Sitting in the shallow water, she pulled her knees to her chest. “Mike?”

“Yeah. Runnin’ through my head all day.”

They sat in silence for a little while. It was bizarre to be celebrating the anniversary of one of the most traumatic days of their lives. Estela knew, though, that her worst pain was still to come. Hiding behind the grief this day brought up in all of them, she could brood without suspicion.

Jake clapped her on the shoulder. “Right, I think we better get a few more drinks down ya. Pretty sure it’s the only way we’re gettin’ through tonight.”

Estela huffed. “Sad, but true.” She stood up and gave him a playful kick, knocking him sideways. Jake could act the arrogant ass, but he got her. If there was anyone she might have confided in about what was coming, it would have been him. “All right. Drinks are on you, cabron.”

 __________________________________

Tucked behind a narrow strip of tropical vegetation, two of the party sat apart from the main group, watching the sun dip below the horizon, leaving behind the ominous glow that had become so familiar.

Michelle sighed deeply but found herself comforted by Quinn’s delicate touch to the back of her neck. “It would be so beautiful if we didn’t know what it was…”

In the burning light, Quinn’s hair took an otherworldly glow. She looked out to sea. “I guess most things are beautiful from the right angle. That line on the horizon… that’s the bubble keeping us safe. A miracle. It can’t bring back what we’ve lost, but… the people we love who are here, they’re safe. You’re safe. I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you, Michelle. I hope you can be happy, somehow.”

Michelle rested her head on Quinn’s shoulder and snuggled in. “I’ve always been so focused on the destination. If I couldn’t make it- what was the point?” She sighed. “Losing it all… I thought it was gonna break me. After Sean… after what the girls did… I didn’t think I could risk my heart again. But with you… it doesn’t feel like a risk. You make me feel unafraid; of love, of the future, whatever it might be. You made me realise how precious every moment is.” She sat up straight, and leant Quinn’s sweet face towards hers with a gentle touch of her finger. “And I want to spend every single one with you.”

Quinn’s face shone with a smile as warm as sunshine. “Oh, ‘Chelle… I want that too- more than anything. You are the strongest, most dedicated, most wonderful person I know. I’ve always, always admired you. I guess… what I’m trying to say is… I love you.”

Heat rising in her cheeks, Michelle closed the distance between them, her lips brushing tenderly against Quinn’s, then helplessly falling deeper into a passionate kiss.

There was a crash of vegetation, and Taylor stepped through the undergrowth. Michelle hastily backed up, her cheeks now a flaming scarlet.

“Crap!” Taylor cried, “I think I’m interrupting…”

“It’s fine! It’s fine.” Michelle quickly tidied her hair. As much as she loved Taylor, good as a sister to her, she really didn’t need an audience while she was trying to come to grips with a new side of herself.

Quinn was still beaming and couldn’t hold back a giggle at the look on Taylor’s face. “I guess it’s kinda rude for us to sneak away from the party like this.”

“Hey, I’ll leave you guys to it…” Getting over her surprise, Taylor was now near gleeful, her ship sailing at last. In her giddiness, she almost forgot what was coming. Almost. “I just came by to tell you that Aleister and Grace were back from their honeymoon. But I want to spend some time with you both soon. It’s really, really important to me.”

“Of course.”

Michelle averted eye contact, not knowing why she was so embarrassed. It wasn’t as if Taylor of all people was going to judge her for kissing a girl. Stupid insecurities, stupid old fears from the world they’d left behind, one that was often not nearly so accepting. “We’re just coming o-“ Shit. Did I really almost just say ‘coming out’? “-coming over to join you guys now anyway.”

As Taylor slipped back into the bushes, Michelle turned back to Quinn, her eyes full of earnest affection, and she mouthed, “I love you too.”

Quinn placed a little kiss on her sweetheart’s forehead. “We’ll continue this later.” With a cheeky wink, she took Michelle’s hand and they followed Taylor back into the thick of the action.

 As the three of them emerged back into the seaside hub, a cheer rang out.

Raj raised a colourful cocktail in the air. “Finally, we’ve got the whole fam together! This calls for a toast, doodlejumps!”

Sean stepped forward, standing tall, towering over all save for Varyyn and with the presence of a proud leader. “It’s been a crazy year. We’ve built something, and it’s not what any of us would have imagined, but it’s our life now, and I think we have everything to be proud of. When I look back, and I remember those stupid times Jake and I were about to knock ten bells out of each other… it’s hard to believe how far we’ve come. Together.”

Even as emotion crashed over her like a wave, Taylor couldn’t hold back a laugh. “I’m pretty sure someone would have just murdered the both of you just to keep the peace if Raj hadn’t come to the rescue.”

Estela gave Jake a teasing prod. Several beers down, and the tension had eased just enough for her to try to get some enjoyment from the gathering. “I’m not sorry I missed out on all the testosterone tantrums. You two had mostly grown up by the time I came back around.”

“Huh,” said Diego, “I’d almost forgotten we hardly saw you in the first week. But it was so different back then… Taylor was the only person I really knew how to talk to. If we met each other any other way, there’s no way most of us would be friends.”

Guiltily, Michelle avoided eye contact. Her social circle had certainly changed, but only for the better. “I can’t even imagine hanging out with the bitchy cliques I got so caught up in. I had no idea what I was missing. And all that time my so-called ‘friends’ were screwing with my life, there was the real thing right there on campus.”

“Hey, you had me!” Craig interjected. “And Raj! And Sean until it all went down the crapper.”

“Thanks Craig. Really. All right, I had you. But even then I didn’t, you know, appreciate it? And it was different then- you were a total ass, but you had status.”

“Raj is the same,” Sean said, clapping his old friend on the back. “Same old, life of the party, high on who knows what, almost alarmingly wise old Raj. But even then, I think we all underestimated the culinary genius.” He raised his glass again. “So, back to the toast. And I think the host should get the honours.”

“Well, we’ve got it pretty good here. And I don’t think we’ll need a peace feast ever again. Because we were together, we found second chances, found love, found some of the trippiest shit I’ve seen before ten in the morning. We came through it all, all of us, like the family we are.”

Zahra retched. “This is getting way too Hallmark card…”

“Here’s to us- dudes, dudettes, we made it!”

“To us!”

Taylor bit her lip, determined to hold back her emotions, even as Grace, glowing and radiant after her honeymoon, pulled her into a hug. She smiled, even while her heart was breaking.

“Don’t look so sad,” Grace said sweetly, offering Taylor another delicate fruit pastry. “I know it’s a strange day for everyone, but it’s okay. As long as we’re all together, we can make any day happy.”

“Sorry, don’t let me rain on your parade. I’ve been trying to kick the blues but, you know… it gets heavy. I’m gonna have to hear about your special night away, though, that will cheer me up.”

Grace beamed. “I’m just going to go and get my signature cocktail- apparently it’s different to the one Raj cooked up when I first got here. I must have grown!”

“Grace, you grow more brilliant, brave and just plain bitchin’ every day. No mixer could keep up with that, but good on Raj for trying.”

With an appreciative giggle, Grace left Taylor, who took shelter away from the rowdy crowd. She felt Estela’s hand slip into her own, and her anxieties bubble to the surface.

Taylor looked into her wife’s lovely face, simultaneously offering and seeking reassurance. “You okay?”

“Nope. You?”

“Not really, no.”

They embraced, lingering on the edge of the group, alone with their secret.

Taylor discreetly wiped a tear from her eye. “I wish I could say goodbye.”

“You don’t need to. Just… tell them you love them. There’s nothing else you need to say.” Estela brought Taylor’s fingers to her lips and kissed them, as the music jumped in volume and coloured lights began to flash around the hillside. “Taylor… get out there and have the night you deserve.”

“Fake it ‘til you make it, right?”

“If I can sit through Diego explaining Doctor Who timelines to us without looking like I want to stab him, I’m sure this’ll be a cakewalk for you.”

“Well, if you put it that way…”

Hitting the dance floor, Taylor was taken aback by just how easily it could feel like just another party. Everything was normal. No one treated her any differently, because, of course, they had no idea what she was planning. She suspected that the deceptively strong cocktail she’d knocked back was helping, but she simply couldn’t stop herself from having a good time. Hands linked with Quinn and Diego, she jumped and swayed to a bouncing rhythm, with Michelle and Grace completing the chain. From opposing sides of the little circle, Quinn and Michelle would shoot one another secret smiles, not quite discreet enough to escape Taylor’s notice. As the party ramped up, the chain expanded, with Craig throwing himself into the mix, and Grace managing to convince a pleasantly tipsy Aleister to join in. Even Zahra was hanging around close to the dance floor, sitting, glass in hand, just far enough away to avoid being stepped on by one of the inebriated revellers. 

“And here I thought watching Craig dance would finish you. Looks to me like you can’t drag yourself away…”

“Taylor, I’ve been going since breakfast. There’s more alcohol in my body than blood at this point. I doubt I could walk away if I tried.’

Craig took her in his arms as she flailed with an utter lack of coordination. “Come on, Z, you love iiit!” He picked her up and swung her through the air, ignoring the cries of protest.

“Put me down!”

Spotting Estela lurking nearby, Taylor flung her arms around her neck and held her close, a huge grin on her face. Slowly, she eased her love into the dance, until they moved together in time to the pulsing beat. She felt Estela relax around her, movements becoming fluid and effortlessly graceful.

“Looks like you do a pretty good impression of enjoying yourself too,” she whispered against Estela’s ear, smirking as she smiled helplessly in response.

“You dance like a drowning turkey, it was my duty as your wife to save you.”

Taylor broke into uncontrollable giggles and collapsed into Estela’s shoulder, which soon bounced with laughter that couldn’t be suppressed. It felt so good… it felt incredible to just have fun, letting go of what couldn’t be changed. For this short, sweet time, there was no fear.

“Come on,” Taylor cried, jumping at Estela with slightly-drunken glee. “Dip me! Dip me!”

With an exaggerated sigh, the lithe brunette scooped her close and ducked her quickly into a deep dip that made her shriek with mirth. As they came up, Quinn put her arms around them both.

“Dance with us!” she invited, already tugging them both towards the main group.

A flushed Aleister reached out and took Estela’s hand and awkwardly began to sway with her. “Ah, sister, dearest!”

She gave Grace a look that said quite clearly, how much as he had?, but Grace simply took her other hand and began to sway.

“Yippeeee!” she squealed, hugging Estela’s arm. “Happy family!” She stumbled over thin air and would have fallen on her face were it not for the swift rescue of her sister-in-law.

A dumbstruck expression on her face, Estela rolled with it, but made a mental note to confiscate any further drinks that came the way of Aleister and Grace.

In no time at all, the whole group was up and dancing -even those who’d needed more than a little encouragement. Taylor was swung round, twirled, dipped and danced almost off her feet. The atmosphere was electric, and the hours passed almost before she could blink. Too fast.

Midnight came, and with a sinking feeling, Taylor knew it was finally time to let go. To part with her friends one last time. She sat down beside Quinn and Michelle at the edge of the beach, joining them as they looked out to the burning horizon.

“This time, I’m not interrupting, right? I was very careful.”

Quinn giggled and put her head on Taylor’s shoulder. “Thank you for your discretion.”

“Joking aside, it’s really nice to see how close you two are- whatever it is. You are two of the most compassionate people I know, and you both deserve to be cared for by someone like that.”

Michelle gave a dry laugh. “Compassionate? Me? You’re doing Quinn a major disservice lumping her with me. I’ve got a tongue like a knife.”

“Yeah, but that’s not the heart of who you are. When one of us is struggling, you’re first to jump in and try and fix everything whether they like it or not.”

Quinn’s eyes met with Michelle’s, across Taylor who was suddenly invisible between them. “You don’t see it, but it’s there plain to see. You have the biggest heart of anyone I know.”

Feeling as though she might melt on the spot, Michelle bit her lip, momentarily wishing she could hide the red glow in her cheeks, before realising that to hell with it, being vulnerable with the people she loved so much didn’t make her vulnerable at all. Sitting beside the woman she’d been slowly, quietly falling for since they’d built their home on this island, and the courageous leader who’d become a treasured sister, it was just so comfortable.

She squeezed Taylor’s arm. “You… wanted to speak with both of us. Is everything okay?”

Taylor had to concentrate to keep her breath steady. “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay. I mean, this is a celebration, but it’s a day of mourning as well. You lost so much that day. It’s never gonna be the same for me as it is for you, but I need you to know that I care. And that I love you.”

“Oh, Taylor!” Quinn huddled closer. “We’d be blind not to know that. I’m… okay. I don’t now if I’ll ever completely get my head around it; my parents being gone and me being here. My whole life I’d wondered how they’d move on when my Rotterdam’s finally took me. I never could have dreamed that I’d be the one living on.” Seeing the deep sadness in Taylor’s face, she added, “Every day I have is a gift. That hasn’t changed. And now I have so many… with people I love, who I’ll never feel a burden to.”

“You were never a burden.” Michelle spoke with a firm authority. “Not when you were sick, not ever.”

Agreeing, Taylor nodded resolutely. “You were always our ball of sunshine. And oh my god, did we need that.”

Quinn’s cheeks became a little rosy. “You two are so sweet.”

“And there was Meech doubting it- crazy!”

Michelle gave a small appreciative laugh. “Fine. I’ll take it.”

“Good,” said Taylor, and she moved to get up, brushing sand from her legs. “Well, with my mushy stuff out the way, I’ll leave you to it.” As she walked away, Quinn and Michelle scooted together, and their arms entwined. She gave them a wink. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Goodnight, Taylor.”

Weaving down the beach, dragging her feet as dread crept up on her, Taylor stopped to say her goodbyes, offering tight, lingering hugs to Raj, then Aleister and Grace, who were crashed out together on the sand.

“You’re done already?” Zahra asked, slumped against the serving table.

Taylor stooped down for a hug.

“Whaaat? Really? All right, one hug. Just because it’s you.”

“Sorry, I’m a party pooper this time. All sobered up already. I’ll leave you guys to it.”

Craig lumbered over, wobbling precariously. “Woah… why is the floor moving…? But seriously, Tay, Pa-Tay-to? It’s only just midnight! You can still walk in a straight line! That means we’re not done with you yet.”

Taylor shrugged apologetically. She didn’t want to walk away, but she couldn’t delay facing her fate any longer. She might never again have the nerve. And more than anything, she wanted to give her loved ones their lives back. They deserved nothing less than all the courage she could muster.

“It’s an emotional day, you know? I’m ready to just go home and snuggle with my lady. Sometimes one wedding anniversary night just isn’t enough…”

“Ah, well I won’t keep you from that. Have fun, I guess!”

Again, Taylor’s heart broke just a little more at the thought of saying goodbye. She quietened herself, imagining Craig reuniting with his beloved kid brother. “Thanks, Craiggers. You too.” She put her arms around his bulky middle and hugged him tight. “Love ya, dummy! You are so much more amazing than you know…”

“Aw, Tayls, you’re pissed!”

Sean pulled her into a hug next, and she was almost lost in his long, muscular arms. “No she’s not,” he said, “she just cares and she’s not afraid to show it. I think we could all use a bit of that tonight.”

“See? Sean gets it.” Taylor squeezed back. “Since I’m off to bed, you should do the rounds. Giving out hugs, telling everyone how awesome they are, all that jazz. I figured it would be your kind of job.”

“I’m sure I can do that for you,” Sean said with a smile.

Through the gap in his arms, Taylor caught a glimpse of Jake walking up the beach.

“Toooop Guuuuun!!!” she hollered. “Come join the love-in!”

“Priiiinceeeeessss!!!” Jake didn’t get much further before being dragged into a hug with Taylor. He gave her a slightly patronising pat on the back as she cuddled close. “So uh… you’re one of those excessively affectionate drunks, huh?”

“Stop ruining my hug with your jerkiness, you jerk. Anyway, I’m pretty sure Estela’s the cuddly drunk. I’m always in hug mode.”

“Your girl Ripley called it a night, by the way. She said to let you know.”

Drawn in by the yelling, Diego’s eyes grew wide. “Hang on- if Estela’s Ripley, and Taylor is an actual alien… does that make her a xenomorph?”

“Du-ude! Don’t give him ammo!” Taylor gave her best friend a playful punch to the shoulder.

Diego sniggered. “It’s all right. I’ve always seen you two more like Lilo and Stitch.”

“Well, at least that’s cuter…” She exhaled deeply. This was really it. Goodbye. How the hell could she say goodbye to Diego? “Anyway, I’ll be heading to bed now, too.” 

She squeezed Jake even tighter. “You, are a snarky asshole, but you’re a lovely snarky asshole. I like you better now you don’t try so hard to hide your sensitivity so much.”

“Like I said, excessively affectionate drunk…”

“Love you too, Top Gun.”

Finally, the moment she’d been dreading. Taylor flung herself around Diego and buried her face in her shoulder. “You, Diego, are the actual best person in the whole world.”

Jake smirked over his shoulder. “So just La Huerta, then?”

“Ugh, can someone kick him for me?” She aimed a smack at Jake’s shoulder but missed. “What I’m trying to say is… I know I’m not the best friend you thought you always had, and I wish so much I could have been there for you all those years.”

Diego felt himself tearing up. “Jeez, Taylor, you can’t do this to me when I’ve had a few!”

“Oh, stop being such a baby! It’s end-of-the-world-iversary, you’re allowed to cry. The thing is, the time we’ve had together has been beyond amazing. The adventure we needed, we got it. And through the whole damn thing you’ve been a gem. You’ve made me smile when no one else could, no matter how bad things got. You’re so much gutsier than you ever gave yourself credit for. I couldn’t have dreamed up a better friend… I love you so much, you perfect dork.”

“I love you too- but are you okay? That was the kind of speech the hero gives before they go and die. That wasn’t a dying monologue, was it?”

Taylor snorted with laughter, though inside her stomach clenched. She hated lying to him. “If end-of-the-world-iversary doesn’t call for an over the top declaration of love, I don’t know what does. Pretty sure I’m gonna serenade Estela when she gets her turn.” She bumped her head affectionately against his. “I just… don’t say these things enough. And I don’t want you to ever, ever forget how wonderful I know you are.”

Diego couldn’t help but grin, warmed by her friendship. “Well, I would have prepared a speech if I knew we were doing that… but you make me feel like I can do anything. And I’m pretty sure you do that for all of us; it’s like some weird magic power that you’ve got. So many people have rejected me for who I am, people who I never believed could have turned their backs on me… but you see me and… you look at me like I’m something special. I hope you know how much I appreciate you.”

“Course I do. You talked me through, scene-by-scene, every Star Wars movie we thought we’d seen together but actually we hadn’t. If I don’t appreciate that kind of dedication, what kind of friend would I be?” She planted a kiss on his forehead. “Just… be happy. Tonight I mean. And until I see you next.”

“Same to you with bells on. Sleep tight!”

As Taylor walked away, she had to stop herself from looking over her shoulder, knowing that to do so would cause her to break down on the spot. She walked purposefully forward, seeking the only person who could offer her any comfort. From a distance, she saw a figure atop a flower-adorned double-storey hut… their home. They’d built it together- with a little help from their friends- imagining a future there. As if in defiance of the slim chance that Taylor would be around to fulfil those hopes, they’d included a small room for a future addition to their family. It was no palace… it was not even a patch on the room they’d shared for many months in the Celestial, but it was theirs and theirs alone.

Coming near to the little glowing hut that drew her in like a beacon, Taylor’s gaze met with Estela’s, and her heart skipped a beat. She was drawn in, entranced, just as she had been on that fateful plane journey. Driven by a painful longing, knowing that they had only hours left, she broke into a run and vaulted onto the roof from the steep grassy slope. Speaking no words, she let Estela wrap her in the warmest of hugs, heartfelt and strong. They held one another tight, letting the inevitable tears come, both wishing they could hold on forever.  

A long while later, Taylor came away and wiped the tears from Estela’s eyes. She followed her touch with tiny kisses, feeling the soft flutter of eyelashes against her lips.

Turning so that she looked out over the village, shoulder-to-shoulder with her love, Estela leaned her head against Taylor’s and quietly watched the festivities from a distance. The group had gathered around the fire pit, drunken shouts and laughter ringing out into the night. She knew that nothing would ever be the same again. This place, this home that they’d created… it wasn’t perfect, but it was the only peace she’d ever known. Whatever came next, she could face it… so long as Taylor could remain by her side… somehow.

Taylor nuzzled Estela’s neck, breathing in her scent, letting it solace her, just a little. It was impossible to completely comprehend that it really was over. Almost certainly, she’d spoken to eleven of the most precious people in her life for the last time. Now it was just her and Estela, hanging on until the bitter end. She prayed that she was stronger than Vaanu believed her, strong enough to go on living without the spirit that had given her life in the first place. Her mind had been made up long ago that she’d cling to the scraps of humanity within her, even if it killed her. She’d fought hard for this life of hers. Over the past months, she’d worked tirelessly to make her physical body strong, training under Estela’s guidance. Honestly, she didn’t know if it would make a damn bit of difference, but it at least gave them the illusion that they had some control, some influence on their fate. A year and a day. Another straw grasped at, a hope to cling onto. They’d received a blessing from Seraxa that morning; their spirits declared as destined to be as one forever. No land, sea, or person may keep those who are destined apart. There was now no more to be done. She felt a sweet kiss to her temple.

“Looks like this is us back where we started,” Estela said quietly. “Helpless together…”

“I can’t believe how simple everything was back then,” Taylor said with a sigh. “I mean, it was insane. We had no idea what was going on… but I was just another Hartfield student. Falling for the mysterious stranger, imagining that when it was all over, we might go home and go on cute dates together. God, I wish I could have that life.” She watched over her friends; seeing Raj apparently passed out in the sand, Aleister dancing by the fire with Grace snuggled against his chest, Quinn squealing with laughter as she was chased through the water by a tag team of Jake and Craig. There could be no regrets. She could give them the lives they deserved, and she would do it with love. “But,” she said, “I wouldn’t trade a second of what we’ve had. We belong together. You and me. Estela and Taylor. I wouldn’t be half the person I am without you… there’s no way I’d ever have been brave enough to face this.”

Another kiss. Touching Taylor was soothing, and so much more precious a sensation than Estela had imagined back when their time together felt infinite. She kissed her again, just a small, delicate caress of her lips to try and express feelings that seemed to overwhelm her whole being. “You healed me. I could never go back to the person I was before you. Broken. Closed. You showed me how much more there was to me… that I could feel love. And in the end, I couldn’t fight it even if I wanted to. I guess… I guess I could never really be helpless. Not when I have you.”

Taylor nodded slowly, sincerity all over her face. It would be out of her hands, but Estela’s presence beside her made all the difference in the world. She was not alone in this. Her voice shook as she spoke. “We’d better get going. One last adventure.”

Estela’s eyes filled with tears once more. “We’ve beaten the odds before,” she said resolutely. “You’ve beaten the odds before. And whatever happens, we’ve got now. Come on…” She moved in for another another kiss, this time seeking Taylor’s mouth, lingering to nip gently at her lower lip. “…you’ve gotta go save the world.”

 _______________________________

Having gathered necessities for the journey, Estela led the way out into the night, spear in hand, and with Taylor keeping close. They strode on in comfortable quiet, alert to dangers that abounded in the darkened forest, but secure in the company they shared. Taylor let her hand brush against Estela’s hip as they clambered over a mossy log, to be met with a loving smile. For a moment, she could forget what they were doing; she was simply enjoying a beautiful night with her soulmate. The moonlight through the trees made Estela’s eyes sparkle, and Taylor couldn’t help but be taken back to the night they’d first looked up at the stars together. Estela had been baffled by Taylor’s honest need to seek her friendship. How far they’d come…

They came into a small clearing, and Taylor grasped Estela’s hand, silently urging her to a stop. This place was beautiful in its wildness, and she needed to take the time to be a part of it. With Estela. It was, after all, all that they had.

“Are you okay?”

Taylor just kissed her, deeply, passionately, as though there was nothing else in the world except for the sensation of their bodies moving as one. To her, there might as well not be. The force of the embrace sent Estela stumbling backwards until she was pressed up against a broad tree trunk. With the tree as leverage, she responded fervently, closing her eyes and losing herself to the feel of Taylor, of her fingers tangled in her hair, hot breath against her mouth, heart beating against her own.

As they reluctantly parted, Taylor’s eyes were shining with tears. “Like you said… we’ve got now. Nothing can take this from us. This is ours.”

With a happy murmur, Estela nuzzled close, and peppered soft kisses against Taylor’s jaw, trailing down her neck to her collarbone. She gazed up into her eyes with a fierce yearning. “I’m yours, Taylor…”

Taylor took a leap into Estela’s arms, wrapping her legs around her middle and leaning down to meet her lips in a searing kiss. Loving hands travelled beneath her clothes, holding her, caressing her. She quietly moaned against Estela’s mouth, then came away, just long enough to pull her lover’s shirt over her head. Her hands ran over the exposed torso… taut muscle, soft skin, etched with scars- each of which holding a story that had played its part in creating the beautiful woman who writhed with pleasure beneath her. She felt herself lowered to the ground, and her own shirt gently removed. Flushed, she removed the rest of her clothes, and looked down to an adoring gaze.

“You’re so beautiful…” Estela whispered, and she delicately stroked the curve of Taylor’s breast.

“Maybe so, but I feel like you shouldn’t be the only one enjoying the view.” Taylor winked. She propped herself up on her hands and knees, giving Estela space to wriggle free of her clothes.

“Happy now?”

Taylor snuggled back down, responding to the need in Estela’s eyes. “You take my breath away…”

Twirling a lock of blonde hair in her fingers, Estela giggled, and let her other hand travel downwards, teasingly. The whole time, her intense gaze was fixed on those pale, glittering eyes. “Taylor… my heart. I haven’t even started.”

With the passing of hours, the ardent, fiery dance of two lovers at the end of the line slowed, giving way to near silence and the lightest, most delicate of touches. Exhilarated panting turned to quiet purrs and murmurs against the still of night. Each brush of skin, each tender kiss set them alight, as their bodies ached with the urgent need to soak in the embrace that would be their last. Naked upon their blanket, they were exposed against the moonlit night, against the twisted wilderness, and primal adrenaline brought their senses to their peak.

Taylor felt her eyelids grow heavy. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to sleep right there, not knowing where her body ended and Estela’s began. If she could be trapped forever in a single moment of time, she couldn’t imagine a better eternity than this. But time was one thing they no longer had. As her eyes fell closed, a hand reached out and stroked her face.

“Taylor… it has to be now.”

There was no question. Knowing how hard leaving had been, Taylor knew she could never face it a second time. But more than that, she couldn’t let it all drag out, for Estela’s sake. They would part as they were, with no words left unsaid. Somewhere in Estela’s eyes was a faint glimmer of hope that Taylor’s mind would change, and to extinguish that spark was more painful than she could say. Taylor simply nodded and sat up, as ready as she’d ever be to confront her destiny.

She reached out to grab her top and paused, looking into Estela’s face with affection so strong it was almost painful. “Chances are,” she said, her voice quivering, “I’m not gonna be coming home with you. I just… I need you to know that I couldn’t have wished for more. If this was my last night on earth, if this right here is the last memory I’ll have… it’s perfect. Here with you.” She gave a little sob. “I love you, Estela. My starlight.”

“I love you. Taylor, you are my whole world. Whatever happens, tonight will be precious to me, always.”

The two women dressed slowly, taking their time to help one another, before starting back on their trek to the heart of Atropo. In the dark, the tears that streamed down their faces were invisible, drying in the night air without ever being given away. The change in climate was sudden, and they were soon shivering.

“We must be close…” Taylor said, over the sound of Estela’s teeth chattering.

They trudged further through the snow, staying close to one another to preserve warmth, until the gaping abyss came into view.

As they approached the huge elevator that would take them down into the caverns below, Taylor felt her knees buckle beneath her with every step, harder and harder until she could barely keep putting one foot in front of the other. Trembling fingers wrapped around hers, and she felt her breathing steady, just a little.

“I’ve got you,” Estela said softly, wishing with all her heart that she could simply take her wife in her arms and pull her away from the brink. “We can take this as slow as you need.”

Her heart in her throat, Taylor could only nod. This would take every ounce of courage in her body, and she doubted she could have come even this close alone. She gripped Estela’s hand with fearful desperation and kept moving forwards. Looking down into the great chasm, she knew it was time.