#nobell

A black flag was slowly raised, the leering skull a reminder to everyone who she was.  

“Today, we take back our country!”  she screamed.  “We gain the freedom to do as we please!  Are you ready?”  

Her crew roared back, screaming with joy.  

Nova faced them, wild happiness on her face.  “Who are we?”  

“Pirates!”  her crew shouted back.  

“That’s right.  We will show the Renegades our strength today.  I am Nightmare, and I will lead us to our victory.  So prepare for your wildest dreams to come true.”  Nova drew her sword, and thrust it high into the air.  “Today, we end the Renegades once and for all!  Ready the cannons.”  She turned back to gaze at the ship on the horizon.   “I’m coming for you all,” she whispered..  “You took everything from me, so I’ll take everything from you.”  Nova grinned and leaned forwards.  “I’m coming for you.  And you will not be receiving any mercy from me.”

---

Danna inhaled deeply as she looked around.  No one could see the fear on her face from behind her white veil.  She didn’t want this.  She had never wanted this.  But here she was, about to get married to her best friend.  She hated this.  Adrian had been right, this was a good option.  She never had to be with him.  But it still sucked.  Everything about it.  

Adrian took her hand, and squeezed it.  

“You okay?”  he mouthed.  

Danna nodded subtly.  It was a lie.  That was a huge fucking lie.  Danna was most certainly not okay.  But that didn’t matter.  She just had to make it a few more hours.  Then she could collapse.  Then she could just stop.  But first she had to marry someone she didn’t love.  It felt like she was betraying everything that made her her.  Danna was a lesbian, so how did she end up with a man?  She was marrying her best friend.  

She was betraying everything that she stood for.  

She was betraying Nova.  

And then she saw it.  Her eyes latched on a dot on the horizon, quickly getting larger and larger as it raced across the waves.  

“Adrian,” Danna said.  

The minister stopped talking, and glared at her.  The audience looked at her in shock.  

“Look,” Danna breathed.  She raised a white clad finger to point out the fast approaching ship.  

Adrian looked at her in confusion.  “Who is it?”

Danna shrugged.  “I have no clue.”  She did though.  Her heart felt like it was being tugged towards the fast approaching ship.  It was the Nightmare.  She knew that with absolute certainty.  She knew that just like she knew herself.  

Adrian ran down the ship, and through the aisle.  

“Adrian!” Hugh barked.  “It’s just a merchant vessel.  Get back up there.”

Simon shook his head.  “I don’t think so Hugh.  Why would they pass by Gatlon?  I don’t think it’s a merchant ship.”  

The audience watched as the ship got closer and closer.  

“Does this ship have cannons?”  Adrian demanded.  

Hugh laughed.  “You can’t be serious.  Adrian, this is a wedding ship.  Why would we have cannons.”

“I’m starting to think that we’re going to want them,” Simon muttered.  

Finally, the ship neared close enough to them.  Danna made out the figure standing on the helm, her jacket flapping in the wind.  

Danna grinned.  It was her other half. Then realization dawned on her.  Nova was here.  And there was only one reason for that.  And it wasn’t for the wedding.  It was for the prince.  

“Pirates!”  Adrian shouted.  “It’s the Nightmare!” Adrian looked at Danna.  “Will she kill us?” He asked her quietly.  

Danna shrugged.  “She doesn’t know I’m here.  There’s a good chance, yes.”

“Damn,” Adrian.  “What does she want?”

Danna looked at the Nightmare.  “Probably you,” she said.  

Adrian groaned.  “So much for a happy wedding,” he said.  

“Adrian, it was never going to be happy for either of us.”

He nodded.  “So what do we do? Can you talk her down?”

Danna shook her head.  “There’s no way I could get to her in time.”

Adrian sighed.  “I guess we’ll have to improvise.  I am not dying today.”

“Okay.”  Danna looked at Nova anxiously.  

The Nightmare neared close enough to see the black metal of the cannons poking out.  

“Your majesty!”  Danna screamed, barreling her way towards Hugh and Simon.  “We have to surrender!”

“Surrender?”  Both men looked shocked at the very idea.  

“Yes.  Look!  This is a pirate ship attacking us.  It was built for war.  This wasn’t.  They will tear us apart.  Do you want to send us all to the grave?”

“Well if we surrender, what’s stopping them from killing us anyways?”  Hugh demanded, bristling at her.  

Danna shrugged.  “They must want something.  And it’s better to take the chance, then die anyways.”  She looked up at him.  “Please, we have to save as many lives as we can!”

Simon was nodding along, but Hugh was unconvinced. 

“We can’t let this happen!   We are Renegades, and we don’t back down!” He roared.  

“No!  You're not a Renegade.  You aren’t the person I looked up to!”  Danna screamed.  “You are a fucking coward, and you are to arragant to know when you’ve lost.”  Danna’s chest rose up and down, heaving from the force of her anger.  “Raise the white flag, your majesty.  We’ve lost,” she said quietly.  In that second, she realized how much like Nova she had been talking.  With the same power, and air of command.  The same fear inducing tone. 

“I will not surrender,” Hugh spat back.  

“The Nightmare isn’t killing us, you are.”

“I’m so sorry, love,” Simon murmured.  He slammed a vase on top of Hugh’s head, knocking him out cold.  

He fell onto the deck with a heavy thud.   

The crowd gasped.  

“What are you waiting for?”  Simon demanded.  His face was pale, and he trembled slightly.  “Raise the white flag!”

Danna cursed.  “We don’t have time for this!”  She kicked her shoes off, and scaled the mast, while her parents yelled at her from below.  

Danna ripped her veil off her head, and waved it wildly in the air, trying not to fall off.  

She imagined Nova’s lips curving up into a triumphant smile, as she saw her victory.  

“At least I’ll see you one more time, my love,” Danna whispered as she leapt down.

---

Nova grinned as she saw the cloth flapping in the air.  

“Not a single shot fired,” she said smugly.  

The ships were close now. Nova motioned with her hand, and her crew grabbed onto the ropes tied to the railing.  She stepped up onto the railing.  

“Man the ship,” she called to Moxie.  

Moxie saluted.  

Nova grabbed onto the rope, and leapt off, her body swinging weightlessly through the air.  Her boots landed on the deck with a heavy thud.  

She grinned.  

“Nightmare,” King Simon growled.  

Nova bowed.  “Pleasure to meet you, your majesty,” she said smoothly.  

“You're a girl?”  His eyes widened.  

Nova’s grin widened.  “Guilty as charged.”  She noticed the other king’s still body.  “A little scuffle?”

“Something like that,” the crown prince cut in.  “What do you want?”

“From you?” Nothing.”  Nova laughed.  “Bind everyone’s hands, and feet if you can,” Nova barked to her crew.  “We don’t want anyone running off, do we?”  She raised her pistol and fired a shot.  It struck the wood right next to a woman attempting to sneak away down below.  She screamed, and dropped to the ground, shaking.  

“What do you mean you want nothing from us?” the prince asked.  “Why are you here?”

Nova grabbed his hands roughly, and wrapped a rope around them.  

“The world isn’t all about you, sweetheart.  And you should be thanking me,” she grinned.  

“What do you mean,”  he demanded. 

“You don’t have to rule anymore.  You’ll never bear the burden of the crown.  So… You’re welcome!”  Nova laughed brightly, and threw him down to the floor.  He grunted, and tried to rise up, but Nova placed her booted foot on her chest, pushing him back down.  

“Now, where’s the dear bride?  I have to greet both sides of the couple.”  

“Here,” a quiet voice said.  

Nova stalked towards the source, grinning as people flinched away so quickly they toppled over.  Oh, how she loved being feared.   The rush of power she got.  It made Nova full.  It reminded her of how far she had come.  She wasn’t a helpless little girl anymore.  She had come far.  She had done things that were once considered impossible.  

Nova Jean Artino was the most feared person to ever sail the seas, and she had done it all on her own.  

She was the pirate Nightmare.  And they should fear her.  

Especially this small, quivering white clad figure before her. 

“So,” Nova said, her voice cutting across the quiet deck.  “You’re the girl the prince chose to wed.”  Nova smirked.  “And who is the lucky lady?”  

“You know, I’m hurt you don’t recognize me,” the voice said.  It was low, and achingly familiar.  

Nova raised her eyebrows.  “Should I?  You know I meet a lot of women and-”  she stopped talking suddenly.  The girl raised her head, and met Nova’s eyes with her own.  The dark amber stared at her.  Soft brown skin, and artfully arranged blonde dreadlocks.  

“Hello, Nova,” Danna said softly.  

Nova felt her breath catch in her throat.  Danna was striking in her wedding dress.  Her wedding dress.  Danna was marrying the prince.  Her Danna.  Her Danna was throwing her freedom away.  

“Hello, Danna,” Nova said, struggling to get the words out.  “Sorry to interrupt the happy occasion.”

Danna scoffed.  “I should thank you.  Nothing about this is happy.”

Nova tried to smirk.  “Then, your welcome, milady.”  She sank into a deep curtsy.  

“Nova, what are you doing here?” Danna asked.  

What was Nova doing here?  Just the glance of Danna was enough to knock her off her pedestal.  She lost sight of her goals.  Lost sight of her past.  Forgot everything but the girl next to her.  Danna’s very breath was poisonous.  She slipped into the cracks in Nova’s body, and took hold of her.  She made Nova forget who she was.  

Danna was deadly, and Nova was addicted to her.  

That would not do.  

“I’m doing my job.”  Nova inhaled deeply, and looked away.  “Tie her up, and put her with the others,” she barked to her crew.  “I don’t have time for pleasantries, love,” she said to Danna.  “Take her away.”

“Nova!”  Danna screamed.  “Stop, you have to listen to me!”

Nova paused.  “Gag her too,” she responded.  “I don’t have to listen to anyone.  You listen to me.”  

Nova drew her sword, and stalked down the deck, dragging the tip against the ground behind her.  

“I am in charge here.  You are all my prisoners.  And luckily for you, I don’t care about your pitiful lives.  So, if you behave, you can keep them.  Am I clear?”

A hurried response of yes’s were quickly returned.   

“Good.”  Nova smiled.  “Then, you will not say another word until my uncle is here.”

King Simon looked up quickly.  “Uncle?”

Nova spun around, sword tip already at his throat.  “Did you not hear a word I said?”

He flinched back.  

“Good.”  Nova smiled, teeth glinting.  “Any other comments?”  She asked, sheathing her sword.  

No one responded.  

“Excellent.” Nova laughed.  “Don’t you just love weddings?”  

“Hey!” Danna frowned. “Rude.”

Nova rolled her eyes again. “You were asking for it. And you know I’m joking. You are the interesting one, I just like to stand next to you and look pretty.”

“And you excel at that,” Danna replied, leaning in to kiss Nova’s cheek. “But I’d say you’re pretty interesting yourself, with your uncle being Ace Anarchy, and being the former supervillain Nightmare.”

“You think so?” Nova asked, her tone part sarcastic.

Danna grinned, and pushed herself off the railing, and threw an arm over Nova’s shoulder. “I know so. Believe me, all my other partners have never saved the world from a sadistic asshole pretending to be a god.”

“Yeah, I am pretty great aren’t I?”

Danna grinned, and leaned in to kiss Nova’s chapped lips. “The greatest,” she murmured.

Nova glanced over at the criminal behind them. Just a simple robber, nothing special. There was only a need for two Renegades to deal with him. It had only taken a few minutes for them to find, and subdue the criminal. Now, he was sitting, bound in handcuffs, and propped against the railing of the roof, a strange smile on his face.

“How long till clean up gets here?” Nova asked, her face twisting. “Something feels off about that guy, and I can’t wait for him to be out of our hands.”

Danna followed her gaze, and wrinkled her nose. “At least an hour. We’re out at the ass end of Gatlon, and there was a problem that required immediate attention. You’re right though, he’s scaring the fuck out of me.”

“And he’s not even a bird!” Nova widened her eyes in mock amazement.

Danna scowled, and lightly punched Nova’s arms. “Shut up.”

Nova smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Make me.”

“Is that a challenge?” Danna asked, already pushing Nova’s choppy hair out of her face, and cupping her head in her hands.

Nova laughed softly. “What do you think?” She lifted her brown eyes to Danna’s and inhaled her warm scent. Danna smelled like flowers, and sun, and all the best things in Nova’s life.

“Are you smelling me?” Danna asked, amused.

Nova’s face flushed bright red. “Maybe,” she half mumbled. “You smell good.”

Danna laughed, her voice sending warmth through Nova’s body. “You smell good too, Star.”

Nova froze, her smile curving into a frown. “Do you hear that?” A faint beeping noise, barely hearable, but still there.

Danna cocked her head. “Hear what?”

Nova drew away from Danna and walked towards the noise. It was coming from the robber, his lips still in a twisted grin.

There wasn’t any happiness, or playfulness left on her face. “Star, what do you hear?”

Nova didn’t respond. Instead, she knelt next to the robber, and carefully peeled back his jacket.

A ring of explosives around his waist, and a timer blinking down. There were only seven seconds left, each red pixel sending a bolt of fear into Nova.

The robber laughed, low and sinister. “You lose, bitch.”

“Nova get back!” Danna screamed, stumbling away, her feet clumsy with fear. “Get away from him!”

Nova couldn’t get far enough. The timer blinked out, the red 00:00 mocking Nova. The explosives erupted in fiery red heat, the blast throwing Nova around. She landed hard against the railing, the metal sending sharp pain into her back. A large piece of debris smashed against her shoulder, sending pain lancing through her arm.

“Nova!” Danna screamed, her voice sounding far away.

Then the railing was tearing away, and Nova was falling. Her body was falling through the air, ready to shatter against the hard concrete far below.

Her body came to a wrenching halt. Danna was leaning over the edge, eyes full of terror and tears. Her hand was wrapped around Nova’s, the only thing keeping her from falling to the merciless ground.

Nova could feel the wind blowing against her clothes, a reminder of how high she was.

“Hold on Nova,” Danna gasped, her face screwed with pain.

Nova nodded, too terrified to speak.

“Can you pull yourself up?” Danna asked.

“I… I don’t think so,” Nova said. “I think my other arm is broken, and there’s nothing for me to hold onto. I’m stuck.” She could feel both their hands start to get sweaty, both from the exertion and fear.

Danna nodded, her movements frantic and forced. “You’re going to be okay,” she said. “We just need to wait for the others to get here.”

Nova shook her head. “That’s over an hour Danna. I can’t hold on that long.”

Danna’s hold on Nova’s hand tightened. “Well you have to. I’m not letting you die tonight.” There were tears spilling out of Danna’s eyes, cutting tracks through the dust left from the explosion. Dimly, Nova was aware of how filthy she was too. Her entire body was gray,and her hair was full of dust.

“What are we doing tonight?” Nova asked, trying to think of anything but the air below her. Trying to think of anything but the fact that she could be moments away from death.

Danna half laughed, half sobbed. “You’re hanging off the edge of a 200 foot building, and you want to ask about your date?”

Nova tried to shrug with her broken shoulder, but instead gasped at the rush of pain. “I’m trying to think of something pleasant to look forward to.”

“Well I can’t tell you,” Danna said, her voice breaking. “It’s a surprise. If you want to find out, you just have to hang on for a little bit longer.”

Nova laughed, but it was sobered by the impossible reality.

“Danna…” She said softly.

Danna shook her head. “No. You have to hold on for long enough, you understand? I’m not letting go, so you can’t either.”

“They won’t be here for at least an hour. One arm is broken, the others in pain, we’re both tired. It’s impossible.”

“No, you can do it. I can do this. Nova, you aren’t fucking falling, understand?” Danna’s voice was strong, but her eyes betrayed her doubt.

“Crystal,” Nova replied, trying to blink away tears. “But if-”

“No ‘if’s’.”

Nova tried to smile, and nodded. “Alright. I’m surviving, then we’re going to go on our date, and you’ll surprise me with some wonderful evening.”

“Exactly. You see, pretty simple.”

Simple enough in words. But still Nova’s arm ached, and her fingers grew sweatier, and all she wanted to do was let go.

But if Danna wasn’t giving up, then neither was Nova.

“Can you reach your wristband and call for help,” Nova asked.

“It was broken by a rock in the explosion.”

“Fuck,” Nova muttered. “Is there anything we can do?”

Danna shook her head.

Nova cursed again. “My hand really hurts,” she murmured.

“Mine too.”

“I don’t know if I can’t hold on for an hour Danna.” Nova met Danna’s eyes. “I want to hold on for as long as possible, but can we please be realistic?”

“No,” Danna said, her voice breaking into a million pieces. “I know how impossible this is, but I can’t fucking let you go Nova. I can’t watch you fall. I can’t.” Her body shook with barely contained sobs. “I fucking love you. I’m holding on until the Renegades get here, and even then I’m not letting go. There’s only one ending to this, and it's me and you walking out of this together.”

Nova was sobbing too, the force of her grief making her body move on the wall. “Danna, please. You have to be realistic.”

“I can’t think of it Nova. Because if you fall, then it will be my fault. I let you die. I would be the one who let your hand slip away. I can’t live with that.”

Nova nodded, heart thudding in her ears. “Then I just have to hold on a little longer.”

“Why did this happen? Why did he have to have a bomb, why did it have to be us?” Danna asked.

“I don’t know.” Nova could feel her skin starting to rip open from Danna nails grasping her wrist so tight. “There’s nothing that we could have done.”

Maybe it was true, maybe it wasn’t. But, at that point, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was the arm holding Nova tight, keeping her safe from the world.

Nova was finally starting to think that they may be able to wait long enough for her to be saved.

Of course, that was when it came tumbling down. The piece of roof Danna lay on, weakened by the explosion finally had enough. It started to rip out of the wall, carrying Danna with it.

With a scream, the girl managed to wrap an arm around the metal railing, just as the stone fell down, shattering against the concrete so far below.

“Danna, are you okay?” Nova asked, horror coating her throat. Her breath was coming out in short gasps.

Danna nodded. “Good enough. I’m not too hurt. But the railing is starting to rip out. I don’t know if it will hold.” She was crying. Her body was shuddering, maybe for the first time considering what could happen.

Nova wasn’t though. She knew what had to happen. SHe knew what she needed to do. Fuck, she didn’t want to though.

All Nova wanted was to go home hand in hand with Danna, back home to their small apartment and friends. She wanted to have their date, then have a few more. But they weren’t going to be able to hold on forever, and Nova wasn’t going to bring Danna with her.

“Let go of my hand Danna,” she said quietly, her voice barely a whisper.

But still Danna heard her.

“What? Are you crazy? No way!”

“I can’t hold on much longer, and that railing isn’t going to hold the both of us forever. I’m not going to make it, you know that.” Nova was perfectly calm now. If Danna was in danger, then Nova was ready to die for her. She’d do anything for Danna.

“It will hold,” Danna insisted. “Nova, you can’t let go. You can’t make me live without you. You can’t.”

“I love you,” Nova screamed. “I love you so fucking much, so don’t you dare risk yourself for me.”

Now she was crying. Big fat tears rolling down her cheek, and falling down to the ground like rain.

“Hold on,” Danna pleaded.

Nova looked at Danna, tears clouding her vision. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, and she let go.

Such a simple feat. So easy, just a single thought.

But it was the hardest thing Nova had ever done, letting go of Danna. Letting go of the life she had wanted. The life she had fought for. Letting go of her everything.

Danna still held on to Nova, but it wasn’t enough. With each breath, Nova slipped a little farther.

“Nova!” Danna screamed. “Please, just wait. We can do this. Please, I can’t live without you.”

“I love you so much,” Nova said softly, trying to convey all the unspoken words. “But there’s no good ending for us. I won’t last another hour.”

The metal railing groaned, and both girls fell a little farther.

“I don’t think we’re going to have our date tonight,” Nova said quietly.

Danna shook her head. “We will! We’ll have one every night! I swear, just hold on a little longer!”

“Danna, promise me something,” Nova said. “Promise you won’t mourn forever. Promise you’ll try and find someone new. Please.”

“Nova!”

She smiled sadly, and met Danna's eyes. “It’s okay, Danna. Let go of my hand.”

“No, I can’t,” Danna sobbed. “You can’t.”

Nova closed her eyes, and kicked off the wall, breaking the contact between her wrist, and Danna’s hand.

“I managed to pull a few strings within the castle, and the idea of a sea wedding was introduced to the prince.  Apparently the mysterious bride was excited by the idea.  So, the wedding should be here.”  Nova moved a small red painted ship to a cove outside Gatlon City.  “If we attack from here,” Nova said pushing a black ship in from the opposite direction of the city.  “Then they will see us, and know that the wedding is being attacked.  While rushing to their ships, we will attack the wedding.  If possible, we take hostages to use as an exit ticket, but we can’t save everyone.”  Nova smirked.  “And while the armada rushes to save their prince and kings-”  Nova shoved a fleet of ships across the maps.  “Ace will slip into the palace, and conquer the city.  Any questions?”

Her crew shook their heads.  

Nova grinned.  “Excellent.  Details will be ironed out as new information comes in, but that’s the general gist of it.”  Nova swept the ships into a small cloth bag, and rolled up the mat.  “Now, don’t you all have work to do?”  She shooed them off.  

Moxie hurried up to her.  “What if Danna’s there?”  She asked.  

“What about it?”  Nova shrugged.  

“...Well would you kill her?”

“If it comes to it, yes.  I’d never put my ambitions on the line, just for a girl I don’t even like.” 

“But what are your ambitions? You talk about them, but I don’t actually know what they are.”

Nova inhaled deeply.  “I want to avenge my family.  If the Renegades had given them the help they had needed, they would still be alive.”

“Nova, is that really what you want?”

“Yes.  It is.  Now, I’m busy, and so are you.”

Moxie caught her hand, jerking her to a stop.  “Nova…”

In seconds, Nova had whirled around, and pressed a dagger to Moxie’s throat.  “Don’t even start,” she growled.  “And don’t touch me.”  

Moxie sighed and looked down.  “Yes Captain.”  

Nova spun around, and stalked away.  She hurried into her office, and swung the doors to her balcony open.  The sea swayed below her, wild waves reaching up to slap the hull.  

“Oh, why did I ever even think I had a chance with Danna Bell.  Me, of all people. To her perfection, I am nobody.  Why was I foolish to ever even begin to think that she might stoop low enough to love me.  The scum of the earth.  A thief.  A liar.  A traitor.  A murderer.”  Nova hugged her arms tight around her body.  “Why did I fool myself?”  

The clouds hung heavy, as if sensing Nova’s foul mood.  She walked back inside, footsteps plodding heavily across the wood floor.  

Nova closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply.  She let all her thoughts collect, and when she exhaled, she let them all flow away.  SHe cracked her eyes open, refusing to even think about Danna.  She picked up a piece of paper, and a quill.  Sitting down in her chair, Nova began to write a letter.  Before she could overthink it, Nova stuffed it into a bottle, and tossed it overboard.  

The odds of the person she actually wanted it to get finding it were next to nothing, but still Nova hoped.  Hoped a foolish, stupid, pointless hope.  

And she knew that.  But still, Nova hoped.

---

Danna scurried down the vines outside her window, disguised under a heavy cloak.  The guards didn’t even notice as she darted past them, using shadows as cover.  It wasn’t surprising Nova’s crew had been able to steal her so easily.  The men were incompetent.  Completely, utterly incompetent.  

Danna smiled to herself.  

She hurried through the streets, gaining more and more speed as she neared her destination.  

Finally, she was racing in a flat out sprint, coming to an abrupt halt inches away from the cold waves. 

Her shoes sank into the sand, and Danna threw them off.  

A laugh burbled out of her throat as her toes wiggled in the sand.  

Danna screwed her eyes shut, and placed a single foot in the water.  

It was cold, and gently lapped against her ankle.  Danna laughed again.  

She had never been in the sea like this before.  

She stuck another foot in.  Slowly she waded farther and farther, until her hips were under water.  

It was silly, but Danna felt like she and Nova were connected through the waves.  

They were in the same sea.  Despite the distance between them, it was still the same water.  It felt like it was watching over her.  Keeping her safe.  

Danna breathed in deeply, and bracing herself, dove under the waves.  

The water covered her head, tugging her hair in different directions.  

She moved her fingers through the water, just like she remembered frogs doing.  

Danna moved forwards.  She tried to smile, but water flooded her mouth.  She accidentally swallowed a mouthful, and frantically tried to stand, only to realize she had floated away from the shore.  

Danna frantically paddled her arms, somehow flailing her body back to the shore.  She lay on the sand, coughing salt water up.

Danna collapsed down, lying on the ground,  The stars twinkled far above her, and she wondered if Nova was looking at the same ones.  

Danna smiled, and brushed a piece of hair from her face.  

“I miss you, my love,” she whispered into the nothingness.  “I hope that I can see you again someday.  Even if it is when we are in the stars.”

---

Nova sighed, and collapsed onto her balcony.  She looked up at the stars shining bright above her.  The clouds had cleared, and now the thin moon hung high in the sky.  She gazed at the shore, where she knew Danna was, probably safe in her bed, forgetting Nova had ever existed.  Maybe she was getting ready for the wedding.  Nova wasn’t sure whether or not she wanted Danna there.  At least she could see Danna again.  

But Danna would see her dark side.  Her bad side. The brutal, violent, killing side.  The side Nova wished didn’t exist.  

Thinking about it, Nova definitely did not want Danna there.  She didn’t want Danna to view her as even more bad.  

Nova sighed heavily, and looked back to the stars.  

She wondered if Danna was looking at the same ones.  Probably not.  But it was nice to think that she was.  

“I miss you, my love,” Nova whispered to the sky, wishing Danna could hear her words.  “I hope that I can see you again someday.  Even if it is when we are in the stars.”

---

Danna slowly got up, her wet body caked with sand.  

She looked back at the ocean one last time, and saw something glinting in the waves. 

Danna walked over, and laughed when she saw a bottle floating by her feet.  She bent down, and picked it up.  A letter was tightly rolled up inside, safe and dry.  Danna pried the bottle open, using her teeth to pry the cork out.  It had swollen after spending hours in the sea.  

Finally it popped free, and Danna slid the letter out.  Carefully, she unrolled the parchment.  Danna gasped, and fell to her knees as she read.  

Dearest Danna,

I know this letter will most likely never reach you.  It probably will never reach you.  But I hope that the sea will care for me, as it has always done, and see that this bottle makes it into your hands.  Danna, there is no amount of words I can write that could accurately phrase what I want to say to you.  You could never understand how much you mean to me.  I know that I’ve done bad things.  I know I hurt you.  And I don’t expect you to ever forgive me.  I wouldn’t forgive me either.  I want you to know that ever since we’ve parted, I have thought of you almost constantly.  I love you, Danna Bell.  And I have to live with the fact that I sent you away.  Because I was scared.  That was the only reason.  I was a coward.  I left you.  I couldn’t even bear to see your face so I drugged you.  I’ve done terrible things, but that was the first thing that truly made me feel guilty.  I’m sorry I was such a coward. 

If you are reading this, then maybe the universe has decided I can be saved.  Maybe it did give me a scrap of luck for once in my life.  I’ll think of you for the rest of time, because you are my heart. 

I love you. 

Nova

Danna let out a sob, and pressed the letter right to her chest. She hadn’t been an idiot.  She hadn’t been a foolish, naive noble.  There was a chance for them to be together. 

And Nova has thrown it all away. 

For a second, Danna was angrier than she ever had been.  But the more she thought about it, the more sense it made.  Nova had an entire life.  She was scared, and confused, and she wasn’t about to throw it all away for someone she was supposed to hate.  Unlike Danna, Nova actually had something left to lose.  Of course she sent Danna away. 

And Danna could never be mad at someone she loved that fully.  Danna could never be mad at Nova.  No matter how many terrible crimes she did, Danna would always forgive her.  That was the way love worked.  You always return to the arms you know best. 

“I got your letter,” Danna whispered.  “I promise, if I see you in this life, or the next, I won’t let anything tear us apart.  Never again.”  

---

The two girls sat near the sea, looking at the same sky, wondering if the other knew the depths of their love.  The lengths they would go for the other.  

And neither of them knew that the other wondered the same thing back. 

They just sat, looking at the sky, wishing on every star they saw, that there was a way for them to be together again.