Reunion
An hour passed, and Root started regaining consciousness, she opened her eyes groggily, still under the effects of the sedative the nurse insisted on giving her. Suddenly, it all came back to her; why the nurse gave her the sedative in the first place.
Shaw.
She turned her head around to look at her side, and there, in a chair, was her sociopath. She still had Root's hand locked firmly in her grasp, and she'd fallen asleep watching her breathe.
Root smiled. Everything was okay now, it was over. She leaned over and whispered in Shaw's ear, 'Hey sweetie. Did you miss me?'
Shaw woke up to a voice that belonged to the person who helped her go on for nine torturous months, the person that saved her, the person who was ripped away from her.. Or so she thought. Turning her head towards the voice she came face to face with Root.
'Root,' it came out as a mere whisper.
'Shaw.' Root said, breathless. She was leaning in towards Shaw, her eyes glistening, when she suddenly winced in pain.
Shaw jumped into action, checking Root's bandaged side, to see if she ripped out any of her stitches. She lifted Root's shirt carefully, ignoring Root's smile, that specific smile that made Shaw's heart flutter.
'Your wound appears to be okay, you didn't rip open your stitches, even though, knowing you, the wound's been restitched twice already.' She joked as she covered Root's torso again.
'I love it when you play doctor,' Root replied, but her voice wasn't flirty, it was sincere and tinged with sadness. She wanted to apologise to Shaw, but didn't know where to start.
Shaw didn't bother hiding her smile, she never thought she'd hear the nerd flirt with her again. Once again, she took Root's hand and held it tightly, she didn't want to let her go, never again.
'So,' Shaw started, taking a deep breath, 'wanna tell me how on earth you're still breathing?'
Root told Shaw everything; how she had a backup plan in case something happened to her. How she asked the machine to hide the fact that her number was up that day, how she got hold of one of Control's body doubles and used it as her 'body'.
'I had to do it, Sameen. It was for everyone's sake, because one way or another, I would've ended up dead that day. And I'm sure you prefer me being here right now.. with you, than rotting in an unmarked grave somewhere.' Root finished, looking at Shaw, trying to read her face.
Shaw couldn't even look Root in the eye, all she could do was look at their intertwined hands.
'Sam,' Root tried again, 'Don't shut down on me. Say something.'
'I don't know what to say, Root. I went to visit you at your grave, I actually talked to a fake grave.' Shaw joked halfheartedly. She didn't do feelings, she didn't do deep talks, the only way she could get through this conversation was by joking.
'Didn't take you for the caring type, Sameen,' Root commented, trying to smile but feeling guilty as hell for all the pain she put Shaw through.
'I'm not.' Shaw snapped out of habit, then clearing her throat she retracted her words, 'Actually, I am. I lost it when I thought you were gone, Root. I thought I'd never hear your annoying jokes again, or have to endure your innuendos or be dragged blind on missions just to be with you or..' Her voice breaking, she stopped, her eyes dropping to their hands once more.
'Sameen, look at me,' Root whispered, putting her other hand on Shaw's face, forcing the firecracker to raise her eyes.
'I'm here now, I'm sorry about everything that happened. I'm sorry for ever letting you go that day at the stock exchange. But now I'm here. We're here. Together. We might as well be a symphony, remember?'
Shaw nodded, letting the tears escape her eyes, as she leaned in and kissed Root passionately, not wanting to waste any more time..