Mrs. & Mrs. Mendez
Aaliyah
The ride from Stuttgart to Salzburg was blessedly uneventful. Aaliyah leaned her head against the window, watching the darkened countryside slip by. The rhythm of the train was soothing, and she let herself relax.
Across from her, Cruz sat with her usual alertness, though it was softer now, less sharp around the edges. She wasn’t poring over her gear or scanning the room for threats. Instead, she was watching the scenery too, her dark eyes thoughtful in a way that made Aaliyah’s stomach twist. Not with fear—she couldn’t call it fear anymore.
She couldn’t stop thinking about earlier. The way Cruz had handled the men in the Paris station, her movements sharp and precise, her confidence unshakable. It wasn’t just impressive—it was magnetic. Aaliyah felt her cheeks heat just thinking about it. She’d always admired strength, but Cruz made it look effortless, like it was a second skin she wore without even realizing it.
“Do you ever get tired?” Aaliyah asked, breaking the comfortable silence.
Cruz tilted her head slightly, her lips twitching into a faint smile. “Of what?”
“Of being… you know. Always on edge. Always ready for something bad to happen.”
Cruz considered this for a moment, her gaze flicking to Aaliyah. “It’s not tiring. It’s just how I’m wired. But… quiet moments like this help.”
Aaliyah smiled softly. “Even with me around?”
“Especially with you around,” Cruz said lightly, though there was something genuine in her tone that made Aaliyah’s heart skip.
--
The hours passed easily, the two of them falling into a rhythm of quiet conversation and stretches of peaceful silence. Aaliyah found herself asking Cruz small questions—about her favorite food, her favorite place to travel—and Cruz, to her surprise, actually answered some of them. It wasn’t much, but it felt like progress.
As the train began to slow, the lights of Salzburg twinkling in the distance, Aaliyah felt a flicker of nerves. A new city meant new challenges, new dangers. But she pushed the thought aside.
--
The train attendant knocked gently on their cabin door before stepping inside. He was a man in his early sixties, his uniform crisp and his smile warm. He held a clipboard in one hand, glancing between them with an appraising look.
“Mrs. and Mrs. Mendez,” he said, his voice tinged with an accent. “We’re just about to arrive in Salzburg.”
Aaliyah’s breath caught. The name still felt strange to her, like a borrowed coat that didn’t quite fit. But before she could react, the attendant smiled, his gaze lingering just a little too long.
“You make a beautiful couple,” he said, his tone sly. “Such a shame we didn’t see more of you during the ride. Honeymoon, perhaps?”
Aaliyah’s face burned. “Oh, no, we—”
“Yes,” Cruz interrupted smoothly, her voice carrying an easy confidence. “Just a little getaway.”
The attendant’s smile widened. “How romantic.” He gave them a wink before stepping back into the corridor. “Enjoy your stay, Mrs. and Mrs. Mendez.”
The door slid shut, leaving Aaliyah staring at Cruz, her face hot enough to melt the train window. “You just—he thought—we’re not—”
Cruz raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. “What? You don’t like being Mrs. Mendez?”
Aaliyah sputtered. “That’s not the point! You just went along with it!”
“Well, what was I supposed to do? Correct him and blow our cover?” Cruz leaned back in her seat, looking far too pleased with herself. “Besides, he’s not wrong. We do make a good couple.”
Aaliyah’s heart stuttered. “You’re impossible,” she muttered, crossing her arms and sinking lower in her seat.
Cruz chuckled softly, standing as the train began to slow further. “Come on, Mrs. Mendez. Let’s get off this train before someone else decides to join our honeymoon.”
Aaliyah groaned, but she couldn’t stop the small smile that crept onto her face as she followed Cruz into the aisle.
Cruz
The train hummed beneath them, a steady rhythm that would have been calming if Cruz’s mind weren’t buzzing. She leaned against the window of their cabin, her gaze flicking between the passing scenery and Aaliyah. The girl seemed quieter now, her nerves momentarily dulled by the monotony of the ride. But Cruz wasn’t fooled.
She’s holding it together—for now.
Aaliyah’s face was a mix of exhaustion and thoughtfulness, her green eyes darting between the window and Cruz, as if she wanted to ask something but couldn’t quite find the words. Cruz was grateful for the silence. Small talk wasn’t her strong suit, especially not after the chaos in Paris. The bruises blooming along her ribs were a reminder that they’d gotten lucky.
Too lucky.
They’re going to catch up eventually, Cruz thought grimly. It’s only a matter of time.
--
When Aaliyah finally broke the silence, it caught Cruz off guard.
“Do you ever get tired?” she asked, her voice soft but curious.
Cruz turned her gaze fully toward her. “Of what?”
“Of being… you know. Always on edge. Always ready for something bad to happen.”
Cruz considered the question, her mind tugging at the edges of memories she didn’t want to revisit. “It’s not tiring,” she said finally, her voice even. “It’s just how I’m wired. But… quiet moments like this help.”
It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the full truth either. The quiet wasn’t just a reprieve—it was a reminder of everything she was trying to protect. And sitting across from Aaliyah, watching her try to make sense of this mess, made that responsibility feel heavier than usual.
“Even with me around?” Aaliyah asked, her tone light but tinged with vulnerability.
Cruz allowed herself a faint smile. “Especially with you around.”
The way Aaliyah’s expression softened at her words sent an uncomfortable warmth through Cruz’s chest. She shifted in her seat, focusing on the scenery outside the window to steady herself.
--
The train ride passed in relative calm. Aaliyah asked a few harmless questions—about food, travel, little details Cruz didn’t mind sharing. It was a far cry from the pointed, personal questions she usually deflected. And for a brief moment, Cruz let her guard slip, allowing Aaliyah a glimpse of something closer to the person she used to be.
When the train slowed for Salzburg, Cruz straightened instinctively, her focus sharpening. The station’s lights glinted in the distance, and the hum of the train grew softer as they approached. Cruz reached for her bag, already planning their next steps.
A gentle knock at the cabin door interrupted her thoughts, and Cruz tensed, her hand brushing against the knife she kept tucked inside her jacket. When the door slid open, the tension eased slightly—a train attendant stood there, clipboard in hand, his demeanor polite and unthreatening.
“Mrs. and Mrs. Mendez,” he said with a pleasant smile. “We’re just about to arrive in Salzburg.”
Cruz nodded, keeping her expression neutral. “Thank you.”
The man’s smile widened as his gaze shifted between her and Aaliyah. “You make a beautiful couple,” he said, his voice tinged with warmth. “Such a shame we didn’t see more of you during the ride. Honeymoon, perhaps?”
Aaliyah’s reaction was immediate. Her cheeks flushed bright red, and she stammered, “Oh, no, we—”
“Yes,” Cruz interrupted smoothly, her voice steady as she leaned into the role. “Just a little getaway.”
The attendant beamed at her response. “How romantic.” With a wink, he backed out of the cabin, his voice cheerful as he called over his shoulder, “Enjoy your stay, Mrs. and Mrs. Mendez.”
The door slid shut, leaving a silence that was immediately filled with Aaliyah’s flustered sputtering.
“You just—he thought—we’re not—”
Cruz couldn’t resist. She raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a smirk. “What? You don’t like being Mrs. Mendez?”
“That’s not the point!” Aaliyah said, crossing her arms and glaring at Cruz. “You just went along with it!”
Cruz shrugged, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “What was I supposed to do? Correct him and blow our cover?” She glanced at Aaliyah, her smirk softening into something more playful. “Besides, he’s not wrong. We do make a good couple.”
The way Aaliyah’s blush deepened was more satisfying than it should have been. Cruz felt a flicker of guilt—teasing wasn’t her usual style—but something about the way Aaliyah fumbled through her frustration was undeniably charming.
“You’re impossible,” Aaliyah muttered, sinking lower in her seat.
Cruz chuckled, motioning for her to stand. “Come on, Mrs. Mendez. Let’s get off this train before someone else decides to join our honeymoon.”