Chapter 20
“BEATRICE!” Ava screamed triumph.
Beatrice winced at the volume. “my love I am not death yet”
Ava laughed crying collapsed onto Beatrice’s chest. The entire OCS erupted with cheer at the marvel Beatrice’s rebirth.
Beatrice hugged her lover, looking around confused with a small smile on her face. Last she remembered was her daughter's sweet voice whispering her name. The next thing she knew her blood soaked lover was hovering above her with tears in her eyes. She looked around at the ecstatic faces around her. “Did I miss anything?” she asked confused.
“Just being alive” Michelle stated bluntly. “Welcome back Beatrice”
“Thanks” she turned to her daughter and shuddered “Hanna?”
“Mummy!” The baby cried cheerfully. She wiggled in her grandmother’s grasp, arms stretched wide and trying to reach her mother.
Ava’s mouth gaped at her daughter’s first words. The crew sharing the same shocked facial expression. Michelle almost fell over from the shock. She let Hanna go. The entire family watched as Hanna crawled across the blood soaked ground and straight into her mummy’s arms.
Beatrice laughed, smiling wide at her daughter “Hey” she spoke. “I’m here” she embraced her daughter, then turned her gaze over the child to her lover. She allowed Ava to guide her upright. She adjusted Hanna’s body till it was held pressed against her side and her child holding onto her for dear life. “You saved my life”
Ava wiped the tears from her sleeve roughly. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I” she laughed. “I love you Beatrice”
“I love you too”
Ava gripped Beatrice’s face with both hands and kissed her. The OCS awed at the sight of the women’s public display of love. As they kissed, Ava’s necklace slipped from the chain and clanged between them, shattering open to reveal a black band diamond ring inside.
Ava ripped herself away and looked down at the ring. Beatrice followed her movement and her eyes almost bulged out of her head at the sight. “Ava?”
“Okay bad timing, but fuck it” Ava laughed.
“Language!” Many voices of her crew chastised.
Ava laughed as she dove for the ring, then shifted to one knee against the ground and other foot planted upright facing Beatrice. Many gasps followed as she held the ring to Beatrice. “I wanted to make this proposal perfect, I wanted to find a way to shout to the whole world that you Beatrice are the love of my life and I want everyone to know how lucky I am. But now I realise, this right here is my world. You and my family are world!” she declared. “SO MY FAMILY LISTEN UP!” She shouted.
Beatrice and the entire group laughed.
“THIS WOMAN RIGHT HERE IS THE LOVE OF MY LIFE AND I WON’T HIDE IT! I WILL NOT DENY IT! SHE IS EVERYTHING TO ME!”
“Goddamit Ava we hear you calm it down a notch!” Mary shouted.
Ava flipped her off then focused on Beatrice. “Beatrice, love of my life. May I have the honour of calling you my wife?”
Beatrice starred at her shocked for a moment, then burst into a fit of laughter.
“What? What?” Ava laughed confused.
“No wait hang out” Bea stated. She placed her daughter on the floor. She rolled to her feet, bought up one knee, then fished into her pocket and pulled out her own engagement ring. “Ava my love I don’t have a speech just like yours, so I will cut straight to the point”
“Oh my god” Ava gasped.
Camila squalled causing Mary and Lilith to unexpectedly winced.
“Dorks the lot of them!” Lilith scoffed.
“Ava Silva, my love. You have shown me a love I never thought I would be blessed to have. You are a gift and my love, I will be honoured to be called your wife and will you have the grace to be mine?”
“FUCK YEAH!” Ava shouted before she tackled Beatrice to the ground.
The OCS hollered and cheered.
Despite the causalities faced today. Despite the struggle and the almost death experiences from every survivor. At least they could say with one hundred percent certainty it ended on a high. With this new distraction, this cherished love to celebrate. The fear of Reya and the Angels became unwillingly, forced into the back of their mind. For now they hoped they were safe, for now they hoped the threat of Reya has been defeated.
Yet the crew knew better to place hope where there was no body or sign of a soul killed.