Alyssa couldn't believe what she was seeing. She pulled herself up to make sure she was awake and seeing things clearly.
In front of her was the woman she thought she had let go, the woman she thought she couldn't be with.
"Mika," she said in awe. "What are you doing here?"
Mika sat on her bed and smiled as her eyes roamed Alyssa's face.
"Maniningil ako ng utang," Mika said with a grin.
Alyssa's heart was still beating madly even as her brain got muddled with confusion.
"Kung akala mo libre 'yung pagtulong ko sayo dati, nagkakamali ka," the beautiful woman teased. "Ngayon, ako naman magpapatulong sayo. Injured kasi ako so ikaw naman mag-asikaso sakin, okay?"
The playful grin never left Mika's face and it just made Alyssa's heart thump even louder.
Mika placed her hand on her stomach and Alyssa followed it with her gaze. Confusion turned to concern laced with anger. Even though Alyssa knew Mika was recovering well, she still felt angry towards the man who hurt Mika.
She wished there could be something more she could do to get back at the man who was now in jail. She regretted that she couldn't stop the incident from happening in the first place. She felt ashamed that there's really only so much she can do for Mika.
"I don't know if I can do that," Alyssa finally replied solemnly. "I'm not exactly in the best condition to care for all your needs."
"Wrong," Mika countered with a shake of her head. "You're exactly the best person for this because you're all I need, Alyssa."
Her breath hitched when Mika took one of her hands and kissed the back of it.
"Mika," she whispered with tears forming in her eyes. "I can't-"
"Alyssa, stop," Mika squeezed her hand before letting it go and cupping her cheek with her right hand. "I don't care about what you can't do. The only thing that matters to me is what you can do. At sana, kaya mong panindigan ang sinabi mo sakin noon."
Mika moved closer to her until their faces were mere inches away from each other. The warmth, determination, and hope on Mika's eyes did not get lost on Alyssa. She returned it with the same intensity.
"You told me that you love me, Alyssa. Kung totoo pa rin 'yun hanggang ngayon, I wouldn't ask for more."
Alyssa remembered her confession that night in December. She remembered telling Mika over and over again how much she loves her. She remembered feeling the same amount of pain when she let Mika go.
And no, her feelings had not changed. No matter how hard she tried to love someone else, her feelings for Mika remained the same.
Unable to suppress her emotions any longer, Alyssa completely closed the gap between them.
She never thought she would be able to feel Mika's lips against hers ever again but here they were. She pressed her lips more firmly against Mika's, as she put her arms around Mika's shoulders. Her heart wanted to explode as Mika returned the kiss with as much vigor.
"I love you," she whispered against Mika's lips. "I love you so much, Mika. This time, I will fight for us. I promise."
She felt Mika's tears fell when Mika moved to hide her face on her neck.
"Mahal din kita, Alyssa. I won't ever let you go again."
Alyssa had so many questions and she also felt guilty. She knew this moment was only possible because of Dennise's sacrifice. And later on they would talk about it. But for now, they cried for all the pain their decisions caused each other. They dwelled in the comfort of starting over again. They basked in the happiness of finally being together.
