La Casa de Papel (Palermo) // Translation

23. mucha gente cree

"For Nairobi," Velez yells one last time while clutching Palermo's bloody jumpsuit. She looks him in the face and feels one of the most beautiful feelings in the world. Less then a minute ago she wanted to die on the roof. But now that she is in the arms of a man she really loves, she feels just the opposite. And that's when she realises that she now has something to lose. Him. Velez pulls on Palermo's jumpsuit and he looks at her happily. "We have to treat your wound," she says as the others comtinue to hug Lisbon. Palermo gives Velez a kiss on the forehead and she smiles again. Velez feels that everything around her is too much for her. She can only concentrate on Palermo and what she feels when she looks at him. The two turn away from the others and go into one of the rooms where all the medical equipment is kept. Palermo begins to take off his vest and opens his jumpsuit while Velez prepares everything for the treatment.

Palermo sits down on one of the armchairs and Velez walks over to him with the things, sits down next to him and puts his arm in a comfortable position. Palermo watches her carefully as she treats his wound. "I knew it," he says suddenly.

"Mh?" she asks.

"I knew you wouldn't kill yourself out there." Velez pauses and looks at him waiting. "I know you," he says proudly.

"No, I don't think you know me yet
..." she replies teasingly.

"I think so," he replies in the same way.

"Do you know why I didn't?" she asks and sews the last stitches.

"Didn't what?"

Velez looks at him confused.

"Killing me out there, you idiot. What have we been talking about this whole time?" she answers and Palermo laughs.

"I'm sorry. I got lost in your eyes," he says. Velez bites her lip and looks at him, embarrassed. She quickly takes care of the wound again so she doesn't have to look at him.

"I didn't do it because I realised I was in love with you," she shamelessly admitts when she is done with his wound. Palermo's heart opens up at these words and it heals a little more. He can't believe how this girl brought so much light in his life and healed him so much inside. He loves her. He loves her more than anything and he has no doubt about that.

He hugs her and she presses ger hands against his upper back and closes her eyes as she buries her face in the back of his neck. "And I realised that my personal task is to make sure that you don't die here. You will get out if here alive. With or without me by your side," Palermo says in love and kisses her tenderly on the cheek. She feels him hugging her even tighter and she smiles contendetly and happily.

"We'll both walk out of her hand in hand and everyone will see us. The cops and the people around the world who are watching us every minute," he says, loosening the hug  to grab her cheek and kiss her briefly to the lips. "And at this moment I want you to look at me and say: It was true what you promised me," he says and she nods her head, close to tears. Palermo kisses her again, this time faster and stronger. The kiss seals all the feelings that the two feel and that they may not even be able to put into words. They end the kiss with a series of short and slow kisses. "Come on," he says and lies down on the couch. Velez does the same and Palermo presses her head on his chest so they can sleep.

"I thought we were going to have sex now," she says and hugs his chest.

"I would like to but my arm hurts so much I wouldn't even be able to satisfy you with it," he says, whereupon Velez bursts out laughing and hits him lightly on his good arm. Palermo laughs in amusement.

"You're crazy," she says and lies down on his chest again. She feels how Palermo runs his fingers through her hair and she finally falls asleep. About forty minutes later, Velez wakes up and hears noises from Palermo's radio, which is forgotten on the floor.

"Palermo, do you hear me?"  Lisbon asks. Velez picks up the radio and presses the button.

"Palermo here," Velez says and rubs her eyes.

"Velez? Where's Palermo?" She turns to Palermo who is still sleeping next to her and she smiles.

"He is sleeping next to me," she replies without looking away from him.

"Come here. We need you for a meeting."

"Yes, we're coming," Velez says, waking Palermo up with a kiss on his cheek. He wakes up with a smile on his face. He grabs her cheek again and gives her a series of short kisses. "We have to go to a meeting," she says, laughing between the kisses.

"Let's go," Palermo says. He stands up, takes her hand in his and leads her trough the hallway. They reach the lounge. "What happened, Lisbon?" Palermo asks.

"I want to contact the professor, but he doesn't answer. The control call should've been 55 minutes ago," she says, and Velez suspects that something will go wrong. "Professor do you hear me?" Lisbon tries again. After about seven seconds, she receives an answer.

"Here's the professor," he says, and everyone sighs in relief. "This could be the last time I will speak to you. The rain overflow basin has been discovered," he continues and everyone panics. Velez feels a tug in her stomach and puts her hand over her mouth. "Hola," Alicia Sierra suddenly says. At that moment, Palermo looks at Velez, and not in the way he was looking at her in the room a few minutes ago. All of it was gone and it seemed so far away....again.