They do land in New York City five days later, after a short layover in Paris. Ava is adorably grumpy, trying and failing to adjust to the time difference and the fact they have, indeed, left her new favourite place in the world.
"We'll go back," Beatrice promises. If they both do somehow survive the next few months, chances are high they might actually end up living there.
Ava just leans against her as they wait for a cab to take them to their hotel, her hands tucked into the pocket of Beatrice's hoodie. Before, Beatrice was always overly aware of when and where and how often Ava touched her, an ease in their interactions, but something has changed now. Things are so much better, a casual intimacy that's settled into their relationship, probably indicative of the changes in their physical relationship.
They've actually gained time, so they spend their first day visiting Central Park before getting an early dinner and turning in for the evening. Ava falls asleep first, her body draped over Beatrice, twitching from time to time.
But then she's all systems go the next morning, ready to live and breathe everything New York City. Which, incidentally, starts with riding the subway. They go south, and then east, and then north, just riding the trains until they get hungry and find themselves some one-dollar slices of pizza.
They have several touristy things to do, visiting the Statue or Liberty and several monuments and memorials. They ascend the Empire State Building, and then stop by Tiffany's where Ava pretends she doesn't have the ultimate ring of all rings in her back. It's a small show she puts on, pretending the two of them are actually shopping for engagement rings.
Which is -
Yeah. Beatrice isn't even going to try to unpack that.
They visit Central Park more often than not, Ava strangely drawn to it. They also visit Little Italy, which is only slightly triggering for the two of them, unwanted reminders of their time at the Vatican. It does force them to remember that the Vatican City has had to rebuild after Duretti's death, another Pope taking his place. Someone to help steady the ship, as it were. But, even here, there are images of Ava everywhere, people speaking with freedom about a different kind of saviour.
One day, soon, Ava will take her place in the fight, and everyone will know her name.
They go to Staten Island one Saturday, and then debate over whether visiting the Met actually counts as going to a museum, when they've actively avoided many and all of them so far on their global trip. Ava wants to try all the fast food joints they don't get in Europe, eager to try Arby's and Jack in the Box.
Ava also decides that she's going to start sleeping naked.
She makes a point of telling Beatrice this, stepping out of the bathroom in just a towel, smile on her face as if she intends to scandalise Beatrice. Truth be told, Beatrice thinks Ava's just waiting for her to turn the tables on her, but she's not quite there yet.
"And what's prompted this decision?" Beatrice asks, looking up from the handful of brochures she's spread out on the little desk, heart rate rising at the sight of her. Currently, they're trying to decide what to do or where to go next, fully aware they're getting closer and closer to their three-month deadline.
"I mainly want to see what you'll do," she reveals.
"What do you think I'll do?"
"I'm hoping you'll jump me," she says with a wink. "But I do so miss the Beatrice blush. Don't get me wrong, I find it incredibly sexy you're game for everything, but it was super cute making you blush."
Beatrice suspects this conversation has been coming since that night in Cape Town. "Were you expecting something different?"
"Will you be offended if I say yes?"
