Simple Complexity

Part 8

A doctor appeared not long after, advising they could go and see Holtzmann one at a time, she would heal and would be fine, she had a concussion and she'd needed stitches, but she was bandaged and bloody and had just been given more pain medication. She had a couple of bruised ribs, scratches and scrapes and would require bed rest for the next week or two.

Abby and Patty stood back in the waiting room, Erin needing to be the first one to see her.

As she walked in her breathing was tight, her eyes swollen, red, sore and she clasped her hands close to her chest, her entire body stiff and heavy, she felt bruised as though she had been on the Bust. Erin looked at the blonde, her best friend laying in the bed, dried blood in her hairline, her head bandaged, her face bruised, eyes half closed. Erin inhaled with a shudder as she got closer to the bed, and she sank down onto the side of the mattress, Holtzmann opening her eyes fully and her mouth curling into a small smile.

Holtz reached her hand out and Erin took it in her own, her other hand cupping the blonde's cheek. Holtz closed her eyes, tears escaping them, turning her face a little into Erin's hand, and she took in a shallow breath.

'I need you to know that I'm in love with you,' the blonde whispered, her voice was croaky, and her eyes opened meeting with Erin's.

Erin's face broke, her tears fell hard, and the blonde tried to say something but stopped as the physicist leaned forward, cupping the blonde's face with both her hands, pushing her lips into Holtzmann's softly, kissing her delicately. Holtz kissed her back slowly, their lips brushing gingerly, tenderly.

'I love you I love you I love you,' Erin murmured, tears falling, and she pulled away, hands still on her face, the blonde's eyes were full of tears, and she smiled softly.

'I love you too Miss Gilbert,' Holtzmann whispered again, her voice barely audible.

Erin leaned close again, planting kiss after kiss to the engineer's lips, pulling away only to drop her forehead against hers, 'I love you Jillian, I've always been in love with you.'

She pulled her face away a few inches, their eyes locking, Holtzmann reaching her hands up to Erin's face, wiping away the tears.

Erin choked on her tears; they were falling heavily again.

'Hey,' the woman said hoarsely as she stroked her face, 'I'm okay Er, I'm okay.'

Erin shook her head, 'You nearly died Jill, if you died then I would want to die too.'

'Erin.'

'It's true,' she sniffed, stroking the woman's cheeks, turning her head, and planting kisses to the woman's palms that were against her own face, 'I can't live without you, you are the love of my life.'

Holtz smiled, forgetting the pain, the soreness, the discomfort. All she cared about now was the ache, the ache in her heart, the ache she had for Erin. She could handle the pain from the bust, the injuries. But the hurt and anguish of not being with Erin was worse. And now that she'd confessed her feelings, expressed her emotion, love. She now felt. Complete.

Erin loved her.
Erin loved her too.
Erin loved her back.

She pulled Erin in with her hands softly, guiding the woman's lips back against hers, and they kissed, both smiling into it, Holtzmann letting out a breathy but hoarse giggle.

'I knew I'd love kissing you,' Erin whispered with a grin, 'I want to always be kissing you.'

'Anytime Miss Gilbert.'

Erin tears were still falling, but she was smiling and then she stopped, her face falling into a sort of shock, coming to a sudden realisation and she looked down to the woman's lips and then up to her eyes.