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[Note: Binago ko Yung totoong name Ng parents ni Deanna, baka mag ka problem eh, tnx]
"Yes, mom," Deanna rolled her eyes, looking over at the girl in the passenger seat. "We just left the airport. We'll be there soon."
"You'll see, mom, I told you," Deanna bit her lip and glanced over at Carly. The smaller girl in the passenger seat smiled softly. "Alright mom, I've got to drive. I'll see you soon."
Deanna laughed softly once she hung up, setting her phone in the cupholder and lacing Carly's fingers with hers with her free hand.
"You look nervous," Carly tilted her head to the side slightly, letting her loose curls fall over her shoulder. "Are you nervous?"
Deanna shrugged and turned her attention back to the road, following the familiar route to her childhood home. "A little, yeah. I have no reason to be, though."
"It will be fun, right?" Carly traced her fingers around Deanna's wrist absentmindedly.
"Of course," Deanna smiled. "You get to meet my crazy family." Carly giggled and flipped Deanna's hand over, tracing circles in her palm.
Weeks had passed since Carly's acquittal. The seasons had changed, leaving a light blanket of snow across the ground in New York. In Miami, however, it was practically the perfect temperature. It was comfortable outside no matter what you were wearing.
After she was released, Carly was required to begin routine therapy appointments. At first, the smaller girl had been hesitant. But with ushering from Deanna, and time, the bi-weekly visits began to show progress.
She'd never be back to 100% normal. But as her doctor had said, there was always room for improvement.
One of Deanna's main concerns had been her and Carly's relationship. She talked to Carly's therapist right off the bat, firing question after question at the middle aged woman.
What she'd walked away with was a never ending list of medical terms, which basically explained to Deanna that yes, Carly was capable of love. And a relationship was fine as long as things were taken at a slow pace, and Carly was well aware of where things were going.
Carly was aware. Definitely aware. When Deanna had discussed the future with her, she was met with a babbling Carly, going on and on about what they would name their children, and what color they would paint their house. (Yellow, obviously.)
The thought of spending the rest of her life with Carly gave Deanna butterflies every time she thought about it. But she could wait. The more people she met on a daily basis, the more she realized how much she needed Carly.
And now, here they were. Weeks later, holding hands in the car on the way to Deanna's childhood home. Deanna's mother had invited Deanna and her 'mystery girlfriend' to spend Christmas with them.
So yes, Deanna was nervous. Extremely nervous. She had no idea how her parents would react when they found out who the mystery girl actually was. Because as far as they knew, Deanna still hated Carly with every bone in her body.
"Here we are," Deanna smiled nervously. She squeezed Carly's hand and nodded towards the house on the corner of the street. A group of small children were gathered on the front lawn, kicking around an inflatable beach ball.
"I like it," Carly smiled widely, sitting up straighter to get a better view of the house. Deanna parked the car on the side of the road and took a deep breath, turning to Carly.
"You'ready?" she asked, biting her lip. Carly nodded.
"Are you?" she rebutted, catching onto the fact that Deanna was more nervous that she had admitted to being.
"As ready as I'll ever be," Deanna crinkled her nose and kissed Carly's hand. "C'mon." She unlocked the car and slid out of her seat.
"Deanna!" A small blonde child squealed, breaking away from the group and running towards the older girl.
"Hey there, munchkin," Deanna laughed, catching the child who practically jumped into her arms. "You got so much taller!"
"Yeah! Mommy says it's cause' I eat my vegetables," the smaller girl giggled and wrapped her hands around Deanna's neck. "Did you know that Santa's coming tonight? He's gonna bring me a b-,"
The smaller child quickly hushed and Deanna raised an eyebrow. She turned around, realizing the girl had been staring at Carly, who stood shyly behind them.
"Mags," Deanna smiled softly and motioned for Carly to come closer. "This is my friend Carly, can you say hi?"
"Caaaaarrrlyy," Maggie giggled and crinkled her nose. "Hi!"
"Hi," Carly smiled shyly, waving her hand. Deanna smiled at her girlfriend and looked back at the child in her arms.
"Carly, this is Maggie," she nodded to the blonde child. "She's my sister. Well, adopted."
"Her mother was one of my mom's clients at work. She passed away giving birth to her, and my mom wouldn't allow them to put her in the foster care system," she laughed softly and ruffled Maggie's hair. "She's six."
"Oh," Carly nodded once, thinking over what Deanna had just said. "Her hair is yellow," she whispered, pointing to the wavy blonde curls on Maggie's head.
Deanna laughed and nodded. She set Maggie down on the ground, thinking she would rejoin her cousins on the front lawn. Instead, Maggie grabbed Deanna's hand and tugged her towards the end of the driveway.
"You have to see the chalk drawing I made 'nesterday!" Deanna glanced back at Carly, giving her an apologetic smile before she was practically dragged away by the smaller child.
A few minutes later, Deanna was finally able to peel herself away from the plethora of chalk drawings and make her way back up the driveway. Maggie skipped behind her contently.
Deanna grew worried when Carly wasn't where she left her. She looked frantically around the yard, sighing in relief when she saw her girlfriend surrounded by children, wearing a wide smile on her face.
"Do not kill them," Carly shook her head and gently moved one of the boy's hands away from the flowers. "They will not be pretty if you kill them."
"Hey Caaaaarrrly, catch!" Maggie tossed a beach ball in Carly's direction. The older girl laughed and hit the ball back. The children squealed excitedly and ran after the toy. It was bounced back in Carly's direction, and soon a game of catch was in full swing.
Laughing softly to herself, Deanna jogged up the front steps and hesitantly rang the doorbell. Might as well get it over with. She glanced back at Carly, who was currently on the ground with a pile of children giggling excitedly on top of her. She had to stifle her laugh when she heard footsteps approaching. The door swung open moments later.
"Oh look! It's Deanna and...." her mother's voice trailed off when she realized Deanna was alone. Or so she thought. Deanna glanced back at Carly, who had just freed herself up to her feet and tossed the beach ball back across the yard.
"Oh my god," her mother gasped under her breath. Deanna's breath caught in her throat when she felt herself being tugged inside, jumping when the door slammed shut behind them.
"You brought a murderer to our house?!" her mother practically yelled, motioning to the front door. "And where's your girlfriend?"
Deanna bit her lip. "She's not a murderer," she said quietly, glancing out the window worriedly. "And that's her. Carly is my girlfriend."
"Deanna, there's articles all over town about her killing her uncle! You're kidding, right?" Deanna shook her head slowly.
"Mom, I can explain, she's b-,"
"Didi?!"
Deanna's eyes widened and she made a move to grab the doorknob. She felt her mother's eyes burning a hole in the back of her head and took a deep breath, opening the door.
"Carly, I'm right here," she waved her arm, catching Carly's attention. The small girl sighed in relief and ran over to her girlfriend, grabbing her forearm and standing close by her side.
"Uh, mom," Deanna cleared her throat and tugged Carly inside the house. "I'd like you to meet Carly. Carly, this is my mom."
"Hi," Carly smiled softly, offering a small wave. Deanna held her breath when her mother didn't respond. After a few seconds of awkward silence, she turned back to Carly and squeezed her hand.
"You can go back out and play, I've got to talk to my mom for a little. Okay?"
"M'kay," Carly hummed, giving Deanna a soft smile. The older girl kissed Carly's cheek innocently and watched as she wandered back onto the front lawn. She was instantly surrounded by kids once more, begging her to play with them. Deanna laughed softly, but her laughter quickly faded when she turned back to her mom and saw the look on her face.
"I don't approve of this at all, Deanna," her mother crossed her arms and shook her head.
"Just let me explain," Deanna shook her head and paced back and forth for a few moments. Her mother looked at her expectantly.
"You know about the car accident," Deanna cleared her throat and anxiously ran a hand through her hair. "She doesn't even remember much of high school, and... her uncle wasn't... he was abusive. The whole 'murder' thing... she was trying to protect herself. They think it misfired when she was struggling to get the gun away from him... and...." Deanna looked down at her shoes and took a deep breath.
"This is ridiculous, Deanna,I don't want that girl for you!" her mother sighed and shook her head. "She's practically psychotic."
"Don't you dare!!," Deanna's head snapped up, glaring at her mother. "You don't even know her."
"I still don't approve of this," her mother crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at Deanna.
"Well you better deal with it," Deanna snapped. She'd never been one to talk back, so her words had even surprised her. Her mother didn't respond. Deanna didn't let her. The door slammed behind her before her mother had a chance to protest.
Deanna exhaled heavily, running a hand through her hair and scanning the yard. She locked eyes with Carly, and the smaller girl immediately knew something was wrong.
"Di?" she tilted her head to the side and jogged over to her girlfriend. "Are you okay? You look sad."
"M'fine," Deanna shook her head. "Just nervous."
"Do you need a hug?" Carly smiled shyly and outstretched her arms. Deanna giggled and wrapped her arms around Carly. The smaller girl hummed contently and kissed Deanna's cheek when they pulled away.
"Are you best friends?"
Both girls jumped, looking down at the smaller blonde girl next to them. Maggie tilted her head to the side, expecting an answer.
"Carly is my girlfriend," Deanna said softly, kneeling down next to Maggie.
"Girlfriend?" Maggie glanced up at Carly and then back to Deanna.
"Yeah..." Deanna bit her lip, trying to think of an explanation.
"Yes," Carly spoke up. "Some girls like girls, and some boys like boys. That is okay. If it makes you happy, it is okay. Right?" She glanced over to Deanna, who was blushing slightly.
"Right," Deanna nodded once.
Maggie looked back and forth between them for a moment, thinking over what they had just said. "Okay!" she smiled, grabbing Deanna's hand. "Come play with me!" She reached over and took hold of Carly's hand as well. "You too, Caaaaaarrrly."
"That was easier than I thought," Deanna bit her lip, glancing back at the door. She followed Carly and Maggie over to the group of kids, greeting her cousins.
"Tag!" Carly giggled, hopping out from behind a tree and tapping Deanna's shoulder. The older girl jumped, turning around and clasping her hands over her heart.
"You scared me!" She raised her eyebrows at the giggling girl. "That's unfair!"
"You are it!" Carly crinkled her nose. Deanna shook her head and took a step towards Carly.
"You better run then," she smirked. Carly squealed and took off down the yard, following the group of children running in the same direction.
"Carly, look!" Deanna called. Carly turned around, looking from side to side to try and see what Deanna was pointing out. Moments later, she was practically tackled to the ground.
"Tag," Deanna smirked, holding the girl in her lap and lying back on the grass to catch to her breath.
"That was not fair!" Carly giggled, rolling onto her back next to Deanna. "You tricked me!"
"Payback," Deanna laughed.
"Get 'em!"
Deanna and Carly exchanged glances when they heard a stampede of footsteps in their direction. Before they could react, the group of children piled on top of them, giggling incessantly.
"Choking, not breathing!" Deanna laughed, struggling to push herself into a sitting position. She peeled Maggie off of Carly and tickled the small child into submission.
"You guys are ruthless!" Deanna poked her sister's nose, making Maggie laugh and sit down in the grass next to the other kids.
"You saved me," Carly giggled, standing up and brushing the grass off of her pants. Deanna hopped to her feet as well, running a hand through her hair.
"I guess I won," Deanna teased, taking a step closer to Carly and lacing their fingers together. "I think the winner deserves a kiss," she smirked, turning and pointing to her cheek. Before Carly could reciprocate, though, Deanna's eyes landed on the person standing in the driveway.
"Dad?" she breathed, squeezing Carly's hand to signify for her to stop. The smaller girl pulled back and followed Deanna's eyes to the man in the driveway.
"I'll be right back," Deanna bit her lip, giving Carly an apologetic smile before jogging over to her father.
"I can explain," she breathed, studying his face nervously. "I'm sorry if I w-,"
"I talked to your mother," he said, glancing at Carly. Deanna nodded, biting her lip. This wasn't going to end well.
"I'm sorry," she shook her head and looked down.
"Y'know, I was gonna come out here and talk to you about this," he said, cupping the back of his neck with his hand. "But then I saw you..." he nodded in Carly's direction. "With her. And I guess what I'm trying to say is... I think you're perfectly capable of making your own decisions."
Deanna looked up in shock. "Wh-what?"
"Your mother... give her time. She's just not used to you being so grown up," he continued. "I can't say that I'm completely comfortable with this, but I think everyone deserves a chance, right?"
"Thank you," Deanna let out the breath she'd been holding in. "You'll love her, I promise," she smiled shyly before pulling her father into a big hug.
"I trust you," he chuckled, squeezing her shoulder when they pulled away from the hug. Deanna took her bottom lip inbetween her teeth and glanced behind her.
"Carly," she motioned for the smaller girl. Carly looked up, smiling softly and jogging over to the two figures in the driveway. Deanna snaked an arm around her girlfriend's waist and pulled her into her side.
"Dad, this is Carly," she nodded towards the younger girl. "My girlfriend."
"It's nice to meet you, Carly," her father smiled warmly, extending his hand for Carly to shake. The smaller girl grinned, holding out her fist and looking at him expectantly. Deanna held back her laughter.
"You are supposed to bump it," Carly whispered, moving her fist back and forth. Deanna just nodded at her father, signifying for him to go along with it.
He bumped his fist against Carly's, and the smaller girl made an exploding noise with her mouth, looking at Deanna proudly. Deanna bit her lip, glancing back at her father and studying his face. She breathed a sigh of relief when he laughed softly.
"Your mother made a huge Christmas Eve dinner," her dad chuckled, nodding towards the front door. "I didn't even know that was a thing, honestly." He noticed the nervous look on Deanna's face.
"C'mon girls, I'll take you to the dining room," he gave Deanna a supportive nod. She sighed softly, keeping her arm around Carly's waist and following her father into the house.
"Wait for us, Caaaaarrrlyy!" One of the younger boys called, forgetting about their game of catch and following the other children into the house.
"The dining room is this way," Deanna giggled when Carly started going up the stairs. "You've gotta meet everyone."
"Oh," Carly smiled and hopped back down next to Deanna, lacing their fingers together and following her down the hallway. "Meet who?"
"My mom's side of the family always comes and stays at our house the night before Christmas so we can wake up and open presents together," Deanna explained, turning the corner and walking into the dining room.
"Deans!" Her brother hopped up from his spot at the table and wrapped his arms around his sister. "You look different."
"Minus the extra human I have attached to me, I don't think I've changed much," Deanna laughed, holding up her and Carly's interlocked fingers. Chris raised an eyebrow, studying the girl Deanna had brought with her.
"Hi," Carly smiled shyly, holding out her fist inbetween them. Chris eyed Deanna questioningly, but bumped his fist with Carly's. She made an exploding noise with her mouth before giggling quietly.
Chris exchanged glances with Deanna. "I like this one," he nodded once in approval. Deanna laughed, crinkling her nose and ruffling her brother's hair.
"I do too, kiddo," she turned to Carly and placed a kiss on her cheek, just in time for her mother to walk in the room with a plate of food. She didn't even glance in Deanna's direction. Deanna swallowed nervously.
"Hungry?" Deanna raised an eyebrow at Carly, who was eyeing the food on the table. Carly nodded and tugged on Deanna's hand, pulling her over to sit down.
"I wanna sit next to Caaaarrly!" Maggie giggled, running into the dining room and scrambling to crawl atop the chair next to Carly.
"Looks like someone's made a new friend," A man sitting across the table smiled at Maggie. Carly glanced at Deanna nervously.
"That's my Uncle Gregory," Deanna explained with a soft laugh. She saw Carly's face freeze and quickly grabbed her hand. "He's not a bad uncle, Carly."
"Oh," Carly took a deep breath. Deanna ran her thumb over the back of her hand to try and comfort her. "He is good?"
"Yeah, see?" Deanna turned to face him. "Uncle Greg, this is Carly. My girlfriend." Carly smiled shyly.
"So that's who Dylan was talking about," the man laughed, extending his hand. "He kept going on and on about 'Caaaarrly', who was the coolest girl he knew," he chuckled. Carly smiled widely and held out her fist.
"You're supposed to bump it," Deanna laughed, noticing his confusion. He nodded in understanding and bumped Carly's fist, causing the girl to make an exploding noise with her mouth and smile proudly.
"Dylan! Come sit next to me and Caaarrrly!" Maggie waved to the smaller boy that had just entered the dining room. Soon, Deanna's relatives began filling the empty chairs around the table and engaging one another in conversation.
Surprisingly, everyone seemed more than welcoming to Carly. Except for Deanna's mother, that was. Throughout the entire meal, she would barley look in their direction. Deanna was thankful that Carly didn't notice this.
"How's school going, Deans?" Her father spoke up about halfway through the meal. Deanna took a sip from her drink and shrugged.
"My professor moved me up to the advanced class," she smiled shyly. Carly glanced over at Deanna happily.
"She thinks she is bad, but she is very good," Carly spoke up, twirling her fork around her fingers. "I watch her."
"I think that's a common trait among most artists," her dad chuckled. Deanna crinkled her nose at Carly, who giggled and looked away.
"You better be focusing on your education, Deanna," her mother spoke up for the first time since they sat down. She glanced from Deanna to Carly and raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, she is," Carly spoke before Deanna could. "She is not allowed to cuddle and kiss me until she does her homework, I said so." Deanna's face grew bright red.
Deanna's mother kept quiet for the rest of the meal, and Deanna had to hold back her laughter over the fact that Carly had unknowingly shattered all of her mother's suspicions.
"Mommy, can me and Dylan go to the creek?" Maggie spoke up, pointing to her empty plate and then to the child sitting next to her. "Please?"
"You can't go all by yourselves, and I don't think a-,"
"I can go," Chris stood up, wiping off his hands. Maggie and Dylan squealed excitedly, hopping out of their chairs and running towards the back door.
"Margaret Wong, listen to your brother!" her mother called after her. The small girl hummed in agreement, and moments later the three pairs of footsteps disappeared outside. Deanna laughed softly at their excitement.
Soon, everyone finished their meal and Deanna's mother began carrying plates into the kitchen. Carly got up quietly, wandering into the other room. Deanna quickly followed her, pausing at the doorway.
"Do you need help?" Carly asked shyly, tapping on Deanna's mother's shoulder. The woman turned around and raised an eyebrow at Carly.
"I've got it," she said coldly, turning back around and leaving Carly standing there quietly. Deanna quickly jumped in.
"Let's go outside, Carly," she said softly, grabbing her girlfriend's arm. "It's too nice out to stay cramped up inside." Carly just nodded and allowed Deanna to lead her out the back door.
"She does not like me," Carly said softly once the door closed behind them. "Did I do something wrong?"
"Of course not," Deanna sighed and shook her head. She laced their fingers together and led Carly towards the old swingset in their backyard. "She just need some time."
"We can give her that," Carly nodded once, sitting down on one of the swings next to Deanna. She reached out and found her hand once more, swinging back and forth slowly. "I was just trying to help her."
"I know, Carly," Deanna sighed. "My dad really seems to like you, though. And Chris. And Maggie. And everyone else," she squeezed Carly's hand, making the other girl laugh.
"I never gave you your prize," Carly realized, standing up and walking in front of Deanna with a soft smile on her face.
"My prize?"
Carly nodded, placing her hands on Deanna's knees and leaning down. "Yes. You won tag, so you get a kiss," she giggled softly before leaning in and capturing Deanna's lips within her own.
Meanwhile, two pairs of eyes watched them quietly from the kitchen window.
"She loves her."
Deanna's mother, Clara, whipped her head around to look at her husband. "What?" she raised an eyebrow, worry in her voice.
"Deanna," he nodded, pointing to the two girls on the swings. Carly had sat back down and they were holding hands, giggling about something. "She loves her."
"And how do you know?" Clara put a hand on her hip, craning her neck to get a better view of her daughter.
"I just do," Mike shrugged. "When I first saw her, there was something about the way she looked at that girl. I couldn't put my finger on it at first. But I've never seen her like this with anyone else."
"You're sure?"
"Positive," he nodded once and leaned against the counter.
Sighing, Clara turned to him and ran a hand through her hair. "I just don't want her to get hurt."
"She's old enough to make her own decisions," Deanna's father shrugged. "I'm not too worried. Carly seems like a good kid. I trust my daughter's judgment."
Clara just sighed and turned back to the dishes, glancing at the girls outside once more.
"Do you know what today is?" Deanna drew her bottom lip between her teeth, remembering Christmas Eve also happened to be the day Carly had lost her parents. She couldn't imagine having a tragic accident such as that happen to her on the day before what was supposed to be a happy holiday.
Carly tilted her head to the side slightly and thought for a moment. "Tomorrow is Christmas?" she said questioningly.
"Yeah, but..." Deanna took a deep breath. "It's the anniversary of your parents... their accident..." she bit her lip. Carly thought for a few moments.
"Do you think... they would like me?" She asked quietly. Deanna reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind Carly's ear and nodding.
"Of course they would, silly," she gave her a soft smile. "You're their daughter. And you're a pretty awesome person, too."
"But I am..." Carly looked down at her shoes and shuffled them in the grass while she formed her next words. "I am broken."
Deanna's heart dropped in her chest and she quickly shook her head. "You are far from broken, Carly," she turned slightly and cupped the girl's face in her hands. "Listen to me, okay?"
Carly nodded softly.
"You are not broken, okay? You're Carly. That's all you are. You can't define yourself with a word that somebody else made up," Deanna ran her thumb over the girl's cheek. "It's up to you to define who Carly is. And she's not broken."
"Didi," Carly looked up at the sky.
"I'm not finished," Deanna grabbed Carly's hand to try and get her attention, but the smaller girl was staring up at the sky. A moment later, she felt a raindrop on her arm. Then another, then another, and another.
Soon it was drizzling lightly. Carly giggled and turned back to Deanna, wiping her eyes.
"Deanna!"
Both girls jumped when they heard a scream from behind them. Two figures broke through the woods, running towards them.
"Chris?" Deanna stood up quickly. The rain began picking up speed. Carly shuffled silently behind Deanna just as Chris and Dylan caught up to them.
"Maggie's gone," Chris panted, leaning over and putting his hands on his knees.
"What?" Deanna raised her eyebrows, scanning the yard to see if they were playing a joke.
"I don't know, we turned around and she was gone. We called her name and looked around but we couldn't find her anywhere," Chris shook his head and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "You have to help us."
"I've got to tell mom," Deanna shook her head, jogging inside and wiping the raindrops from her forehead.
"Mom? Dad?" she called once she was in the kitchen. She heard footsteps behind her signifying that she'd been followed.
"Deanna, what's up?" her mother hurried into the room, noting the worry in her daughter's voice.
"Maggie's lost in the woods somewhere," Deanna bit her lip. Her father appeared in the room moments later. After explaining to them what she'd learnt from Chris, her father dialed the police on his phone.
Deanna could hear the steady downpour of the rain outside and bit her lip. A clap of thunder made her jump and she immediately turned around to comfort Carly.
But she wasn't there.
Deanna's stomach instantly dropped and she turned to Chris. "Where's Carly?" she asked, holding her hands out in front of her and looking at him desperately.
"I don't know," he shook his head and glanced outside, where the sky was growing darker. "She didn't come inside with us."
"Shit," Deanna shook her head and pushed past him. "Shit, shit, shit," she ran outside, ignoring the pouring rain. Where could Carly had gone? She was just by her side a second ago. This wasn't good.
"Carly!?" Deanna called, standing in the middle of her yard and circling the perimeter. When she didn't get an answer, she took a deep breath and jogged into the woods.
"Carly?!" she cried, trying to make her voice heard over the beating of the rain. "Maggie?!" She pushed her way through the woods, trying to retrace the path Chris and the kids had taken to the stream.
This reminded her too much of the first day Carly had been with them, where Deanna had found her in the woods at the park. Except now, there was more for her to lose.
She continued calling out their names, trying to cover every inch of the woods behind her house. Another clap of thunder sent her scrambling backwards, nearly falling. She grabbed onto a tree to regain her balance.
"Deanna!" She heard a voice boom over the storm and bit her lip.
"Yeah?!" she called, cupping her hands over her mouth.
"You need to come back inside!" Her father yelled. Deanna jogged to the clearing of the woods, hugging her arms around her torso when she saw her father waiting for her.
"I can't, I have to go find them-," she was interrupted.
"It's not safe to be out here, Deanna, the police are on their way," he grabbed her arm and started leading her inside. Deanna glanced back at the woods, feeling her stomach boiling in anxiety.
A towel was immediately wrapped around her shoulders when they made it back to the house. She shivered and walked back over to the door, watching the rain pour down and drip down the glass windows.
"We have to go find them!" Deanna threw the towel down and turned around, facing her family, who had gathered into the kitchen. "What if someone got them? Or.... Or....?"
She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut and falling down to her knees. She couldn't lose Carly again. Carly hated storms. She wouldn't be in one voluntarily. The whistling of the strong wind outside didn't help to calm her nerves, either.
"Honey, you should really sit down," her mother ushered her daughter into the living room, making her sit down on the couch. Deanna took a deep, shaky breath, glancing out the window once more.
She watched her other family members doing the same as she was, watching out the windows for any sign of life. Deanna's hands shook, and she clenched them into fists to try and calm herself down.
Suddenly, the lights flickered, causing the smaller children to squeal. A few seconds later, the entire house was encased in darkness. Deanna inhaled sharply, blinking a few times and looking around the dark room.
"It's okay!" one of her uncles called, shining his phone flashlight around the room. "It's just a power outage. No big deal."
Deanna swallowed hard and buried her head in her knees, wishing Carly to be okay. A noise made her whip her head up.
"It's them!" Someone called. Deanna immediately jumped to her feet, running into the kitchen just as someone slid open the glass door. Seconds later, Carly stumbled into the kitchen with Maggie in her arms, falling down to her knees as soon as everyone crowded around her.
Maggie was almost instantly carried off by the adults. Deanna ran to Carly's side, sliding down to her knees next to her girlfriend.
"Oh my god, Carly? Are you okay?" Deanna brushed the wet hair out of her girlfriend's face. Carly was soaking wet from head to toe, shivering violently.
"Y-yeah," Carly nodded slowly, wiping her eyes. "It is c-c-cold," she shivered, teeth chattering.
Without another word, Deanna stood up, scooping Carly into her arms. The smaller girl wrapped her arms around Deanna's neck and shivered.
"What were you thinking?" Deanna asked, carrying her down the hallway and up the stairs. Carefully, she led them to her old bedroom, lying Carly down on the queen sized bed. The room was dimly lit by what little light was left outside.1
"I had to help," Carly wiped her eyes. She sat up slowly, wrapping her arms around her torso and biting her lip.
Deanna sighed, walking over to her dresser and pulling out a change of clothes. She laid them on the bed next to Carly and motioned for the girl to lift her arms.
"You could've gotten hurt," Deanna said, peeling Carly's wet shirt off of her torso and helping her slip into a dry hoodie of hers.
"I know," Carly played with the sleeves of the hoodie, thinking for a moment. "But I did not want her to get hurt, either. I had to help."
"Where'd you find her?" Deanna asked, biting her lip and slowly pulling Carly to her feet. She helped the smaller girl step into a clean pair of pajama pants.
"She was hurt," Carly pointed up to her head. "But she woke up when I was carrying her."
"Her head?" Deanna asked. Carly nodded.
"She was bleeding. But only a little bit," Carly made a pinching motion with her fingers and shivered slightly.
"Cold?" Deanna raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," Carly laughed softly. "Very."
Deanna gave her a soft smile, overwhelmingly thankful that both Carly and her sister were alright. She quickly changed out of her wet clothes and into a pair of pajamas, making sure to keep her torso hidden.
A clap of thunder made both girls jump. Carly whimpered, looking around the dark room nervously. Deanna jogged into her bathroom, fishing around in her cabinets until she found what she needed.
She set the candle on the small table beside her bed, lighting a match and holding it above the wick. Once the candle caught flame, she flicked out the match and threw it away. Now the room was slightly better lit.
The second Deanna sat down on the bed, she was pulled closer to Carly, who practically crawled into her lap. Laughing softly, Deanna laid down and Carly immediately laid her head on her chest, curling up next to her.
"Still cold?" Deanna asked, feeling the small girl shivering beside her. Carly nodded slowly, and seconds later Deanna tugged a blanket over both of them.
"Thank you, Didi," Carly sighed softly, burying her head in Deanna's neck. The older girl ran her fingers up and down Carly's spine absentmindedly.
"M'gonna have to get used to you being more independent, aren't I?" Deanna laughed softly.
"Yes," Carly giggled, moving her wet hair out of her face. "But I will still be yours," she lifted her head, kissing Deanna's cheek gently. The older girl blushed.
"That's all I ask," Deanna poked Carly's nose and laughed. Carly crinkled her nose, turning over and hiding her head in the pillow. Deanna realized she wasn't shaking anymore, and sighed thankfully.
A buzzing sound appeared, just as the lights flickered back on. Deanna sat up and blinked a few times to adjust to the bright light. Just as Carly sat up, the door of the bedroom opened slowly.
"Is she okay?" Deanna's mom asked, slipping into the room and nodding in Carly's direction. Deanna was thoroughly surprised.
"Yeah, just a little shaken up," Deanna smiled softly, taking Carly's hand in her own to comfort the younger girl. "Is Maggie okay? What happened?"
"She said she was playing where she wasn't supposed to and slipped, I guess she hit her head and fell," Deanna's mother sat down on the opposite side of the bed. "Carly must've found her passed out somewhere."
Deanna glanced over at Carly and gave her a comforting smile. The younger girl returned the gesture, crinkling her nose playfully.
"Thank you, Carly," Clara turned to look at Deanna's girlfriend. "I think I owe you an apology."
"It is okay," Carly shrugged. "Thank you, you're welcome."
Clara glanced at Deanna, who just shrugged and giggled. Deanna was surprised when her mother turned back to Carly and held out her fist. Carly tilted her head to the side.
"I thought you were supposed to bump it?" Deanna's mother smirked. Carly's face lit up and she glanced at Deanna before bumping her fist with Clara's and making her signature exploding noise with her mouth.
'Thank you,' Deanna mouthed to her mother, who just gave her an understanding nod.
"I guess I'll see you girls in the morning," Clara nodded, standing up. "Get some rest now, Santa's coming," she laughed, leaning down and kissing Deanna's forehead.
"Goodnight, Carly," Clara smiled, kissing the top of Carly's head and giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze. Deanna's jaw nearly dropped open, and both her and Carly exchanged glances once they were alone once more.
"You really know how to win Wong women over," Deanna teased, winking at Carly. The smaller girl giggled shyly.
Deanna fell back onto the bed, tugging on Carly's arm to make the smaller girl do the same. They had just snuggled up against one another when they heard footsteps approaching the door. Deanna groaned and sat up quickly.
"Shhh," the smaller child peered her head through the door and shut it quietly behind her. "I'm a'posta be sleeping," Maggie giggled, looking at the two girls on the bed.
"Hey munchkin," Deanna patted the space on the bed between them for the smaller girl. Maggie smiled happily, crawling next to them and sitting cross-legged. "How do you feel?"
"Good! It's all better, see?" Maggie pointed to the pink bandaid on her forehead. "Caaaarrrlyyy save me," she smiled, pointing to the other girl on the bed.
"I know she did," Deanna smiled, squeezing Carly's hand. "Did you thank her?"
"Oh yeah!" Maggie practically tackled Carly into a hug, giggling quietly. "Thank you, Caaaaarrrlyy."
"You are welcome," Carly laughed. Deanna pulled her back into a sitting up position and kissed her cheek.
"Did you know that tomorrow is Christmas? I asked for a bike, and a castle, and a dog, and a horse," Maggie began, counting off her list of presents on her fingers. Deanna yawned, and Carly noticed this.
"You should go to sleep, then," Carly looked at the smaller girl. "Santa is going to come soon, right?" she turned and winked at Deanna, who had to stifle her laughter.
"Right!" Maggie nodded once. "I better go back to bed," she giggled and crawled off the bed. "Goodnight, Deaaaannnaa. Goodnight, Caaaaarrrlyy." She gave them both a kiss on the cheek, pausing by Deanna's face for a moment.
"I think you should marry her," she whispered, giggling as Deanna's face turned bright red. Without another word, Maggie scurried out of the bedroom and down the hallway.
"M'tired," Carly yawned, laying back down and looking up at Deanna hopefully. "Sing?"
"Only for you," Deanna said softly, leaning over to turn off the light before lying back on the bed next to Carly
🎶Take my hand and let go,
I just want you to know,
You're the only one that pulls me in,
You changed everything.
Like one small shaft of light,
Flooding into my eyes,
I will never see things just the same,
But I'm not afraid...
And all I have, doesn't seem so significant,
And at the drop of a hat,
I could leave almost everything,
That I've ever known, so here we go...
Step out into the wild,
There's a beautiful storm in your eyes,
We're perfectly intertwined
And if it's quite alright,
You could be my way of life.
Sea salt sits on your lips,
Birds fall earthward from cliffs,
Thought I couldn't do this but I'm fine,
'cause you're by my side.
And all I have, it doesn't seem so significant
And at the drop of a hat,
My whole world's getting different,
So here we go, off road.
And we take another step into the truly unknown,
Don't know why but it's somewhere that we have to go
And it's dangerously wonderful
So come on, come on, come on, come on...
Won't you step out into the wild,
There's a beautiful storm in your eyes,
We're perfectly intertwined
And if it's quite alright
You could be my way of life. 🎶
Deanna finished the song knowing Carly had already fallen asleep. The smaller girl's breathing would slow down and her hands would slowly make their way under the sleeves of Deanna's hoodie.
Something about this time of night made Deanna nostalgic. Everything was calm and quiet, and she could hold Carly in her arms without any interruption. In these moments, she could forget all about the things they had endured for the past few months.
She sighed softly, pressing a soft kiss on the top of Carly's head. The smaller girl smelled like a mixture of the rain and Deanna's shampoo. With a soft smile, Deanna allowed sleep to overtake her.
Deanna was awoken by the sound of soft giggling. Before she had time to react, she heard a stampede of footsteps approach the bed. Moments later, she was tackled by a crowd of giggling children.
"Deanna, wake up!"
And Carly.
Groaning, Deanna rolled over, only to be met with Carly, smiling widely. Maggie and Dylan giggled, bouncing up and down on the bed.
"What are you doing up so early?" Deanna turned to her younger sister, ruffling her hair. Maggie giggled and shook her head.
"It wasn't me. It was Caaaaarrrly," Maggie pointed to the brown eyed girl sitting next to Deanna.
"Santa came," Carly leaned down, whispering in Deanna's ear.
Sitting up, Deanna rubbed her eyes and caught sight of the clock. "At six o'clock in the morning?!" she gaped, widening her eyes at Carly. The smaller girl nodded contently.
Before Deanna could say anything else, her bedroom door slowly opened.
"Oh good," Deanna's mom smiled at her. "I thought I was going to have to drag you out of bed. Everyone's awake already, thanks to those three." She nodded towards Carly and the two children, who glanced at one another bashfully.
"Might as well get a head start on those presents, right?" Clara smirked. Maggie and Dylan squealed excitedly, scrambling off of the bed and down the hallway. Carly hopped up to follow them, but Deanna grabbed her wrist before she could.
"We'll be down in a second," Deanna gave her mother a soft smile. Thankfully, Clara didn't question them. Once Deanna's bedroom door was closed again, Carly turned back around, pouting.
"Why did you stop me?" Carly tilted her head to the side and sat down on the edge of the bed. Deanna just smiled and stood up, taking Carly's hands in her own.
"I wanted to give you your present first," she squeezed Carly's hands. The smaller girl's face lit up and she stood up on her tiptoes.
"Where is it?" she asked excitedly, looking around the room. Deanna laughed and shook her head, letting go of Carly's hands and taking a step backwards.
Carly grew confused when Deanna peeled off her hoodie, leaving her only in a tank top. Her eyes widened when Deanma slipped the strap of her tank top downwards.
"Ouch," Carly shook her head, taking step forwards and pressing her fingers underneath Deanna's collarbone. "I do not understand," she said quietly, looking back up at Deanna.
"It's a tattoo," Deanma laughed softly and moved Carly's fingers off of her shoulder. "Remember the day you picked the flowers and I got mad at you?"
Carly thought for a moment before nodding softly. "You said I killed the pretty things."
"I was pretty mean then," Deanna admitted, biting her lip and looking back down at the tattoo. "But this is different." She reached out, taking Carly's hand and placing it back on top of the tattoo.
"Feel that?" she asked, smiling softly. Carly nodded.
"It is your heart," she tapped on Deanna's chest. "Why?"
"They're two daisies, Carly," Deanna pointed to her tattoo. "It's me and you. That way you can have your pretty things."
"Oh," Carly's lips slowly curved into a wide smile, and she traced the outline of the tattoo. "I love it," she giggled, looking up at Deanna slowly.
"You do?" Deanna bit her lip to hide her smile. Carly nodded immediately, tracing the outline of the flowers once more.
"Yes," Carly placed her hands on Deanna's shoulders and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
"I figured it could be like a promise ring," Deanna shrugged. "But I know wearing jewelry bothers you, so I thought it'd mean more if I got something permanent."
"A promise ring?" Carly tilted her head to the side and held up her pinky, remembering her version of a promise.
"Yeah," Deanna giggled, interlocking their pinkies and keeping them intertwined. She swung their hands back and forth gently and studied Carly's face.
"It basically means that I promise to stick by your side no matter what happens."
"It's a promise to always be patient with you, even if sometimes it's hard for me to understand. It's a promise to sing to you no matter how tired I am. It's a promise to buy you as many yellow things as your heart desires. It's a promise to hold you through as many thunderstorms that come our way. It's a promise to make us work."
Carly was smiling like an idiot by this point. She looked down shyly. "Really?"
"Of course," Deanna kissed Carly's forehead and pressed their foreheads together. "It's us, kid. Always."
"You and me?" Carly met Deanna's eyes hopefully.
"Yeah," Deanna whispered. She found herself lost in Carly's eyes for a moment before she leaned in and gently connected their lips.
She felt sparks erupt the moment their lips met, and couldn't help the butterflies in her stomach when she felt Carly smile into the kiss. She pulled away, keeping their foreheads pressed together and gazing into Carly's eyes. It was at that point that Deanna realized this was the happiest she'd felt in a long time.
"Me and you. Forever"
-THE END
a/n: and there you have it!! yellow is officially finished. ohmygosh this is insane. when i started this fic i never ever ever expected it to get the response it's gotten. thank you for being so kind and supportive. all of your comments make me laugh
(also, pay attention to the song Deanna sings to Carly. i picked it specifically for the lyrics)
one of my goals with this fic was to finish a story without having any 'i love you's' or any smut. i just sorta wanted to have an interesting plot without any of the cliche stuff.
Also i'll be releasing the cover for my new story called 'Just an act' on my TikTok account sometime soon, so follow me for updates
again, thank you endlessly for all the love you've shown me over this fic. you make me so happy. writing is such an escape for me and it's wonderful to be able to share it with you all. i love you endlessly.