"Metastatic Adenocarcinoma,....it's-"
"I know what it is,.... what stage?" Katherine asked
Alone, finally together, Katherine and Elizabeth would have a real conversation after 5 years of no contact.
Both of them were sat in a chair, resting.
Resting their bodies as the conversation they were going to have would drain the energy out of them.
Katherine watched as Elizabeth gazed into her eyes. Her eyes weren't watery, but you could tell there was nothing but sadness behind them, she had excepted her fate.
"What stage, Elizabeth?" Katherine asked again. This time using her name.
Elizabeth gave her a smile, she had used her real name, she was glad, even thought it hurt her to tell the truth.
"4"
The silence was dominant.
They could only hear their breaths. Katherine hated that fact that she knew what it could mean. If only she was oblivious.
She didnt want to ask.
"In time, I have-" but before Elizabeth told her how much time she had left, Katherine stopped her, raising her hand in front of her. She looked at the women she had loved before, this was hard.
"I want the truth, I do....but not this,...dont tell me" Katherine asked her.
Elizabeth shook her head in agreement. She dried her tears and took a deep breath. She masked her sadness with a smile. She sighed,
"Pff.......where do even I begin?" she said as she stroked her arms, calming herself.
Katherine only saw an eclipse. Pieces and strands of her past with Laura, the plant shop owner she fell in love with.
*
"So, you have a name figured out yet? For the shop?" Katherine asked as she took a sip of her coffee. Even though she had put lots of cream and sugar, it still just tasted like coffee. But she had ordered it, so how could she complain about the taste. She made a small grimace before putting on a smile.
"Umm, I'm not sure, probably the name of a plant I'll be selling, it's easier to grasps the concept that way" Elizabeth said as she took a sip of her coffee.
After helping her with her boxes, days later, Elizabeth had invited Katherine for a coffee.
"Oh, I was wondering the other day, you said plant shop, so no flowers, correct?"
"Thats right, no flowers, it's not in my plans... Also, why do you drink coffee? Your face says it definitely tastes like shit"
Both women started laughing
*
"I didnt plan on staying this long,....I didnt plan on,..having such a great time with you..." Elizabeth confessed as Katherine listened to her.
*
"Im scared" Katherine said as she was walked forwards, blindfolded.
"Dont, you'll love it" Elizabeth said as she guided Katherine by the shoulders.
After a month of preparation, Laura, the plant shop owner, would open her doors. She had refused Katherine's help to decorate the interior because she had made something special.
"Ok, 3, 2, 1....." Elizabeth said as she took the blindfold off from Katherine's eyes.
When she opened her eyes, Katherine could only see the abundance shades of green. Exposed by all the different types of plants, they were presented on the floor, hanged on the walls and from the ceiling. The walls were painted a sweet pale lavender and the accessories, stool, chairs, desks were made of oak wood. Katherine smiled as she looked everywhere. She had'nt even noticed something important yet.
"Do you like it?" Elizabeth asked
Still amazed, she kept looking around
"It's-"
Katherine was so distracted by the colour of green contrasted with the lavender wall, she had just seen the violet colours hidden all around the place. Violets, planted alongside with some plants, some by themselves. Like scattered stars across the night sky.
The only flower in the place.
She turned around to look at Elizabeth, "I thought-"
"It was unexpected, but why not, you told me it was your favourite flower"
*
"You mean, you didnt expect falling in love with me?" Katherine asked. Her heart was racing at the moment. Shed finally know if she had loved her, truly
Elizabeth didnt hesitate, she was honest. "Yes, thats right....every year I asked for an extension. I said that you wouldn't tell me anything yet.
Even when you already had "
Katherine took a deep breath, in the end, she was glad.
Glad to at least have been loved.
Elizabeth had lied just to be able to stay with her, longer and hopefully forever.
"But I didnt know this was how it would end" Elizabeth took her hands in hers. She looked down at her hands as she looked at the ring Katherine wore on her finger. She smiled before looking back up at her.
"I was going to tell you everything, I promise you. I made the decision of leaving behind everything, the mission, the task, the responsibilities I had sworn to..."
Katherine kept quiet, she craved to know more, to understand. She held harder unto her hand, asking for more.
"I told Steven, hm Agent. Veck,... that I was leaving. That I couldn't continue... And he told me; Alright...I'll help you"
Elizabeth took a sharp breath as she looked at Katherine, hoping she was listening with an open heart
"That day,...I was forced back. I had no idea what they were going to do...and when I found out" Elizabeth held Katherine's hands to her forehead, she silently cried as she painfully swallowed the pain to allow her to speak. "I convinced myself,...that it was for the best. That...you'd grieve, forget about me, move on and fall in love with someone ....better"
Elizabeth was actually a victim.
A victim of her work, her boss, her obligations, her repressed feelings, her pain, her need to feel that what she had done, was right. Even thought what had happened, wasn't her fault, but she felt like it was.
After all, who would believe her.
Certainly not Katherine she thought.
She'd rather her think dead before having her hate her.
But looking at it now, it had already been to late.
Like being ripped apart from someone wasn't traumatic enough.
"Why are you still with him?"
"I-I wasn't after,...I was brought back very recently, a week ago"
*
"Laura Raymond?" A man asked as him and his two fellow entered the empty store, she was just about to close. All three were in suits, classic attires.
The woman looked at them with caution. She didnt know these men, but they knew her. She walked casually towards her desk, where she had a gun. She thought she had blown her cover somehow.
The man walked towards her, their presence was intimidating.
"Do I... know any of you?" She asked as she had a grasp on her gun, hidden under.
One of the men took out an FBI badge, but she didnt have time to look at it that much as she was disturbed by the news he gave her
"FBI, We have bad news about your apartment building,....and one of your neighbours is badly hurt, but she's on the way to the hospital. Could we ask you some questions?" The man said.
Elizabeth didnt know who was injured, but she didn't take the chance. She immediately dropped her gun in the drawer and went straight towards them, towards the door, she was going to go there straight away, no time to answer questions.
But as she passed them, she was pulled away, her arms grabbed by both man on the side and the other took the chance to handcuff her. She tried to pull away but couldnt.
"What!?, What is this? LET ME GO!!" She shouted, kicked her feet, cursed, but it did nothing. She was silenced by a piece of cloth in her mouth and put into a car that drove away. She fought and fought.
"Please!!!!" She begged, as she had no strength left, she could only cry.
*
"I dont understand" Katherine said as she absorbed the information. For what she knew, Elizabeth had been an accomplice in her death.
"I didnt either"
*
As the car stopped, they arrived at the airport, a plane was set, ready to go. As she was forced out of the car by one of the man, she slowly approached the man waiting for her.
Agent. Veck was standing there, waiting for her at the stairs leading to a plane ride back to where she was before.
Her eyes too dry to shed another tear, she glared at him. As she stopped in front of him, she was uncuffed.
Agent. Veck approached her with a smile as he opened his arms, "Elizabeth..."
She hadnt heard that name in so long, especially in person.
But that didnt stop her
The fury she felt as she saw his face, what he had just done, what he had made her do.
Without hesitating, she pounced on him.
Almost losing his balance has Elizabeth punched him with all the strength she had left.
One time
Two time
Three times
More
Until she had his blood on her knuckles.
In his moment of weakness, distracted by his pain, she pulled out the gun he had by his waist, she held the gun towards him. Out of breath, her hands were shaking as her aim stayed on him as she looked at him.
She ignored the clicks of the guns that were drawn towards her.
"Elizabeth, let's talk about this,...did you really expect me to believe that you were going to leave? For.......what? Katherine?"
Agent. Veck held his hand to his nose, that was broken, trying to stop the bleeding. Dark circles were forming around both his eyes. Bruises and redness had appeared.
She looked at him with shock. He hadn't helped her after all. Her eyes filled up with tears as she screamed at him.
" FUCK YOU" Elizabeth shouted at him.
She looked at him as his calm behaviour made her sick, but worried. She looked at the gun she held and examined it. She unlocked it to open to see the gun was empty. She had been tricked again
The man sighed as he turned back around to go up the stairs. "Come on, let's go back"
*
Both were silent for a while
"And then?" Katherine asked
"I was moved, for- behaviour issues. Not even by Veck,... it was,..the Head Chief of the department.... I lost my privileges to my gun, to fly, to go on missions,.....I was assigned a desk job. I got placed back only a week ago"
Elizabeth took a deep breath as she stared at Katherine's hands, caressing them with her thumbs. She made circles around the ring on her finger.
"I couldn't reach you. I couldn't, not after 5 years had passed. I was devastated.....I thought you'd learn to forget about me"
After listening to Elizabeth, Katherine knew.
She knew she could forgive her.
It wasn't her fault after all.
Hearing how loved she was and how their love was brutally ripped from them was quite the news.
Even thought Katherine had loved her for all those years, she had just found someone else, Emily.
And now, now that she knew what happened all those years ago she had something else, closure.
And that meant the world
She shed tears as she took Elizabeth unto her arms. They shared a hug as both of them took the time to embrace the moment.
"Of course not. I could never forget you"
Elizabeth gave out a smile.
She was glad.
If only she had come back sooner. Broken the rules again to find her, maybe they would've had more time together before she left.
Elizabeth hadn't love anyone since, she had never stopped loving Katherine.
She relived the memories she held on tightly every day as she wished they could be together again.
But it was too late.
For her, but for Katherine as well.
Elizabeth could see, no, she had seen.
The one who used to look at her with that gaze in her eyes weren't for her anymore.
They were for someone else.
After all, she had learned to read her
Her place was taken, sadly, but rightfully so for Katherine
She had seen. And she had accepted.
The reality was, she didn't have much time.
Elizabeth knew that.
She looked at her as she admired her. How she could find it in her heart to forgive her, to still love her and understand.
"You look happy next to her, and you deserve that, after all you've been through" she told her.
Elizabeth would be happy if Katherine was.
That was her last wish.
Katherine was surprised for a moment. Elizabeth had only seen her and Emily during the worst parts.
And yet, she had noticed the love they had for each other.
Before she could reply she was interrupted
-Knock knock-
Both woman looked at each other. They had been alone for a while. Away from others, crying and comforting each other.
Katherine gave her a smile as she stood up to open the door.
She wished for it to be Emily. To be held in her arms. Tell her how she was wrong all this time. How she loved her and it didn't matter what had happened these pasts days.
She had been told multiple times, life's to short.
She didn't need to hear it again.
And now, Elizabeth had noticed her chemistry with Emily.
Not with hatred, she had seen it as a blessing.
If she couldn't make her happy anymore, someone would.
As she opened the door, she almost closed it back.
It was Agent. Veck.
Somehow she didn't hear what he had said.
She only thought about what she had recently learned from Elizabeth as she felt her fists tighten.
She couldn't blame Elizabeth for coming back in his team even if it was her choice. But she couldn't forgive him.
"Huh, did you hear me? "
The man asked as he approached himself from her. But she didn't let him.
Katherine took all the strength that she had into a punch. Straight to the face he was pushed back and landed on the floor.
Surprised you could say. He took a second to look back at his aggressor. Holding his face, putting pressure on the stinging feeling multiplying.
Everyone around was surprised by the interaction. Katherine had seen Emily from the background but didn't have time to think if it was a good idea of not. Her fist had been quicker than her brain.
Agent. Veck regained his cool as he massaged the left side of his face with a hand. Standing up he looked back at Elizabeth and back at her.
His agent had done nothing to prevent this. Nor did she rush to his aid or ask if he was ok.
She only stood next to Katherine as she looked him
"Well, ... I see you've both been...taking about the past...." He looked uncomfortable.
"I guess... I deserved that" he than added as he tried to go towards Elizabeth.
But before he could try, she was already leaving.
As Emily approached to understand what was going on, she was approached by Elizabeth.
"I actually have to speak with you" she said as she walked towards her and away from Agent Veck.
She walked back towards the conference room and gestured to Emily to come.
"Please, would you do me the favour?"
Emily hadn't spoken to Katherine for a while.
But only a glimpse of her was good enough for now. As she walked past her and Agent. Veck she glared at him for a second before watching Katherine nod to her.
"It's okay, go. I'll wait"
Emily nodded as she walked in and closed the door behind her.
As she turned around she saw Elizabeth had already sat herself. Another chair was already in from of her. I guess it was Katherine's.
You could say Emily is fearless. A hard working woman that doesn't give much attention to the opinions of others. A brave woman, authentic.
But for some reasons. As she walked towards Elizabeth and sat down.
She was afraid. Not because of her but because of the unknown. The words.
The ones she didn't know.
She was anxious to hear what Elizabeth had to tell her.
Elizabeth looked straight into her eyes as she spoke
"I love Katherine"