Wasteland Romance
Amy looked longingly at the phone as she and Nat prepared for sleep. She and Ace had been shipped off to the hospital after their rescue from Karen. Although she had recovered quickly, Ace still remained in the hospital for further tests, so Nat had stayed in the Wastes as the investigation into Karen's murder had been solved, with the help of Ramirez. While in hospital, Russell had immediately came in as soon as Nat told him that she was on her way there. In a way, Amy wanted to stay in the hospital for longer, so to spend more time with her boyfriend. Heading off to the Wastes straight after making her relationship with Russell was taking its toll on Amy, since endorphins were still swilling around in her body after the kiss, she was desperate to get out of the Wastes and back to Russell. One thing she was glad about being in the Wastes was that her partners, Ace and Nat, went through murder investigations at the speed of light so they would get her back to Russell soon. Saddened by being away from him, she slumped back onto the bunk bed she and Nat shared.
Nat, who had finished getting ready for bed, made her way over to the small bunk beds on the other side of the truck, when she saw Amy, a melancholy look on her face. "What's up girl?" she asked as Amy looked up as she sat on the other side of her friend. "I just miss Russell that's all," Amy replied mournfully, looking back at Nat, expecting jokes to erupt. Instead, she saw a look of compassion on Nat's face, as her long arm made its way around Amy's shoulders. "It's ok, I understand," she said as Amy's eyes began to fill with tears. "I mean, I feel like I'm the only one going through this," Amy said as tears started to roll down her face as Nat began to hug her compassionately. "I know, I understand Amy, being away from a new romantic partner can be hard," Nat replied, sadness and compassion in her voice. Holding Amy as she cried into her lap, Nat found it difficult not to think of her own romantic past and the current struggles sieging her happiness.
After Amy's tears had begun to decrease, she began wiping her face, getting her head out of Nat's lap. "I'm sorry Nat, this is probably the last thing you needed before bed," Amy apologized, tears still streaming down her face. "Hey, I will always be here for you, no matter what," Nat said confidently before continuing, "I just wish there's a way to stop you feeling how I felt." Amy's tears had now stopped as she looked at Nat, whose face now had sadness written all over it. "Nat…has this happened to you before?" Amy asked, concern growing in her as Nat smiled sadly at her. "Yes it has," she confessed, a fond smile appearing. Amy, now feeling horrible, replied back, "I'm so sorry, my outburst must have made you feel so bad," looking down in shame as Nat grabbed her hands, looking into her eyes determinedly. "Hey, don't feel bad, you are completely not to blame for this Amy," she replied, restoring some of Amy's happiness. "My experience was similar to yours, moving out to the Wastes just after getting into a new relationship."
Nat smiled fondly at both of their memories before continuing, "My now fiancé Jimmy had proposed to me just before we went into Paradise City," Nat said, smiling fondly once more as Amy's jubilant smile returned, eyeing the diamond ring on Nat's finger. "Oh Nat I didn't even realize! Congratulations!" She smiled as Nat smiled back, sadness seeping back in. "I would have told everyone, it's just I needed time to get over…what happened next," Nat confessed as Amy's smile faded, holding onto Nat as she continued with her story. "He got recalled to Afghanistan the day after we got engaged," she said sadly as Amy's face broke out with sadness once more. "I'm so sorry Nat, is he military?" Amy asked, trying to divert Nat's attention away from the sadness she felt. "Yeah, Navy, I just wish he wasn't," she replied, her eyes diverting to the picture on the wall. On it was a picture taken as Nat wished farewell her lover and fiancé to Afghanistan, Nat smiling jubilantly, while Jimmy's face had a permanent poker face look plastered all over it. Amy looked on fondly at Nat thinking of her most recent memories of happiness with her fiancé and the fun times they had had together. "How long had you been together before you got engaged?" Amy enquired innocently. "2 years, but honestly it feels like it flew, I met him one of the cases back in my old district and when I came to Pacific Bay he came with me." Nat smiled, reminded of the happier times when investigating murders. Amy and Nat were both transported back into their memories with their respective partners, their first kisses, dates, the times they were together, causing both women to sigh with happiness. "Well that's given me some good thoughts to dream about, thanks girl," Nat said cheerfully as she climbed into the top bunk. "Me too, thanks Nat," Amy replied, tucking herself into the covers.
Amy smiled as she closed her eyes, as Nat did the same, thinking of Russell's warm lips against hers, as a tingling sensation emanated throughout her body. The thought of Russell's warm arms around her, his hand caressing her neck, lips lightly touching hers, was enough to bring Amy into sleep, smiling lovingly as thoughts of Russell entered her dreams. Nat smiled as Amy was lulled to sleep, leaving her to her thoughts of the secret Skype call she had got from Jimmy, one month into his 6-month absence, making her determined to finish up in the Wastes before Jimmy got back. Similarly, back in the city, Russell rolled over in his bed, thinking of his blonde haired angel, taking off his shirt due to the heat emanating from his body as his thoughts similarly drifted to their first kiss. The first pleasurable experience of his life, amongst so much darkness that had previously plagued his life. As sleep overtook him, Russell silently swore that Amy would be protected. No matter how far he would have to go, she would always be kept from the dangers of life.
The next morning, Amy was roused by Nat shaking her, saying that Chief Marquez was on the phone. "Good morning Chief, is everything alright on your end?" Nat said into the pixelated image of Andrea on the small screen. "Ah Amy so nice to see you once again, yes everything is fine here, how about the Wastes? Any troubling signs?" Chief Marquez enquired, getting straight to the business at hand. "Everything is fine here, no sign of Frank as yet, but we'll keep an eye out," Amy piped up, now deciding that she looked halfway presentable to the Chief. "Excellent work officers, Ace is on the mend so one of you will be out of that hellhole in a few days I daresay. I would also like to inform you of a recent decision I made, due to the fantastic work you have been doing, I have spoken to the army and Russell, and both of you shall get a chance to see your respective significant others," Chief Marquez finished, keeping her professional face tight to conceal her joy as the two women's faces were subsequently covered with jubilant smiles. "Thank you Chief, we'll be awaiting the transmissions soon," Nat finished, before ending the video call, as the two of them waited for their own video calls from Russell and Jimmy.