Juliana paced in front of Valentina's house, wracking her brain for a way to get inside. Talking to the police hadn't helped, and neither had calling out to the man who had blown by them so easily. She kept her eyes trained on the entrance, waiting for another opportunity to reach Valentina.
As she watched, the massive door opened again and released a flurry of activity. Her heart leapt into her throat as two EMTs wheeled out a stretcher, a figure laying on top. But it wasn't the girl she was trying so desperately to see – although she couldn't see his face, the person was definitely a man, with short, sandy hair and a stocky build. Julian sighed in relief as they loaded him into an ambulance, only for her heart to stop dead as she saw what was behind him.
"No. No, no, no, no." Two police officers exited the house, carrying between them what was unmistakably a black body bag. Juliana felt numb as her very worst fear seemed to be coming true in front of her eyes. "Valentina."
In her anguish, she almost missed the crackle of the nearby police officer's radio. "Make way for the body that just went out. It's of Servando Armenta, the cartel boss."
The breath left Juliana in a rush, and she covered her face with her hands as her heart kick-started again. The voice over the radio continued, "The Carvajal women are okay. All the injured are cartel members and one employee of the house."
Breathing heavily, Juliana rubbed a sleeve over her face, wiping away the tears that had sprung in her eyes. Valentina was okay. She placed a hand over her heart, feeling it pound under her fingers as it tried to regain its normal rhythm.
The officer in front of her responded to the radio and gestured for Juliana to move away from the crime scene. She complied, but only moved back far enough to slump against the wall ringing the property. There was no way she was going to step outside into the road and risk being shut out. Not until she had seen Valentina.
Inside the house, Valentina stood staring at the door that Jacobo had been carried through. While she was glad he had conceded to the EMTs' request to lay on the stretcher, it also made her mind spin with worry. The last time she had seen someone she cared about carried into an ambulance, he had never come back. What if Jacobo…?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a hand on her arm. She recoiled from the touch, only to turn and find the familiar face of Johny there.
"Perdón, perdón," he murmured, taking his hand away. "Are you okay?"
"I- I…" Valentina tried to tell him she was fine - she had managed to calm down from her panic attack, and she wasn't injured - but she couldn't get the words out. She felt as tears began to run down her face again, and her body began to shake with sobs.
Immediately Lucía and Chivis rushed to her, guiding her to sit between them on the couch. Chivis tucked Valentina into her side, while Lucía put one hand on Valentina's shoulder and one on her thigh. Johny crouched in front of them and put his hand over top of Lucía's, offering his own support.
"What's it like outside?" Lucía asked him softly.
"The police seem to have everything under control," he assured her. "I saw them taking all the cartel members away, and they're taking everyone's statement who was here."
He rubbed his thumb soothingly over Lucía's hand, and she gave him a sad smile. They turned their attention back to Valentina, until Johny spoke up again.
"Although, one odd thing was there was a girl out there. She definitely wasn't with the police, but she was trying to get in. She tried to say she was Valentina's friend."
Valentina looked up at this. "A girl was trying to get in?" She unfolded from Chivis' arms, grabbing hold of Johny's shoulder, her eyes wide and desperate. "What did she look like?"
Johny looked between Lucía and Chivis in surprise. "Bueno, she was the same age as you but a little shorter, with dark hair and a red sweater…"
Valentina bolted upright, almost knocking Johny over from where he was kneeling in front of her. "Juliana…" she breathed.
She started towards the door, but Johny leapt up and caught her wrist before she could get far. "Wait, where are you going? You shouldn't leave the house."
"But Juliana is out there! I need to see her!" She tugged her arm, trying to free herself from Johny's hold. "Let me go! Juliana!" When Johny wouldn't release her, she turned her face towards the door, crying out for the other girl.
Johny looked at the two women on the couch, taken aback at Valentina's reaction. After a split second's hesitation, Lucía stood and made for the front entrance, determined to get Valentina what she needed.
From her spot near the wall, Juliana heard a shout from the house that sounded suspiciously like her name. She took a few steps forward, listening closely, and heard another shout - it was her name, and in Valentina's voice.
"Val?" she called out, coming closer to the house. Then again, louder, as her feet picked up speed: "Valentina?"
A police officer caught her before she could get too far, but she struggled against his hold. She called out again for Valentina just as a woman stepped through the doorway. Juliana recognized her from the covers of gossip magazines as Lucía Borges, Valentina's step-mother. She came down the front steps, waving away the officer holding Juliana. Juliana shook the officer off, hurrying towards Lucía.
"Eres Juliana, ¿verdad?"
"Sí, sí, soy Juliana," she confirmed almost desperately.
As Lucía was about to speak again, there were more raised voices from inside the house, and a figure burst into the foyer.
Without even making the conscious decision to move, Juliana found herself sprinting forward, towards the girl she had been aching to see. Her lungs burned as she gave voice to her desire. "Valentina!"
Valentina responded in kind, flying through the foyer towards her. "Juliana!"
They came together hard, the impact spinning them around, but neither cared as they clung to each other for dear life.
"Juliana!" Valentina sobbed, squeezing impossibly tighter as she tucked her head into the crook of Juliana's neck. "You're here."
Juliana wrapped her hands around the back of Valentina's head, pressing her to her. "I'm here. Oh Val, Val, Val." She chanted her name like a mantra as her own tears finally fell, uninhibited, into Valentina's hair.
Briefly she pulled back, her eyes searching as she ran her hands over Valentina's arms. "¿Estás bien? Did they hurt you?"
Val shook her head quickly, her voiced choked. "No, no."
Juliana let out a heavy breath and pulled Valentina back in. Overcome, she pressed messy kisses all over Valentina's face - her forehead, her chin, her cheeks - before finally bringing their lips together. The kiss was sloppy, too frantic and full of emotion to be soft or sweet. But when they finally slowed to a stop, their foreheads resting together, they each felt a modicum of relief settle within them.
The sound of someone clearing their throat caught their attention, and they both became aware of the world around them again. They were standing just outside the front door, with Lucía a few feet away, watching them with soft eyes.
"Perhaps we should go inside?" she suggested with a small smile.
"Right, claro," Juliana agreed, blushing slightly at the thought of causing a scene in front of a stranger.
She turned towards the door, her arms still around Valentina, entirely unwilling to let go. As they took a step forward, Valentina staggered, her knees turned to jelly at the relief of having Juliana in her arms. Juliana caught her with soothing hands and supported her back through the door.
Standing just inside the foyer were Johny and Chivis, who had begun to chase Valentina after she broke away. Johny looked rather awkward after witnessing the girls' reunion, but he rallied himself quickly, guiding everyone back into the main living space. Juliana and Valentina settled on the cushioned bench in front of the fire feature, while everyone else moved towards the table, thinking it best to give the two girls some space.
Juliana took a moment to just look at Valentina, stroking her hair and tucking it behind her ears. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, but she didn't look physically injured. Still, Juliana couldn't keep herself from checking.
"Are you sure you're not hurt? When I called I could see someone was threatening you. I rushed to your house…"
"You were here when those cartel men were here?" Valentina looked stricken as fresh, panicked tears sprung in her eyes. "You could have been hurt! You could have been shot!"
"No, no, I'm fine, I swear," Juliana rushed to reassure her. "Shh, tranquila. No me duele. The police protected me."
Valentina folded herself into Juliana, clinging to her waist as she cried. She tucked her head close to Juliana's chest, her ear against her heart, reassuring herself with its steady beat.
Stroking Valentina's hair, Juliana let herself find solace in the simple, repetitive action. Valentina was warm and soft against her, her breath bathing Juliana's neck. It was almost a miracle to be here, to have Valentina alive and in her arms.
"Val," she murmured, cupping her cheek. "Mírame, por favor."
Valentina nuzzled closer for a moment, pressing her nose to the join of Juliana's shoulder, before lifting her head to meet Juliana's gaze.
"I wanted to apologize, for what I said earlier. For fighting with you." Juliana sucked in a shaky breath, her fingers twining themselves through Valentina's hair. "When I think how that could have been the last conversation I had with you…"
Valentina squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. "Don't even say that."
Juliana twisted her lips, trying to keep her tears at bay. She rubbed her thumb over the corner of Valentina's eye, prompting her to look at her again.
"I don't want to lose you, Val," she said, her throat tight. "It was stupid of me to say those things, especially when you were the one already dealing with so much. I don't want to be apart from you. Perdóname, perdóname..."
Valentina looked at her with such tenderness that Juliana felt breathless. "Sí, claro que sí, Juls. I'll always forgive you. I don't want to lose you either."
Even as a tear broke through her defenses and trailed down her cheek, Juliana couldn't help but let out a wet laugh. Valentina echoed the sound as she took Juliana's hands in hers, using them to pull her closer. They traded short, sweet kisses, then wrapped their arms around each other, both craving the simple comfort of being held.
At that moment there was the hurried clicking of high heels on the hardwood floor, and Eva appeared in the foyer. "Where's my baby sis-" She broke off when her eyes found Valentina, and saw in whose arms she was sitting.
"What is she doing here?" Her voice rang out accusingly through the room. Juliana and Valentina sprang apart, startled. Eva's tear-stained face was now pinched in anger. "I told the staff this girl was not allowed on our property!"
The others looked up in confusion, before following Eva's recriminating finger to Juliana. She had instinctively put her body in front of Valentina, and was looking back at Eva with a mixture of apprehension and defiance. Valentina sat behind her, wide-eyed, clutching onto Juliana's shirt as her breath came in short gasps.
Lucía stepped towards Eva, subtly interjecting herself between her and the girls. "Who, Valentina's friend? She was here when the police took the narcos away, she came to check on Vale."
Eva turned her ire towards Lucía. "No sabes nada. She isn't here to check on Vale, she's here to take advantage of the situation, when Valentina's vulnerable…" she accused, her voice rising with every word.
"Basta." Juliana spoke up from where she was sitting. Squaring her shoulders, she looked Eva in the eye. "I know you think I'm just trying to seduce your sister, and that you won't really believe anything I say, but I swear I really care about her. All I wanted was to see that she was okay. But if me being here is going to cause trouble, I'll leave."
Juliana had barely finished her sentence before Valentina was clutching onto her desperately. "No, no, you can't leave! Te necesito. Don't go!"
Juliana turned to her, running soothing hands up and down her arms. "Tranquila, Val, tranquila. It would only be for a little while. This is a time for family, you should be with your hermana."
But the thought of being separated from Juliana, even for a little while, only filled Valentina with dread. She felt like suddenly she couldn't get enough oxygen, like she was gasping for air. Her grip on Juliana turned white-knuckled as the room began to spin around her.
Juliana held Valentina's shoulders as she panted for breath. Her face had lost all color, and she twisted handfuls of Juliana's sweater in her fists, as if she was afraid she would be ripped away at any moment.
"Val?" Valentina's wide eyes slid over Juliana's, unable to focus on her gaze. "Val, ¿qué pasa?"
Valentina shook her head. "No, no, I… don't…" she stuttered.
Desperately, Juliana looked over to Lucía. "¿Qué le pasa a ella?"
Lucía rushed over. "She's having another panic attack." She knelt down in front of Valentina and squeezed her knees. "Valentina, can you focus on me? I need you to breathe, querida."
Valentina simply shook her head again, her gaze darting this way and that. Tears were spilling freely down her cheeks, and she had begun to tremble.
Terrified, Juliana acted on instinct. She pulled Valentina close, pressing them together, trapping Valentina's grasping fists between them. "Val, baby, breath with me." She took one exaggerated breath, then another, hoping her movements would broadcast to Valentina's body. "In, and out. That's it. Despacio. In, and out."
Gradually, Valentina's breathing began to even out, and the racing of her heart slowed. She slumped against Juliana, boneless, and buried her face in her neck.
Lucía stood on shaky legs and turned to Eva as she walked back towards Johny. "I think that after that, even you can see that Juliana is good for Valentina right now."
Johny helped Lucía take a seat at the table on the other side of the room. As she put her head in her hands, he sat next to her, leaning close and murmuring in her ear.
Eva simply stood for a moment, speechless, before crossing to sit on the couch. She watched as her sister curled into Juliana, who petted her hair and whispered reassurances into her ear.
After a moment, Valentina felt well enough to sit up slightly. She pressed a whisper of a kiss against Juliana's lips, before letting her forehead rest against Juliana's.
"Lo siento te asusté," Juliana whispered. "I won't go unless you want me to."
"What if I never want you to go?"
Juliana felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes at the sentiment. Trying to brush it off with humor, she asked. "Are you sure you won't get tired of me?"
"No, nunca," Valentina muttered fiercely. All Juliana could do was hug her closer, hiding a watery smile in her hair.
After a moment of quiet, Eva stood and slowly approached the two girls. She nodded towards the space beside Valentina, asking permission to sit. Juliana glanced at her warily, then looked to Valentina. Valentina gave her a small nod, so she looked away, but kept a careful hold of Valentina's hand. Only then did Valentina stretch out her free hand to Eva.
Eva settled on the cushion next to her, cautiously placing a hand on Valentina's shoulder. She glanced past her to Juliana, who was studiously looking in the other direction, but quickly refocused her attention on Valentina. She wanted to talk to Valentina about her unhealthy feelings towards the other girl, but Lucía, damn her, was right. Trying to separate them right now would only cause Valentina more panic. Instead, she did her best to ignore the presence on the other side of her sister and gave Valentina's shoulder a squeeze.
"Are you okay, hermanita? I was so worried about you, I was terrified you would get hurt."
Valentina nodded, but sniffled as she began to tear up again. She pressed her ear to her shoulder, giving Eva a beseeching look. "Eva…"
Eva held out her arms, and Valentina fell into them, muffling her tears in Eva's shoulder. Watching from the corner of her eye, Juliana tried to release Valentina's hand, to give her freedom to be with her sister, but Valentina only clung on tighter.
Valentina let herself cry for a moment, before pulling back, wiping her face with her free hand. "Estoy bien, Eva. None of the men hurt me. But I was so scared…"
"Even so, mi niña was very brave," Chivis spoke up as she left the corner where Lucia and Johny were. She came to stand in front of Valentina, putting a hand on her cheek. "Even after Armenta made so many threats against all of us, she pushed his arm aside so Jacobo could get a shot."
"¿Qué?" exclaimed Eva. Juliana looked at Valentina in shock as well. "Why would you do something so dangerous?"
Valentina concentrated on taking deep breaths. The memories were all still so fresh, threatening to spill over and drown her. "He was going to hurt Jacobo. No sé... He was holding on to me, so I just did it without thinking…"
Juliana clutched her hand in both of hers, trying to take comfort as much as give it. The thought of the cartel boss manhandling Valentina, putting her directly in the line of fire, sent ice through her veins.
Chivis moved her hand over Valentina's hair, smoothing it away from her face. "She helped save all of our lives," she said softly.
Valentina looked up at her with tearful eyes, then threw her arms around Chivis's waist, pressing her face into her stomach.
"Chivis, I'm so sorry you had to go through all of this," she sobbed.
"Mi niña," Chivis crooned, petting Valentina's head. "I'm just so glad nothing happened to you."
She hugged Valentina close to her, then pulled back slightly. "Do you want something to eat? I could make you un bocadillo, to keep your strength up…"
"No, no te preocupes por mi." Valentina shook her head. She pushed her away slightly, realizing she was keeping her from her own family. "You should go to your esposo! Go find Tiberio and rest for a moment, okay?"
Chivis looked reluctant, glancing between Eva and Juliana. But she knew the two women would be able to care for Valentina, so she gave her one last squeeze before letting her go.
"If you need anything, just call for me and I'll come," she told her with a pat to her cheek. Valentina gave her a watery smile and a nod.
Chivis slowly made her way out of the room, looking back several times before closing the front door quietly behind her.
Once she had gone, Eva turned back to Valentina, running her fingers through the length of her hair. "Vale, I can't believe you would do something so dangerous. I'm just so glad you weren't hurt. Estaba muy preocupado. I wish I could have done something."
Valentina looked at her with a bittersweet smile. "There was nothing you could do, Eva."
Eva looked almost guilty for a split second, before her face cleared and she simply put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Valentina leaned into it, closing her eyes.
Now that Juliana wasn't so worried about Valentina's immediate safety, she saw that Valentina's face was pale and drawn; she looked exhausted. She squeezed her hand to get her attention.
"Vale, will you be okay if I go get you a glass of water?" When Valentina hesitated, she reassured. "I'll be right back. Lo prometo."
The promise made Valentina smile slightly, and she nodded her head. Juliana stood reluctantly, even though she had been the one to suggest she go. The prospect of letting go of Valentina made her feel almost bereft. She hadn't realized just how viscerally comforting holding Valentina had been until she was about to let go. Her fingers lingered on Valentina's wrist before she finally made herself release her hand and walk towards the kitchen.
Once she rounded the corner, she heard the soft tones of Eva and Valentina's voices start up. She was glad she had been able to give them their alone time. Even though they had fought, Juliana could only imagine that her big sister would be a solace to Valentina after what she had been through. To give them a little extra time, she poured herself a glass of water, drinking it before refilling the glass and carrying it out to Valentina.
As she reached the end of the hall back to the foyer, she took a moment to look at the scene. Valentina had leaned against Eva, who had put her arm around her shoulders. She had begun to cry again, and Eva was speaking to her in a low, reassuring tone.
"Everything is over, I'm here to take care of you. You're not alone."
Juliana made to cross back over to them, wanting to offer her own comfort to Valentina, when two figures rushed past her through the foyer. She was alarmed for a moment, before she heard Valentina cry out to one of them.
"Guille!"
Her brother quickly knelt in front of her, and she threw her hands around his neck. The woman accompanying him knelt next to Guille, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Deciding it was best to not interrupt Valentina's reunion, Juliana hung back in the hallway.
Guille clutched Valentina to him. He rocked her slightly for a moment, then took her hands in his own. "¿Estas bien?"
"Yes… I'm okay," she told him. Tears flooded her eyes again, and her voice grew tight. Sitting between her siblings, she thought about how lucky she was to make it out of the hostage situation alive. "I thought I wouldn't see you guys again."
"Don't say that," Eva denied immediately, her hand running over Valentina's hair in comfort.
Guille clutched Valentina's hands tighter, looking her in the eyes. "The most important thing is that you're okay."
Valentina nodded, struggling to calm her breathing. Guille rubbed his thumbs over her fingers, his brow furrowing.
"I wish it had been me instead," he sighed, "to go through all that."
Valentina shook her head, not even wanting to think about the possibility. She leaned her forehead against Guille's temple, reassuring herself with the physical touch. Guille pulled her close into another hug, and she sunk gratefully into his arms.
"Ya pasó," Eva murmured. "Ya pasó."
Juliana felt a warm squeeze in her chest as she watched. This was what family was meant to be: someone to protect you when you were in danger, to hold you when you were upset. It made her so grateful to have Valentina. She thought back to how Valentina had dropped everything to be with her while her mom was in the hospital, how she always tried to cheer her up and have fun and just be together.
Juliana was interrupted from her vigil by a short rap on the door, followed swiftly by a familiar detective.
"Officer Montilla."
He came up short as he saw her, his eyebrow raised. "Señorita Valdes. I didn't expect to see you here."
Juliana crossed her arms. "I came to be with Valentina after what she went through today."
Montilla didn't say anything, just inclined his head neutrally. "I need to speak with Señora Borges. Do you know where she is?"
"I think she's still in the main room. Ven." Juliana walked back through the foyer, letting Montilla follow behind her.
As they entered the space, Montilla immediately spotted Lucía and crossed over to her. She and Johny stood to greet him, and they began talking in low, serious tones.
This left Juliana standing alone, and she hesitated for a moment. Now that Valentina's siblings were both here, should she leave? Should she follow her own advice from earlier and let Valentina have time with her family?
But the sound of Valentina's watery voice calling her name interrupted her thoughts. "Juls?"
She turned to find Valentina's hand outstretched to her, and any hesitation immediately fled from her mind. Stepping over to her, she took Valentina's hand and settled close to her side.
"I finally have that water for you," she said a little shyly, cognizant of Valentina's family watching her.
"Gracias." Valentina took it from her, a smile turning the corner of her lips up. She took a small sip before settling her head on Juliana's shoulder, a sigh escaping her lips.
Guille watched their interactions with the faintest of smiles. "I can guess this must be Juliana."
"Sí," Valentina confirmed, her smile growing wider. She turned her face into Juliana's shoulder, hiding the faint blush on her cheeks.
Guille shared her grin before offering his hand to Juliana. "Hi, I'm Guille."
"Mucho gusto," Juliana murmured as she shook his hand, her own cheeks flushing. She knew that Guille was accepting of their relationship, but she still couldn't shake the awkwardness of meeting him. She had thought they would have some more time before they were introduced, and she certainly hadn't expected to do so under these circumstances.
"And this is my novia, Renata," Guille said, looking back at the woman at his shoulder. She reached around him to shake Juliana's hand as well.
"Hola. ¿Cómo estás?"
"Bien, gracias," Juliana replied automatically.
Renata tilted her head with a wry smile, like she could tell that wasn't entirely true, but would let it be for now. "It's really nice to meet you. Guille told me he's never seen Valentina happier than when she met you."
Juliana's flush spread all the way to the tips of her ears. She tried to look at Valentina, but she just hid her face in Juliana's hair.
"It's true," Guille said with a quick laugh. Earnestly, he told her, "I'm glad you came here to be with Valentina."
Juliana thought she caught sight of Eva making a sour face out of the corner of her eye, but the expression was gone as soon as it came. Eva saw of Officer Montilla finishing up with Lucía and Johny and quickly stood, wanting to catch him before he left. "I'm going to speak with Officer Montilla, and then with our staff, about how such a thing could happen."
Valentina sat up, looking after her sister. "No, Eva, it wasn't their fault…" she whimpered, but Eva just kept walking.
Before Valentina could bury herself back in Juliana's embrace, Guille put his hand on her knee to catch her attention. "I know you may not want to go back through it, pero… what did happen?"
Her breath hitched, and she looked at Guille with apprehension in her eyes. The terror was still there, just beneath the surface, barely held at bay by the presence of those she loved.
Guille squeezed her knee, then moved to take Eva's spot on the bench beside her. With an arm around her shoulders, he reassured, "There's no danger anymore. It's okay."
For the most part, Valentina knew that was true, but she couldn't stop from turning the worst case scenarios over and over in the back of her mind. Armenta was dead, and the narcos who were in the house were all arrested, but she knew there must be more. What if they decided to seek vengeance for their jefe's death? What if they decided this wasn't over?
Valentina pressed her face into Juliana's shoulder, taking shelter in her safe space. She concentrated on breathing deeply, inhaling Juliana's sweet, familiar scent. There was no one there now, she told herself as she took strength from the soothing smell. She couldn't just leave her brother in the dark, letting him fear the worst.
Taking a steadying breath, she emerged from her hiding place, but kept herself tucked close to Juliana's side. She started at the beginning, when a strange man had tapped at her car window with the muzzle of his gun.
As Valentina spoke, Juliana's horror grew and grew. The awful threats the cartel boss made against all three women made her stomach twist, and she was struck again at how close she had come to losing the girl beside her.
As difficult as it was to hear, Juliana could tell it was just as difficult for Valentina to tell. Her sentences were choppy, her voice tight with tears, and she had to pause several times to wipe them from her face as they fell. Juliana did the only thing she could think of - the only thing she wanted to do - and held Valentina close.
When she had finished telling her story, Renata reached over to place a hand on Valentina's arm. "Val, it's terrible what you're telling us. Please stop thinking about it. It's over."
But to Valentina, nothing felt further from the truth. Surely Armenta hadn't brought his entire gang. There were more of them out there, ready to do harm. "But what if they come back?"
The question sent a lance through Juliana's heart. The first night after the hurricane, when she and Lupita has finally outrun El Chino's old gang, she had barely been able to sleep for fear the men would find them at any moment. The fear had been bone deep, and she ached to think that Valentina was going through the same thing. She threaded their fingers together, bringing the back of Valentina's hand to her lips.
"No, no," Guille told Valentina. "No one's coming back."
"But it could happen," Valentina argued. She glanced between her brother and his girlfriend, trying to understand why they couldn't see the danger. "They'll seek revenge!"
"No, Valentina, listen to me -"
"Guille, we're alone in the house -"
"Val." Juliana interrupted them from speaking over each other. Valentina turned to her with tears pricking her eyes. She cupped Valentina's cheek, warmth spreading through her when she leaned into the touch. "It's okay that you're scared. But the policía are still around, and your security is on high alert now."
Guille nodded. "She's right. There's security in the house. Now you need to rest. Why don't you go upstairs? You and Juliana can distract yourselves, watch some movies, talk, and detach for a bit from all of this."
Valentina looked over at Juliana, looking unsure for a moment. Juliana's heart clenched. She had damaged their relationship so that Valentina felt like she couldn't automatically seek comfort from her. She ran gentle fingers down Valentina's arm, trying to reassure her without words that she was there for her.
Valentina sighed almost imperceptibly. With a nod, she gave Guille a deep hug, then stood, taking Juliana's take to lead her after her. They quietly climbed the stairs to Valentina's room.
"Open or closed?" asked Juliana as they entered the room, gesturing towards the door.
Valentina shifted nervously. "Closed, por favor. But -" she blurted as Juliana moved to acquiesce, "not all the way." She flushed, feeling stupid for being so hesitant. She wanted some privacy, to separate herself from the rest of the world for a moment, but she was still worried she might miss the sound of something wrong downstairs if she did so.
For a moment after closing the door, both girls stood in silence, unsure how to act. Finally, Juliana stepped forward, tentatively taking Valentina's hand. Valentina immediately gripped her hand back, and Juliana felt relieved. She stepped closer, until she could feel the heat from Valentina's body. Her hands automatically settled on Valentina's hips, and she rested their foreheads together, breathing in Valentina's unique scent.
Valentina took Juliana's wrists in her hands, drawing her arms around her body. A hum escaped her lips as their bodies finally connected. She couldn't help but feel at home in this girl's arm, their breaths mingling and eyelashes fluttering against each other. Inexorably, their lips came together. The kiss was deep and slow as they explored every inch of each other's mouths. Its languid rhythm was a salve to their souls, calming their troubled hearts. When they finally drew back, they were breathless, but with contentment instead of fear.
Valentina nuzzled against Juliana's cheek, letting out a giggle. "You're so sweet."
A flush lit up Juliana's cheeks at the double entendre, but she couldn't help but smile as Valentina's giggle morphed into a full laugh. She moved to sit at the side of Valentina's bed, patting the space beside her in invitation. Instead, Valentina flopped onto the ground, leaning against the bedframe and with her legs straight out, letting her feet loll to the side.
With a laugh, Juliana adjusted her position until the was laying on her stomach on the bed. She hung her head over the side so it would be even with Valentina's "Should we do what your hermano suggested? Watch a movie or something?"
Valentina shook her head, huffing out a breath. "I'm not in the mood for movies or games. I just want to be with you," she told her softly.
A smile crept across Juliana's face. She reached out to run her fingers through Valentina's hair, gently pushing it out of her beautiful blue eyes.
Movement at the doorway caused both girls to spin towards it, but it was only Chivis, carrying a steaming mug. She took in Valentina sitting on the floor and put down the mug, crossing over to her side.
"Mi niña, go to bed. You need to rest."
Valentina glanced towards Juliana, unable to hide the apprehension in her eyes. Awake, she could control her thoughts, try to distract herself from memories. But who knew what terrors her dreams might bring?
She shook her head. "No. I… I can't yet."
"Necesitas dormir," Chivis wheedled with her.
"No, no." Valentina shook her head harder. "Estoy bien."
A dog's bark cut through the silence of the night outside Valentina's window. She jerked ramrod straight, her hand reflexively seeking Juliana's.
"Did you hear that?"
Chivis quickly moved to sit on the edge of the bed, her hand on Valentina's shoulder. "Yes, but everything's fine. It's nothing."
"Maybe we should ask -"
Chivis tried to smile at her reassuringly. "It's just Max barking."
"I think it's a good idea to check," Juliana said with a frown. It would be easy for security to see if there was danger, and it would go miles to assuaging Valentina's fears. Why was Chivis fighting against it? "Why doesn't security just go out and look?"
Valentina turned to her almost desperately. "Sí, someone should check. Will you ask Fabricio to take his men out and look around?" she asked Chivis.
Chivis looked like she would argue, but between Juliana's hard look and Valentina's pleading eyes, she nodded. She hurried from the room, leaving it in tense silence.
Turning onto her knees, Valentina clutched Juliana's hand in both of hers. "Juls, what if it's them? What if they came back?"
Juliana's brow creased in sympathy. She tried to think of the best way to comfort her without being dismissive. "Oye. Your security team are here. They're going to check and make sure there isn't any threat. Mira." She clambered off the bed and crouched next to Valentina, never letting go of her hands. "We need to try to stay calm for now. ¿Puedes respirar conmigo?"
Valentina's words caught in her throat, but she nodded. She forced herself to focus on Juliana's voice as she counted out breaths, and she felt the vice on her chest begin to loosen.
They heard footsteps approaching in the hallway, and Valentina's heart jumped back into her throat. Chivis appeared in the doorway, accompanied by Fabricio.
"¿Pues?" Juliana asked when Valentina wasn't able to get anything out.
"The property is secure, señoritas. Max was only barking at a raccoon on the wall," Fabricio assured them.
The breath left Valentina in a rush, and she slumped against Juliana. Juliana put an arm around her, letting out a sigh of her own. She hadn't been truly afraid of the narcos returning, but it was a relief to hear anyways.
With a nod, Fabricio turned and left. Chivis picked the mug up from the dresser and knelt down to press it into Valentina's hands.
"See, mi niña? The house is well guarded and they're not coming back."
She and Juliana helped Valentina to get up off the floor and sit on the bed, even as she argued.
"Chivis, no entiendes. Maybe they will!"
Chivis tried to hush Valentina, but Juliana spoke over her.
"Val," she said gently. "Your security just showed they will protect you and go check on anything that worries you. Can you trust them to keep you safe for tonight?"
Valentina looked between them, sniffling slightly. Finally, she nodded.
Juliana pulled her into a hug, tucking her head into her shoulder. "Gracias," she murmured in Valentina's ear. "I know your men would thank you for trusting them."
Valentina nodded into her neck, cupping the warmth of her mug against her stomach. Gently, she unfolded herself from Juliana's hold, turning to Chivis. "Gracias for asking security to check the property. And for the drink."
Chivis smiled kindly at her. "De nada, mi niña. You should sleep now."
Valentina attempted a weak eye roll. "Only if you do too."
"Bien, bien." She regarded her tenderly for a moment, before exiting back into the hall and closing the door behind her.
Juliana leaned her face into Valentina's hair. "Do you want to lock it after her, just in case?" she attempted to joke. She was rewarded with a shaky giggle and a nod, and quickly got up to do just that.
When she returned to the bed, she gestured for Valentina to lay down, then crawled up beside her. She laid down carefully, positioning herself close enough to feel the heat from Valentina's body, but not quite close enough to touch.
Valentina immediately eliminated the space and rolled closer, resting her arm over Juliana's hip. She brushed the backs of her fingers lightly over Juliana's chin, watching as she shivered.
"Juliana?"
"¿Aja?'
"Gracias."
"¿Por qué?"
"For being here." She shrugged one shoulder helplessly. "No sé. I'm just grateful I have more time with you."
Juliana gave her a crooked smile. "Yo también."
They fell into silence, their fingers tracing meaningless patterns into each other's skin. But Juliana could see that Valentina's gaze still looked far away, a slight crease marring her brow.
"¿Qué tal?"
"Hm?" Valentina said, seeming to snap back to the moment. "No, nothing."
Juliana looked at her knowingly. "You were a thousand miles away. Are you still scared?"
"I…" Valentina sighed. "Un poco. It's just… I still can't believe I made it out alive."
Tears welled up in her eyes, and Juliana pulled her closer, pressing kisses to her eyelids to stop them from falling.
"I'm so happy you did. I can't imagine the world without you in it," Juliana told her. "But you're safe right now. That's what we should focus on. We're here together."
Valentina couldn't help but smile. She wriggled impossibly closer in Juliana's arms, kissing her sweetly.
"When things would get rough with my papá, you know how I used to calm myself?" Juliana asked when she pulled back. Valentina shook her head. "I would tell myself stories. Stories about how I would get out of there and what kind of life I would build for myself."
Valentina settled her head into her pillow. It pained her to think about a younger Juliana, and how hard her life must have been like with a father like hers. She was so glad that she had made it out of that situation, and into her life. "Did you ever imagine something like this happening?"
"¿Como qué?" Juliana could tell she didn't mean the hostage situation.
"Como… being with someone like me."
The thought made Juliana's chest flutter. "Mmm… la neta, no. But I never really imagined romance. I didn't have the best model to base it on. But now… you've helped me learn how to be loved." She hesitated, struggling to get the words out. "And how to… love someone else."
Valentina smiled crookedly, pushing on her stomach lightly. "You didn't need me to teach you that. You have so much love in you."
Juliana shrugged, her cheeks pinking. She was entirely at a loss for how to respond, so instead she changed the subject. "Do you want me to tell you a story? To get your mind off things?"
"Me gustaria eso," Valentina whispered.
Clearing her throat, Juliana shifted on the bed, trying to get more comfortable. With Valentina's soft blue eyes on her, she was nervous; she had never been particularly eloquent. But for Valentina, she would try.
"A ver…" she said, trying to think of what to say. It had been a while since she had used the coping mechanism, since she had allowed herself to indulge in daydreaming. "Bueno, when I get into fashion school," she started, making Valentina smile, "the first thing I want to design is a dress for you, to repay you for the one you bought me. And then we have to find the fanciest dance club in the city so we can both wear our dresses, and you can show me how good you've gotten…"
She continued on in a hushed voice, letting the fantasy spin out. As Valentina listened, she got lost in Juliana's voice, its low, soothing lilt reaching into her chest and loosening the knot of worry there. Her limbs relaxed into the bed, and she found it harder and harder to keep her eyes open.
After the third or fourth time she found herself blinking hard to keep herself awake, Juliana reached out to cup her cheek, rubbing her thumb over her temple.
"Go to sleep," she whispered. "I won't let anything happen to you."
Valentina hummed, a sleepy smile stealing over her face. "Yo sé." She snuggled closer to Juliana, tucking her head under her chin.
"Dulces sueños." Juliana wrapped her arms around her, intertwining their legs. "I'll still be here in the morning."
Valentina sighed into Juliana's collarbone, finally giving in to the pull of slumber. In the safety of Juliana's arms, she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.