So I know I marked this as complete, but since a lot of you did ask for an epilogue I figured I would do it. So thanks to everyone who suggested it, and thank to mozzi-girl, Dralynn, BreezyFan, My Quiet Riot, Guest and gummybear1622 for reviewing!
About a week after Natara's release I walk into the station with her. Things are finally returning to normal, or about as normal as it'll ever be. While the precinct seems to settle down, there's still the matter of what happened to Natara and I. It turns out that the day I went to Natara's apartment just after her release, she was expecting Oscar when she opened the door. Apparently she had been talking to him not long before, as he wanted to apologize for not believing her. But she broke it off, and I don't blame her; concidering it showed that he didn't trust her enough to help her. As for me, I'm completely together yet. While most of my memories came back, there are still some things that are foggy or don't make much sense. Most of it is of the last few days before I was shot, so I doubt those things will ever come back.
We go to my desk straight away, since right now there isn't much to do. But before we do my cell phone goes off, and Natara looks at me quizzically. Since the precict is rather noisy I slip back outside, leaving Natara behind as I do. There's no caller ID, but I pick it up anyways, curious as to who it could be.
"Hello?". There's no responce, but I can hear someone breathing on the other line. Just when I'm about to hang up I hear a voice.
"Mal?".
I know that voice, and although I haven't heard it in a long time, I still recognize it.
"Amy?".
There's a long and awkward pause, and I wait for Amy to speak first. Last time she called me it was about something important, and while it didn't end well, at least she told me about it. "I heard what happened" she says awkwardly. "Are you two alright?".
"I'm fine" I answer "And so is Natara".
Another pause, this one longer than the last. "I heard what you did, how you saved Natara. You could have died".
"It's not a big deal. We're cops, we risk our lives every day" I respond. But I know what she's getting at. Ken died protecting her, and I was willing to do the same for Natara. If I had died, she would have probably called Natara; since she would understand her. But I'm here, and I was willing to do the same thing for Natara that Ken had done for her. It's understandable that she wanted to talk to me.
"That's different. Risking your life is one thing, but when you stepped in front of Natara you knew you were going to die". I can hear her take a deep breath, a sigh maybe. "What was it like?".
"What was what like?".
"To just…be ready to die. To know it's coming, and to let it happen".
I don't answer right away; I don't really know how to put it. All I can really think of was that it was easy, that it's not hard to die. And it's not hard, when you have no time to really think about it, to accept it. That in those few precious seconds I had to accept it, I was free to live. I didn't have to care about what was coming tomorrow, or any time after that. I didn't care about anything, accept for the person who stood behind me. And although I don't remember that day well, I don't think it even hurt after the trigger was pulled.
"You don't really have time to think about it" is all I say, unable to really put all my thoughts into words.
Another long pause. "I'm coming back".
"What?".
"I'm coming back".
"What about Brimstone?" I ask, keeping my voice down despite the fact no one else is loitering outside the station. "And Anders?".
"I just…miss it. All of it. The way things used to be. Besides—" It sounds strange, but it's almost as if I can hear her smile as she says "Kai's probably suffered trying to figure out all the programs on those computers. Anders will probably let me back, considering I'm the only one who knows how to use it". There's something she's not saying, and I know what it is. She's coming back because of what I did. I'm practically a symbol of survival, proof that life goes on no matter what happens. Natara and I had been throgh hell and back those three weeks, and of we can get through that, then she can get through whatever she's going through too.
"I don't regret what I did" I say after a long pause "And I don't think Ken does either".
She doesn't say anything right away, but eventually she says "I should go".
"Alright. I'll tell Natara you called".
I'm about to hang up when she adds quietly "Mal?".
"What?".
"Thanks".
"For what?" I ask, but instead of a responce, she hangs up. I don't move for a second, almost expecting her answer me. Then I put my phone back in my pocket and head inside.
"Who was that?" Natara asks me as I come back in.
"I'll explain later" I answer. She gives me a other odd look, and I can't help but smile. I love the face she makes when she's confused, which I don't often see. To be honest, I love any face that she makes. Because being with her isn't like being with anyone else. There isn't that feeling of butterflies in my stomach, the kind of love that was common in high school. Because that feeling comes more from anxiety and nervousness than anything else, and that's not here. I'm comfortable with her, the kind of calm love that's rarely seen anymore. But I guess it comes from the fact that we have a bond. The special kind that came from dozens of life-threatening situation, sticking together through thick and thin, and trusting each other with anything. And if this isn't love…then I don't know what is.
