Disclaimer: Nothing's mine . . . blah, blah, blah, you know already. They all belong to Dick Wolf.
This is going to be the last chapter. Hope you like it.
Finally, I fall into a deep slumber. My conscience is clear and I know that I'm safe. Now I can sleep in peace, knowing that Alex's protective arms are wrapped around me and I've expelled my nightmares. Telling Alex about Sealview lifted a huge weight off my shoulders and for the first night, I'll sleep soundly in the arms of the girlfriend I missed so much, the girlfriend I love so much. And this is why.
I wake up in the morning with my head resting on Alex's chest, her arms still enveloping me in her warm embrace, even as she sleeps. Her even breathing makes my head rise and fall. It should feel suffocating, but it doesn't. It's the safest feeling in the entire world.
I wonder what wonderful thing I might have done to deserve waking up in such bliss. Wrapped in the arms of my girlfriend, I think this must be the happiest feeling in the world.
I feel her stir beneath me and almost sit up out of instinct, but then lay my head back down. Her gentle fingers toy with my hair as she opens her eyes. "'Morning, Liv," she murmurs sleepily.
Letting out a soft purr, I roll onto my side so I'm facing her, content just to lie here with my girlfriend, allowing her to remind me how loved I truly am. I never thought she'd wait for me, but she has, and this is more than I could have ever expected. Before she left, we never got very far in terms of a relationship – we slept together sometimes, but that was all we did. There were slightly less than innocent touches and gentle, blissful kisses, but nothing more. She always made me feel so loved, like I was more than I was, if that makes any sense. Now, I think we've both realized how precious life – and love – truly is, and how it can be yanked away in the blink of an eye. There's no time to waste anymore because we could wake up tomorrow morning and realize that this was all just a wonderful, perfect dream, with Alex in Witness Protection and me wondering how I ended up where I am today.
"Hi," I say in a small voice.
She gives me one of those smiles that can change my world outlook in the blink of an eye and I melt. "Are you okay?"
I nod. I'm better than I have been in a long, long time.
We learn how to live again, a sweet, joyful life together. I marvel at the bliss I feel every morning when I sit up in bed and the realization hits me that my Alex, my wonderful Alex, beautiful inside and out, is beside me. I marvel at the bliss I feel when I wake up in the middle of the night with her arms wrapped around me like a protective shell. I marvel at the bliss I feel when we have a romantic dinner on Saturday and turn on some music, and before we know it, we're dancing around the room and giggling helplessly.
I marvel at the fact that my nightmares have all but disappeared, and on the rare occasions that they return, Alex is there, holding me and soothing away my pain.
This is what life should be.
I know the end is kind of abrupt, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Please review if you did.
