Carmilla tried to do as Laura had directed her and start visualizing her fight, but it was proving difficult. Laura's fight was more than just a tough act to follow, it begged the question; what would have happened if Laura hadn't broken her arm. Though, to be fair, that one event changed far more than who would have been fighting for the title.
"Carm?" Laura interrupted her thoughts.
"What?"
"You're done," she pointed out.
"Oh," she shook her head and thanked the official.
"Where's your head at?" questioned Laura.
"Thinking about the show."
"What about it?" asked Laura as she picked up the training pads. "What?" Carmilla nodded at the pads as she stretched her arms. "I don't have to save my arms for my fight." She shrugged. "Besides, I can hold them for you better than Danny can."
"Are you implying that Danny holds the pads better for you than I do?"
"No, it was about you saving your strength." She cocked her head. "Okay?"
"I guess." She shook her head. "I'm sorry, this whole jealousy thing is new to me." She sighed. "I'm not so good at dealing with it."
"You're better than you think." Laura winked. "You've got nothing to worry about." She held up the pads. "Now, what about the show?"
"Just wondering if we'd still be in this position if you hadn't broken your arm."
"In general? Like us? Or the fights?"
"The fights," she specified.
"I don't know," Laura replied thoughtfully. "Do you think I could have beaten Tecia and Felice?"
"Given how you fought tonight?"
"No." Laura shook her head as Carmilla started hitting the pads. "I don't think that should be a factor."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm not the same fighter I was then, I could never pull off then what I did tonight." She lowered her hands. "I'm sorry, Carm, I really was going for the submission."
"Yeah, whatever Hermione," she teased.
"No," Laura sighed. "I'm serious, I wanted to leave the knockout for you."
"You think I can? Knock out, Carla?"
"You have the power and accuracy."
"But I don't think she's been stopped before," differed Carmilla.
"Which is why a knockout would have been particularly sweet."
"Would have?" she laughed. "Because it would take one hell of a knockout to top yours?"
"You're more than welcome to 'top' me anytime." Laura blushed deeply, almost as though she didn't believe what she'd said. "Besides, you've already got knockouts that rival mine. Danny? Randa?" She smiled mischievously. "I wanted to be remembered tonight for a spectacular submission win, maybe you should try for it instead?"
"I don't know; she's a wrestler and I don't exactly have your grappling experience."
"And yet, you had two submission wins on the show," she pointed out. "Besides, it wouldn't have to be overly technical given her wrestling background."
"Not to mention the fact that the only real grappling training I've had is with you and…"
"It should come as a shock when you win that way."
She hit the pads for a few minutes more and then dropped her arms and shook them out.
"What?" Laura prompted.
"You didn't answer my question about the show."
"I think I could've beaten Tecia, and if I used the same technique Randa did, I could have beaten Felice."
"Used her overconfidence against her?"
"Exactly." Laura smiled. "As for the rest? You already know the answer."
"You'd have conceded?" Laura nodded. "And if I didn't let you?"
"I'm pretty sure you'd have still won."
"You do?" she asked skeptically.
"I do," Laura assured her.
"You're not just saying that to make me feel better?"
"I'm not. I wouldn't." Laura glanced over her shoulder. "I might have lied to you in the past and kept things from you, certainly. But I wouldn't lie about this. Not now." Carmilla crossed her arms over her chest; she believed Laura would never lie to her again, but she remained unconvinced. "Fine," sighed Laura. "You belong in this division and I don't."
"So you'd have lost on purpose?"
"I'd never disrespect you like that." Laura shook her head. "You're bigger than me, I can't change that. Usually, it would mean I'm faster, but you're just as fast as I am. You're also stronger than me and you will always have something I can never train for." Carmilla raised an eyebrow. "Instinct."
"Instinct?" she echoed.
"You adapt faster than anyone I've ever seen. It's like you don't have to think about it, your body just responds before you know what it's responding to." Laura smiled and held the pads up again. "I think you'd have won and we'd be exactly where we are."
"You do?"
"The only way I could've beaten you then is if I pulled off something like I did tonight, and quite frankly, I wasn't capable of what I pulled off tonight four months ago."
"And now?"
"If we fought now?" Carmilla nodded. "I don't think I could pull it off against you." She shrugged. "You're better than Randa." She used the pads to take her arms. "You are at the top of your game. You've never been more ready or prepared. Unless I somehow managed to knock you out quickly?" She smiled. "I wouldn't stand a chance."
"Really?"
"Who better than I know what you're capable of?" Laura raised an eyebrow. "As much as I've improved since we met, you've improved tenfold."
"Ms. Hollis?" She lowered the pads. "We need your post-fight sample."
"Right." She took the pads off and handed them to Danny. "Be right back." She kissed Carmilla on the cheek and followed the official out.
"Better be," Carmilla joked as she left and then turned to Danny. "You've got it?" Danny grinned and patted the pocket of her sweatshirt. "Think she'll say 'yes'?"
"I'm sure she will," Danny assured her as they both sat and she took her hand.
"How can you be so sure?" Carmilla questioned uncertainly.
"I just am, okay?" Danny laughed.
"You actually seem happy about that," Carmilla joked.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Danny teased. "Two of the people I care about most in the world are making each other very happy."
"Not something I thought I'd ever hear from you," Carmilla chuckled.
"Well," Danny laughed, "a year ago, I'd have agreed with you."
They both turned to the door of the locker room when someone knocked and stuck their head in. "You're on in fifteen."
"Thanks," Carmilla replied and looked at Danny. "Where the frilly hell is she?"
"I'll go find out?" Danny offered and received a grateful nod from Carmilla.
Carmilla went to stand in front of the mirror for her usual self-pep talk, only it wouldn't come. She was far more concerned with what was going to happen after the fight than the fight itself. Of course, she was nervous about proposing to Laura but it was more than that. She'd been fighting her stepmother for almost two decades and now that that fight was over, she wasn't sure what came next. For so long it was the only thing that mattered and she couldn't see past it long enough to even contemplate her future.
What had started as a quest to use the Ultimate Fighter as a platform to expose her stepmother's evil deeds had led her to this moment; fighting for the inaugural Strawweight belt and she still wasn't sure she wanted it. She shrugged; "There are worse ways to earn a living," she thought. Not that she had to 'earn a living', but it was a fun way to pass the time. She'd assured Dana that she'd keep fighting as long as she was having fun and that didn't necessarily mean winning.
"You've got this if you want it," she told her reflection. "She's nothing more than another stepping stone."
Unlike her last five fights, this wasn't a 'must-win' situation. Each of those fights was merely the next step in her plan. Now that her plans had finally born fruit, she no longer needed the UFC to make people care about her and her story, they already did. "Moreover," she reminded herself, "it's time to start a new story."
There was another knock at the door followed by a call of; "It's time!"
She studied her reflection a moment longer, nodded, and smiled; "Win or lose, my life changes tonight." Her future might not involve MMA fighting forever, but it hopefully included Laura.
She followed the officials to the top of the ramp where she found Danny waiting. She stared out into the arena and the sold-out crowd, her nerves at an all-time high as she hissed to Danny; "Where is she?"
"She'll be here," the redhead assured her as she put her hand on the back of her neck and rubbed it with her thumb. "C'mon, time to go."
"But..." Carmilla tried to protest but was propelled forward as Danny slipped her hand to the small of her back and gave her a push.
She all but stumbled the first few feet down the ramp before coming to a stop when a spotlight lit up a lone figure standing in the middle of the aisle, their head, which was covered by the hood of their 'Karmma' gym sweatshirt, was lowered.
"Amazing grace," they sang, their voice sweet and clear as they looked up and used their free hand to remove their hood. "How sweet the sound," Laura continued, a smile stretching from ear to ear as Carmilla began moving towards her as if in a trance. "That saved a wretch like me." She held her hand out as Carmilla reached her. "I once was lost." They laced their fingers. "But now I'm found." Laura smiled as Carmilla grinned. "Was blind but now I see."
Carmilla leaned in and kissed her deeply, the crowd, which had been quiet to that point, erupted around them and only springing apart when the orchestra lining the aisle started playing.
"Ladies, gentlemen," Laura announced with a smile as she stepped back and motioned to someone; "and everyone in between; Ms. Ani DiFranco!" she said as she handed the dreadlocked singer the microphone.
The singer took the microphone from Laura and then pulled Carmilla into a quick hug and wished her luck before continuing the song.
"You did all this?" Carmilla asked Laura as she took her hand and led her towards the cage. Laura nodded as she looked up to her opponent already waiting for her.
"I asked her," Laura shouted to her, the music and the crowd making it hard for her to be heard. "Carla, I mean, if she was okay with it."
"You made sure she knows it's not some sort of tactic to throw her off?" Carmilla questioned as they reached the preparation spot.
"I did," she smiled as Carmilla kissed her. "And it was her idea for you to come out second."
"Can you blame her?" she laughed. "Who's gonna want to follow an entrance like that?" She pulled Laura into her arms and kissed her deeply, the cheering and wolf whistles of the crowd nearest them little more than a subtle buzz until Carmilla felt someone tapping her on the shoulder. "What?" she asked Danny who was pointing at the big screen. She looked to the screen and found that there had been a camera trained on them as they kissed. "Sorry!" she mouthed to the crowd and looked back to Laura; "Not sorry," she said and kissed her again to the crowds' cheers and laughter.
Laura pushed her away as the music came to an end and then held her hands out for Carmilla's sweatshirt, shoes, and shorts once she'd taken them off. She handed them to Danny and then hugged her girlfriend one last time.
"You've got this," she assured her as she pushed her away but kept her hands on her shoulders. "No fear, right?" Carmilla nodded. "Stick to the plan?" Carmilla smiled and nodded again. "Go get em' tiger!" Laura encouraged and then stepped aside so Carmilla could approach the official waiting for her.
After they went through the usual pre-fight checks, she kissed Laura one last time and then made her way into the cage. She went to do a lap of the cage but paused when she reached Carla's corner.
"Sorry about all that," she told her sincerely.
"Don't be," Carla pulled her into a hug. "After what you went through on the show, and what you've been through since, I'd say you earned it." She pushed her away. "Doesn't mean I'm going to take it easy on you though!" Carla teased as she motioned her back to her corner.
"Wouldn't have it any other way!" Carmilla called as she jogged back to her corner. "I can't believe you did all this!" she laughed and kissed Laura through the fence.
"Just stick to the plan," Laura reminded her. "You got this!"
Carmilla turned to the center of the cage as Bruce Buffer got them started. She couldn't help the grin that was starting to hurt her face as she looked around the packed stadium. All of her hard work. All of the suffering. All of the pain and loss. It all came down to tonight. The battle against her evil stepmother was finally over. No longer would she have to constantly look over her shoulder or worry what was going to be thrown at her next. It was over. After almost twenty years, she was finally free.
She jogged to the middle of the cage for the referee's final instructions, nodded her understanding, and then ran back to her corner after tapping gloves with Carla. Carmilla met Laura's eyes and smiled; "All thanks to you," she thought.
Carmilla turned back to the center of the cage and assumed her game face; Laura might have helped get her here, but now it was all up to her. This was one battle Laura couldn't fight for her. She'd helped her prepare, yes, trained together until they both could barely make it to bed, but in the end, she fought alone.
She weighed her options as she walked towards the center of the octagon to tap gloves with Carla. "Knockout? Or Submission?" she thought. "No," she reasoned, "the only thing harder to beat than her knockout was that submission." She smiled as they started to circle. "Knockout it is."
That, however, proved more difficult than she'd bargained for. It was clear from her first combination that she had the striking advantage but those strikes were hard to land when she had to worry about the followup takedown attempt.
"Halfway!" she heard Laura yell.
"God," she hit her with a left jab, "fucking," then with a straight right, "damn it!" and then finished with a hard inside leg kick. "Surprise, fucking surprise," she sighed mentally as Carla again attempted to take her down. "Rinse," she hooked her hands under her shoulders, "and," she peeled her arms from around her waist, "repeat," she pushed her away and then hit her with two quick left jabs followed by a right hook to her liver.
She had her on the ropes and she wasn't about to let up…
When the bell sounded.
"Fuck!" she roared as she stomped back to her corner, punched the cage in frustration, and then leaned her forehead against it as she took several deep breaths to calm herself.
"Hey, hey, hey," Laura cooed into her ear, "just breathe." she prodded her to turn, take a seat, and offered her a bottle of water. "Mouthpiece."
Carmilla handed it to her, took a mouthful of water, swished it around, and spit it out before taking several long swallows.
"What happened to the plan?" questioned Laura.
"Like I can top your submission," she scoffed. They both glanced at Carla and then back to each other. "Cookie Monster?" she laughed. "More like fucking spider monkey." She took another sip of water and shook her head. "I couldn't get enough space even if I wanted to try."
"Then don't." Laura knelt in front of her. "She's exhausted." She took her hands. "Stop! Holding! Back!"
"Knock her out?"
"Knock her," she kissed her, "the fuck," she offered her a hand up, "out."
Carmilla stood and pulled her into a hug until Laura pushed her away at the time warning.
"She's tired." Laura took her face in her hands. "You're not. Go after her! Don't hold back!"
"All right, Spider Monkey," she thought as she put her mouthpiece back in and stared Carla down, "playtime's over." She had to hit her hard and hit her fast. Every second she delayed her attack was just more time for Carla to recover. The longer she had to recover, the harder she'd be to knock out.
She stalked to the center of the cage, tapped Carla's glove, and circled to her left. "Let's see just how tired you are." She hit her with two left jabs, a hard inside leg kick, and went to follow up with a right haymaker but Carla wasn't having it and rushed in for the takedown. However, Carmilla quickly adjusted and stuffed the takedown. "That's right," she thought as she let her struggle, "tire yourself out." She could feel it happening, she could tell she was getting tired. So, as she had so many times already, hooked her hands under her shoulders, and peeled her off, but this time, instead of pushing her away, she grabbed her by the back of the head and pulled it down and into her knee.
Carmilla let her head go as the knee connected and Carla flew in a graceful arc back to the canvas. She pulled her right hand back for another strike before following her down and finishing her off, but instead fell to her knees and began to weep as the referee called her off.
She rested her elbows on her knees and covered her face with her hands as her quiet weeping turned to outright, messy, sobbing that only quieted as she let strong arms surround her and pull her into them.
"Hey," Laura soothed, "you're okay. It's okay. It's over. You won."
She let Laura's words wash over her as she pulled herself together.
"It is over," she said quietly as she sat up.
"What?"
"Somehow," she wiped the tears from her face, "even after all this time there was this little voice." She sniffed. "A little voice that sounds suspiciously like Deanna." She took Laura's hands and looked at them. "I never thought I'd win because I didn't think she'd let me."
"She's gone." Laura tilted her head back up. "You won," she smiled.
Laura stood and offered her a hand up. Carmilla accepted and pulled her into a hug as soon as she was standing and then let her go, took her face in her hands, and leaned their foreheads together.
"No," she corrected as they leaned back, "we won." She shook her head. "I don't…" she sighed. "I don't think I really believed it was over until just now." She looked over to Carla's corner. "I should check on her." She kissed her cheek. "Grab some scissors so I can get out of these gloves?"
She walked over to Carla's corner once Laura had nodded and knelt beside her.
"Sorry," Carmilla offered.
"No, you're not!" Carla laughed.
"No, you're right, I'm not," Carmilla joined in her laughter and then turned when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She nodded at Laura and turned back to Carla. "Good fight," she smiled. "You'll want to stick around, I've got a surprise for you and the other semi-finalists."
She let Laura pull her back to her feet and lead her back to her corner where she and Danny went to work on removing her gloves.
"Sweatshirt?" Danny offered and then leaned in to whisper; "It's in the pocket."
"Thanks," she smiled, slipped it on, and zipped it halfway. "Wish me luck?"
"I would if I thought you needed it," Danny replied with a wink.
"C'mon," Laura urged, "time to go get your shiny new belt."
She joined the referee and accepted his congratulations as he took her and Carla's wrists to wait for the announcement.
"Ladies and gentlemen," started Bruce Buffer, "the referee Yves Lavigne has called a stop to this contest at two minutes and sixteen seconds of the second round, declaring your winner and New! Undisputed! Strawweight! Champion of the World! By Knockout! Carmilla! Karma! Karnstein!"
The crowd erupted as Dana strapped the newly minted golden Strawweight belt around her waist. She turned to Carla and hugged her before turning to Laura, wrapping her arms around her, picking her up, and swinging her around as she kissed her.
Carmilla turned to Dana as he approached with a microphone and the glass trophy that came with her win. She motioned for the microphone once she'd received them and then knelt down in front of Laura.
"Laura 'Flawless' Hollis," she screamed into the microphone so she could be heard over the crowd. "Will you marry me?"
Laura nodded and started laughing as she pointed to the big screen; "Carm, marry me?". She looked back to Laura to find her kneeling in front of her, a jewelry box held out to her as tears ran down her face.
Carmilla's face was soon wet with tears of her own as she nodded and then they exchanged rings. She stood and pulled Laura to her feet as she kissed her passionately. They didn't care about the thousands of people cheering around them. They couldn't hear them as they celebrated.
They leaned their foreheads together until there was a tap on Carmilla's shoulder.
"Sorry," she mouthed to Joe before briefly kissing Laura and then turning to him, leaning in so he could hear and asked: "Mind if I make a quick announcement first?" He nodded and handed her the microphone.
She waited until the crowd quieted and then began; "Um, so, yeah, hi." Those around her chuckled. "So, as everyone knows. I'm not fighting for the money." She waited for the smattering of laughter in the arena to die out before continuing; "Hell, I only wanted to go on the show to expose my stepmother. I thought it could be the beginning of her end." She reached for Laura's hand. "Little did I know, someone had ulterior motives for wanting me there." She smiled and shook her head. "But that's not the point." There was more laughter. "The point is, for most fighters, this is their job and how they earn a living. So," she let Laura's hand go so she could take three small boxes from Dana and walked over to Jessica, Carla and Randa waiting near Carla's corner, the latter two already sporting black eyes from their broken noses. She glanced at the boxes and then handed them out. "I went ahead and bought all your Harley's for you." She smiled as Laura handed them each an envelope. "Along with enough money to cover the insurance for a few years. She smiled, covered the microphone and leaned in so they could hear her; "You're also welcome to take the cash value if you prefer, just take the keys back to the shop and they'll give you a cheque."
Carmilla turned, took Laura's hand again, walked back over to Joe, and gave him back the microphone.
"Can I start now?" he joked, continuing when they'd nodded and laughed. "UFC Strawweight Champion; how does that sound?"
"Pretty damned good!" she replied. "Ya know, I wasn't even sure I wanted this." She looked down at the championship belt covering most of her torso. "But now that I've got it?" She smiled and looked back at Joe. "I don't plan on letting it go anytime soon."
"Talk us through the end here," he nodded towards one of the monitors replaying the end of her fight.
"She's a tough cookie." She smiled as she watched her fight-ending knee. "I knew the only I was going to knock her out was not letting her recover." She shook her head as the replay ended with her crying on her knees.
"What was going through your head at the end there?" questioned Joe.
She looked at Laura a moment as she considered her answer; simple or truth?
"Even though my stepmother is, without a doubt, dead and buried, somehow…" she shook her head. "Winning means it's really over. She's really dead and no one is still out there pulling the strings because if she wanted me to lose, there is no way I could've won." She nodded at the screen. "It's really over, we won."
"So, what's next for you?" he asked. "I hear there's a vacation in your future?"
"Well," she smiled as she motioned for the microphone again. "Hello, tech gods?" she called. "Can you play Laura's knockout and then mine?" Joe nodded when someone motioned to him. "Okay, Vancouver," the crowd cheered, "Laura and I made a little wager and I thought maybe you could help settle it for us. Make some noise Vancouver for whoever you think had the more spectacular knockout! Can you do that for me Vancouver?" They cheered. "Tech gods?"
They looked up the monitor and watched all forty seconds of Laura's fight.
"What do you think Vancouver?!" she shouted to already deafening cheers. She looked over and smiled at a blushing Laura. "I think we already have our answer but; tech gods? If you please?" Carmilla's face was starting to hurt from how much she'd been smiling. She chuckled; given she was just in a fight, it could be worse.
"So Vancouver? What do you think?" The crowd cheered again, and although they were still loud, the difference was noticeable.
"Well, Joe," she laughed as she took Laura's hand again, "I guess we're going to Disney World," she joked before handing Joe back the microphone.
"And after that?" he prodded. "Any fights you want?"
"I think I owe a certain 'thug' a rematch." She shrugged. "Aside from that? I'll fight whoever the UFC puts in front of me in six months!" she joked. "What?" she laughed. "I've been training, pretty much non-stop for the last two years, I think I've earned a vacation."
"After that performance?" he smiled. "I doubt anyone would disagree. What do you say Vancouver?" he shouted. "Give it up for your new Strawweight Champion! Carmilla! Karma! Karnstein!"
They stopped for pictures with both Dana and her team before heading back to the locker room, Carmilla never letting Laura's hand go as they high-fived the fans closest to the ramp. She still held tight as an official approached them and informed Carmilla she needed to provide her post-fight urine sample. She motioned to Dark for an energy drink, drank it on the way to the bathroom, and then handed Laura the empty can before letting herself into a stall.
Carmilla sighed; now that she had a moment to herself, albeit while trying to pee into a cup, the enormity of the last half hour dawned on her. She looked down at her left hand and the sparkly new ring on her finger. Sure, she had a shiny new belt, six-figure UFC contract, and a trophy for her efforts, but the ring? It wasn't just a symbol of her future but further proof it was really over. They'd won.
She exited the stall, handed the official her sample, and then locked the door behind him before washing her hands.
"Carm?"
"Hmm?" she answered as she dried her hands.
"You okay?"
Carmilla smiled as she turned to her and took her left hand.
"We haven't had a moment alone all day," she began as she met her eyes, "and now that we do, despite the less than perfect setting, there's something I'd like to ask you; Laura Eileen Hollis," she smiled, "will you marry me?"
"That depends," Laura replied as she took Carmilla's left hand, "will you marry me?"
"I love you, Laura," she smiled, "of course I'll marry you."
"I love you too, Carm, I do too." She kissed her. "But you'll need to get my dad's blessing."
"Do you care?"
"He might."
"Fair," she smiled. "He already gave it."
"When?"
"When we talked at the Halloween party," she revealed. "He wanted to give me Deidre's letter and he mentioned he was going back to Abbotsford so I wasn't sure the next time I'd get the chance." She tilted her head. "I thought you'd have already figured it out."
"How?"
"He hugged me?"
"Oh." Laura shook her head. "I didn't notice," she admitted, "I was too busy talking to Laf."
"All this time," Carmilla laughed, "I thought you knew!" She kissed her and then looked at their rings. "Funny how we got our rings separately but they still complement each other." She met her eyes. "Unless…" she chuckled, "we confided in the same person?"
"Danny?" guessed Laura.
"Yeah," she smiled, "and let me guess, she helped you with tonight too?" Laura smiled and nodded. "I guess we'll have to find a way to properly thank her," she suggested as she unlocked the door.
"I thought she was going traveling with Steph?" asked Laura with a blush.
"She is," laughed Carmilla, "but I was thinking something more along the lines of a really nice room when we go to Disney World and use of the plane whenever they can use it."
"I thought," Laura started as she took a better look at her ring," and I'm not complaining, but…"
"You thought I was going to give you my mom's ring?" Laura nodded. "It is my mom's ring." She kissed her. "But it was a little dated so I got my mom's permission to have it re-designed." She met her eyes. "You like it?"
"Love it." Laura kissed her. "And I love you."
"And I love you too."
"I'm so proud of you," she praised. "You were amazing out there." She opened the door and led her out. "Composed, precise, fast." She shook her head. "I hope you like your new belt."
"I do, why?" she questioned as they reached the locker room.
"Given the division is new and pretty shallow, I doubt anyone will be taking it from you anytime soon."
"You think?"
"I do." She put her hand on the door. "You ready for this?"
"No," she admitted.
"Ms. Karnstein?" they turned to one of the production assistants. "Press conference in half an hour."
Carmilla thanked him and turned back to Laura.
"At least I don't have to put up it for long," she joked.
They were mobbed by their friends and family as soon as the door opened, extricating themselves after a few minutes. Carmilla looked around, found her clothes, and as she got changed, looked around the room, and smiled. Of all the unlikely scenarios, having her parents there was unfathomable a year ago. How could she have possibly imagined it? They'd been dead for most of her life. They might still have a way to go to be anything resembling a 'normal' family, but she was still grateful that they were there. Celebrating with her chosen family was great and had always been more than enough, but having her family back? Somehow it made it all the sweeter. Having Laura at her side? The cherry on top.
She leaned against the wall and smiled as Danny and Laura came to join her.
"Want me to clear everyone out?" offered Danny.
"Please," she replied but then stopped the redhead with a hand on her arm. "I understand you helped us both with pulling off our surprises tonight?" Danny nodded and blushed. "Thank you," she said and pulled her into a hug that Laura joined. "We'd like to properly thank you, so…"
"You don't…"
"I know we don't," Carmilla cut her off, "but I was thinking I'd get you and Steph a really nice room while we're in Florida and you're welcome to use the plane whenever you can."
"Steph and I, we're traveling together as friends," differed Danny.
"Then I'll just get you a really nice room," she amended.
"I'm not going to talk you out of this, am I?"
"No, nor should you," advised Carmilla. "We unknowingly put you in a difficult position, but you did it anyway and helped us pull off things we wouldn't have been able to otherwise."
"I'll, uh, I'll just clear everyone out then." Danny gave her another quick hug. "I'll see you guys back at the gym?" They nodded. Danny turned to the room at large; "All right everyone, let's give the happy a couple a few minutes to themselves! Everyone back to the gym for the after-party!"
A few people stopped by to say their goodbyes and offer their congratulations on both their fights and their engagement before the room was finally cleared a few minutes later.
"So," Carmilla drawled as she took both Laura's hands and pulled her close, "Hollis or Karnstein?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Are you taking my name or am I taking yours?"
"Do you have a preference?"
"I think," she smiled, "I think Hollis. What?" she prompted at Laura's look of surprise. "I have plenty of siblings to carry on the Karnstein name, I don't need to."
"True," chuckled Laura. "How about…" she chuckled again, " a combination of our names?"
"Like?"
"Like my real last name; Hollstein?"
"Like the cow?"
"Only one 'L'," supplied Laura.
"But then your fight name wouldn't sound as good," Carmilla pointed out.
"True," she shrugged. "We've got time to figure it out."
"Um, maybe not?"
"Why not?"
"Well," she pulled Laura closer, "I might have set up a little theme wedding for us while we're in Florida."
"Really?" Carmilla nodded. "Where?"
"I'm not ruining the surprise any more than I already have," she sidestepped. "But I figured you should at least have an opinion on whether or not that's something you'd want."
"Yes."
"Yes?"
"Yes." Laura smiled and kissed her before asking; "Why the rush though?"
"Not a rush, exactly." Carmilla considered her answer before continuing. "I think," she smiled, "I think it's because I've always felt like my life was on hold while I waited for the next bad thing to happen. Tonight proved that the source of those bad things is really gone. It's really over. We're really free." She pulled her close again. "I don't want to wait to start the next chapter of our lives together."
"Is that why you invited everyone to Florida?"
"Partly," she smiled. "But also, I think everyone whose been with me through all of this, well, they deserve a vacation too. Besides, the theme parks are so big, that we can easily go off by ourselves too." She smiled. "So, it's a yes?"
"I already said 'yes'," Laura chuckled and kissed her. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."
Carmilla pulled her into her arms and kissed her deeply: they'd both come from a past so dark that sometimes it was hard to believe they'd ever see the light. Somehow, together, they'd found it. Together their future was bright.
A/N: Hello again, Creampuffs! Can you believe it? Another week and another chapter? More importantly, the second to last chapter. I had different plans for the end of this chapter but have decided to add it to the next instead as the last chapter was going to be very short otherwise. I'll admit I'm kind of sad this story is coming to an end, I've been writing it for the last five years after all. But I'm also extremely proud of this story. Not because of the writing itself, but that it has meant so much to so many people. From the person who got 'Sometimes Beaten, Never Broken' as their first tattoo, to meeting my girlfriend, I've always appreciated hearing from fans, both here and on Facebook, and hearing how much this story has meant to them.
So, Creampuffs, this may be the second to last chapter, but there are a couple of things to look forward to. One is that I fully plan to morph this into an all-original story, (don't worry, it'll remain online for at least a couple more years as first I have to write and then try to sell it. Given the state of the world, it might take even longer). And second; I am planning two "Five Years Later" chapters. You don't have to read both as the beginning and ends will be very similar, but one will include the OT3 some people either loved or hated and the other will be just pure Hollstein fluff. I'm hoping to use the response, (in other words; view count), from each to help me decide whether to include it in the original version, (and make the foreshadowing a little more obvious so it doesn't come as much as a shock), or leave it out entirely.
I'd also be open to any request for anything anyone would like to see in either those chapters or the next chapter. Think of it as my way of thanking everyone who has stuck it out this long. With all the crap going on right now, the feedback I've been getting from this story is one of the few things keeping me going.
Until next time Creampuffs… take care. Stay Calm. Be Kind. Be safe.