As Catra climbed to the top of the Magic Bus, she saw a storm approaching on the horizon.
The cool wind on her skin and the goosebumps on her arms were promptly ignored by the wide grin on her face. Even after two and a half weeks, she never got sick of this view. The endless array of trees contrasting against the dark gray clouds.
Catra took in a deep breath and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Is there anybody out here?!" She called out, and then put a hand behind her ear, listening to the echo of her voice ringing out for miles upon miles in the Stampede Trail.
A few seconds passed, and once her echo had rung out, Catra smirked. "Guess not!" She called out again.
Adora couldn't help but laugh at Catra's antics as she carried a large pile of twigs, bark and wood back to the bus. "You're going to attract a bear or something," Adora called out to Catra as she climbed back down from the bus.
"Relax! We'll be fine," Catra responded as she helped her partner out with the wood, placing it in a pile under a small gap underneath the bus. Adora was rewarded with a kiss on the cheek from Catra upon dropping the wood. "Thanks for that."
"No problem. It's kind of nice hiking through these woods," Adora smiled. "What's the plan for today, anyway?"
Catra stepped inside the bus, and Adora followed after her. "We're running low on food, actually. I've been trying to hunt and all, but I can't seem to find anything," Catra explained as she grabbed Adora's pack, handing it over to her partner.
"So what're we going to do?" Adora asked as she held her pack in her hands. Catra quickly put the straps of her own pack around her shoulders.
"We're going berry hunting," Catra replied. "It's not much, but it'll have to do until I find something to cook."
"We've already exhausted the berries nearby. Where are we going to find more?" Adora asked further as Catra hopped out of the bus. Adora followed after her as she started to head west, down a few hills and through the thick trees and bushes.
"There's a few in a condensed part of the forest down the path. The good news is that it's in a place we've hiked to before," Catra explained as they walked.
"And the bad news?" Adora tilted her head.
"We're going to have to cross that river again."
Adora's heart went cold upon hearing those words. She had come across the river a few times within the last couple of weeks, and on some days, it's mostly calm. But on the worst of days, it looked like a complete death trap.
"Catra, are we sure we want to do this today?" Adora asked. "I mean… When I was out getting wood earlier, I looked up and saw a bunch of storm clouds in the distance. If we get caught out here when that comes, we might not be able to get back across that river."
"Which is why we need to hurry," Catra said, walking a pace faster. "If we don't get some food tonight, we'll start getting exhausted. And once we get exhausted, it might as well be all over. Come on."
Adora opened her mouth to try and persuade Catra into doing something else, but the words refused to come out. They caught in her throat, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't push them out. Maybe her heart felt different?
She simply had to keep up with Catra.
After a few more minutes, the two of them pushed through a set of bushes and came across the river. To their relief, they found it to be a gentle, calm stream today. "Alright, good. If we hurry, we can get in and out before the river changes," Catra said with a grin.
Adora looked out towards the clouds again, and as soon as she saw the storm clouds, she heard the harsh crack of thunder echo across the Alaskan sky. She looked to Catra, and saw that she was already halfway across the river, holding onto the cable in the meantime.
Adora sighed, and followed after her partner. It was an easy push through the gentle river, but Adora hurried herself through, making it out on the other end a few seconds after Catra. Her partner was already jogging into the nearby forest.
She followed after, going within the trees and just barely making out the figure of her partner as she ran behind her. All the while, the booming of thunder echoed into Adora's ears. "Catra, where are these berries?" Adora asked.
"They're around here somewhere…" Catra's eyes frantically scanned around. As she stopped to look, Adora felt a light trickle of water drop onto the back of her neck.
Adora looked up to see the clouds becoming darker and darker. What turned into a few trickles of soft rain was slowly developing into sloppy droplets of the storm crashing down upon them. "Catra, we need to go soon!" Adora spoke quickly, pulling the hood of her jacket over her head.
"I know, I know!" Catra replied hastily, and then suddenly, her body jumped. "Ah! There!"
"You found it?" Adora asked, following after her partner towards a thick set of bushes, where she spotted purple berries sprouting from it.
"Perfect, this should be enough for both of us," Catra said as she picked the berries off the bush. In the meantime, the rain was growing heavier and heavier, and the dirt ground slowly turned into slimy mud that stuck to Adora's boots.
"You sure they're safe to eat?" Adora asked.
"They fucking better be," Catra sighed, pocketing the grapes. "Now let's get out of here."
Catra ran back the way they came, and Adora followed after. What started as a light jog turned into a full-on sprint as the two of them made their way through the bushes, trees and leaves. Adora could feel the branches cut at her arm sometimes, but she ignored the stinging pain.
When the two of them reached the clearing, they immediately turned to the river. It had only been three minutes.
And yet the river was now a raging rush of deadly water.
"Oh no…" Adora's eyes widened as Catra put her hands on the back of her head.
"Shit…" Catra hissed, pacing as she felt her heart race within her chest. "SHIT!" Catra suddenly screamed, the storm above them growing more and more angry as time went on.
"Should… Should we set up camp here until the storm passes?" Adora asked.
"There's too many risks. Storm can destroy any of our tents in an instant. Besides, I'm worried about bears or whatever the fuck else is out here," Catra sighed, looking towards the raging river. Her throat had almost clamped shut out of fear.
"Catra, we need to do something!" Adora cried out.
"You think I don't know that?!" Catra hissed back at her partner. She looked to the river one more time. The rushing water, with foam forming at the top.
And slowly, Catra stepped towards the river.
"What… What are you doing?" Adora asked as Catra approached the river. Catra looked down at the rushing water, and beneath it, she could make out the faint outline of the cable they used to hold onto when crossing.
"Look…" Catra pondered for a few seconds as she stood on the edge of the surface, right next to the river. She slowly turned to Adora. "We need to…"
Before Catra could get the words out, Adora suddenly saw Catra's foot slip against the mud beneath her as she fell backwards into the raging water.
"CATRA!" Adora cried out, leaping towards her partner. The water suddenly went up to Catra's chest as she fell in, and her fingers dug into the mud as she let out a scream.
The river felt a thousand heavy gusts of wind beating against Catra's body. Her leg went in first when she slipped, and Catra heard a snap within her shin. The agonizing pain told her she had broken it. But she had to push through the pain as she dug her hands into the slippery mud.
Her fingernails leaked blood from how tight her grip was. Her panting was heavy and the panic within her body was shooting through the roof. Adora suddenly knelt down before Catra, and grabbed onto her jacket, attempting to pull her partner up.
But the strength of the river was intense. Adora's effort was no match for the rushing water, and as she pulled, she heard Catra's screams of pain. Whatever Adora was doing was hurting her more, but she kept going. Adora pulled and pulled and pulled.
And then, Adora fell back onto the land.
Her heart stopped. She looked at her hands and saw that she had only managed to pull Catra's jacket with her.
Adora's eyes widened. She knelt back up, and when she looked into the river again, Catra was gone.
"Catra…?" Adora's breath came out in shudders. She looked up and down the river, and yet there was no sign of her. Slowly, Adora stood up, holding Catra's jacket close to her chest. "Catra? Catra?" Adora panted, running alongside the river downstream.
Her breath felt icy cold and her heart felt like stone. Adora ran until her legs gave out. Her body felt numb. "Catra?! CATRA?! CATRA, PLEASE ANSWER ME!" Adora cried out, looking into the rushing water. Her vision was clouded by the intense rain of the storm.
Adora suddenly fell to her knees. She wasn't sure if it was rainwater or tears that stained her cheeks. She wasn't sure if the cold had gotten to her or if grief made her heart stop. The ends of Adora's fingers were blue. Her teeth were chattering.
She clutched Catra's jacket close. Her eyes shut tight as she doubled over and let out painful sobs. Eventually, the rainwater froze over her closed eyelids, and she couldn't get them back open. Adora was trapped in darkness. She was trapped. Alone.
Alaska was a beautiful place. It had taken another life.
Adora's eyes suddenly opened as she let out a sharp gasp.
It took a while to get some panicked breaths out as she suddenly sat up, putting her hands over her face. Instead of rainwater, she felt her warm skin. The storm was no longer hanging over her head. Instead, when Adora looked up, she saw the roof of the Magic Bus.
Adora felt the soft mattress beneath herself. Her head spun to her side, and she saw that there was another figure laying in the bed.
It was Catra. Asleep. Peaceful.
Adora's sigh of relief came along with a few tears, and all of it was enough to slowly awaken Catra as her eyes fluttered open. She rubbed the sleep out of them with her thumb and index finger as she turned around and saw Adora's teary eyes.
"Adora…? You okay?" Catra asked, reaching out a hand and placing it on her partner's cheek.
Adora could only respond by suddenly wrapping her arms around Catra's shoulder, holding her. "I'm sorry… I know it sounds pathetic but… I had a bad dream…" Adora whimpered. She expected to hear Catra's amused laughter or some teasing words.
But she was instead met with Catra's fingers raking gently through her hair. "It's okay…" Catra spoke softly. The whispered words were enough to make Adora hold her closer than before.
"Catra…" Adora looked over to their food supply. It was only about four cans of soup and some protein bars. Despite most of the situation earlier being a dream, their low food supply was not.
"Was the dream about this place?" Catra asked as Adora backed off slightly.
"Yeah…" Adora nodded, sighing. "I know I should be more brave. But… This place is dangerous, Catra. We're low on food and the weather hasn't been helping us out. And I know I should expect hardships on a journey, but… I don't want to go too far and end up like…"
She couldn't get the words out, but Catra knew who she was talking about. "Is your gut telling you we're in a bad spot?" Catra asked.
"I know it's dumb…" Adora responded. She looked at the floor out of shame. It had been almost a year on this journey. They had only been here for two weeks. Adora didn't want to wimp out now or appear like a coward.
But soon, she was met with Catra's lips pressing against her forehead.
"I think I've been having the same feelings too, Adora," Catra replied. "I love this place… But as beautiful as it is, it's also dangerous. And… I don't want all of this to be for nothing."
"You're… You're not upset with me?" Adora asked. Catra's thumb brushed gently against her cheek as she shook her head.
"I could never," Catra responded. "Besides… I've already found what I was looking for on this journey. I'm not trying to find some awakening in Alaska… I've already found something to keep going on for. You, Adora. I found the meaning of love with you. And that's all I need. I just want to savor the moments we have together."
Adora looked at her partner with wide eyes. She never could've expected these words to come from Catra, and yet, she seemed fully on board with calling the end now. "I don't… I don't want to ruin anything for us…" Adora said.
"You're not," Catra shook her head. "You've got a gut feeling. And sometimes, you need to trust that more than anything else. It has saved people's lives before. And it might save ours. I'm happy with our journey, Adora. I want to spend more time with you… But I don't want the cost to be our lives."
Adora could only look. Slowly, her hands ran over Catra's cheeks. And she leaned down, pressing her lips against her partner's. It was a brief kiss, but it said everything for her. Catra returned it passionately.
"Thank you…" Adora sighed, her breath coming out in shudders.
"I love you," Catra smiled. "We'll pack first thing in the morning, alright? If the river is calm, we'll be able to leave soon."
"I would like that," Adora replied as she laid back down in the bed, facing her partner and holding her hand tight. "I love you so much."
The cold Alaskan air did nothing to dull their love for each other. Adora had a tinge of guilt in her stomach, but she was glad to be onboard with Catra. She was glad not to have upset her. She was glad that they were going to make it out alive.
Adora slept with more peaceful dreams that night.
"You think you can still do this?"
Adora and Catra stood atop a wet, grassy hill. They looked down to see a set of train tracks that led down south, which would take them through Canada. From there, it would be a straight shot using public transportation towards Georgia.
"Please," Adora scoffed. "I've become an expert at freighthopping now."
Catra looked to her partner with a smile. They had left the Stampede Trail a few days ago once the river was calm enough to cross and they had devised a plan on how to get home. Catra never planned for this part of the journey, so they were well and truly winging it.
The gentle rain felt like a blessing upon their skin as they looked out towards the distance and saw the familiar outline of a train rapidly approaching them. Adora kept her hands on her pack, jogging on the spot slightly to prepare herself.
"Guess this is the last time we'll have to do this, huh?" Catra said. "I honestly got used to it after a point. It's kinda nice to watch the scenery fly by."
"I wouldn't enjoy nearly as much if I didn't do it with you," Adora smiled. "Remember back in Georgia? You could've totally left me behind, but you promised you would always catch me. It meant a lot."
"I wasn't about to leave a girl as cute as you all by herself in the middle of nowhere," Catra scoffed. Adora shook her head as she heard Catra's flirts, and her eyes turned towards the train. It had begun to fly by them, and so they waited a few more seconds.
Catra took a breath. "And…"
"Beat you there!" Adora replied, sprinting ahead of her partner.
"Oh, you son of a bitch!" Catra chuckled as she chased after Adora. They ran down the hill, keeping their balance as they held onto their packs, and eventually began to sprint alongside one car that was practically empty.
Adora threw her pack in at the same time Catra did. They both ran as fast as they could. Adora wanted to wait until she was at a reliable distance to jump. She felt the wind blow pass her face and her laughter echoed with the rumbling of the train.
But ultimately, it was Catra who won as she jumped into the car mere seconds before Adora did.
Adora felt the cold floor of the car as she panted, thankful to have made her last attempt at freighthopping. "And here we are, a year later, and I'm still better than you at this," Catra smirked, looking down at her partner.
"Yeah, screw you too…" Adora replied in a sarcastic tone as she sat up, looking out of the car to see the distance frozen rivers and trees, all of it being covered in soft rain. "Has it really been a year?"
"Around that. I used to keep track of the day count in my journal," Catra replied casually. Adora saw Catra come sit next to her as they hung their legs out of the car.
"I'm sorry, your… what?" Adora asked in a state of disbelief. Catra reached behind herself, pulling her pack over to herself and opening it up. Within the pack was a hidden pocket that she tore open, and Adora saw Catra pull out a small book.
"I've been keeping this ever since we left for this journey. I…" Catra looked at the journal. "I kept it on me so that when people found my body in Alaska, they'd… have something to go of off. So…"
"Oh…" Adora spoke quietly. A few seconds of silence followed before Adora spoke up again. "Did you… write in it often?"
"Yeah. I never wanted to show you because it'd reveal stuff about myself that I wasn't comfortable sharing. But… I feel comfortable around you now," Catra smiled at her partner. "You're my girlfriend, after all. I… I think?"
"Well, I thought we were a thing," Adora shrugged. "Did we… never officially declare that?"
"Huh… I guess not," Catra realized. "Hey Adora, wanna be my girlfriend?"
"Sure. Sounds fun," Adora replied in a nonchalant voice. But soon enough, her lips curled into a smile and she let out a few chuckles alongside Catra. "We're a bunch of dorks, aren't we?"
"The term 'useless lesbian' exists for a reason," Catra replied as her laughter slowly calmed. "So… I want to read you a few entries from this now. If… If that's alright with you? They're a bit… sad sometimes. And I might sound cruel or cold at some points."
"Only if you're comfortable," Adora responded, leaning back slightly as she looked to her partner. Catra took a few seconds to look at the front of the journal, and she slowly let out a deep breath. She thought she'd never show the contents to anybody while she was alive.
But eventually, she flicked open the first page.
"Day one…" Catra read out as Adora watched the scenery before her. "This is probably going to be the first entry you read upon discovering my… my body. My name is Catra. I come from Tennessee. My mother's name is Shadow Weaver. I went on this journey to get away from her. To get away from… life. And yet, I'm not alone. At least, not for now. I have someone else with me. Her name is Adora."
Adora turned to her partner as she spoke. "Adora had nothing to do with my death. I guess it's just nice to have the company. I'll have to leave her at some point. I don't know when. But she doesn't deserve the same fate as me. I'll make sure she lives. After all, her friend scared the shit out of me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to ditch her like some lost puppy. I just want to make sure she gets home alive."
Adora chuckled as Catra flipped to another page. "Day three… We're in Texas already. I could've left Adora behind. She was never going to make it on that train, and she wasn't too far from home. And yet… I promised to always catch her. I don't know what was going through my head. Maybe it's the fact she might have died if I didn't catch her. I don't know. But I'm going to find a car for us in the morning. We'll be going to Arizona next."
She looked down further on the page. "… Horrible news. I got a text from Shadow Weaver. She knows where I am. The fucking phone gave us away. She'll piece together everything in no time. No matter. I'll be dead by the end of it all anyway."
Another page. "Day twenty-six… Adora and I are still on the road. She's got this weird idea of showering using the sprinklers they use on crops in farms. She can knock herself out. She's having fun, so who am I to judge? We approach a river soon. I might have to tell her about my fear of water. Maybe she'll laugh in my face."
"Hey, sprinkler showers are the best!" Adora spoke up. Catra could only shake her head.
"Day forty… I nearly lost her. I nearly fucking lost Adora. I'm an idiot for even suggesting to go down that river. Her death would've been on my hands. I'm the one that's supposed to die, not her. Fuck, I still don't know what to do. I can't just abandon her in the middle of all this. But I can't lead her down the same path as me. Everything is fucked."
Adora wanted to hold Catra's hand, but she held back for now. "Day sixty-eight… Adora looked so happy in the Californian waves… I had to bring up our lack of money. She's going to find a job in Las Vegas. I could leave her in Vegas. No… No, who am I kidding anymore? I can't leave her behind. Not after all of this. It would hurt me to even try that. Fuck… I think I'm actually getting attached to her."
Catra stopped for a few seconds. "… Day one-hundred. We made it. Triple digits. And I realize today that I'm in love with Adora. Or maybe I've known that all along and I just can't bring myself to admit it. That attachment has always been there, but I'm afraid to call it love. But there's no other way to describe it."
Catra turned a few more pages. "Day… I don't know. I don't know anything anymore. The girl I love almost got shot today. As we ran from those fucking pigs, I realized that the idea of death scared me. And yet at the same time, I deserve a punishment for all the danger I put her through. My water supply is empty. I think I'll keep it that way. It's what I deserve."
Catra felt Adora's hand on her shoulder, but she kept going. "Day two-hundred and something or other. She still hasn't given up on me. Even after all this time. Even after everything I've put her through. She hasn't left me like everyone else. And to think I was going to leave her… She's not the only one. Scorpia, Perfuma, and even this driver, Mermista… They haven't abandoned us. They've helped us along the way."
Catra took a breath. "I'm slowly coming to the realization that this journey doesn't need to end with my death. This life has had its difficulties, but death doesn't need to be the answer. I started this journal as a suicide note. But now, I want to live. So… I think I'll hold off on entries for now."
Catra turned to find only empty pages after that. She looked at it for a few more seconds, before reaching into her pack and pulling out a pen. "Adora… I think the last entry should be yours," Catra offered, handing the journal and pen to her partner.
Adora took them in her hand. She looked at the blank page before her, and pondered for a few seconds what to write. But eventually, she simply pushed the tip of the pen against the page, and let the words flow.
Adora wrote in silence for a few minutes. Catra didn't try to look over her shoulder, but instead looked out to the beautiful sky and distant scenery. She closed her eyes and felt the wind on her face. She never would've exposed herself like that to anyone a year ago. Catra never imagined a day she'd read her journal to Adora.
Catra knew in that moment that she had changed. She liked that thought.
Eventually, Adora's hand stilled. She placed the pen back down, and looked at her single entry. Catra looked over to her partner. "You okay with reading it out?" Catra asked. Adora didn't respond for some time as she looked at the entry.
Until eventually, she took a breath.
"Dear journal," Adora started. "You may notice some different handwriting. This is Adora. Catra's travel partner, friend and… lover."
Catra turned to Adora as she spoke. "We went to Alaska. We stayed for about two weeks. Doesn't sound like a lot of time, but we mostly did it out of safety. Maybe that sounds disappointing. But I'd say I already found what I was looking for on this journey."
"When I started, I was lost. I had made a promise to myself when I was thirteen to go on a journey, and yet I never did. The future was rapidly approaching, and I was scared. I was terrified. But one day, a woman ran by me, and dropped ten-thousand dollars in an envelope before me. I'm sure that woman needs no introduction," Adora smiled as she spoke.
"Catra has shown me what love and life truly is. The happiness and sadness that we experience in this little thing called life. There have been moments we loved. Moments we regret. But ultimately, they have all been just that. Moments. Things we will remember until the end of our lives, and then on. Nobody can take those moments from us. Catra and I share something that nobody else will ever have. These moments. They define who we are as people."
Adora stopped for a few seconds, and swallowed. "And now… All we are going to be left with is moments. Memories of a time when we canoed down a river, or stole a car from a rental place, or named a cow after ourselves, or hiked through the Stampede Trail. We will have these… and only these. Once we get back home, we're likely going to be separated. It will be another moment of sadness and grief."
Adora's breath shuddered as tears welled in her eyes. "But it will be that… another moment. And damn anybody who thinks they can ruin our memories."
Adora read the last line. "So while they may take us away from each other… They can never take away our love… our memories… our… our moments."
And with that, Adora closed the journal. Tears silently streaming down her cheeks as she turned to Catra, and saw her red, stinging eyes. There was silence. The wind rushing by them as they looked at each other.
And then, a sob broke out from Catra.
Adora immediately wrapped her arms tightly around her partner as she, too, broke into ugly, desperate sobs. Catra's wails echoed into Adora's ears, and Adora's tears stained Catra's neck. Adora cried harder than she ever had in her entire life.
Catra clung to the back of Adora's jacket as they hugged. No words came. Only sobs and desperate cries. The endless tears that came with the knowledge that they had a limited amount of time left together.
And yet, it was another moment.
Adora emerged onto the train station where it all began.
It had taken a few weeks to get from Alaska all the way to here. But after countless rides, they had finally arrived back home in Georgia.
Adora looked around the station. She didn't see anyone she recognized. Catra walked out behind her and took in the smell of Atlanta. The orange sunset basking the city and station in warmth and joy. And yet, within Adora's chest, her heart was racing like crazy.
She had sent a letter to Glimmer and Bow that she would arrive home soon and that they could tell as many people as they wanted. Adora was prepared for any questions that may come her way. Her and Catra had agreed as to the story they would give to any cops or other people.
However, Adora couldn't see Glimmer or Bow anywhere. She had told them exactly where she would arrive. Maybe they were late? Adora was only a tad concerned, but if anything, it might give her more time with Catra.
"Feels like a lifetime since we met here," Catra observed as the two of them walked through the station.
"I used to come to this station every day to go to and from school. Fuck… I'm going to have to repeat my last year," Adora chuckled, shaking her head.
"Sorry about that," Catra apologized. "If it's any consolation, I might need to do the same."
"It's okay," Adora smiled as they walked towards the exit of the station. Compared to everyone else, Adora had more frazzled hair, more beat-up skin and more torn clothes. And yet she felt more alive than ever before.
And when Adora emerged from the front of the train station, she saw dozens of people waiting for her.
Adora had a mini heart attack as she saw familiar classmates cheer upon seeing her emerge. At the front of it all was Bow and Glimmer, who had clearly been planning some sort of reunion party for her. Bow had tears in his eyes upon seeing his friend again.
Adora went to go say hi to everyone, but she quickly turned to Catra first. "You want to introduce yourself to my class from last year?" Adora asked Catra.
Catra shrugged. "This is more your thing. You should go be with everyone first," Catra responded. Adora placed her hand over Catra's.
"You sure?" She asked.
"Yeah," Catra smiled. "You haven't seen them in ages. I'll just wait right here, alright?"
Adora looked to her partner for a few more seconds, and eventually, she nodded. She walked away from Catra and practically into the arms of Glimmer and Bow, as well as a whole crowd that was waiting for her.
"She lived!" Bow cheered.
"She was always going to live! I made sure of that!" Glimmer chuckled, rubbing Adora's hair. "You have got to tell us all about it when you get the chance, alright?"
"I know, I know…" Adora smiled. "I didn't realize so many people cared about my disappearance."
"We thought something bad had happened!" One of Adora's classmates spoke up. "You should've brought us along with you!"
Adora chuckled. "Sorry about that… But it was a journey for Catra and I to take by ourselves. Besides, I didn't want you all to fail your exams," Adora smiled.
"Catra? Who's Catra?" One of the other classmates asked. The barrage of questions coming her way almost deafened Adora, but she tried to answer as many as possible. The one about Catra stuck out amongst the race.
"Catra…" Adora took a few seconds. "Catra is someone who is extremely special to me. She took me on this journey. She helped… She helped me become a better version of myself. She means so much to me."
"Is Catra the one getting into that police car?"
Adora's eyes suddenly widened. The sound of conversation all became dull as she quickly spun her head. But when she looked to where Catra was waiting, she found nobody there.
She turned to her right, and saw a police car driving off in the distance.
"H… Huh?" Adora spoke quietly. She walked towards the road, as if trying to chase after the police car.
"Did they arrest her or something?" One classmate spoke.
"I don't know. She wasn't resisting," another responded.
Adora watched as the cop car took her partner away. It disappeared into the distance and over the horizon, going towards the city and up north towards Tennessee. She watched and could do nothing as her partner of the last year, the woman she loved, was stripped away in less than a few seconds.
Adora felt her legs give away, and she crumbled to her knees. Tears didn't even come. No emotion or thought could process in Adora's mind. Glimmer and Bow looked to each other, unsure of what to do as Adora simply kneeled and watched.
"Adora…? I'm… I'm so sorry…" Glimmer spoke gently, placing a hand on Adora's shoulder. It was enough to trigger the first, silent tear. Adora kneeled on an empty road. Despite the people behind her, she had never felt more alone. She let out a shuddered breath, and only spoke a few words.
"I didn't even get to say goodbye…"