The next morning, Luke went to keep his promise to Alex. He promised to tell her any news he had. So at nine in the morning he stood in front of her door.
He knocked three times, but no one answered. Once again he knocked. But still, there was no sign of life from inside. Growing worried, he started to pounce wildly on the door.
"Alex, are you in there? Alex! Please, open the door, it's Luke."
His fist was still pouncing at the wood of Alex's door when it swung open. In front of Luke was Alex, her hair completely messed up, mascara smeared all over her cheeks and a fume of alcohol surrounding her. She was obviously completely hung over.
"Damn Alex, what the hell have you been doing?" Luke asked concerned. He didn't like seeing Alex this way, they had to keep it together if they planned on getting Marissa out.
But as soon as he spoke, Alex seemed to sober up instantly.
"Luke! Come in, do you have any news?"
"Inside." Luke said in an insistent tone.
Alex opened the door wider to let Luke step in. Luke took a quick glance around. On the floor were several empty beer bottles and a pizza box, scattered around. An ashtray stood on the table, nearly overflowing with all the cigarettes Alex must have been smoking the night before. On the couch was a blanket. Alex probably didn't even make it to her own bed last night. Next to the couch on the floor was a photograph of Alex and Marissa together. They were lost in each others' eyes, it seemed like the picture had been snapped while neither of them noticed they were being photographed.
On the table he also saw a few pictures, right next to what seemed to be a photo album. Also there was a dvd-case with a home made cover, saying "Alex's 18th birthday party – The Bait Shop"
As he sat down, he motioned for Alex to sit down as well. She looked at him expectantly. Luke just wanted to spill out right away that he had seen Marissa, but he didn't. He knew that if he did Alex wouldn't listen to anything else he would say. So he decided to fill her in first on what he had talked about with his old professor.
"Two nights ago I called my old professor. I explained our suspicions to him. He advised me to see Marissa myself and to gather enough information –or proof rather- to file a complaint at the National Medical Committee."
"Did you see her?" Alex asked, her eyes wide open.
Luke nodded his head in a 'yes' motion. "I did. I went to the center last night, pretending to have forgotten something. I went to the Restricted Area and I found her there. She told me to tell you she loves you and she misses you. And also I have to tell you she will keep on fighting to get out of there."
Luke knew he had to tell about the rest of his conversation with Marissa as well, but he knew at this moment, Alex mostly needed to hear that Marissa still loved her. And that she still missed her just as much as Alex missed her. He saw Alex's lips starting to tremble, he felt her whole body shaking even though she was sitting at least one foot away from him. Tears once again filled her eyes.
"I didn't get to talk to her for a long time Alex, but she's holding on to the thought of you like a lifeline. I'm going to see her again soon, but before I do so I need to arrange some tests she needs to take. Like I said, I must have proof that she's as sane as you and I. But she's fighting so hard to survive that place. I know we'll be able to get her out."
"She's so strong." Alex whispered. "So strong."
Luke could only confirm this. "She is. And so are you. The two of you might be away from each other, but even a fool can see you're strong. Together."
Alex shot him a small smile.
"You know what I did last night?" she asked.
Luke understood Alex had been handling everything alone for such a long time. It was obvious that she now craved to share her emotions with someone who she felt would understand.
"What did you do?" Luke replied. He wasn't going to mention the fact he knew she'd been drinking the night away, instead offering Alex just an outlet to speak about the things she'd been holding in so long.
"I've been remembering all those good moments we shared together." She reached out for the photo album on the table.
"This is the photo album we made together. I haven't been able to look at it ever since Marissa was taken away. It was always too painful. But when you came to me it was like there was finally a little light again. A tiny beam of hope. And yesterday I just went and got it. It still hurt, but different. Because I finally believe that we'll be back together again."
Alex slowly opened the album. She needed to share. Luke just sat there silently, letting Alex take the conversation wherever she wanted it to go.
"This picture was taken when we went to the zoo together. You see those elephants in the back? Marissa loves them, says elephants were always here favorite since she was a little kid. And this picture." Alex pointed another one out. It showed Alex and Marissa standing behind Rachael Yamagata. "This one was taken the night Rachael Yamagata performed at the Bait Shop. Well, at her second gig, that is. Marissa and I… we got together during her first performance at the Bait Shop. She was so cool when we told her we'd like a picture of the three of us because her first gig had been such a special evening to us."
Luke just nodded. Alex turned a few more pages.
"And this one, it's my favorite." She pointed to a picture of the two of them standing at the park. Alex was standing behind Marissa, arms wrapped around her waist and her chin leaning on Marissa's shoulder. Marissa's head was turned slightly upwards, her eyes glancing at Alex's.
"Seth took it at the park. Marissa looks so happy and carefree."
She closed the album gently before placing it on the table again.
"Can I show you something else?" she asked Luke.
"Sure, what is it?"
Alex stood up and turned her tv on. Grabbing the remote control to her dvd player she sat back again.
"This is a burned dvd. It's the only thing I have on film of Marissa. It was my birthday and we celebrated it at the Bait Shop. It was the best birthday I ever had, we had so much fun that evening. Evan, a friend of mine filmed most of that evening."
She pressed the play button. A cheery tune started playing before the images appeared on screen. It showed a lot of beautiful moments. Alex opening her presents, Marissa right there by her side. The two of them in a secluded corner, sharing a sweet kiss when they thought no one noticed. But the camera did. Marissa proposing a toast to Alex.
But the one that cut straight to Luke's heart, was the slow dance of Marissa and Alex that had been captured to last forever on this home made dvd. The song that played during this dance was Billy Currington's Time With You. A country song that hardly seemed to fit a couple like Marissa and Alex. But strangely enough, it did just that.
Luke watched as he saw Marissa and Alex on the middle of the dance floor, wrapped up in each other, swaying to the music. He noticed how Marissa's hand was gently caressing Alex's back and how Alex's lips turned into a sweet smile at that small gesture. The intimacy of the moment made him feel like he was an intruder to a private moment between two people who radiated love. His heart felt heavy in his chest and he was overwhelmed by the power of these images.
And if this already affected him this strong, he couldn't even begin to imagine what it would do to Alex each time she saw this.
When he left twenty minutes later the determination he felt before had become even stronger. He needed to bring them back together.
Marissa woke that morning from a beautiful dream. In her dream, she'd been together with Alex. They were older in it, probably something like thirty. They'd been sitting at a bench in their backyard, covered by a blanket, gazing up at the bright night sky. A beautiful blue moon lit them while Alex pointed out a set of stars, telling her "and that group of stars, it's called The Big Bunny"
Just as Alex said that, the sound of a little girl's giggling echoed in Marissa's ears. Between her and Alex the owner of the giggle was settled. Marissa knew instantly that in her dream, this was her and Alex's daughter. She must have been about four years old. The laughter of this little one filled her with happiness, as she heard her cry out "Silly mommy, you know nothing of stars!"
Alex tried to keep a straight face as she replied. "Sure I do Rachael. You see that other group there? It's called 'little girl who is about to get tickled"
When she had said that, she attacked Rachael's sides with her fingers. The girl started squirming and laughing. Marissa couldn't help but laugh along. She noticed how they had named their little girl after the singer that had played such an important role in their relationship, which brought an even bigger smile to her face.
When Marissa woke up with a smile still plastered on her face, she made a mental note to herself. "Rachael if we get a daughter one day."