"Bow?"
"What?" he snapped, slamming down the crate he'd been carrying. Adora was standing in the galley's doorway, watching him, her arms crossed against her chest. He exhaled and leaned his hands against the counter-top. He shouldn't have snapped at her. It wasn't like Adora had done anything.
"Sorry. I'm just trying to go through all this old food stuff from leftover from Mara."
"You don't have to do that right this second."
"All the fresh fruit and vegetables Perfuma gave us won't last much longer. We're going to have to try eating some of this stuff eventually." He held up two boxes. "What are these?"
Adora moved closer, squinting at the neat lines of First One's writing on the side of the package. "Uh, dehydrated vegetable power and... synthetic starch supplement?"
Bow nodded and shoved the two kinds of packages on opposite sides of the nearest cabinet. Great, not only were they going to die from eating a thousand year old food, it all sounded horrifying. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"
"I tried, but I'm too wired thinking about Catra. That she's been on that ship the whole time, that she risked everything to save someone she hates and for me, apparently? I just don't get it. Then what Glimmer said about Prime and the ship—"
"She barely said anything about it." It was infuriating. Adora and Entrapta had pressed her for details of the ship, of Prime, of the clones. They'd asked over and over and she'd barely given them anything. Couldn't she understand how important this was to Adora? Did she even care that they needed that information if they wanted to get out of there alive tomorrow?
"Yeah, that's sort of what I mean. It's the stuff she didn't say that worries me. It clearly terrifies her. And now Prime's got to be furious and Catra's all alone—" Adora exhaled, her voice wavering. "I know she's done a lot of really crappy things and I am NOT trying to excuse any of it, but we can't leave here there, Bow. We just can't."
"I know. And we're not going to." Bow didn't want to think about tomorrow's mission anymore than he wanted to think about Glimmer. Because he'd agreed to help rescue Catra, they all had for Adora's sake, but that didn't mean he was excited about it. He dumped a crate-full of food packs on the counter. "So, where are… the others?"
"'The others.'" Adora snorted. "You can just say Glimmer, you know. You're not fooling anyone."
Bow ignored her, shoving another armful of synthetic starch supplement in with the rest.
"You're making no sense, you know that, right? Like you were immediately willing to risk your life to rescue Catra after everything she's done, but you won't give your best friend a hug?" Adora smirked, which only irritated him more. "You know damn well how Glimmer feels about Entrapta. How betrayed she was when Entrapta joined the Horde. How angry she was when she realized Entrapta's experiment almost lost us Bright Moon or that it was her bots that were kicking our asses every other day. For fuck's sake, Bow! Entrapta built the damn portal that took Glimmer's mom. Yet she's been in there for the last hour nodding politely while Entrapta blabbers on about tech stuff she knows nothing about and makes adjustments to her spacesuit like the two of them are old buds."
"What's your point, Adora?" The last thing he wanted right now was a lecture.
"That there's only one side now. And it's stupid to be angry about stuff that happened in the past when we don't even know if we'll all still be here tomorrow."
Adora was talking about her and Catra. That much was obvious. Probably why she'd been so quick— too quick if you asked him— to forgive Glimmer for everything. But the situation with her and Catra had nothing in common with him and Glimmer! Even without the war and betrayal and fighting and everything else, the way Adora went on about Catra sometimes, it seemed like she'd just as soon kiss her as fight her!
He'd certainly never thought about Glimmer like that! At least not that often. And almost never on purpose.
Anyway, it was completely different!
"Soooo," Adora sat down on the counter next to where he was working and tripping over his own thoughts. She nudged his side with her foot. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Nope." He slammed the cabinet door shut with more force than he intended and tossed the now empty crate into the chaotic pile of them he was amassing in the corner. He went for the next box mechanically, needing to be busy right now, too busy to think.
"Come on, Bow." Adora grabbed his shoulder, and he paused, staring down into the crate without seeing. "I have never seen you like this."
"Like what?" He really didn't want to be fighting with Adora right now, but he couldn't seem to keep the antagonistic tone out of his voice.
"You know what! You're usually the one who's on our case to talk it out and get in touch with our feelings and instead you're snapping at everyone and slamming cabinets."
"That cabinet sticks if you don't close it hard enough."
"Yeah, and the crates only go back on the floor if you throw them across the room!" She gave him a look, and he shook her hand off, digging into the crate for more food packs. "Glimmer's back, she's safe, and she apologized! A damn good apology, too. You've got a right to be mad, but there's mad and… whatever the hell this is. What is going on with you right now?"
What did she want him to say? He didn't get it either. There was a twisted mass of emotions in his middle, too loud and angry and raw to even make out what feelings made it up. It was making him tense, as tightly strung as his bowstring, and he didn't know how to release it. If only there was somewhere on the ship where he could take his bow and shoot at something for a while, that might help. He'd love to watch an arrow rip through something solid instead of being inside his own head. Except there was no getting away up here, just tight quarters and everyone on top of each other and in each other's business.
Adora looked ready to say something else, but the door shushed open without warning, a surprised Glimmer standing on the other side. Her eyes went to his immediately, and they looked so sad that he almost went to her for a second before he pushed that feeling down under everything else. He crossed the room for another crate even though he hadn't even finished with this one because he couldn't stand being still.
"Sorry! I was going to knock, but then it just opened."
"Yeah, it's automatic. Come on in! I was just helping Bow organize some of this stuff." Adora's voice was gentle, like Glimmer was something that would shatter under the slightest pressure and not the person who usually did the careless smashing. "Everything OK?"
"I'm not sure. I told Entrapta about Hordak. All of it. She's pretty upset. I tried to comfort her but I don't feel like I know her that well and she's, well, Entrapta, so I don't even really know what would help." Glimmer sighed, and the sound went right through him. This box was spare parts. He'd looked through it already, but he couldn't stop staring down at the odds and ends. Her voice sounded so miserable it physically hurt to hear it. "Scorpia said Entrapta and Hordak were close— lab partners, whatever that means— but I think that may not have been the entire story. I think she might have been in love with him."
Bow's fingers dug into the hard edge of the container. He continued to stare into the dusty box because he didn't trust himself to move right now, didn't trust himself not to look over at her.
"Oh." If Adora was mourning the former lord of the Horde, she didn't seem to show it. "Well, but you said Hordak was alive, right?"
"He is, but it's complicated. Prime…" Glimmer's voice hitched on the name. "He erased him? Overwrote his brain, I guess, made him like any other clone. His body was there on the ship with us but his mind, whatever made him Hordak… I'm pretty sure that's gone." She took a single, unsteady breath. "I watched it happen."
Bow risked a glance and saw her shiver and hug her hands around her arms. She'd done that before, when they were making the plans to go rescue Catra from Prime's ship. He thought suddenly of what Adora had said, about the things she hadn't told them about her time on the ship.
"Erased him?" Panic was rising in Adora's voice. "Is that a thing Prime can do? Overwite people? Do you think Catra—"
"It seemed like only a clone thing," Glimmer said quickly. She was lying, saying anything so Adora wouldn't freak out. It was so obvious to him he couldn't understand how Adora could fall for it like she did, her shoulders relaxing slightly. Then Glimmer put on that same false chipper tone that was really getting on his nerves and laughed. "Besides, no one could erase Catra. You know what she's like. There's too much of her. We could never be that lucky!"
"Yeah." Adora laughed, a combination of fond and nervous. "Too much. That's Catra alright."
Glimmer put a hand on Adora's arm. They exchanged a smile, and then Adora pulled her in for a tight hug. Probably the first one they'd given each other willingly in over a year without him having to force them. Bow slammed the lid back down on this crate before grabbing another.
Glimmer pulled away and cleared her throat. "Anyway, the reason I came in is that Entrapta wanted to be alone, so there's no one on the bridge right now. I mean, I was there but I don't know what I'm doing so maybe someone else should—"
"I'll go." Bow dropped the crate and headed for the door immediately, forgetting that Glimmer was standing right in the doorway. He hesitated in front of her and their eyes met. She gave him a tentative smile and stepped to the side to let him through.
"I thought you wanted to get this stuff sorted?" Adora called.
What he wanted to be alone. "It makes more sense for you to do it. I can't even read them."
"Oh, OK. I guess I could—"
Bow didn't wait for her response, just pushed the sliding doors as soon as they opened wide enough to let him through. He had to get away, he couldn't breathe in there. As the doors slid closed, he heard that infuriatingly fake, chipper tone again.
"I'll help! Put me to work!"
They were joking about something and he stopped in the corridor, his heart hammering like he'd been running when all he'd been doing was standing there with two people who were supposed to be his best friends. What was wrong with him? Adora was right. He was a mess.
He leaned back against the cool metal, thudding the back of his head repeatedly against the wall. For a minute, he felt like he might cry, but then he heard Glimmer laughing from inside the room, that faux cheerful laugh that he didn't understand how everyone couldn't see for the act it was. The twisted knot inside him burned, and he kicked off the wall and made his way to the empty bridge.
He sat down hard in the captain's chair and tried to control his breathing, but open space loomed in front of him through the wide front window and it make him remember.
What if they hadn't gotten to the coordinates in time? What if he hadn't pulled her back into the ship fast enough? What if he hadn't caught her, not just in space, but back in that cavern? Or what if he hadn't been able to hold on, had to watch her fall to her death and the last time she'd see him he'd been acting like as idiot, blown his last chance to hold her and tell her what she meant to—
He dug his fingers into the metal of the pilot's chair.
No. No more thinking. He needed to stay busy. They had the hardest mission of their lives tomorrow. He double checked their heading, but it seemed like Entrapta had already programed in the coordinates for Prime's mothership.
The Velvet Glove. What a stupid name for a spaceship. He had seen the might of the Galactic Horde back home and had a healthy fear of Prime's forces, but the guy himself seemed ridiculous.
Where they really going to do this? Risk everything for Catra, of all people? He had a lot of feelings about Catra and none of them particularly warm... but there was no doubt she meant a lot to Adora.
Plus, she had saved Glimmer.
He sighed and tapped the confirmation button.
Bow was in space again, sailing forward through the darkness. Except this time there was no rope, no space suit, nothing but stars all around. He gasped, panicking, but there was no air either, the vacuum of space crushing down on his chest with painful pressure.
Then he saw her, a shining outline.
Glimmer.
She called out for him and they reached for each other, colliding together, clinging with everything they had. Her fingers dug into his arm painfully, and he only held on tighter. They were still adrift but he could breathe again, like that crushing weight on his lungs hadn't been space at all but being apart.
Then somehow they were back in the airlock and for one second the world felt perfectly right again. He reached for Glimmer, but she started laughing, dancing away from him. Giggling and twinkling at him like it was all some big joke when he'd been so scared he'd lost her.
"Glimmer, stop!" he called, but she ignored him, marching purposefully towards the edge of the open airlock like she knew better, like she couldn't just trust him! But it wasn't space on the other side of the doorway but the chasm, rocks and crystals tumbling down into darkness. Darla pitched, and she slipped, screaming his name, and he only barely caught her before she fell down into the nothing.
"Bow!" She clung to him, looking so beautiful it hurt.
"You're never careful!" He was so angry he couldn't think straight. He pressed her up against the wall of the airlock, pinning her with his body, just to keep her still for a minute, and stop her from doing anything else stupid. "Stop making me worry about you!"
Then something shifted between them and Glimmer reached up, tracing her fingers along the side of his face, leaving warmth in their wake. Something else, something BIG, struggled to free itself from the mass of emotions in his middle, pulling him towards her. He pressed his body closer and leaning forward—
"Bow?"
"Wha—" Bow startled, yanking his arm away from the unexpected touch. The dream was still clinging to him, leaving him feeling flushed and disoriented. Where—
Oh. Right. The captain's chair. He must have dozed off. The diagnostic he'd been running hummed on the screen, still only halfway done.
"Sorry! So sorry!" Glimmer. It was so good to see her face that he almost smiled at her before he remembered he wasn't supposed to be doing that for some reason that had made sense earlier. "I didn't realize you were asleep. Adora sent me up here to let you know that Entrapta's been resting and Adora herself is down in the cargo hold exercising, but she'll take over if you need to sleep. Which I guess you do!"
She smiled at him then, her genuine smile, but he couldn't look at that one either. It made the twisting thing in his gut hurt too much. Looking at her at all right now felt like playing with fire, that weird dream still hovering at the edge of his consciousness.
"No, I'm... I'm fine. I was just resting my eyes." He stifled a yawn. She gave him a look. That she knew he was full of it better than anyone was just another thing annoying him. "Someone has to stay on the bridge, just in case. But you should go get some rest. We don't have that many hours before we'll be at Prime's ship and we don't know what we'll be facing there."
"Oh, I don't know if I could sleep." She did that thing again, rubbing her hands against her arms. Was it his imagination or was she shivering? He pulled up the environmental controls and upped the temperature a few degrees. When he looked back at her, she was staring at the floor. "I could stay here and keep you company."
Did he want that? He might. But then that was all the more reason to refuse.
"No. Go to bed." It was sharper than he intended, but she was being ridiculous! She needed to sleep after everything she'd been through. Why was she still up?
He pretended to check the screen, watching her through the transparent readout. She raised her eyes to his, and he felt the knot in his stomach clench again and looked away. "OK. I guess I'll try to go sleep."
"Did Adora show you where everything is?"
"Yeah." She turned and then hesitated. "I really missed you."
He didn't dare look at her. "I missed you too."
"Goodnight."
"'Night."
When she was gone, Bow slumped back in the chair, feeling like he'd lifted a thousand pounds. It was so much easier to be mad at the idea of Glimmer than when she was standing right there in front of him, looking like the most important person in his life. He flexed his fingers, still sore from holding onto the edge of that cliff. The muscles in his arm ached from that desperate hand hold. When they'd made it to the other side and she'd looked up at him... It kept replaying in his mind no matter how many times he pushed it away.
How can someone you'd die for in a heartbeat make you so angry you couldn't stand to be in the same room as them?
He wasn't sure how long he sat there staring out into the stars, trying not to think about anything, when Entrapta burst into the room shouting about using voice recognition to override the collision avoidance for retrieval emergencies. She was already grabbing tools and yanking panels open and he should probably try to stop her, but he just didn't have the energy.
"Glimmer is sleeping."
Bow startled. Somehow, Entrapta was right next to him. Moving around on her hair like she did, sometimes it was like working with a ghost. "I know."
"Soooo, why are you here?" She furrowed her brow at him like he was a column of figures she'd checked three times and still didn't add up. "Shouldn't you be sleeping with her?"
"I—" His face heat up immediately and couldn't do more than sputter. "W-what?"
"You're a set, aren't you? Except for Princess Prom— which my data indicates was an outlier— the two of you are always together. Or at least you were until—"
"We're not a..." Bow rubbed his face. He didn't want to be rude, especially because he knew Entrapta was still probably upset about Hordak, but he could not deal with this today. "It's complicated."
She blinked at him for a moment. "So you and Glimmer aren't friends anymore?"
"We're friends!" Best friends, he almost added automatically, until he realized with a horrible pang that he wasn't even sure if that was still true anymore. "I just don't want to be around her right now."
"But isn't that why we went all the way out here to get her? So you could be together again?" Entrapta put her hands on her hips and pointed a wrench at him with her hair. "You've been in a tizzy about it since she left! Not sleeping, working too much, being a real Mr. Cranky Pants. Even Emily noticed!"
"I'm mad!" Wow, that sounded ridiculous to say out loud. Like he was a five-year-old or something. But the way Entrapta didn't seem to get this was making him exasperated. He slowed his breathing, trying to keep control. "Obviously, I wouldn't leave Glimmer with Prime. I still care about her. But I'm also angry at her."
"Oh." For a second, he thought she might drop it, but she took a step closer. "About what?"
Bow snapped. "Because she activated the Heart of Etheria? Because she's the reason Prime found us at all? Because literally all of this is her fault and I warned her and told her not to do it but, no, she had to be stubborn and go off and do whatever she wanted? Remember all that?"
"Hmm." Entrapta considered this. "But Hordak and I built the portal. And wasn't Catra the one that activated it? That's what sent the message to Horde Prime. Once he got it, he would have found us eventually, no matter what she did. His technology is vastly superior to anything we have. It was only a matter of time before—"
"You are missing the point." He could hardly think the way his head was buzzing with fury. "Glimmer almost blew up the planet!"
Entrapta waved it off with a pigtail. "That was an unintended consequence."
"We told her that would happen! We warned her that Light Hope couldn't be trusted and she went and did it anyway!"
"You didn't have any data that would happen. You just expected her to believe what some old hologram told you." Entrapta actually shrugged. "The way the others tell it, the Horde was already winning. If they hadn't done something, the Horde would have occupied all of Etheria within days, no matter what you did. That's why the other princesses ultimately agreed with her plan. With the information available, trying to access the power of The Heart was a logical decision."
"Glimmer was NOT thinking logically! She was grieving her mom, freaking out about all her new responsibilities, scared that she was losing everything, being manipulated by Shadow Weaver, angry at us for leaving her behind and..." A terrible feeling settled in his chest. "...and she was all alone. Because we left."
Suddenly, Bow couldn't stop thinking about that night by the fireplace. How he'd been so sure they had to leave to go get Entrapta right that minute, but now that he thought of it... hadn't Glimmer been a little right? He and Adora hadn't really had a plan and would have died right away if they hadn't chanced into King Micah. And Entrapta hadn't been in any immediate danger. If anything, they'd brought the danger to her. Which, of course, they couldn't possibly have known, but it wasn't like Glimmer didn't want to rescue Entrapta. She was just asking them to delay the mission until they'd dealt with the Horde and had an actual plan.
And as for the heart… had they explained it well? Glimmer hadn't been there. She hadn't seen Mara or the way Razz described it. If he'd showed her the hologram, talked it out with her reasonably, just the two of them instead of letting her and Adora go at each other like always, maybe he could have made her see. But there hadn't been time, not with Hordak on their doorstep and Adora in a frenzy about not repeating the past.
The knot in his stomach twisted again. "She was still wrong."
"It was just a mistake." Entrapta was across the room, rummaging for tools. "Mistakes are how you learn!"
Bow was ready to object to her implication that almost ending all life on Etheria and starting an intergalactic war was some kind of valuable learning experience oopsie, but he heard the unmistakable sound of someone screaming.
No. Not someone. Glimmer.
He froze, the sound ripping through him like an arrowhead. But it wasn't real. Just a hallucination of his overtired brain. Probably the port thrusters again. Except Entrapta twisted in the direction of the sound like she'd heard it too.
Bow was on his feet in a second, tearing down the corridor to the bunk room. He heard Glimmer before he spotted her, his eyes still adjusting to the darkness. She was gasping, ragged and panicked, as she sat up on her bunk. She'd wrapped her arms around her middle, her whole body shivering.
What happened? What was wrong? Her eyes were wide, frantic flecks of pink in the dim light. Finally, she yanked the blanket up over her and lay down on her side, making her body as small as possible.
Bow took a few steps closer.
"Glimmer?" Nothing. He knew she'd heard him. Everything stilled when he spoke, even her frantic panting. "Are you OK?"
"Bad dream." She barely sounded like herself. Her voice was rough and breathless. "I'm fine."
It was his own angry tone thrown back at him and it hurt double to know that's what he'd been doing to her every moment since she'd been back. He stood there helplessly and thought about how she'd told them so little about Prime's ship. He didn't even know what might be haunting her.
From under the blanket, Glimmer let out a single sob that went right through him. All he wanted was to go over there, wrap his arms around her and promise her it would all be alright. But he was rooted to the spot, barred by the ugly lump of anger that said it was too soon to forgive her and he should just go, let her live with what she'd done, because nothing was going to be alright ever again and it was all her fault.
Finally he left, swift footsteps back to the bridge before he could change his mind. Entrapta was still there, humming to herself while she banged around in Darla's innards. He squatted down next to her, peering into the compartment she'd wedged herself into.
"Hey, Entrapta? Do you mind taking over here?"
"Not a problem! Darla and I were planning on spending a little quality time together anyhow!" She was wearing her mask, so it was impossible to tell if she was looking at him or not, but he smiled in case she was.
"I appreciate it." He was about to stand when he hesitated. "And… thank you."
"For what?"
"For…" He shook his head. He wasn't sure he was ever going to understand Entrapta, but he liked her all the same. "For being my friend. And, later, if you want someone to talk to about Hordak…"
"Oh, I…" Her hands stilled for a minute, her voice barely audible. "Thank you."
As he rose, he heard Entrapta talking to her recorder, sounding very pleased about something. Probably grateful she'd gotten rid of him so she could tamper in peace. But he couldn't bring himself to care what she did to the ship, not when there was something much more important to fix.
In the middle of the corridor, he stopped and took off his armor, leaving it all in a pile with his boots. There was really no way to do it quietly, and he didn't want to wake her if she'd fallen back asleep. He wasn't exactly sure what he planned to do if she had another nightmare, just that he didn't want her to have to be alone and scared like that ever again.
Though… was she even going to want to see him? Maybe he should go get Adora. Adora hadn't been a jerk to her all day like he had, had forgiven her right away.
No. Not Adora. The thought was sudden, fierce. It had to be him. He was her best friend!
Though, after everything that had happened, was he— No. He was her best friend, dammit. It didn't matter what had happened, nothing would ever change that.
The door slid open, and he moved as quietly as he could to her bunk. Was she sleeping? He watched for a long moment, her hair a vivid magenta against the pillow in the faint blue night lights. If she really was awake, she'd yell at him for watching her. She always knew when he was, even with her eyes closed.
But one minute, two minutes. Nothing. Maybe she really was asleep.
He should go to his bunk. He could lie down, listen for her and... what? It's not like he'd been a comforting presence since she'd been back.
Finally, he made a decision. Probably a bad idea, but he couldn't stand this distance between them anymore. He lifted her blanket as softly as he could and lay down next to her.
Was he too close? He'd meant to lie down just close enough to be there if she woke, but the bunk was only meant for one person and he was right up against her. They'd slept in the same bed together lots of time, even cuddled, but never like this.
It was too intimate, especially because she was so vulnerable. He should get up, go to his own bunk. He'd nearly convinced himself to do it when she took a single sharp breath and he knew instantly that she wasn't asleep.
He put a hand on her shoulder, not knowing what else to do.
She'd probably shake him off, tell him to go away. He'd absolutely deserve that, and he steeled himself for the rejection. But she didn't.
Glimmer, I'm so sorry. They were so close that he felt the sob shudder through her body and he tightened his grip on her shoulder. For being stupid and oblivious and selfish and not seeing how much you were hurting. Not now or before I left.
But he couldn't say it out loud, not when everything felt cracked and half a second from shattering entirely.
She was attacking her face with her fists, trying to push away tears that wouldn't stop. Did she really think she need to hide this from him? Guilt wedged between his lungs and he reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers and bringing her hand down to her middle. He pulled her closer, curling his body around hers like a missing puzzle piece clicking into place.
He'd been a bad friend. An absolutely terrible friend. For not thinking about what it must have been like for her. Not only in space or with Prime, but before that, when the portal took everything from her. Glimmer's body shook with another sob. Grief wrenched out between shuddering breaths, a sound so horrible he'd do anything to stop it.
Bow shifted himself closer, nuzzling his face down into her back. The soft skin on her neck brushed against his nose, and it still didn't feel close enough. She smelled so familiar, like home and a million happy memories. And he'd almost lost her.
Now he was crying too, hot tears sliding down his face. There were no coherent thoughts, only regret for what had happened and what might have happened spilling over. A sob escaped his throat, and she clutched his hand tighter in hers. The both of them clinging to each other like they were still out in space and survival depended on staying together.
And, in that moment, it felt like maybe it did.
They lay like that for a long while, saying nothing, only holding each other in the dark. Finally, her breathing evened out, and he knew she was asleep. The idea of letting go of her hand or going back to his own bunk didn't even occur to him. Instead, he squeezed her tighter, keeping her clutched to him as if he could block out the nightmares with his body.
"Glimmer?"
"Wh—" Glimmer woke, blinking into the sudden bright light.
Prime! Fear was like a shot directly to her chest and she was upright in a flash, ready to fight.
"Hey. Sorry to wake you, but we're almost there." Adora. Slowly the world resolved into a room filled with bunks and her friend's familiar face. Right. Mara's ship. Safe. She smiled at Adora, but her friend looked grim. "Go grab something to eat and then meet the others in the loading dock to suit up. We'll be at Prime's ship within the hour."
"OK." She tried to sound cheerful, like her whole body wasn't shaking, her heart trying to beating out of her chest. So, not safe. She was going back. Going back to Prime on purpose. For Catra. "Be right there."
Adora nodded, a short military acknowledgment, and then she was gone. Glimmer flumped backward onto the pillow, trying to get herself back under control. If they wanted any hope of getting through today alive, the last thing she could afford to do was freak out.
They'd be there within the hour? How long had she been asleep? She remembered nightmares, the sharp chill of fear, but then warm, strong arms holding her, shushing her gently whenever she woke, making her feel safe. She gasped, the memory returning in full. Had he really—
But, no. She'd woken alone in the small bed. The brief flash of elation turned to ash. A wonderful dream then, the real Bow still farther away than ever, too angry to even look at her. It was too much to face at once, her best friend's hatred and going back to Prime, and she wished she could crawl under the blanket and cry.
But she did not deserve to wallow. Not after everything she'd done. And she owed it to Catra to come back for her.
It felt like only moments later that she was pulling on her space suit, tightening straps with shaking hands. The idea of going back out in open space was almost as terrifying as facing Prime again, but she was trying not to think about it, trying not to think about anything, or she'd fall apart.
Darla droned a countdown over the speakers, and she fumbled with the keypad until it finally let her into the airlock. Entrapta was already there, making notations on some kind of list, but Glimmer's eyes went immediately to Bow. He was sitting on a crate, pulling on his boots, and the moment their eyes met, she knew it hadn't been a dream, not at all.
"Hello, Glimmer!" Entrapta had appeared next to her, her face looking warped through her space helmet. The other princess gave her a pat on the arm. "Good work! Almost seven hours! He hasn't gotten that much sleep in one go since the invasion."
"Uh… thanks?" Glimmer replied, but Entrapta was already gone, slipping some kind of cover over Bow's gear, probably to protect it while they were hanging from the bottom of the ship.
"Hey." Bow gave her a small smile. There was still tension behind it, but in that moment, it felt like everything. "You ready for this?"
"Not really." She grabbed her helmet off the rack. Above them Darla droned another warning. They didn't have much time.
Bow had finished with his boots and was watching her, chewing at the inside of his lip, the silence between them heavy. There was so much to say. About everything. But there was no time. Darla had begun the final countdown and there were mere minutes before they began what might be the last mission of their lives.
Before she could think too much about it, Glimmer leaned over and kissed Bow on the forehead. "Please don't die."
"You either." He looked like he wanted to say something else, but Darla had turned on the warning lights. They only had moments before the doors would open. She turned away, planning to pull on her helmet and get this damn thing over with, but there was a touch on her arm.
"Wait."
Before she knew what was happening, Bow had pulled her into a tight hug, the first proper one she'd gotten from him since he'd left for Beast Island. She relaxed into his arms, squeezing him back, trying not to cry with relief.
It was over too soon, but it was time. They pulled on their helmets in silence, checking each other's gear, while Entrapta called out last-minute instructions about how to attach themselves to the bottom of Darla without floating off. Glimmer helped Bow strap his quiver across his chest and when she'd finished and glanced up at his face through their helmets, he was watching her, his expression unreadable.
He took her hand in his, his touch barely registering through the two layers of thick gloves, and gave her a squeeze. His voice was tinny through the speaker in her helmet. "We'll talk later, OK?"
She laughed. Only Bow would have so much optimism in the face of a suicide mission, like saving Catra from Prime was a quick errand they had to run before they could chat properly. But she nodded, pretending it really was that easy.
Then Entrapta wrapped her hair around the both of them and the doors of the airlock opened. Glimmer allowed herself one moment of abject terror at the sight of space, the star-dotted maw that had already nearly killed her once, and then pushed it back down. They had work to do. They'd save Catra, they'd kill Prime and then she and Bow would talk and fix everything between them and be best friends again.
That alone was enough to make her determined to make this mission a success.