Marjan didn't mean to startle Carlos and Cap when she pulled into the parking garage, but in hindsight, the lower levels were super creepy. With it being after midnight, the adjacent mall was now closed, and only a handful of vehicles remained. As the light above them flickered, she ignored the frown on Cap's face and focused in on Carlos, needing an update. Carlos caught on and quickly filled her in, that the van looked like the one that was involved in the recent bombings and bank robberies and that he had found T.K.'s 1-year sobriety chip laying on the ground.
"That wasn't by accident," Marjan said confidently, proud of T.K.'s actions. "He was telling you that he was here," she added, reaching out to grip Carlos's arm reassuringly, glad to see Carlos's nod in response. "So you two think they needed medical assistance? I didn't see the ambulance on the way in at all - do you think they took them somewhere?" Her hand started to tremble as the ramifications of the situation that Nancy was now in started to come into focus. This wasn't a break down, a car accident, or a drug robbery. This was much, much worse. Pulling her hand back so she could wrap her arms around herself, she waited for a response, needing to know what steps they were going to take next.
"Yeah, we are going to go check out Charles' restaurant," Owen replied, motioning for everyone to climb in his car. At this point, he figured that he wouldn't be able to talk Marjan out of coming either. Letting Carlos take the wheel again, he turned to look at Marjan, who was sitting in the back seat. "It's nearby and I'm hoping that Tommy might have suggested it as a good place to hole up at."
Marjan nodded, crossing her fingers physically and mentally. T.K. had already shown that he was thinking on his feet by leaving his chip, so it stood to reason that Tommy was thinking clearly too. Hopefully that also meant that none of them were badly injured. She tilted her head down as Carlos raced through the city, and prayed.
XXXXX
Marjan felt her heart drop at the loud bang that filled the restaurant, knowing instinctively that it was the sound of a gun being fired. But then the pieces started to come together as the man by Tommy dropped to the floor, and she turned to see the gun in Cap's hands. Her gaze had narrowed in on Nancy as soon as they entered the building and she couldn't take her eyes off of her. Nancy had had her knee dug into the back of one of the kidnappers, who finally succumbed to her injuries, and lost consciousness on the floor.
Realizing that it was safe, Marjan flew past T.K., knowing that Carlos would be able to help him. Marjan threw herself down on the floor next to Nancy, her hands ghosting down Nancy's body, frantically checking for injuries. But then Marjan could hear the hitch in Nancy's breathing, and she immediately refocused on her soulmate, gently cupping her face in her two hands, and leaning her forehead in to touch Nancy's. She didn't care who saw them, she was sure that Nancy needed the contact as much as she did.
As a few tears trickled down Nancy's cheeks, Marjan carefully wiped them off, not breaking her gaze. Then, leaning in closer and trying to communicate her intentions clearly, she gently pressed her lips against Nancy's. It was like time stood still. The walls got closer, the world warmed up, and she was losing her breath while drowning in the presence of her love. Marjan's only focus was Nancy in her arms, their mouths on each others'. She could feel Nancy's hands on her back of her hijab, pulling her closer, and deepening the kiss that she never wanted to end.
Finally feeling the need to breathe, Marjan pulled back out of the kiss, smiling brilliantly at Nancy. "Hey, my love," Marjan said quietly, placing her hands on Nancy's knees. "I have something to show you," she added, pushing her sleeve up to her elbow, revealing her mark to Nancy. The crescent moon was completely full now, with a beautiful set of rainbow stars.
Nancy gasped out loud, startling Marjan who was still feeling self conscious about showing her mark to someone else for the first time. Nancy reached out, stopping Marjan from rolling back down her sleeve. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Nancy said, frantically pushing up her own sleeve. "I just….never really expected to find my match," she confessed, showing Marjan her mark. Just like Marjan's, it was located on her forearm but instead of being an exact match, it was a complimentary symbol. Nancy's mark was a five-pointed star that was completely full of small crescent moons, which glowed when it was exposed next to Marjan's.
"I'm not really sure where we go from here -" Nancy said, as she gently traced Marjan's mark with her fingers, the two of them still sitting on the floor next to each other while the police led out the now arrested criminals, both still oblivious to the events taking place around them.
"-But we'll figure it out together." Marjan interrupted, finishing what Nancy started to say, tangling her fingers in Nancy's, bringing her hand up to place a kiss on the back of her hand.
Together.