Another short-ish chapter.
They finally "save" Alicia. Honestly, does Alicia really even need saving in this scene? (I personally don't think so.)
This time Elyza is on the bridge with Madison and Daniel as they discuss how to rescue Travis and Alicia. Strand sleeps off to the side on a bench. Elyza once admired him as a smart man, but perhaps his cowardice dwarved his smarts.
As they head North Luis comes storming up the stairs. "What are you doing? Why are we heading North? Turn it back!" he demands.
Madison barely spares him a glance. "I'm sorry I can't do that."
"I wouldn't let her even if she tried", Elyza adds, tapping the handle of the shotgun strapped to her back, just to make sure the man understands. There is no way any of them are leaving Alicia nor Travis with Connor's group just to get to safety.
"Senora, I made arrangements, do you understand? We're going to miss our window to cross-"
"We're not crossing anywhere without my family!" Madison yells back with finality. Elyza never thought of Madison Clark as a strong person before this, but at this moment, she finally sees that she has a type of inner strength. Not one that makes her go charging into battles like Clarke would, but one that is unrelenting. The strength of a Mother. It is a strength that Elyza understands well, a strength that she respects.
In the end, Madison negotiates half a day from Strand. Elyza stands up to look out the front windshield. Her jaw clenches at the thought of what they could possibly do to Alicia, and in that moment she realizes she could never leave Alicia. Elyza had thought she would just make sure Alicia got to safety and then leave, but she can't, no matter if it's the rational decision or not.
They will save Alicia, and if they cannot, Elyza will give her all to save her.
-0-
Elyza and Madison fly over the water in their speedboat, Reed the newly turned zombie struggling against his restraints and groaning under the sack they had thrown over his head. When they arrive at the port, Madison looks at Elyza and an understanding passes through them silently. An understanding that no matter what it takes, they're going to get Travis and Alicia back.
Elyza is the one who holds Reed and Madison negotiates. "Where's my daughter?" Seriously, Elyza wants to know too. Alicia is nowhere in sight.
"You'll get her when I see my brother's alright", Connor answers gruffly. These assholes are playing with them and Elyza knows it, but Madison still walks over and releases Reed the zombie, shoving him at the opposing party as they release Travis. The screams are almost immediate from Connor as Reed devours him alive. One of Connor's goons realize what is happening and runs forward toward Travis, but Elyza is already there, swinging the butt of her shotgun to knock him down.
Madison cuts Travis' restraints as Elyza finally socks him in the jaw and knocks him out. Elyza turns from the goon's collapsed body and looks around, finally spotting Alicia atop the boat on one of the highest decks.
She hurries after Madison into the speed boat as Madison calls, "ALICIA!"
Elyza isn't sure what is happening as Alicia faces Jack. He talks to her, and she hesitates as Madison starts the boat. There's no way he's actually swaying her into staying right? She's not restrained so she's talking of her own free will. Heck he's not even holding a weapon. Elyza's self confidence dips. She's going to lose Alicia. First she thought Alicia might die today, and now Alicia might walk away like Lexa did at Mount Weather.
Elyza watches breathlessly as Alicia takes one step, two steps backward and then slides down the roof into a water with a magnificent splash. Elyza rushes forward over to the edge of the boat and pulls Alicia up into a hug. She can't help herself. Alicia's arms come up to wrap around Elyza as well, and for once Elyza doesn't care that her leather jacket is getting all wet.
Alicia rests her head on Elyza's shoulder the entire way and although Madison gives them a look, she doesn't say a word. Elyza finally lets go when they arrive back at the boat. Nick walks forward with a smirk and hands Alicia a towel to dry off before winking discreetly to Elyza and mouthing, "You got this."
Well, at least Nick doesn't hate her. Madison is too busy fussing over Travis to make much of a fuss as Alicia drags Elyza off to their room. "Sugar, where are you taking me?", Elyza asks, furrowing her brow.
Alicia doesn't answer and just forges onward until they are in the cabin and slams the door behind them, locking it. Elyza feels Alicia's hands on her chest and flushes red at how close they are, taking a step back. Then Alicia takes another step forward, and Elyza steps backward two steps and trips over the bed, landing with a small bounce on the mattress. Curse the tiny boat sized rooms.
Elyza looks up into Alicia's chiseled face to see her biting her lip as if trying to gain the courage. Apparently, Alicia has told herself "fuck it", because she is leaning in and Elyza doesn't know how to breathe because she knows Alicia is about to kiss her. A thousand thoughts go through her head. Is Alicia in the right head-space? Are these feelings she feels for Alicia actually for Alicia, or are they leftover from her deep grief for Lexa?
Lexa was so different from Alicia. It wasn't that either of them were stronger, but their personalities were fundamentally different. They were completely different people, and even if they looked the same, Elyza realized her heart actually felt lighter when Alicia flirted back or flipped her hair in the sassy way that a teenager would.
She still loves Lexa and always will, but Elyza's heart is finally beating for somebody else again. So as Alicia's lips approach, she lets them and feels life bloom in her heart anew. Alicia's lips are sweet like honey and extremely soft. Elyza kisses back slowly, scared that Alicia will decide otherwise and pull away. To the contrary, Alicia only steps forward until she is straddling Elyza.
It is a sweet, slow and cliche kiss that really only lasts a few moments, but those few moments Elyza knew nothing else. Elyza felt like she was looking into emerald orbs that contained the world when Alicia finally pulled away.
Alicia's eyes flit back and forth between Elyza's eyes and lips. "You just gonna keep staring?"Elyza asks with a small smirk. "I didn't know you liked me that much."
Alicia's face goes red and her eyes drop down to the floor. Or the mattress in this case. "I like you." In this moment Alicia has the aura of a bashed school girl being courted.
Elyza pauses. There's no way right? But she needs to know what it truly means. "Like me?" she queries.
Alicia nods, "I want to be with you. Romantically. I just realized as I was there with Jack that I-" Elyza really doesn't want to hear about Jack, who obviously fancied Alicia when she had just been kissing her.
Elyza watches as Alicia rambles and spirals in her own head and silences her with a peck to the lips. "Me too."
-0-
Elyza knows something is off the moment they step into the Mexican town. It is too silent, there's no human sounds, not even natural sounds for that matter. Animals are always more aware of dangers than humans and run away first. She glanced around warily, looking for any evidence that they should run.
Of course, their luck didn't hold out and Elyza was correct. The herd shuffled around the corner of the church. Elyza immediately pulls the dagger from her boot and starts stabbing them in the skull, one after another. She looks around to try to make sure Alicia is okay when she notices Madison being overwhelmed. She surveys the brawl and realizes with a chill to her blood that Chris (that damned bastard) was just looking on, letting her struggle. Elyza redoubles her effort, trying to kill her way to Madison, but Alicia beats her to it.
Elyza is relieved and the fact that the emotion exists within her shocks her because she isn't supposed to care about these people. She finds that she can't help but get attached because Alicia cares about them and she doesn't want Alicia getting hurt.
Alicia, bless her soul, doesn't say a thing about Chris' actions. If it were Elyza, she would've beat the punk up herself. Elyza would have to keep an eye on the boy and make sure he stayed away from her…girlfriend? Was Alicia her girlfriend? They hadn't really discussed that yesterday.