Dinah's POV :
Laurel's declaration has been playing in my mind since I left the apartment. I suddenly feel hesitant to go through with this dinner. There's so much I want to say to him, but so much I don't know how explain. Like how I'm in love with the woman who'd killed him in a previous life. A life that I thought I'd left in the past with a man who I'd lost.
He's waiting at the table when I walk in and rises to his feet when he sees me. Even with the added grey in his hair and a few wrinkles, he's still as handsome as the day we met. He hugs me briefly before pulling out my chair. "You look beautiful," he says, as he returns to his seat. The waiter approaches and places a bottle of wine on the table before moving on to the next.
"Vinny, you look good," I say. I stare at him until it gets awkward.
"Yeah well, I did leave the force. I probably added a few years to my life span," he says.
"You left?" I ask. I'm truly shocked by the news because the force always meant so much to him.
He reaches across the table and takes my hand. "When I couldn't find you. It became too much for me to be there. I had to leave...for my sanity," he says.
I hold tight to his hand, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know. If I had known I wou-" In all honesty, I can't finish the sentence. Having him back then would mean not having her now, and as messed up a situation as it is, I can't see my life without her.
"It's okay Dinah. I know whatever reason you had was a good one," he says, "I'm just happy to finally know that you're alright."
"Vinny-" I sigh, "I want to explain it all, but it's just so much and I don't know where to start."
"Dinah...it's been twenty years," he says, "I don't expect you to have a story that can be told in the span of one dinner."
"I just don't want you to hate me," I say, "I feel like I abandoned you."
"I could never hate you," he replies, "and as for abandon... let me show you something." He pulls his phone out his pocket and scrolls through before presenting it to me. "This is my wife Jodi, and our three kids," he says.
Tears begin to swell in my eyes. "They are beautiful," I say. "So, you're happy then?"
"Well I wasn't for a very long time," he answers, "but then I met Jodi. She's the one who helped me get from under the bottle, then supported me when I needed to leave the force."
"I couldn't be more happy for you Vinny."
He waves the waiter away, then says, "Time is a great healer if you let it be."
"Ah, your words of wisdom are what I missed most," I say with a smile. He wipes the tear from my eye, then reviews the menu. "Are you still eating crap, or did your wife fix that too?" I ask.
"My wife is pretty close to a saint but she's not a miracle worker," he jokes.
We get half way through dinner and I've explained as much as I could without causing his brain to collapse. The look of disbelief doesn't leave his face as he tries to process and retain new information. It takes him a moment, but eventually acceptance comes through in his expression. He goes back to eating his pasta as though I hadn't said anything at all.
"That's it?" I ask.
"I died, you time traveled, but only after your life of being a vigilante. What's not to get?" he asks.
"You don't have any questions?" I ask.
He leans back into his chair and ponders for a moment, "I can think of one," he says, "Laurel, the one I met today...she's the one who-" He gestures his throat being cut, "how you handling being in love with her?" he asks. The blunt manner in his tone takes me out of my comfort zone.
"I'm not -" I can't finish my response while he gazes at me, "I told you that you'd hate me," I say.
"Dinah, I said it before, I could never hate you," he repeats, "but I definitely don't like your choice of girlfriend -" I throw an expressive glare his way. "- I don't like your choice, but I respect it because I know you. If you love her, it's probably because she's worthy of your love."
A disturbance erupts at the entrance of the restaurant that grabs our attention. Nina stumbles through the doorway and pushes the concierge onto the ground. She locks eyes with me and darts straight to our table. The staff tries to stop her but she clumsily barges through them to get to me.
They heavy smell of alcohol permeates off her small frame when she falls into my arms. "You..." she stutters. Laurel rushes into the restaurant and sprints over to our table. She takes Nina by the arm and tries to drag her out. "It's not right!" Nina shouts, pointing directly at me, "you don't treat people like this."
"I'm sorry, she bolted out the apartment when I was in the bathroom," Laurel says.
"You let her get this drunk?" I ask. I can smell the same alcohol on her.
"I didn't let her do anything," Laurel replies, "she's an adult, most of the time. I can't tell her what to do."
"Well you didn't have to participate in it!" I shout.
"I didn't-" She notices Vinny looking at her. "I'm sorry we interrupted your date," she continues.
"No Laurel, it's not right," Nina says, "you love her and she's here with this guy."
The manager shuffles over to the table, "If you could please take this young lady and leave?" he suggests, "she's drunk."
"She's not drunk... she's upset," Laurel barks at him.
"Laurel, she is clearly drunk. Get her out of here!" I demand. Nina suddenly stands at attention.
"You!" she shouts. Riley has just entered the restaurant and running in behind her is Perrie. Nina leaps at Riley and they fall onto a table occupied by other customers. A slew of profane words fly recklessly from Nina's mouth as Perrie tries to pull her from atop of Riley. Laurel rushes to help Riley to her feet while I help Perrie get a hold of her girlfriend.
"Uh, guys!" I hear Vinny shout. I look over at him and he's pointing toward the window. Amidst the chaos, it appears that the girls have knocked over a flamed candle. There's a large flame climbing up the curtain of the front window. It's moving like it's been lit with an accelerant.
Chaos breaks out as customers scramble to flee the restaurant. The manager runs to the back of the restaurant then quickly returns with a fire extinguisher. He tries to put out the wild flames but they rise up the wall at a rapid pace. A member of the staff swiftly pulls the alarm before running out the door and the manager follows.
I see Perrie grab hold of the two fire starters and head outside. Suddenly, two hands grab me on either arm. Laurel and Vinny have hold of me and are glaring at one another. I loosen myself from their grip then lead them out of the building. We catch up with the girls who are waiting in the middle of the street with the other patrons.
The ladies are too busy arguing to notice the angry spectators glaring in their direction. Perrie uses herself as a human shield to keep her volatile teammates apart. A car drives up next to them, interrupting their arguing. "Is someone gonna pay me for dropping her off?" the driver asks, while pointing at Nina. Perrie reaches into her pocket then hands the lady money and she quickly takes off down the road.
"I don't need you to pay for me," Nina says, "because we are no longer together. You're a liar and a cheat." Perrie and Riley respond by rolling their eyes at her. "Forget you both!" Nina shouts.
Laurel intervenes in the ongoing argument and takes the duo aside. Riley takes the opportunity to bow out of the conflict. Her tan face turns red as she walks by the scrutinizing eyes of bystanders. She lowers her head as she strolls over to me and Vinny.
She looks up at me. "I'm sorry boss," she says.
"What the hell is going on?" I ask, sternly. I'm still flustered by all the action.
"Perrie got an angry text from Nina accusing us of cheating-" she explains, "next thing I know, I'm being dragged here to stop Nina from ruining your date," - she playfully waves at Vinny- "Perrie has been trying to talk to her...but clearly she's too drunk to listen!" Riley shouts.
"Okay, I got it," I say, "I'm so sorry about this," I tell Vinny.
"Are you kidding me?" he says, with a smile, "this is the most action I've seen since I left the force."
"So, you two getting back together or what?" Riley interrupts.
I'm taken aback by the lack of tact on display. "He is married," I say.
"Since when has that stopped anyone?" Riley asks.
I toss my hands up and sigh. Vinny interrupts, "Let's put it like this... I'm in love with someone and she's in love with someone, but that someone is not each other," he says.
Riley glances back toward her friends and it causes her face to twist in disgust. The young couple are engaged in an overt expression of love, and are oblivious to all the people staring at them. The fire department arrives on scene and starts to disperse the customers that remain gathered in the street. The two lovers come up for air, and I realize Laurel is gone.
"Where is Laurel?" I ask.
"She was just here," Perrie says. Nina doesn't respond as all her attention is focused on the blonde wrapped in her arms.
"Nina!" I exclaim, "where's Laurel?"
"She said she was going back to the motel," she answers.
"Thank you...you can go back to staring now," I say, "So happy you two made up."
"Me too, maybe now I can get an apology," Riley says.
"Please take them home," I plead.
"Yes, boss," Riley says. She hails the nearest taxi.
"And Riley... lock them in their rooms."
She shuffles the girls into the car and I watch as they are driven away. I recall that Laurel has gone back to the hotel and begin to feel anxious about it. It's not that she left, but the fact that she didn't say anything to me again. A flashback of her leaving the apartment with packed bags causes me to reach for my phone.
"Damn it Laurel, pick up," I mumble. I shuffle side to side and get no answer.
Vinny takes pity on my apparent anguish, "Go," he demands, "I'll be around whenever you need me."
"Thank you, I'll call you," I promise him.
It doesn't take me long to get to her motel. The first thing I notice is that her door is open, and it sends my stomach into shock. I scan the barren room and a wave of debilitating emotions crash against my heart. All that's left is a half empty pizza box, and no trace of Laurel as I comb through the trash.
I fight back tears on the drive home, and drag my feet as I pass through the bar to get onto the elevator. It hits me all at once and I begin to sob into the palms of my hands. She's gone and I don't know where, or for how long, or if she's even in this time anymore. I'm outraged by the thought, that she could leave me so easily. If she wants to leave than it's her choice, but I won't be chasing her.
I get off the elevator and head straight to the staircase. My body feels in dire need of plush comfort. As soon as my foot touches the first step I hear a noise behind me. I peek over the railing and see Laurel sitting on the couch. She rises to her feet and stares at me as though I'd offended her.
"So are you planning on ignoring me now?" she asks.
"Laurel..." I sigh. I float toward her with my arms stretched in front of me. Tears stream down my face as I wrap my arms around her neck and embrace her tightly.
She braces her hands on my waist, "Are you okay?" she asks. I press our lips together and melt into her arms.
"I thought you left for good this time," I tell her, - I smack her on the arm- "why didn't you pick up your phone?"
"Because I lost it in the middle of all the chaos," she says.
"You can't ever leave me like that again, you have to promise," I demand.
"I didn't leave, I came home like I said I would," she says, "Dinah, I'm not going anywhere, even if you don't choose me. I still choose you. I love you." She runs her fingers through my hair and kisses me gently on the lips.
"I'm so damn in love with you," I say, as I gaze into her eyes, "It's you, it was always gonna be you." She wraps me in her arms and I stay there throughout the night. Every thing that comes after we promise to face together, no matter how difficult. Finally I'm content in the knowledge that she isn't going anywhere, not without me.