AN: That's right! A new chapter is finally here! Sara and Ava start to get closer to each other in this one and there's a lot of softness and a bit of smut on the side.
I hope you enjoy! ;)
Chapter 3 - Put A Lock On The Door, Double The Knot
As Sara goes down the stairs and reaches the entry to the kitchen, she hums after a sweet smell envelops her senses. "Is my nose deceiving me or is this your wonderful carbonara that I am smelling?"
Ava chuckles while placing two glasses of orange juice on the kitchen table. "I'm glad to know your nose is working well despite all the smoke you inhaled."
Sara claps her hands happily before sitting down, her mouth practically salivating while eyeing the food in front of her. "I can't believe I didn't notice it earlier."
Ava smiles fondly at the sight before sitting down to her right.
The small blonde looks at her with a silent question, waiting for Ava's reply. "Well, dig in Sara, what are you waiting for?"
"Thank you!" she says, quickly grabbing her fork and knife to swirl a portion of the pasta before bringing it to her mouth. She closes her eyes, letting the flavor settle inside her mouth. A moan escapes from her throat, leaving a tinge of pink on Ava's cheeks.
"My God, Aves, this is wonderful," she says before chewing. "Hm… So, so good."
Ava only notices she is sitting straight and not moving when Sara calls her attention. "Ava, you're not going to eat?"
She clears her throat, lowering her head and feeling thankful that her hair is long enough to serve as a curtain, hopefully shielding the blush on her cheeks from Sara's wondering eyes.
She busies herself with tasting her own food, a small hum of approval coming from her. "Not bad."
Sara frowns at that, reaching out to place her right hand on top of Ava's left. "Aves, the meal is amazing. Why do you always have to be so critical of yourself? I mean, I can't even make scrambled eggs, and here you are, acting like you're a useless cook."
Ava chuckles at her. "Why am I not surprised about that?"
Sara gapes at her, feigning being offended as she removes her hand from Ava's to point her index at her. "Listen, I could be an amazing cook, if I wanted. I'm just really lazy," she explains playfully, leaving them both laughing.
The taller blonde shrugs her shoulders. "Well, I can always teach you the basics, if you want me to. Especially now that we'll be spending more time together." She grabs the glass of orange juice she had prepared for both of them, seeing as Sara is forbidden from drinking alcohol until she has fully recovered.
As if on cue, the smaller blonde sighs and asks, "Why couldn't you pour us both a glass of wine? It would really help me relax."
Ava purses her lips, already expecting that kind of question from Sara. "You know you can't drink alcohol right now, Sara. You have to wait until you are fully recovered and done with your meds," Ava stresses, trying to convey how important it is but still feeling bad for her. She reaches out her left hand and cups Sara's cheek, tracing it affectionately.
Sara sighs. "I know, I know," she whispers, finding comfort in Ava's touch. She grabs the blonde's hand, turning her face to place a kiss against her palm. Their eyes meet, holding each other's gaze for a couple of minutes. Both wanting to say many things, but saying none at all, afraid of going too fast, too soon.
"Thank you, Ava. For letting me stay here and taking care of me. I really appreciate it," Sara eventually ends up saying and her heart warms at the fond smile Ava gives her.
"Of course, don't mention it," she replies, taking her hand back so she can grab her fork and knife again. "Now you better clear your plate if you want to get dessert."
Sara smiles brightly at her and salutes, "Aye aye, Captain!"
After dessert, and after Ava is done washing the dishes alone - much to Sara's protest - they both end up on the couch in the Captain's living room, watching some old reruns of C.S.I. Las Vegas.
A couple of episodes in and Sara is laying down with her head on Ava's lap, almost falling asleep. Ava can't resist looking down and admiring her peaceful semblance, smiling at the content sigh that leaves the smaller blonde's lips every time Ava gently scratches a particular spot on her scalp.
She grabs the remote, turning the TV off after deciding that it is best if they go to bed.
"Hey, Sara, wake up?" she asks in a low voice, trying not to disturb the sleeping woman on top of her. Sara stirs, but instead of opening her eyes she simply turns around, burying her face against Ava's stomach.
The taller blonde cannot help but chuckle, finding the whole ordeal too adorable. Her right hand moves some hair away from Sara's face while her other hand rests on top of her waist. "C'mon, it's getting late and we need to get you to bed."
Sara seems more awake this time, slowly shaking her head. "No… I'm comfy here," she whines, a small pout coming to her lips.
Ava snorts at that, making Sara open one eye to look up at her. "Are you making fun of me?"
The taller blonde bites back a smirk, holding her hands up in defense. "I wouldn't even dream of it."
"Hm…" Sara says, before letting out a sigh as she reluctantly moves from Ava lap to sit up, yawning as she rubs her eyes. "Okay, I'm up now, happy?"
"Yes," Ava tells her while booping her nose. "Now come on, off to bed you go," she says before getting up and helping Sara to her feet. They walk hand in hand to the guest room, and once there, Ava steps in and proceeds to move all the throw pillows to the closet so that Sara can have more space to lay down.
"So, there's a spare toothbrush in the bathroom closet if you wanna brush your teeth before going to bed," she says, standing a bit awkwardly in the middle of the room, her hands clasped in front of her, "Or not. I mean, it is up to you, really."
Sara moves from the entrance of the bedroom, walking the few steps it takes to be standing close to Ava, a smirk on her face. "Are you implying my breath smells?"
Ava rolls her eyes half-heartedly, the corners of her mouth turning up. "Yes, Sara, that's exactly what I meant."
Sara smacks her forearm. "Jerk!" she says, making the both of them laugh together. Ava grabs the hand that hit her, tracing circles on the back of it. Their laughter eventually dies, and they stand in the middle of the room, simply looking at each other.
Ava is the one to break the silence. "I should go to bed now, early morning and everything," she says, pointing at the door with her free hand.
"Fair enough," Sara replies, squeezing Ava's hand before letting go. They wish each other goodnight, and as soon as Ava closes the door behind her, they both let out a sigh.
The clock marks 3AM in bright red colors. It is the fourth time that Sara has woken up from an awful nightmare. Always surrounded by flames and thick smoke, trying to find an escape route but never being able to, until the walls in the building come crumbling down on her. Quite frankly, she has given up on trying to get some sleep. The only thing she accomplished was being covered in sweat, her burnt skin stinging. She knows applying some more ointment would help, but she is too tired and lazy to do so right now.
And it is not just that, there is a feeling of restlessness inside of her. Sara needs something, but she doesn't know exactly what it is. She decides she had enough of staring up at the blank ceiling and makes her way to the kitchen. She grabs a glass from the cupboard and helps herself to some fresh water. A sudden noise to her right makes her quickly turn around, her free hand going to her chest. She sighs of relief when she realizes it is just Ava. "Jesus, you scared me there for a second."
Ava rubs the back of her neck, an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry, didn't mean to spook you. Just heard some noises coming from here and wanted to check on you. Trouble sleeping?"
Sara nods at her before taking a gulp of her water. "What about you?" She asks, leaning back against the counter and placing the empty glass next to her.
"Same," Ava says, before her eyebrows form a deep frown as she steps closer to the smaller blonde. "Sara, what happened? You're drenched in sweat."
Sara waves her off. "Just had some nightmares, that's all."
"Mhm… Do you wanna talk about it?" Ava asks cautiously, knowing very well from personal experience that Sara is a person who cannot be pressured into talking about certain things.
Sara shrugs her shoulders, casting her gaze down to the tiled floor. "Not really."
Ava takes another step closer, her hands moving to cup the smaller blonde's cheeks, tilting her face up so she can look her in the eyes. She frowns at how cold Sara feels to the touch. "Your skin is ice cold, Sara," she says, her voice with a small hint of panic. One of her hands moves to Sara's forehead, checking her temperature, but the smaller blonde quickly grabs it.
"I'm fine, Aves. Just some silly nightmares that left me shaken up, alright?"
Ava doesn't reply, but instead chews on her bottom lip, something Sara knows is her tell-tale whenever she is feeling conflicted.
"You know you don't need to be strong all the time, right Sara?"
Sara smiles softly at her, reaching out her right hand to tuck some hair behind her ear. "I know, but I'm okay, I promise. Nothing a good night of sleep can't fix. I'm just going to splash some water on my face and get back to bed."
Ava seems to relax a little bit as she stops biting on her lip. She nods and lets Sara go, waving her goodbye. Once she is alone again, Ava leans against the countertop, a sigh leaving her lips as she tries to tell herself that even though she worries about Sara, she shouldn't be so insistent regarding her need to help the smaller blonde. She has to learn to trust that Sara will come to her when she feels ready to do so.
With that in mind she leaves the kitchen area, turning off the lights on her way back to her bedroom. She quickly settles under the covers, trying to get in the right mindset to be able to face the day that awaits her.
A few minutes in and Ava's breathing becomes slower as she feels herself drift off. She is almost entering a state of full sleep when a sudden movement behind her disturbs it. She turns around as the bed dips with an extra weight, and frowns when she sees Sara kneeling next to her. Her hand reaches out to the smaller blonde's knee of its own accord "Hey… Everything okay?" she asks, her voice slightly raspy.
Sara averts her gaze from Ava's, and even though it's hard to tell in the darkness of the room, Ava is pretty sure she spots a blush on Sara's cheeks. She can tell she's nervous and shaken up.
"I'm having trouble falling asleep," Sara explains as she fidgets with her fingers in her lap, "Do you mind if I stay here tonight? Next to you? I just don't wanna be alone..."
Ava is nodding before Sara is even finished, holding the covers up so she can slide under them. Ava tucks her in, making sure she is comfortable. "Is this okay for you?"
"It's perfect," Sara whispers, her blue eyes shining as she looks at Ava, and Ava cannot help but notice how they seem to hold the moonlight in them, finding herself falling deeper for their beauty.
Sara closes them a couple of seconds later and Ava feels a small hint of disappointment at not being able to look at her favorite pair of eyes for a while longer. The feeling doesn't last long though, when she hears Sara speak up once more.
"Aves?" she asks, eyes still shut tightly.
"Yeah?"
"Can you hold me?"
Ava doesn't give her a verbal answer, but instead moves her right arm to wrap it around Sara's small frame, bringing her closer to her chest. Sara immediately tucks herself underneath Ava's head, her own arm going around the taller blonde's waist. "Thank you."
The following morning Sara wakes up to an empty bed, a light frown on her semblance as she pats the cold sheets next to her. A sigh leaves her lips before she stretches her arms and legs in a vain attempt to try and shake the sleep from her tired muscles, hating how sluggish she feels.
After getting out of bed she makes her way down, a small smile on her lips as she hears some commotion coming from inside the kitchen.
"Good morning," she greets followed by a yawn, making Ava turn around to look at her with a smirk on her lips.
"Morning sleepyhead," the captain greets back, holding a half-eaten piece of toast in her right hand while her other is holding a thermos that she filled with tea a couple of minutes ago.
Sara notices how she seems to be in a hurry. "You're already leaving?"
The mild disappointment in her voice doesn't go unnoticed by Ava and her face turns to an apologetic one. "I am. I can't stay much longer but I've made you breakfast," she explains, taking another bite of her toast. "Please help yourself to anything you want. Your meds are on the counter and I wrote down the schedule and instructions on how you should take them."
"Aves, you didn't have to do that," Sara tells her as she approaches the kitchen table and sits down, a plate with two pieces of toast and a mug of tea already placed in front of her.
Ava shrugs her shoulders, "I know, but I don't mind. In the meantime, please make yourself at home. I will try to get back on time, but I can't promise anything. You know how the job is."
Sara nods at that, her mouth too full of food to talk. Ava chuckles at her. "It's nice to see you haven't lost your appetite. Anyway, I have to go." She adds, bending down to place a kiss on Sara's forehead absentmindedly. "I'll see you later, Sara. If you need anything, just call me."
"Yes, yes, I know. Just go already. It will look bad if the Captain arrives late because of me."
Ava laughs as she picks up her duffel bag on her way out the apartment. "G'bye babe," she says before closing the door behind her.
Sara slightly chokes on the food at hearing the nickname, surprise written all over her face.
Ava on the other hand only realizes what she said once she is inside her car, keys already in the ignition. Her eyes go wide and she smacks herself internally, her head resting on top of the steering wheel. God, why did you have to make it awkward?
She arrives at the Station fifteen minutes later. She greets Leo and Mick at the entrance while they are having a smoke, before climbing her way to the locker room. As she is finishing changing into her uniform, she notices someone approaching.
"Hey there Cap!" Zari greets with an unusual happiness to her voice. Ava eyes her curiously before replying, "Good morning Tomaz. You sound unusually chirpy for someone who hates waking up so early. Was last night that good?" The blonde teases, knowing damn well that her friend's good mood is due to the fact that she has been spending a lot of extra time with Charlie lately.
Zari blushes but quickly recovers from it, a smirk appearing on her lips, "I could ask you the same thing. How is it having Sara over?" she asks, crossing her arms across her chest, eyebrows raised.
Ava shrugs her shoulders, avoiding looking her in the eyes. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I simply offered to have her stay because I thought she could use the extra help."
The brunette can't suppress a chuckle, immediately shooting back, "Sure, some extra help. That's quite the innuendo for se-"
Ava quickly runs to her to put a hand over her mouth. "Shh, Zari! Shut your mouth!" she warns her friend, looking around to make sure they still find themselves alone. Once she is sure of it, she removes her hand. "You know most of the team don't know about me and Sara. Only you and Charlie know about what happened and I would like for it to remain that way."
Zari frowns at that. "Ahm… Sorry for ruining that notion of yours, but you do realize that after the way you reacted yesterday at Sara being in danger, everyone kind of knows how much you guys are crazy for each other, right?"
Ava sighs at her friend's words, rubbing her temples in frustration. "Listen, let's just forget about it. We need to concentrate on work today."
"Agreed. How is she, by the way?"
The blonde smiles fondly at the concern in Zari's voice.
"She's okay. Just two minor burns and some sore muscles. As long as she rests and takes her meds, she will be fine."
"Okay, that's good," Zari nods. "Do you think I could go and visit her?"
"Absolutely. She would love to see you and the rest of the team as well. Maybe this weekend?"
"Sounds great! I'll bring dessert."
It's seven in the evening when Sara wakes up from a much needed nap. She stretches from her position on the living room couch, turning on her side to face the TV that is still on. The last few remnants of sleep quickly disappear once her eyes focus on the screen in front of her.
Whatever program was on is interrupted by the local news channel, with a report on some live situation. She sits up, trying to understand all the details. So far, all she's able to figure out is that there has been a chemical explosion in a factory downtown. Several firefighters and first responders were immediately at the scene, as well as police officials. At least 15 workers are hurt, with some of them having been sent to the nearby hospital straight away for serious injuries.
"We have approximately three different fire stations at the scene who are trying their best to put out the massive fire that has spread throughout the whole factory and surrounding premises as a result of the explosion. The police force are also doing their part, interviewing some of the workers who were left unscathed in order to start their investigation. They are still trying to discover the origin of the explosion…"
Sara can no longer follow what the news reporter is saying. All she can think about is Ava and the rest of her team. How she should be doing her job as well, fighting alongside them at the scene. She wants to leave, to run out of Ava's apartment until she reaches the site of the accident. She's torn between staying and going.
Logically, she knows that her body is still not fully recovered enough to be put through such a stressful situation. Yet her heart is begging her to fulfill her duty, to put in practice what she was trained for.
Sara takes a deep breath, trying to focus on what Ava had told her, on how important it is to recover first. She sits up straight on the couch, crosses her legs and rests her hands on top of her knees.
"In…" she inhales, counting to four in her head, "and out..." she exhales, counting to five this time.
She repeats the same process several times until she starts to feel better, more relaxed and centered. Her heart is no longer beating like crazy, and she can actually rationalize and talk some sense into herself.
She opens her eyes again, her focus back on the television. She follows the whole incident, telling her still worried heart time and time again that her friends will be fine, that her friends are fine, that Ava is fine. That nothing bad is going to happen.
But as the hours pass and she still hasn't had a message from Ava, she starts to get more worried. They announced that some firefighters had been hurt in the mission, but no names have been revealed. Sara's heart squeezes at that, at not knowing if everything is alright with her people, the ones she now calls her family.
Her body shrinks into the couch, knees against her chest as she wraps the blanket around her frame, desperately trying to obtain a little bit of comfort. She's simply hoping for the best, waiting for Ava to get back home safely. As the news eventually starts to stop reporting any updates, she decides to turn off the television to take her mind off it all for a bit.
One hour later and Sara's attention keeps shifting between the door of the apartment and her cellphone, hoping in vain to see some sign from at least one of them that Ava is okay, that Ava wasn't hurt during the mission.
She picks up her phone for what feels like the hundredth time that night, unlocking the screen to make sure she hasn't missed a text notification. She places it against the coffee table once more, frustration settling inside of her. "Fuck."
She had already left three voice messages and five texts to Ava, and none of them got any response back.
Her eyes move to the door, her right leg bouncing nervously. She sighs before getting up, walking to the living room windows so she can look out and down to the street.
Her heart skips a beat when she spots Ava's car turning into the driveway. She waits for a couple of minutes, hands and face glued against the glass until she is sure it really is Ava coming out of the vehicle. When she recognizes the taller blonde, she is out of the apartment in a matter of seconds, running until she is face to face with the elevator. She quickly presses the button to the ground floor, mentally asking the lift to hurry up.
Ava steps into the entrance of the building, pressing the elevator button once she reaches it. It doesn't take long for the lift to arrive, and she is thankful for that because all she wants is to curl up under the covers and be dead to the rest of the world for the night.
The familiar ding of the elevator doors opening brings her back to reality, but she doesn't even have time to react before someone is throwing herself into her arms. She takes a couple of steps back from the impact, but her arms immediately wrap around the smaller frame.
"Hey… You shouldn't be out of the apartment," she jokes as she holds Sara tightly to her, trying to lighten the mood. One of her hands moves up to cradle Sara's head, which is now buried in the crook of her neck. She realizes she failed in her attempt when she feels tears against her skin, making her heart break a little more. "Shh, I'm here Sara, it's okay. I'm here, I'm okay."
Sara sniffles, nodding at her words. She leans back, looking up at Ava with her beautiful blue eyes shiny and watery.
Ava smiles softly at her, her hands framing her face as she wipes her tears away. "Come on, let's go home," she tells the smaller blonde, grabbing her hand while leading her to the elevator.
Once they are inside the apartment, she leads them to the couch. "Wait here, I'm going to grab you some tea," she says, moving to leave but Sara's hand around her wrist stops her.
"Don't go. Stay here with me, Aves."
The way Sara's voice sounds makes it hard for Ava to refuse and she ends up nodding and sitting next to her.
"Tell me what happened."
Ava sighs at the request. "Sara-"
"Please… I need to know. If the team is okay, if you are okay."
The captain waves her off. "Everyone is alright, we were left unscathed. Nothing more than some bruises and cuts."
"Show me," Sara insists and Ava frowns at the request.
"What?"
"Show me where you're hurt."
Ava scoffs at that, shaking her head. "I told you Sara, I'm fin-"
"You recoiled when I hugged you and I noticed that you were leaning on your right side on your way to the apartment."
The taller blonde flexes her jaw at Sara's astuteness, for once cursing her for being so smart and attentive. She sighs before lifting her shirt, wincing at the gasp that leaves Sara's mouth.
"Aves, that's a very nasty bruise. Did you get that checked for internal bleeding at least?"
Ava covers herself again before replying, "Yes, we were all checked at the scene. They just told me to be careful with the area and to go to the doctor's if it gets worse."
Sara nods at that before reaching out to tuck a lock of blonde hair behind Ava's left ear. She lets her fingers linger against the skin there before her thumb is caressing Ava's temple.
"What about here?" Sara asks in a gentle voice that has Ava leaning against her touch.
"What do you mean?" Ava questions, eyes still closed as her hand moves to hold Sara's.
The smaller blonde places her free hand over the captain's heart. "I mean, how do you feel inside? I know you Aves, I know it's hard for you to distance yourself from the fatalities of our job."
Sara notices how Ava's bottom lip quivers at her last words, and that's enough to know she is right.
"Don't be afraid to feel, Ava. It's just the two of us right now, you know you can let go."
Ava lets out a sob, the dam she had set up inside of her finally breaking and crumbling down.
"I couldn't save them all, Sara, there were so many dead workers. It just… We weren't enough, there weren't enough of us. And so many injured- some of them colleagues of ours. I didn't know what to do- I panicked, so much blood- If it weren't for Mick and Ray, and the rest of the team... I put them in danger because I wasn't able to react quickly enough- and then-"
"Hey, hey!" Sara says as she holds her tightly to her chest, trying to stop her rambling and calm her down. "Ava, I don't know exactly what happened during the mission, but if there's one thing I'm certain about, it's that you are one of the best firefighters in this city. And you are an incredible Captain, who puts herself through extreme danger every single day with the sole purpose of saving other people."
She holds Ava's face between her hands, tilting her head so she can look her in the eyes. "You are absolutely amazing, Captain Ava Sharpe, and I will, without any doubt, always put myself through any dangerous mission as long as I know I have you as my captain."
"You're wrong, Sara, I'm not that good. I'm not that strong, you have it all wrong."
"No, I don't. You are the strongest person I know, Ava, and that's never going to change. But I am also telling you right now that you don't have to be the strongest one all the time. So for tonight, I am asking you to let me be the strong one here. Let me be the one to take care of you." Sara presses a number of soft kisses against her forehead, the bridge of her nose and finally her lips.
"Will you let me take care of you, beautiful?" Sara whispers against her lips, smiling softly when she feels Ava's small nod.
"Good," Sara says, nodding as well. "How do you feel about taking a bath? It might help you relax," she suggests, trying to make her feel better. "I can run it for you."
"That sounds great, thank you," Ava lets her know as they lean back from one another, a sheepish smile on her face.
She leads Sara to the main bathroom, the only one in the house that actually has a tub instead of a shower. She starts to run the water while Sara simply watches her move around.
"Where do you keep your bath bombs?" Sara asks, thinking it might help make the bath more relaxing.
Ava reaches for one of the cupboards and takes out a small item, handing it to Sara. "Is this Coconut?"
"Yes. It's my favorite," Ava smiles, approaching the tub. Once she sees that it is filled up enough, she turns off the tap. She stands in the bathroom, looking a bit awkwardly at Sara.
The smaller blonde notices it and decides to break the silence. "Well, the tub is filled, the towels are over there and you have your bath bomb, so I guess I'll just go back to the living room. If you need anything just call for me."
She smiles at Ava and makes her way out of the bathroom, but Ava's hand on her forearm stops her.
"Wait, Sara…"
Sara stands there for a couple of seconds in silence, preparing herself for what Ava might say. She swallows before turning around, her blue eyes looking expectantly at the shiny emeralds gazing back at her. "Yes?"
Ava moves her eyes away, pondering on Sara's recent words before looking at her again, deciding that Sara is right. She does not need to be the strong one all the time. "Will you stay? I think having some help would be good…"
The way Ava is looking at her, with so much fragility, tugs at her heart and she finds that she simply can't refuse taller blonde's request. "Yes, of course. Anything you need, Aves."
Ava offers a small and thankful smile, before nodding. "Can you start by getting me out of these clothes?"
Sara blushes at the blunt request, but still does as asked. "Can you raise your arms?" she asks as her hands curl around the hem of Ava's shirt. The taller blonde nods and in a couple of seconds she is naked from the waist up. Sara cannot help but notice how her flushed chest is covered in tiny drops of sweat and she is left staring for a couple of seconds until Ava clears her throat.
"Sorry…" Sara whispers, turning her gaze up to Ava's eyes.
"Can I help you with yours?" Ava asks before placing her own hands on the hem of Sara's T-shirt.
"Yes," the smaller blonde says and in a matter of seconds the item is thrown against the bathroom floor.
Both of them make quick work of getting rid of their pants until the only thing that's left is their underwear.
A couple of beats go by before Sara hooks her thumbs on her panties and takes them off, leaving her fully naked.
Ava cannot help but stare at the beauty in front of her, fully realizing for the first time how much she has missed seeing Sara like this.
Sara smirks softly at her, stepping closer to rest her hands on Ava's hips. She swallows before starting. "Can I-"
"Yes," Ava rasps out, already guessing her question beforehand. Sara nods, her fingers hooking on the waistband of her underwear to pull it down. She does it quickly, trying not to lose focus because of the nakedness in front of her, but she cannot help the next words that come out of her mouth. "You are so incredibly beautiful."
Ava blushes at the compliment, moving to cover herself and look away from Sara's naked body at the same time. She tries not to lose herself in its beauty, but Sara makes it even harder with her next words.
"You can look at me, Aves, it's not like you've never seen me like this before."
Ava scratches the back of her neck before returning her gaze to Sara's face. "It was different back then. The situation was different," she explains herself once she is able to find her voice.
Sara lowers her head. "Yeah, I know." She then turns around, facing the tub. As she steps in, she lowers herself slowly until the water is by her shoulders.
"Wait, give me a second," Ava says, retreating into the bedroom. Sara keeps her ears open while waiting for her. When she returns, Sara cannot help but chuckle at what she is carrying.
"Wow, I even have the right to a pillow for my head," she teases, smirking as Ava places the item behind her head. She rests her head against it and closes her eyes. "You really know how to make a lady feel like a queen, Sharpe."
Ava laughs at her, the sound of it fluttering around Sara's heart like a sweet melody. The captain finally steps inside the tub as well, lowering herself into the water, placing a pillow behind her head just like she did for Sara.
"How's the temperature?" she asks softly, making Sara open her eyes. "It's perfect, thank you."
Ava smiles at her. "This was a good idea."
Sara hums. "I agree," she admits, letting her head fall onto the pillow as she closes her eyes, relishing in the way her body now seems to be floating, light as a feather.
An idea crosses her mind some minutes later and she opens her eyes again. "Hey, Ava?"
"Mhm?" Ava hums, eyes still closed. Sara throws a little bit of water at her, trying to coax her to look at her. She smirks when she sees the gorgeous pair of emerald eyes looking back at her. There's a playful glare in them before she is throwing water back at Sara.
The smaller blonde laughs at her before they start splashing water at each other, their laughter echoing in the tiled walls of the bathroom.
Sara is left begging for mercy when Ava manages to soak her face and part of her hair. "Okay, okay, you win!"
Ava smirks at her words. "You should have known better than challenge me to a water fight, Lance."
Sara pokes her tongue out at that, making Ava laugh. She ends up cutting herself off when she flinches in pain, holding onto her right side. "Shit…"
"Hey, you okay?" Sara asks as she leans in closer to her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah, it just hurts a bit when I laugh or bend."
Sara frowns at the notion of Ava being in pain. "Do you think you can turn around?"
Ava matches her frown. "Why?"
"I think you'll be more comfortable if you lay down. You can lean against me."
"I'm not sure that's necessary…"
"C'mon Aves, no hidden motives here. I just want to hold you and make you feel good."
Ava blushes at her honesty but then nods in agreement. In a couple of seconds she has turned around and is leaning comfortably against Sara's front, head resting against her left shoulder while Sara's legs bracket her hips.
"Comfortable enough?" Sara whispers softly and Ava sighs happily, leaning further into Sara.
"Yes, thank you. I should be the one taking care of you though, and not the other way around."
Sara wraps her arms around her, pressing a kiss against the side of her head, "Don't worry about that right now, just try to relax."
Ava nods and a comfortable silence falls between them, both simply enjoying the company of each other for a while. As Ava starts to get more comfortable, the small circles she is tracing on top of Sara's thighs gain more purpose. She smiles when she feels Sara take a sharp intake of breath.
"You okay?" she cannot help but ask, even though she is fully aware of what she is doing to the smaller blonde.
Sara clears her throat before replying. "Yeah, I am. Tell me if you need anything more, okay?" she tells her, reaching for Ava's left hand to hold her between her own.
Ava bites her bottom lip, trying to muster the courage she needs before the words are falling off her lips. "Anything I need?" she asks, squeezing the hand inside of hers.
"Yes…" Sara breathes out and that is all it takes for Ava to turn her head to the side and reach for Sara's neck with her right hand, tilting her face to hers, mouths only inches away.
"Kiss me?"
Sara doesn't need to be asked twice, immediately locking their lips together in a fervent kiss. Both women moan when their tongues touch, tasting each other. It feels like coming home, and Ava swears she almost sees stars just by the feeling of Sara's mouth on hers once again.
God, how she has missed these fiery kisses with Sara. So much so that she almost lets out a whine when they part to breathe.
Sara has a smug smirk on her face and Ava feels the urge to kiss her again just to wipe it off her mouth. She decides to go for a bite on her pulse point instead, ripping a deep moan out of her.
"Don't look so smug, Lance," she growls before licking the sting to soothe it.
"You make it hard not to."
Ava chuckles lightly at that. "Sure. Blame it on me now."
Sara laughs at the banter, pressing a kiss against the tip of her nose. "You're cute, Sharpe."
"Shut up," Ava says with a pout on her lips. A shiver follows a couple of seconds after and Sara immediately runs her hands up and down her arms. "You getting cold?"
"Yeah, maybe it's best if we go to bed," she says, placing her arms each side on the tub so she can get out. She wraps a towel around herself before grabbing Sara's.
"I agree, we should get some rest," Sara replies before getting up and out of the tub, accepting the towel Ava gives her with a smile. "I hope the bath helped you relax."
"It did, thank you," Ava says as she follows Sara into the bedroom. Ava helps her apply the ointment to her burns before they both put on clean underwear and a set of comfy pyjamas. A warmth settles in Sara's chest at the chance of wearing Ava's clothing, that looks much bigger on her.
Ava actually catches the happy smile on Sara's face and cannot help but look fondly at her. When Sara notices this, she tries to hide it but to no avail. One of the things she adores about Ava is the fact that the woman is always able to see the little ways she reacts to something.
It is also what scared her at first - the fact that she simply cannot hide her feelings and little signals from Ava. She can tell when Sara is sad, or anxious, or even scared about something, especially before a rescue mission.
And still, Ava is capable of loving her. Of accepting her just the way she is, of trusting her with her life, by putting her in some of the most dangerous situations they have been faced with in their job.
It used to scare Sara, the way Ava can read her like an open book so easily, but now? Now she feels like that might be a good thing.
And that is what prompts her to take the decision she ends up taking. She sets her nerves and fears aside, and takes a step forward. Her hands cup Ava's face, as if framing a beautiful portrait. A feeling of wonderment grows inside her as she is mesmerized by the way Ava's gorgeous emerald eyes gaze deeply and lovingly back at her.
Ava's hands slowly hold on to Sara's waist, bringing her closer. "Sara- I think I was too rash, I shouldn't have rushed into this."
Sara shakes her head, bringing their foreheads together as she closes her eyes. "Shh, don't think, Aves. Just let yourself feel, I know you can do it."
"I want to, Sara, but what if we ruin it again?" Ava tries to reason with her but Sara holds her in place.
"Please, beautiful, just let me feel you. I just want to feel you," she admits, grazing their noses together, lips almost touching.
Sara starts to tilt her head, slowly testing the waters. She feels Ava take a sharp intake of breath, and that is enough to give her the rest of the courage she needed. Her lips finally touch Ava's again and she sighs at the softness of it all. The way they slide against hers, how they always seem to fit perfectly with hers, as if made for one another from the very beginning.
Ava's grip on her waist tightens before her hands wander to the small of her back, rubbing the skin there. As the kiss gets more passionate, Sara revels in the feeling of her fingers threading through Ava's silky hair, pulling at it so she can tilt Ava's head to make it easier to slide her tongue across her bottom lip, asking for entrance.
Sara lets out a moan when Ava grants it, their bodies melting into one another, both realizing how much they had missed this kind of contact between each other.
Sara starts moving them through the room until Ava's legs hit the bed and they both fall onto the mattress. The kiss breaks as a surprised gasp leaves the captain. Sara holds herself up on her arms and knees, both of them breathless. They stare at each other, trying to slowly compose their breathing. When they eventually feel calmer, they are left gazing at each other.
Sara's trademark smirk makes an appearance at seeing the blush on Ava's face.
"Ava Sharpe, are you getting all shy on me?" she teases, successfully pinning the taller blonde against the mattress as she intertwines their fingers together, nuzzling her cheek affectionately.
Ava giggles at the gesture, and it is like music to Sara's ears. She leans back to look at her face, a fond smile on her lips. "I love the way you laugh."
"Yeah?" Ava asks, biting on her bottom lip. Sara nods, leaning in to steal another kiss. Ava smiles into it before she is kissing back, but a couple of seconds later she is squeezing the smaller blonde's hands, something close to a whine sounding in her throat.
Sara immediately stops the kiss, leaning back once again to look at her, a frown on her face. "Something wrong?"
There is a matching frown on Ava's face as she speaks, "It's just… It hurts a bit when I move." She explains, looking down to the bruise on her abdomen. "And maybe… Maybe this is too sudden. I'm still worried about ruining things between us again. Maybe we shouldn't be doing this so soon, Sara."
Sara cannot help the disappointment that takes over her face. "Oh… I see," she says, a resigned sigh leaving her lips as she moves to lay on her side next to Ava, her head resting on her propped up arm.
Ava lets out a groan, one hand running through her hair before she turns her head to look up at Sara, "Don't give me those puppy dog eyes, Lance," she narrows her eyes at her, holding the smaller woman's chin between her thumb and index finger.
Sara pouts before shrugging her shoulders, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Ava sighs at her words before threading her fingers through Sara's hair and brings her down to place a couple of soft kisses against her lips.
"It's not that I don't want to kiss you and do other things with you, but we agreed to be careful this time and to go slower, so I don't think that falling in bed together right away would do us any good."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Sara says, followed by a sigh. "It's just, you are very hard to resist, you know that?" she says, trying to lighten the mood and smiling when she succeeds at making Ava chuckle.
"So are you," Ava tells her, and Sara knows deep in her heart that coming from Ava, it is definitely genuine.
They stare at each other in silence for a while longer until Sara musters up the courage to ask something of her. She takes Ava's hand that was just buried in her hair and holds it in hers. "Aves, would you mind, like, sleeping next to me again tonight? It would really help me, in case I get another nightmare…"
Ava brings their joined hands up and presses a kiss against Sara's. "Of course. No problem."
Sara smiles brightly at her, a small thank you leaving her lips as she waits for Ava to adjust her body on the bed comfortably. Once she is done, she motions for Sara to lay against her and the latter immediately places her head against her chest, sighing happily.
Ava cannot help but plant a kiss against Sara's head while she rests her left hand on top of the smaller blonde's waist, holding her protectively against her body under the comfort of the covers.
"Laurel… Look out… Laur… Please don't- Look out!" Sara wakes up with a jolt, her chest heaving as she tries to calm down her breathing. Ava is sitting up by her side in an instant, bringing Sara's head to her chest.
"Hey, it's okay Sara, you're okay. It was just a bad dream, you're awake now," she whispers as her free hand rubs soothing circles on Sara's back. The smaller blonde holds tightly to her, as if her life depends on it. She is badly shaken up, her body shivering.
They hold on to each other for a while, with Ava whispering sweet nothings in an attempt to calm her down, to ground her to the present moment.
When she realizes that she is not able to stop Sara from shivering, she pulls the blonde's head back to look her in the eyes. The fear she sees in them tugs at her heart and she feels a desperate need to make it go away.
"Sara, honey, tell me what to do. How can I help?" Ava asks in a gentle voice, trying to be helpful without being pushy. "Do you want to tell me about it?"
"No!" Sara immediately replies, shaking her head. "No talking, it won't help, it will only make it worse, I-"
"Okay, okay…" Ava nods, tracing her cheekbones softly. "No talking, I promise. What else can I do?"
Sara swallows audibly, trying to figure out what she wants, what she needs. After a couple of minutes she finally speaks again. "I just… I need to forget, Aves. Please make me forget," she pleads, her eyes half-lidded as her gaze falls to Ava's inviting lips, mere inches away from her. "I want-"
She doesn't have to finish her sentence for Ava to understand what exactly she means, and a second after Ava's lips are on hers, slow and gentle, exactly the way she always treats Sara.
And Sara feels herself melt, letting her body and soul deliver themselves to the feeling of Ava's touch as the taller blonde carefully presses her down onto the mattress.
Her hands card through the soft waves of Ava's hair as she holds her in place. "Aves, wait, you don't have to do this just because I had a stupid nightmare. You wanna take things slow and I respect that-"
Ava shakes her head, looking down at her with an intensity that ignites a flame in Sara's lower belly. "I've changed my mind," she says, trying to go for another kiss against Sara's lips but the blonde stops her, holding her in place.
"Are you sure?" Sara asks, her ocean eyes showing her current vulnerability and Ava's heart clenches in pain once more.
She grazes their noses together before leaning back to hold Sara's gaze with hers. "It's not even a question, Sara. You need me right now," Ava says before kissing her more deeply this time, lowering herself so she can press her body against Sara's. Her right leg moves to settle between Sara's thighs and the kiss breaks as a moan leaves Sara's mouth.
"Aves…"
Ava smiles fondly at her, intertwining their hands. "I'm here, Sara, and I've got you," she reassures, one of her hands freeing itself to move some hair away from Sara's face, lingering there as her thumb traces a trail of freckles on the smaller blonde's forehead. "Do you trust me?"
Sara swallows, trying to stop the tears that are threatening to spill out. She licks her bottom lip as she nods, her words coming out in a broken whisper. "With all my life."
"Okay beautiful, then let me take care of you properly."
Ava tilts her head afterwards, locking their lips together. Her tongue comes out to trace Sara's bottom lip, coaxing her mouth open. Both of them moan when their tongues meet, their hearts beating faster in synchrony.
Ava's right hand starts to wander down, stopping when it reaches the hem of Sara's T-shirt. She breaks the kiss, sounding breathless when she asks, "Can I take it off?"
"Please do," Sara immediately tells her, eyes half-lidded and dark as she looks up at Ava.
The latter smiles softly at her before getting rid of the item, leaving her mesmerized by the naked beauty below her. She feels something akin to luck at the fact that she is the person Sara is delivering herself to in her most fragile state.
Sara suddenly bucks her hips and the movement brings her back to the moment again.
"Where did you go just now?" Sara asks, cheeks red and lips swollen. She looks more beautiful than ever and Ava wants her to know that, to feel that.
"Nowhere," she tells her, pressing a kiss against each one of her cheeks, her lips, her nose and then finally her forehead, whispering against the freckled skin there, "I was just thinking how lucky I am to have you and how beautiful you look right now."
Sara scoffs at her, shaking her head. "Aves, I just woke up from a nightmare and I haven't slept properly in ages. I look awful."
Now is Ava's turn to shake her head. "You're wrong."
Sara is about to discuss it further, but a slender finger against her lips stops her. "No point in disagreeing, I stand by my words. Now, let me take care of you."
The smaller blonde cheeks go redder, eyes glassy as she nods. Ava smiles softly at her before leaning down to kiss her on the lips. She starts a trail through Sara's jaw, pressing small butterfly-kisses until she reaches the place behind Sara's ear, poking her tongue out.
Ava smirks when she feels Sara squirm as her left hand threads through Ava's hair, scratching her scalp encouragingly. The taller blonde takes it as a good sign and keeps going, licking down her neck until her lips are above her pulse point. She bites down lightly, smirking as she coaxes a moan from Sara's mouth. A second later, though, and she is licking the bite to soothe it, not wanting to leave a mark.
"Ava," Sara almost whines, bucking her hips to get her attention. Ava can't help but chuckle, leaning back to look at her.
"Try to be patient, honey." Ava asks before her right hand is raking down Sara's left side, leaving goosebumps in its wake. Her hand moves up and settles against Sara's left breast. She squeezes it gently before using her thumb to flick the pink nipple, which quickly hardens and rises, craving Ava's tongue. She doesn't deny it any longer, having the tiny nub under her tongue in a matter of seconds.
Sara's fingers in her hair tighten as her back arches off the bed. "Fuck, baby, that feels good."
Ava smirks before sucking on it, pleased at the sounds Sara is making from under her. She tugs on it with her teeth, a shiver running through her spine at the deep moan that comes out of Sara's throat.
She lets go of it to move to Sara's other breast, giving it the exact same attention. She is stopped by Sara lightly pushing her head away.
"No more, Aves," she half-requests, half-whines. Ava moves up so they can be face to face. "Too sensitive?"
Sara nods, too embarrassed to verbalize it. An understanding smile appears on Ava's lips. "It's okay, no more then," she says before kissing her cheek. She moves her mouth to Sara's ear to whisper, "Do you still want me to-"
Sara takes Ava's right hand and places it on top of the waistband of her sleep shorts. "Yes. I need to feel you, Ava, and only you."
Ava doesn't respond, instead dipping her fingers inside Sara's underwear, gasping at the wetness she is met with. Sara wraps her arms around Ava's shoulders as the latter traces her slit slowly up and down, skipping her clit on purpose. Her index finger then goes lower until it reaches Sara's warm entrance, circling it to gather some wetness before she is moving up again, finally touching where Sara needs her most. As soon as her index comes in contact with Sara's clit, the smaller blonde bucks her hips, trying to get more friction against her finger.
Ava presses their foreheads together, trying to keep her in place. "I know it feels good, but try to go slower. We have time, sweetheart, don't rush into it."
Sara nods against her. "I k- know Aves, but I've missed you- missed you like this."
"I know Sara, but try to relax," Ava asks, slowing her movements against her clit until she feels the tension in Sara's body slip away. She leans back to look at her favorite ocean eyes. "Good girl."
Sara brings Ava's lips to hers in a useless attempt to hide the deep blush on her cheeks. Her moans are muffled by the kiss, as she feels Ava's finger leave her clit to press against her entrance.
Ava moans at the feeling of the soft velvety walls clenching around her finger as she slowly enters Sara. Once she is knuckle deep, she starts to slowly pull her finger back, only to start moving it back and forth.
Sara moves with her, helping her create a good rhythm. "Aves… I need another one baby," she rasps out after a few minutes.
Ava nods before moving her index out to push two fingers inside, waiting for Sara to get used to the sudden burning of the stretch. Once she feels her walls relax and Sara nodding against her, she starts moving again.
While her hand is busy she moves her mouth to the smaller blonde's neck, kissing and nipping her favorite spot behind Sara's ear. She feels herself getting wet as Sara's moans and shallow breaths reverberate through her own ears.
Her thumb circles against Sara's clit and it's all it takes for the smaller blonde to finally tense and come with Ava's name spilling out of her lips, her hips bucking of their own accord. Ava keeps moving her fingers, slower now as she helps Sara ride out the last waves of her orgasm. The touches against her clit grow lighter and Ava eventually stops them altogether when Sara's body finally rests sluggish against the mattress. Ava keeps her fingers inside of her, trying her best not to move them as she places feather-light kisses all over Sara's face, ending with a kiss on each one of her closed eyelids.
She waits for the smaller blonde to open her eyes and regain her normal breathing. Once she is met with the ocean eyes she loves so much, she speaks again. "Hey there, beautiful. How do you feel?"
Sara's lips turn into a lazy smile. "Amazing," she manages before pursing her lips, waiting for Ava to lean down and kiss her.
Ava laughs before responding to her non-verbal request. "That's good to know," she says as they part. "Do you think I can take my fingers out now?"
Sara pouts, shaking her head. Ava laughs again, finding the whole ordeal adorable. "No?" she says, bumping their noses together. "You do realize you can't keep my fingers there forever, right?"
"But they feel so good inside of me, Aves."
"I know, baby, but soon enough it will start to feel uncomfortable and you know it. I'm going to take them out now, okay?" Ava tells her, opening Sara's thighs wider so she can remove her hand. The smaller blonde whimpers at the loss as a shiver runs through her body.
Ava cleans her hand on the sheets and presses a kiss on each side of Sara's inner thighs, before moving up again on the bed to press a kiss against her forehead. "Sit up for me?"
"Why?" Sara questions, an adorable pout on her lips. "Let's just cuddle and sleep."
Ava chuckles before explaining herself. "We are going to cuddle and sleep, but first I want you to put on your T-shirt again. I don't want you to catch a cold."
"Okay," Sara sighs, sitting up so that Ava can help her put the shirt on. Once it's done, both of them lay down back on the bed, with Sara immediately placing her head on what has now become her favorite place in the world, Ava's chest. Her left leg moves to tangle itself in Ava's, and the taller blonde can't help the soft sigh that leaves her lips at the feeling of having Sara in her arms again, after longing for it for so long.
"Thank you for helping me, Aves." Sara's voice sounds through the darkness, soft and small. Her hold on Ava tightens, making sure that all of it wasn't a dream.
"No need to thank me," Ava tells her, pressing a kiss against her head, "I would do it again in a heartbeat."
Sara presses a kiss against the base of her neck before looking up at her, "I will make it up to you though," she says, voice already laced with sleep.
Ava chuckles, "I'm sure you will," she replies, earning her a poke on the ribs, "Hey! What was that for?"
"For not taking me seriously…"
"I do take you seriously, you goober. But I also know that it's not going to happen tonight, so please just go to sleep so we can both rest."
"Fine, fine…"
A while later and they were able to fall asleep, the fact that they were next to each other making it a lot easier. Sara slept through the rest of the night safely in Ava's arms, no nightmares invading her dreams.
No flames, no smoke, no danger. Just the two of them, working towards a common goal, aiming for a fresh start as their hearts revel in being together once again.
AN: That's all for now. I hope you enjoyed it! Any reviews are always welcome :)