She took one long breath and opened the door. Room was dark except one lamp on the nightstand that didn't provide much light. She saw female shape on the bed in fetal position hugging the pillow. She entered the room quietly and there was glitch from the halo. Suddenly young women got up and looked at the direction of the door. No matter how confused she was, she was even more confused by the way the other woman was dressed.

''Interesting fashion choice… I would call it nun conventional.''

Beatrice smiled at that…

''Hello, Ava…''

She jumped from bed and straight into Bea's arms. She nuzzled at her neck and breathed in the smell that was Beatrice. Since they left the Order so they would hide in the Alps, Beatrice started using a lot more products than she was allowed in the convent. So, first smell that Ava associated with Beatrice was shampoo with honey and some very light perfume that had that powdery note.

''I can't believe you are here and real.''

''I could say the same for you Ava… I still feel like I am about to wake up from this dream alone in my bed wishing I had just a minute more with you.''

Ava just smiled at that.

''I'm sorry…''

''What for?''

''Everything… I shouldn't have lied to you. But I had to… I knew that you would follow and I didn't want you to die.''

''Ava…''

''No, Beatrice… I have to say it… I am sorry I betrayed your trust and that you had to watch me die or at least be put into that portal. But I simply knew I had to do it alone. Doing it with you, meant both of us dead. I knew you would die by my side no matter what. You would give your life for mine and I couldn't let you. I am the warrior nun and you…You my beautiful Beatrice are something bigger than myself worth protecting and dying for.''

Beatrice pulled her back into her arms and held her close.

''Oh, Ava! It would be my honor to die by your side and lay my life for you. I am a sister warrior I was trained to do so. But even if I was not. YOU Ava, you are worth any sacrifice for me. I would have died gladly knowing I protected you or even died by your side because…you ARE my life. Not the order, not my vows, but you Ava Silva.''

''I am sorry Bea.''

''It's fine…for now… Only thing that matters is that you are here.''

They held each other for a moment in silence. Ava pulled back from Beatrice and started touching her face, like she was trying to look for some change.

''You are still breathtakingly beautiful as I remember Bea.''

''You are too Ava… Your hair is longer…''

That was true. Ava's hair was back to the length she had when she first came to the Cat's cradle. Beatrice loved her shorter hair but if she was being honest, she sometimes missed Ava's longer hair and braids she used to make here before she chose to cut it.

''How long has it been Bea?''

''What?''

''How long was I gone?''

''A bit over two months… How long has it been for you?''

''Close to a year… Time flows differently there.''

She took Beatrice's hand and noticed the ring on it. She looked at it and then back at Bea.

''It's not what you think… There is no one else but you…never was… I wanted to feel somehow closer to you…to make it known to everyone that I am spoken for…even when I had no idea if you were ever coming back.''

She looked to the side of the bed where now Bea's cross was. She was not sure how it ended up there. She didn't remember having in in her hands when Beatrice came, so she guessed Lilith gave it to Bea. She picked it up and held it in her palm.

''I guess that is why I stole your cross before the battle. I wanted to have piece of you all the time with me. It felt like you were watching over me, even when shit really hit the fan. I could close my eyes and imagine you by my side. Smiling at me with that smile that was just for me and looking at me like I could do no wrong, even when we both knew wrong is what I did…a lot…''

Beatrice smiled at that and pulled Ava's medallion out of her shirt.

''I found it when I was clearing the room…and I have barely taken it off since…''

''I bet you found it pretty funny when you saw what I choose.''

Ava noticed how Bea grew serious.

''Funny was not the word that comes to mind. You were gone, potentially never coming back. I was shattered in so many pieces that I had no idea how I pretended to hold it together. People were celebrating Adriel's defeat and death and all I could see were you…with divinium in your body, life leaving your eyes and blood all over you and my gear. I had nothing to celebrate… I was dead inside wishing I died there with you. After you left me… I put myself in situations that could have costed me my life… I hoped they would…I wished to be dead if you were dead too. Hell, I even expected Lilith to kill me after we placed you in the portal. And after few days, when I was capable to move from the bed, I started packing the room. I knew we couldn't say and Dr. Salvius forever…and that is when I found it.''

Ava got serious. It was clear that Beatrice was not in a mood to joke about what happened.

''I picked it because you made me feel safe. Only you felt like someone who cared about keeping me safe and sane… Mother and Lilith were horrible to me… Camila was too…Camila and you were… You made me feel safe… So, I picked Saint Beatrice…Silva was just a plus… My last name… I found it funny. My name was part of Saint's name. Me, a nonbeliever had a part of the name of the Saint that seemed to be pretty cool.''

''Only you can find something like that funny.''

She touched medallion and looked at Beatrice. She was still intrigued by that woman and her way of thinking and devotion that was there from the start.

''You were willing to wait for me?''

''As long as it takes. I love you Ava… I've loved you for some time now…and I was not ready to let go of the feeling that was finally so right. You made me feel things I never dared to imagine. I finally found my own voice and said things I had to say to some people. You gave me freedom, even in ''death'' I was alive because I had you. Thanks to those words and your kiss, I found it in me to survive the time ahead of me.''

''That is not what I asked of you… I asked you to live.''

Beatrice kissed her hand and put it against her cheek. She nuzzled into Ava's palm and closed her eyes.

''There are many ways to live Ava… I just started discovering a way to live and to stay true to myself and how I feel. You are not easy one to forget Ava Silva.''

Ava touched Beatrice's ring and smirked.

''There goes vow of modesty… That ring doesn't look cheap Sister Beatrice. I bet it is the talk of the convent…''

Beatrice shook her head.

''Not a sister anymore and I am not living at the convent either.''

''You are saying that they are able to survive without your exceptional organizing skills and ability to kick ass by yourself?''

''They have to.''

''So, where do you live now? Please tell me that you don't live with the nuns or ex nuns…''

''No, I don't…''

''Hippies in some shared apartment?''

Beatrice started laughing.

'' Do you want to go home with me Ava?''

''Yes, I would love that.''

Beatrice helped her off the bed and Ava turned to her.

''Do you want your cross back?''

''Do you want your medallion?''

Ava smiled at her and blushed.

''I think I would like to keep it some more and for you to have my medallion. That way I can always have piece of you with me.''

Beatrice smiled and nodded.

'' I love that idea.''

She put the cross back on Ava and helped her get ready. She didn't have any clothes apart from what Lilith gave her to change into. Beatrice helped her with the shoes and they were ready to leave. They got down and Lilith came to greet them.

''We are leaving. I am taking her home.''

''To them? Always the good soldier Beatrice.''

''You have no idea what you are talking about.''

''So, you are not going to call Mother Supereon and tell her that the asset is back?''

''Not until Ava is ready. And she is not an asset. She is a person, MY person Lilith…''

''Wow! How things change in short few moths…When Shannon was dying all you could talk about is that halo was an asset to be transferred…You didn't care it would bring death to someone and profound pain to someone else. No, you were only focused on the mission.''

''From what I remembered, you were the one concerned with the Halo since you were next in line. I never wanted it. I was not even in the same room when Sister Shannon was… I was blasting the people who were coming after us. I was in the heat of the battle while you were waiting for halo as a vulture…So, don't put your actions as something I would have done or did.''

''We both know it is a lie. If you had a chance you would have taken it.''

Ava looked between the two and spoke.

''I offered it to her few times and she never even stopped to think about it. Even when I was close to death, she didn't want it. She was happy just being sister warrior… She was not guided by her ambition nor easily swayed, like you were Lilith…twice…to turn against your own…''

Ava did hit the jackpot with this comment. Lilith had nothing to say back to her because she was right.

''Oh…''

''I get it… You were changing and experiencing something new. But I am sure that Bea and Camila would have been there for you…Even Mary if she lived… You don't need to like me or love me… I don't need to be near you, but them. They were your family. They accepted you when you came back and turned on them…that was not nice of you.''

Beatrice didn't expect Ava to say those things. She usually made joke out of everything.

''You hurt me Lilith… You physically hurt me in moments that were important to me…and I found it in me to forgive you… And no, don't make joke that it is so Christian of me. I am still pretty much non believer as I was the first time we've met.''

She got out of Bea's arms and came closer to Lilith. She jabbed her finger into her chest and she looked angry.

''I will never forgive you part you played in causing pain to Beatrice… My pain I can forgive, but hers… No, never… I did my share of shitty things and I hope she would forgive me some day, but what you did… Dude, that was really low…even for someone who is a demon. You don't hurt the ones who stood by you in impossible situations. You and Bea fought many battles together, regardless of what you thought of one another. In the battle it never mattered. Now, you let your feelings get in the way of standing by the ones who always stood by you. Even when you were a dick…and that was often.''

She turned back to Bea and took her hand.

''Let's go home…''

Without a word, Beatrice took her to the car and helped her in. Ava loved Bea's fancy black Range Rover. She teased her that she finally started using her royal money. Bea just rolled her eyes and smiled.

''Not royal… I am just freewheeling ass kicking ex nun.''

Ava smiled at her and entered the car.

''One day I will get it out of you who you really are.''

Few minutes into the ride, Ava was asleep. Beatrice let go of the breath she was holding and from time to time she was looking at her phone thinking about calling Mother or even just Camila. They deserved to know Ava was alive and back. But then she stopped herself. She knew the implications of that call. Telling them that Ava was back didn't only mean that their friend was back, but that Halo barer was back and she needed a moment with Ava without implications of saving the world, fighting demons or sending Ava into more dangerous situations. She needed them to be that awkward but perfectly synced couple they were in the Alps and in Jillian's home. Since Ava was asleep, Bea had time to think about what Ava's return means. She was terrified that what Lilith said was true. Were they getting into some new war? Who is the enemy now? How did Lilith find Ava? Could she fight by Ava's side now that she is not a nun anymore? How long do they have before she has to call the convent, Jillian and let the others know she is back?

She was selfish. She wanted Ava to herself. She wanted to keep it a secret that she was back so they could have at least a moment to be together without some disaster hanging over their heads. But she also knew they had to take Ava to Jillian for her to asses if Ava's abilities have increased or decreased. On rational level Beatrice knew she had to make that call soon, but… She also knew she couldn't do it yet. She was going to be selfish and enjoy having Ava to herself and for the first time not sharing her with the other people OCS and whoever wanted a piece of her. They arrived to the house and she woke Ava up.

''We are here. Come on.''

She helped her out and helped her up the stairs. Ava was in some state of sleep where she barely noticed being moved from the car to the room. She didn't register the house or anything in it. Beatrice changed her into one of her old shirts and tucked her in on the side of the bed that would have always been hers. Then she went to the office and sent few emails informing her closest coworkers that she would not be participating in work related things for a few days and that they could contact her only in the case of emergency. After she was done with that. She turner off her computer and locked the house. Like every night before going to bed, she checked everything up and climbed the set of stairs taking her to her bedroom. She stood at the door watching the other woman in bed and she felt like her heart could burst from happiness. She got into bed and cuddled up to the other woman. Halo made small glitch and at that moment Ava took her hand and pulled her even closer. Beatrice finally felt like she could breath and relax. Ava was back…