Ava felt somebody gentle shaking her. She felt groggy and her head was in a fog. She didn't want to open her eyes, she just wanted to go back to sleep. She started to remember Alex and instantly became alert, fearful it was him waking her up. But when she opened her eyes she saw Rita. At first she wasn't sure that Rita was really there, but when Rita pulled her into her arms she knew she wasn't dreaming.
She buried her face in Rita's shirt and wrapped her arms tightly around her neck. She whispered softly, "I love you, Rita." Rita began to cry, softly at first, holding Ava even tighter. She began to sob, not just for the relief of finding Ava but finally letting go of all the worry and anger she had felt all day but held in. Ava pulled away from her. Rita was here but she wasn't sure that meant Rita was going to let her come back home.
She seemed to read her mind. "We can talk at home." Ava smiled and took Rita's hand and walked out of the room. The man was in worse condition than when Rita had left him. He was on the floor crying and apologizing. She looked at Zac who shrugged, "he's just really sorry for what he did."
Rita didn't ask any more questions, she didn't need to. The six of them headed home to Mako. At first Rita wouldn't let go of Ava's hand, almost afraid to lose her again, but eventually let go when Ava pleaded to be able to swim with the "big" girls. When they got back to Rita's house, Ava got her chance to hug and thank everybody. Zac picked her up in his arms and Ava gave him a small kiss on the cheek. "Oh don't tell Evie!" Zac joked.
It was late and the girls headed back to the moon pool for the night, giving Ava another hug before they left. "You better be here in the morning." Nixie said before jumping into the water.
"I will." Ava said smiling.
Zac jumped into the water too, insisting that he escort Lyla back, saying it was on his way. When all the good-byes and good nights were done it was just Ava and Rita.
"I want to show you something." Rita said holding her hand out for Ava to take. She took her hadn and followed Rita up the stairs into the main part if the house. The family room and kitchen were decorated with balloons and streamers and there was a banner that said "It's a girl!" Ava was confused.
"Are you having a baby?" she asked. Rita shook her head and led Ava over to the couch where they both sat down.
"Today I was going to ask you if you wanted to stay here, with me." She paused for a moment, sentimental moments like this could be hard for her at times. "I want you and me to be a family, forever."
"forever?" Ava asked, mulling the idea over.
"Yes. I want you to stay here with me, we can be a family."
Ava didn't know what to say. "You want me?" she asked stunned. This idea was so foreign to her as her own family had left her and Cam told her she was unwanted here too.
"Yes I want you!" Rita laughed, "I love you, and I don't want to lose you! Of course this means that you can't run away anymore."
Ava smiled and threw her arms around Rita and hugged her. She pulled back for a second, "Just one more question." Ava said, the smile was gone and Rita knew it was serious.
"Anything."
"You're not going to leave me too, are you? you're not going to decide you want to go back to be in a pod too?"
"I'm not going anywhere without you." Ava hugged her again. "Hey you want to see your room?"
"I get a room?" Ava said pleasantly surprised.
"Of course that's how it works for land people." Rita took Ava upstairs and showed her the room they had all worked so hard on. "Serena, Nixie, and Lyla helped decorate it." This made Ava even more excited, she adored the older girls. She was able to pick out pieces she knew they had contributed, like Serena's shell carving. Ava had loved the one Serena made a couple of weeks ago but, she told Ava she only made them for her sister. She held it in her hands and memorized the shell. She was smiling so much her face hurt.
"I love it!" She told rita, "But if it's okay can I sleep with you tonight?"
"I would like that very much." Rita smiled.