Authors Note: Okay, this is the last update for this, I swear. This is the "epiloge" so, I hope you enjoy.
Any of my readers that have hit this, sorry for the delay on Lady Heather's Dominion again. Nothing is running into my brain of late but I will make an effort.
Disclaimer: I am only playing with the chars, they are my dolls! That was kinda funny, okay maybe not.
Echo woke up.
And she panicked.
She wasn't in the pods.
The other actives weren't around her.
No one was around her.
She was conditioned to wake up and be around people.
And no one was there.
She was in a bed too.
Echo rolled over and felt the bed.
It was still warm.
Then Adelle walked in.
She was smiling.
"Echo."
Her name was just barely a whisper.
Echo looked up and had the overwhelming feeling that she loved this woman.
Adelle walked over to the bed and sat beside Echo, stroking her hair.
"Good morning sleepy."
Again Adelle whispered.
Almost like she was afraid she would startle Echo.
Echo looked up and smiled.
"I love you?"
Adelle nodded, understanding Echo would know the feeling but vocalizing it just wasn't part of her programing.
This time Echo was more confident.
"I love you!"
Adelle smiled and slid under the covers, pulling Echo close once again.
Adelle was happy in her current arrangement.
She had no idea if after Echo went back to being Caroline if she would remember her.
She hoped, but at the same time realized the chances were much like playing the lottery.
Five Years Later (Exactly from the day Caroline had entered the DollHouse)
Echo sat in the chair.
Topher stood by all his fancy machines and pressed the buttons.
And Adelle watched from the door way.
With hope.
She had a deep seeded hope now.
She had spent the last, almost five years, with Echo in her bed.
With Echo, making love to her at night.
With Echo, screaming her name until she lost her voice.
And she had chewed her nails down every time Echo went out on a dangerous engagement.
And now all she had left was hope.
While she watched all the memories that had once belonged to Caroline be filled back in her head Adelle DeWitt held onto nothing but hope.
When Caroline sat back up Adelle held her breath.
All her hopes rested on these few moments.
Her heart would either break into millions of little pieces or it would turn inside out with joy.
Caroline turned and looked around the room for a while before letting her eyes meet Adelle's.
"I know you."
Short and simple.
Leaving Adelle wondering what the statement meant.
So Adelle did the only thing she could do.
She nodded.
Adelle remembered the fire that had burned in Caroline before she became a doll.
The fire that was aimed at her.
And then something occurred to Adelle.
Something she had never thought of before.
Caroline, not Echo, was straight.
Before she was a doll she had had a boyfriend.
And he died.
But he had still been there.
Adelle's heart broke.
Caroline might know her.
But Caroline would almost certainly never love her the way Echo did.
Echo had no inhabitations about love.
It was just an emotion.
Nothing gender specific.
Caroline had grown up in a world where love was gender specific.
But when Adelle pulled out of her thoughts, her hope sprung anew.
Caroline was sitting in the chair, smiling at her.
Adelle waited.
She wouldn't say anything.
And Caroline spoke.
"I feel like I know you."
Adelle nodded.
"I feel like I love you."
Adelle started crying.
Caroline remembered.
Caroline loved her.
The impact she made on Echo stood the test of Topher's machines.
And it came out strong.
Because Caroline had that look on her face.
The same look Echo had given her at the beginning of their relationship.
When Adelle first confirmed their love.
And Adelle's heart jumped.
Caroline got out of the chair and stood by Adelle for a moment.
And then she did what Adelle wanted.
She put her arms around Adelle's waist and pulled her close.
Kissing her passionately.
She didn't care that everyone could see through the clear glass walls.
All she cared about was the woman in her arms.
Even though she knew she had just given up five years of her life to the woman.
She suddenly had the feeling it had been all worth it.