AN: Sorry for the late update guys! I had taken some time to enjoy the weekend. Thank you for the positive response I'm getting, especially since I'm a first timer, it means a lot to me. Well this chapter echoes the main theme of this whole story. Raizo wants to live not exist and this chapter is like a first step towards that wish. Hope you enjoy :)
"Got you, you old bastard, I've waited for this moment for so long" Maslow said with smirk pushing a handcuffed Lundgren into the police car.
"You'll pay for this; you know I won't be in custody for long right?" Lundgren hissed back through the window.
"Not this time Lundgren, the prosecutor has a charge sheet listing all your crimes and guess what, they are a hell lot of them, as long as my arm I think" Maslow taunted him back.
"You know Lundgren, people like you offend me, you think you can just take advantage of the justice system and manipulate it to your biding. And for that I hope you spend the rest of your pathetic life in prison" Maslow hit the car roof as a signal for the driver to take off. He watched the car drive away with his hands in his pocket, a feeling of satisfaction washing over him.
"Happy?" Raizo's voice said behind him making him jump
"Shit! Raizo, what the hell, you've given me a mini heart attack here man" Maslow cussed. Raizo gave him a good natured smirk.
"Sorry" he murmured.
"Did you just apologize to me?" Maslow gave him a puzzled look.
"Probably" Raizo replied trying to keep a straight face.
"So, what's the plan, what's next for all of us? Now that this case is wrapped up" Maslow asked anxiously.
"I want to start a life with Mika" Raizo said simply.
"You really love her don't you?" Maslow raised an eyebrow. Raizo nodded with a smile.
"Anyway you have my blessing, both of you, and did I mention that the two of you love saving the world" Maslow joked.
"Ryan I uh—think I'd like to call you a friend" Raizo said in a hesitant tone.
"I earned it didn't I?" Ryan chuckled.
"You care about Mika, and to me that's something"
"I suppose you can't wait to drive to the safe house now, so I guess I'll see you there tomorrow" Maslow commented taking his car keys out of his pocket. Raizo inclined his head and the two men parted.
Raizo walked soundlessly following the steady sound of Mika's heartbeat. H e had managed to slip in without setting off the alarm; he saw no point in waking up the young agent and everyone else. The moment he walked into her room her strawberry and magnolia filled his nostrils. Raizo looked down at her, she was sleeping peacefully, and her dark, wavy hair was sprawled on the pillow. How was it possible that you looked at a person and felt yourself falling in love with them more and more? He stroked her face and she murmured sleepily leaning into his touch, Raizo smiled and kissed her forehead. He stripped down to his boxer shorts and lifted up the covers to join her.
Mika woke up the next morning and groaned when she saw that she was alone. She had dreamed that Raizo had come back and was holding her while she slept. It had been a good feeling as far as she could tell. She got out of bed and slipped into her morning shoes, ready to face the day yet again. Her out of bed reverie was cut by the envelope that solely rested on her dressing table. She was sure it hadn't been there yesterday or the day before that. The past had taught her that envelopes that appeared from nowhere were bad news. A shiver ran through her when she remembered the envelope she had once received in Berlin, before all hell broke loose, and the enigmatic black sand that had poured from it.
"Get a grip Mika" she scolded herself. The clans were gone, she was safe, and she reminded herself. Mika reached for the white envelope, she opened it slowly with shaky hands.
It contained a pair of rectangular papers with the Lufthansa Airways logo; it didn't take long for her to see that they were air tickets. She opened them with a frown and read the details. Mika felt her eyes fill when she saw her name and Raizo's name written down. They were first class tickets from Berlin to Rome. Mika's face lit up and she grinned, so it wasn't a dream, Raizo was here, and he was the one who had left the tickets for her. She half ran out of the room to find him.
"Raizo!" Mika exclaimed shortly before she jumped into his arms. She forgot for a moment he was standing with Marlene and agent Lindbergh, who were having their morning coffee. She wrapped her arms around him tightly burrowing into his chest, yesterday's anger had evaporated.
"Sarang" Raizo leaned his forehead on hers with his characteristic smirk.
"Are you guys always like this?" agent Lindbergh asked with a somewhat puzzled tone.
Mika laughed embarrassedly, loosening her hold on Raizo"
"Uh…just at partings and meetings" she grinned. She knew Lindbergh was recalling their very public kiss two weeks ago.
"Women love to be held a lot Adam" Marlene explained with a smile on her face, looking at Mika who looked just like a cat that had swallowed the canary.
"Well me, I'm married to my TV set, a game of soccer and a pack of beers" Lindbergh half laughed shaking his head.
"She was married to Europol and her books" Raizo who had been modest and quiet throughout the exchange, jerked his head towards Mika. Mika blushed and gave Raizo a condescending look.
"And she didn't do dates, agent Coretti had the whole line of gentlemen waiting to have a chance and she just raised her nose in the air with a stack of files every time I saw her" Lindbergh sneered at her and Raizo gave her an amused look, his eyebrows up.
"You know what, I'll go and have my shower" Mika said a little self consciously, obviously embarrassed.
Raizo was sitting on her bed when Mika emerged from the bathroom. She walked towards him with a smile, glad that they had a few stolen moments before them.
"Did you like your clothes?" he asked motioning at the cases in the corner.
"Yes, yes, and yes, I tried not to look at the labels though, they would make me a very vain woman" she grinned.
"Marlene tells me you and Henri had what she called 'a pyjama festival' " he teased.
"Hmm yes, he's such an adorable little boy" Mika said fondly.
"I missed you" Raizo drew her in his arms, and ran his hands in her wet and wavy hair.
"Me too, and thanks for the tickets. Raizo how could you? I'm so excited" she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"We can't forget to live Mika—and I just want to be a part of the things that make you happy" Mika drew his face down to hers and began kissing him. It felt good to be united, to be together again after a while. With Raizo she felt at home, like she had found her anchor. She knew there was no going back for the two of them now, and that thought alone, pleased her.
"I want to go with Mika and Raizo oma" Henri said tearfully, his lower lip trembling. Mika and Raizo were getting ready to drive off to the airport while Lindbergh was going to drive Marlene and the small boy back to Berlin. Mika kneeled on the pavement and hugged little Henri.
"We're not going away forever Henri, I've been sick, Raizo is taking me to Italy so I can recover" she tried to explain to the child.
"But I want to go too, I want to see you recover" he replied stubbornly.
"We'll sent you nice cards, with pretty pictures, that's a deal right" Mika reasoned
Henri was quiet for a moment considering then he reluctantly nodded.
"Ready?" Raizo asked Mika coming out of the house.
"Yes" she nodded with a smile on her face, barely hiding her excitement. She watched Raizo lift Henri up with a grin on his face and a warm feeling spread inside her. They bade each other farewells amidst the laughter and hugs they exchanged, promising to be in touch and to see each other soon.
Mika kept waving at Henri till his form blurred then she turned back to Raizo with a grin. She leaned on his shoulder as he drove them to the airport. She couldn't wait to see the land of her grandfather again, a part of her childhood. And this time it made all the difference, she had someone special to share it with.