Present Time
The Surface: Elizabeth
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Elizabeth pried the door open, letting the sun into the hold. One by one, she helped the girls onto the metal deck. She sat with some of them at the edge, feet in the water. Others were splashing and chasing each other, excited to see the sun.
She gazed out across the water and wrapped her arms tightly around herself against the sea breeze. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something in the water and nearly jumped out of her skin when a hand shot up and grabbed the ledge.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes at the theatrics but reached to pull her up anyway. The sky was bright blue and the girls were singing. All could be forgiven.
Eleanor reached up to pop off her helmet off and took just enough time to put it down before she threaded her fingers through Elizabeth's hair and kissed her.
Taken by surprise as she was, Elizabeth kissed her back, lips soft and eager. She pulled back for a moment only to nod toward the water and whisper, "Nothing like that."
Eleanor squeezed her hands and smiled in the sunshine. "Never again," she agreed.
And later, Eleanor started the engine, and they sailed east toward coordinates Elizabeth knew by heart.
They were free, at last.