"Do you mind if I go out on the balcony to make a call?" Ale asked, looking at Quinn. They had just gotten back from dinner, which they had enjoyed over a long series of stories about both of their lives and families, after they went to the record store downtown once Ale was done at the studio.
"As long as you don't jump off, I don't have a problem with it," Quinn joked, looking up from his book. Ale smiled, going out onto the balcony. The sun was dipping dangerously low into the harbor, almost completely disappearing.
Ale sat down on the wicker sofa that Eliot had just put on the balcony, tucking her legs into her chest. She dialed the number she knew by heart, Evan picking up almost immediately.
"I knew you wouldn't forget about me," he said, the smile evident in his voice.
"How could I ever?" Ale asked, laughing a bit. "So what's up?"
"You tell me. You go to Italy for five months and when you come back you have a new boyfriend and forgot to tell me you were in town. Sounds a little suspicious to me," Evan said, a hint of worry and hurt in his voice.
"I was going to call you. But I have been dealing with some stuff. Nightmares, and I have just had to adjust to life without him. Without all of them," Ale said, picking at some threads on her sweater, which she had untucked and let fall over her knees. "And he's not my boyfriend. Just a friend who didn't want me traveling across town alone."
Evan was quiet on the other end of the phone, Ale not knowing what else to say. She knew exactly why she didn't call Evan…she didn't want to go back to that part of her life. It was too hard to remember what life was instead of what it had to be now.
"You were afraid that it would hurt too much, weren't you?" Evan whispered, Ale nodding, even though she knew Evan couldn't see her.
"I just…I want everything to be back to normal but I know it can't. And I'm trying to find part of my old life without dwelling too much in it because if I don't think about it I can't miss it," Ale whispered back, her throat thick with tears.
"I cannot imagine how hard this is for you, Ale. But you cannot give up every part of yourself just so you aren't reminded of them. Because let's face it…if you erase them from your memory, how else are they going to live on?" Evan asked, his voice sounding assertive and strong. "Who is going to tell the stories of the ridiculous pranks you and Lio pulled, who is going to sing those goofy songs your Mama used to sing when she woke up when you fell asleep in the most ridiculous places, and who is going to tell the stories about the stars that your Papa told you every single night? I know it hurts to remember, Ale, but if you don't, no one else will either. And that's not fair. It's okay to have it hurt for a while, and it's going to. But if you don't hold onto every piece of them that you have, they will disappear forever, and when you are ready to open up your memories again, the will be gone and it will be too late."
Ale took in Evan's words, tears falling quickly down her cheeks. He was right…she was the only one left to remember and tell others about her amazing family, and if she didn't, they would be gone. Forever.
They deserved more than that.
"You are right," Ale finally said.
"I never thought I would hear those words," Evan said, Ale laughing a bit.
"Thank you Evan. For everything. I will talk to you soon, yes?" Ale said, not being able to stop the tears from flowing from her eyes.
"Yes. Call me if you need me and don't forget that you owe me many dances from when you were gone in Italy."
"I know," Ale nodded, a smile stretching across her lips as she told Evan she loved him and would talk to him soon.
Ale then wiped her eyes and watched as the sun decided to surrender herself to the water, allowing the moon to take her place in the sky.
Sophie was dying to know how Ale's day with Quinn went, but she didn't want to be too pushy. It was, after all, only their first day together and Ale's first day of freedom from the team. Sophie didn't want to push her.
Eliot was also wondering how Ale and Quinn's day was, but he mainly just wanted to know that Ale was okay. Quinn had sent multiple updates throughout the day, but they were just saying that everything was under control.
As if Quinn could read his mind, Eliot's phone rang, Quinn's name popping up at the screen. Eliot looked around the common room of the hotel the team was staying in, everyone else seeming occupied with something else. Eliot was comfortable where he was so he answered the phone right there, not worrying about anyone else.
"Hey Quinn, is everything alright?" Eliot answered, his voice gruff.
Sophie's ears immediately perked up as he heard Quinn's name, as did everyone else's.
"Everything's fine. Today was great, actually. I did just want to give you a heads up about something, though."
"What?" Eliot asked, growing nervous.
"Well two things. First of all, a woman was talking with Ale today on the subway and telling Ale how much she reminded Ale of her daughter, who had, coincidentally, been killed by Buchamp Pharmaceuticals. It kind of shook Ale, but she is okay now. And the second thing was that I took Ale on the subway today and she didn't die, so there's that," Quinn joked, Eliot both enraged that Quinn took her in such a dangerous area and upset that Ale had to go through something like that without the team.
"Are you sure she is okay?" Eliot asked, Sophie putting down her magazine. Eliot's voice had gotten softer, showing his concern for a situation.
"She was fine throughout the rest of the afternoon and she was very talkative at dinner. She is on the balcony talking to someone right now, but I'm sure it's just one of her friends that we ran into today," Quinn said, not sounding at all concerned.
The truth was, Quinn had been concerned about Ale. She was upset after they left the studio and kind of shut herself away from Quinn as she worked through her feelings. She eventually opened back up, though, and everything was fine. He was worried that she would have nightmares tonight, due to the reminders of her past, but he had listened carefully to Eliot about how to handle them so he really wasn't too concerned, currently. Especially after the great dinner they had together.
"Tell her to call me if she needs to talk. Better yet, shoot me a text when she comes in and I'll call her, see if she wants to talk," Eliot said, growing more and more anxious.
"Eliot, she will call you if she needs you. She's done it before," Sophie said from the chair, Eliot shooting her an ice-cold glare.
"I think she'll be alright, but I'll let her know that you are available for the rest of the night to talk," Quinn said, looking onto the balcony. Ale had hung up the phone and was now resting her chin on her knees, looking out at the skyline.
"Thanks, Quinn," Eliot sighed, not wanting to argue. When he hung up he looked at four expectant faces, all of them seeming to silently ask how Ale was.
"She's fine. Someone on the subway was talking to her about their daughter, who died because of Buchamp. Quinn said she was a little shaken but is okay now," Eliot said, grabbing his phone and going into his room in the suite. "I'm goin' to bed," he growled, not wanting to deal with any of the team's questions.
Eliot was sure to put his phone volume all the way up before he allowed himself to fall asleep, his thoughts only on Ale.