Julia was balancing on her chair, looking at the ceiling and thinking she should probably get started on that grant proposal. Or maybe get a pot of coffee. She spun around and faced the window. Her new office, even if small, was much more comfortable than the one she used to occupy in Cambridge. It had a better view, too. For a moment she got distracted by a group of students talking loudly and gesticulating in the garden right outside. Normal people, with normal lifes, and regular worries. It was good to be back in academia.

The ringing of her phone took her back to the reality of her desk.

It was an unknown number, of just four digits, and it was asking for a video call.

She hesitated for a moment. A.C.M.E. had their own ways of contacting her, in the unlikely event they needed to, and they wouldn't like to deviate from what worked. The other one person that would use encryption… no, she didn't want to think about that. About her. Not again.

With a quick movement she accepted the call. For a moment the image was just white and then…

"Hey, Jules," Carmen was on the screen, bright eyes and a friendly smile that didn't really reach her them. Wearing just a plain black shirt and a messy bun, she almost look like one of the students on campus.

"Hey," Julia stuttered, "Carmen,… is… I… what happened?"

Carmen shifted on her seat and looked around.

"Nothing happened… I mean, a couple of things." she took a deep breath and a stray lock of hair trembled, to Julia's slight amusement. "But that's not why I'm calling you."

"Oh." Julia blinked, wondering if this was a weird dream and, if that was the case, when would she wake up. "What are you calling, then?"

"I…" Carmen scratched her neck and, again, shifted her weight. "No particular reason. I… I guess I wanted to. Talk to you, I mean. I… miss you."

Julia's heart, which had been beating madly since she answered the call, seemed to have stopped.

"Oh… I-"

"And I know this is kinda weird and maybe I should've come over to talk to you, but I didn't want to… to assume you would want me to…"

"I've missed you too," Julia muttered, feeling hot in the face.

"Oh… that's… that's great," Carmen finally smiled, properly.

"Not that great." Julia could've dropped it and just talk to her, but she wanted to say it all, and maybe this was going to be the chance she'd have before Carmen would disappear again.

"No?"

"Well… it' good talking to you, and it's a relief to know I wasn't the only one doing the missing," Julia gave a little self-conscious chuckle, "but it sucks. Missing you sucks, because, well, you just disappear. Always."

"I know…" Carmen said, again looking uncomfortable.

"And you can reach me, but it doesn't work the other way around so… if I miss you, I just do. At least when I was working for A.C.M.E. I knew what was happening. Now I don't even know if or how many times have you risked your life since I last saw you."

Julia pursed her lips. She had said way much more than what she had intended to at first. But it was true and maybe it wasn't bad for it to be out in the open.

Carmen looked at her for a moment. "I'm sorry, Jules. I didn't… I didn't call before because I thought… I didn't think you'd want me to."

Julia felt her own smile, despite herself. She shrugged. "Now you know."

"Yeah," Carmen said biting her lip. "Wait. What exactly do I know?"

Julia closed her eyes. This was complicated, and difficult to think about, let alone say aloud, and she was not going to do it over a video call. And yet, she had to say something.

"That I'm happy you called. I like to talk to you. And that… I worry about you. So, I miss you."

Carmen smiled. "Is it ok if I go visit you?"

Julia's heart went back to beating madly. "I'd like that."

Julia paced her room up and down. This time she knew Carmen would come and there was no saying if that was better or worse than simply being surprised.

Better, probably, because the bad thing about being surprised was all those other times in which she had stayed somewhere, a coffee shop, or her own flat, for a long while, daydreaming and hoping to be surprised just to be let down.

She looked around the sitting room. This flat was even smaller than the one she had in Cambridge. Other than putting away books and notebooks, making it presentable took very little time. Which left her with nothing to do but to pace.

Julia was trying to decide if reading a book could distract her enough when there was a small tap on her window. She turned around to see nobody on the other side. She opened it, and the cold winter air hit her, and filled the small space of the apartment. Looking to the sides, there was nothing. Down, Nobody.

"Hey," Carmen's laughter was distinguishable even when whispering.

Julia looked up just in time to move to the side, as Carmen climbed down and entered through the window.

"There are doors, you know." Julia said with a small laugh, even though she knew that there were always reasons for Carmen to do things the way she did.

"Boring," Carmen said, closing the window. She had foregone the red coat and fedora, and was wearing plain jeans and a jacket instead, a small messenger's bag on her shoulder. Like that one time in the cafe, Julia thought it was nice to see her just like this. Like a regular girl and not one of the most talented thiefs on Earth.

Carmen turned around and looked at her, smiling. Julia smiled too, relieved that she was finally here, but suddenly feeling self conscious and more than a little bit awkward.

"I'm happy to see you," she said in what sounded like a very lame attempt at conversation.

"I'm happy to be here," Carmen said, looking briefly around before settling her gaze on Julia. "This is a nice place."

"Yeah, I like it," Julia looked around, still feeling awkward. "Can I… do you want something to eat or-?"

"That'd be nice."

"I assume you don't want to go out…"

"You never know who's looking…" Carmen agreed, and Julia thought she looked a little uncomfortable, her hands on fists gently banging against her tights.

"What if I order Chinese?"

Finally Carmen's smile reached her eyes. "That's a good idea."

Julia went to get her cellphone and ordered enough food for a small army. It was silly, really, but she didn't know what Carmen might like… and ordering was giving her an excuse to take deep breaths and try to control the loud bumping of her heart. She really needed to pull herself together.

But the phone call had to end, and she had to face the woman sitting on her couch. Wasn't that the point anyway?

"So…" Julia said, forcing a smile that, she hoped, could hide how nervous she felt. Slowly, she sat at the opposite side of a couch that suddenly looked very small. "How are you doing? How's the wound?"

"Oh, the wound healed nicely," Carmen said, looking at her side for a second. "You could consider a different career path."

Julia chuckled. "I don't think so."

"Seriously, Jules. I don't think I really thanked you that night… so… thanks. I really owe you one."

"It's alright," she said, feeling heat up her cheeks. "I'm glad it worked."

"I never herald anything about the miniatures-"

"I know. I thought it was better to take them to Devineaux. He delivered them and both the museum and A.C.M.E. decided no publicity was best. I'm sorry I didn't take them myself. I was afraid that could shed a light on me, and maybe indirectly even on you.

Carmen considered that for a moment.

"You're right. I'm sorry I put you in that position."

"Don't be," Julia hastened to say. "It was the clever thing to do, and it worked. So, never mind."

"Ok," she chuckled.

"Ok," Julia echoed. "So what's the-?"

"Jules," Carmen cut across, her eyes now on her shoes. Julia's heart seemed to stop mid-track, along with her words. There was some heaviness in Carmen's tone, something different she had rarely heard, and it was both hopeful and terrifying.

"Yes?"

"I just… I am happy to see you but… before we… talk… there is something I want to ask."

"Alright…" cold sweat was covering her palms and Julia wondered how much she was blushing.

"I…" Carmen turned her entire body to face her and smiled. "I really don't know how to do this, so I'm just going to… ask?"

This time Julia just nodded, also moving to face Carmen. The question that had haunted her since that time she'd gotten a dozen red roses, and even more since she had felt Carmen's lips lingering on a kiss right next to her mouth, all those weeks ago, formed again. Was it possible that there had been something there, something real to back up her fantasies?

"I like you," Carmen finally said, in a shaky voice that sounded not at all like her. "I have for a long time. And I know it's just… confusing, and maybe even unfair, but the fact is, I do… and…"

"Hey," Julia scooted a little closer on the couch, and feeling bold, her fingers encircled Carmen's. "It's alright." She took a deep steadying breath. "I like you, too."

Carmen smiled a crooked grin. "Do you really?"

"More than I should, probably." Julia said, unable to keep looking at those big grey eyes.

"Is it wrong, though, Jules?" Carmen said, and Julia felt her hand on her thigh, pulling her even closer.

"No," she found the courage she needed to look up again. Carmen's face, her cheeks, her lips, were way to close. "I don't think this is wrong."

"Me neither," Carmen licked her lips.

"Kiss me, then," Julia whispered, leaning forward to meet Carmen's lips half-way.

They felt soft, hesitant at first. Julia's free hand moved to cup Carmen's cheek and hearing her sigh almost made her melt. She could feel the texture of full lips on hers, in slow movements, almost as if they were asking for permission.

The kiss deepened, and Julia opened her mouth, inviting Carmen in. She gasped, and slowly, Julia traced her lips with the tip of her tongue. Carmen responded, exploring and sending shivers down Julia's spine. Her senses were overwhelmed, and the only real thing in the world seemed to be this woman pressing her body to hers.

After a moment, Carmen pulled back a little, without letting go of Julia's waist.

"Whoa," she whispered.

Julia chuckled. "Whoa back at you."

"I never thought…"

A sudden idea assaulted Julia's mind. Carmen was young, she knew, but how young exactly?

"Was this your first…?" she trailed off.

Carmen chuckled, and leaned back a little. "Sort of," she said, looking at her hands on her lap. Julia thought she was adorable. Vulnerable in a way she'd never thought possible of her.

"Hey… it's alright."

Gently pulling her by the hand, Julia moved as close as possible, Carmen's body right next to hers.

"I had an… unusual upbringing," Carmen started with a deep sigh. "Being raised at V.I.L.E.'s academy… close personal relationships were forbidden. I wasn't really interested, to be honest. My focus was on my… education. I wanted to be the best."

"Which you are," Julia said, taking her hand again. For a moment, Carmen looked at their intertwined fingers, and then she spoke again.

"Before I started my training there was this boy. Older than me. We kissed, once or twice… When couch Brunt found us, he got the ass kicking of his life."

Despite herself, Julia chuckled. "And you?"

Carmen smiled, ruefully. "I was the teacher's pet. I just got a slap on the wrist and a long talk. About staying focused and not trusting people… I guess you can see the consequences."

Carmen bit her lip. Julia tried to imagine her as a young girl, trying to fit in and be the best.

"Did you like that boy?" Julia wondered if she was just interested or maybe a bit jealous.

"He was nice, I guess." Carmen's fingers tightened on Julia's. "I was mostly curious. It was… nothing like this, that much I can tell you." She chuckled, and Julia could see, for the first time now that they were this close, that she was blushing.

"What makes it different?"

Carmen considered her for a moment, her eyes looking at Julia's and then down at her mouth. "Rain-check on that question, Jules?"

And she bent down to kiss her again.

This time Julia risked moving her hands up Carmen's back, her fingers tangling in her hair. She hadn't stopped thinking about the feel of it since that night when she'd fallen asleep at her side, caressing her. It had been so bold and intimate, and Julia had found herself more than once tortured with shame at the memory. But now, as Carmen was almost laying over her, heavy breathing and roaming hands, Julia couldn't find an ounce of regret.

A long moment later, or maybe it was just a couple of seconds, there was no way of telling, Carmen pulled back once more. Somehow they had moved and they were both lying on Julia's too small couch, risking falling on the floor at any second.

"Here," Carmen said, sitting up straighter and pulling Julia with her until her head was resting on Carmen's shoulder. Julia giggled.

"I should've gotten a bigger couch."

"I'm not complaining," Carmen said, her breath ticking down Julia's ear.

She chuckled. "Noted."

"So," Carmen said, taking Julia's hand again. "What's your story?"

Julia wished she didn't need to remember it, but Carmen was trying to open up to her in a way Julia never thought possible, and honesty was the least she deserved.

"It's a lame story," she said, moving her head to the side and tracing Carmen's neck with her nose. As a reward, she got a deep sigh. Encouraged, she placed a kiss right under her ear.

"Are you trying to distract me," Carmen's voice trembled a little.

"Is it working?"

"Nope…"

Julia chuckled. "Oh well." She put some inches between her and Carmen, just to be able to focus. "It was not very easy coming out… to myself, to my family. So I tried having a boyfriend back in secondary school. It went bad. The first time I dated a girl I realised… but my father wouldn't hear of it. We're back on speaking terms, after years, but relationships are not something I'll discuss with him."

Carmen's gaze was fixed on hers, a slight frown forming. "I'm sorry, Jules."

"Hey, it's fine," Julia touched the crease between her eyes with the tip of her finger. "No regrets."

Carmen smiled rather stiffly. "Ok."

"Really, no need to go punching anybody."

"Hey, I wouldn't… well…"

The ringing of the door managed to dissipate some of the awkwardness, and Julia jumped to get the food.