"We should go and find Leyla and Ruth," Paara said, standing up.
"Wait, what's going on?" Fatima asked. The group hurried to Ruth and Leyla's hut and Paara knocked on the door.
"Leyla!" she called out. The curtain opened and Leyla stepped out.
"What's going on?" she asked softly. Paara pointed at the sky. From the ground in the village, it looked as if a plane was about to land.
"That's where Ladera Air Base is," Ty said softly. Rountree nodded in agreement.
"Right, but what does this mean?" Fatima asked.
"If that's Gavin, he wouldn't walk this far overnight. He'll camp out at the base, and walk over in the morning," Paara said.
"You think that's Gavin?" Leyla asked softly. Suddenly, she felt excited and hopeful. "Do you think-"
"I wouldn't count on it, Leyla," Ruth interjected.
"Your mom's right, honey. He probably won't bring Izzy. I'm sorry," Paara whispered, rubbing her shoulder. "We should get to sleep tonight, so we can be up in the morning to see what's going on." Ty nodded and wrapped his arm around her waist.
"Come on," he whispered. Rountree took Fatima's hand in his and led her back to the guest hut and into their room. "Do you have pajamas in your bag?" he asked.
"I don't remember. I hope so," Fatima replied. She opened her bag and poured its contents on the bed. "Score!" she said, holding up a pair of sweatpants. She found a hoodie, then turned to face Devin. "Get out, let me clean up and change," she said, gently swatting him.
"Alright. Clean up afterwards so I can too," he replied, stepping out of the small room. He let the curtain close behind him as he stepped outside. He stared at the light in the sky and wondered if the aurora could truly take him and Fatima home. He wondered if anything that had happened was real. The idea that he and Fatima had fallen into a sinkhole and went thousands of years into the past baffled him. How was that even possible?
"Done, Tree," Fatima said softly. Rountree jumped and turned to face her. "The soap smells really good. I didn't wash my hair, but I used some dry shampoo and this is a clean hijab."
"Let me get a turn. You mind if I borrow that dry shampoo?"
"Go for it. It's full, except what I used," she said softly. She settled into a chair and closed her eyes as she sighed. "This doesn't feel real."
"I know."
Rountree slipped into their room and cleaned himself, then pulled on a pair of sweatpants and an UCLA tee shirt. He splashed water over his face, then opened the curtain.
"Done?" Fatima asked softly.
"Yes, ma'am," Rountree said softly. Fatima got up and made her way into the room. Rountree lifted the blankets and crawled into the bed, then motioned for Fatima to join him. She climbed in next to him and closed her eyes immediately.
"What do you think the rest of the team is thinking right now?" she whispered.
"I hate to say it, but they're probably grieving. They have no reason to believe we could be alive. Hell, we shouldn't be. I keep thinking that any minute I'll wake up from a weird ass dream," Rountree whispered.
"Me too," Fatima whispered. "I wish there was a way for us to get in touch with them."
"Kensi and Deeks always promised that they'd take Jordyn in if anything ever happened to me. I never thought that that plan might actually be put in place," Rountree said quietly.
"She's gonna be okay, Tree. She's strong," Fatima whispered.
"I know she is. God, I would do anything to hug her right now," Devin said quietly.
"I know." Fatima kissed his cheek softly. "Do you think that thing has anything to do with getting us home?"
"I really hope so," Devin replied. He kissed her forehead and smiled. "I love you, Fatima."
"I love you too."