Hello dear readers !
I present to you my fanfiction, which I have translated into English. It is also available in French on the same profile as this one. Please be understanding, English is not my native language. However, feel free to comment and suggest ways for improvement! I'm open to it, far from opposed.
I wish you a pleasant reading experience! And don't forget, comments are the food for authors! They are the ones who keep us motivated to write!
"I love you."
Emma Dubois turned to Léo, and a radiant smile lit up her face. She reached for his hand with tenderness, twisting slightly in the driver's seat to grasp it, then kissed him passionately. She let the kiss linger, perhaps a little longer than necessary, savoring this quiet moment of happiness. The outside world faded into nothing but a mere backdrop to their shared love.
"I love you too, my heart," she whispered softly, as if sharing a secret.
And it was one of the most universal truths there was. Her love for Léo was a tempestuous sea, both passionate and serene, nurtured by his most genuine qualities and his most endearing flaws. He was brave and resilient, and the unwavering devotion he showed to his family inspired boundless admiration in those who knew him. To her, he was her heart and her lungs, her reason and her madness.
As his lips curled into a wide smile, his light brown eyes shimmered with deep and unmistakable affection. The love they shared was palpable, so powerful it felt as though it could be grasped with bare hands. Their feelings were mutual—there was no doubt about it.
"Thank you for driving. It's hard for me tonight," he admitted guiltily, a shadow of regret darkening his gaze.
Emma shrugged, knowing full well that, for once, she had no choice.
The rain had been relentless since morning, heavy and unforgiving, drenching every inch of the world around them. Streams and rivers overflowed, ill-prepared for the sudden surge of water. A thick fog had risen hours earlier, making the road uncertain and treacherous. The car's heater struggled to offer any warmth, and the evening chill only made things worse. In short, it was not a good day to be behind the wheel.
"I understand, don't worry," she reassured him, pressing down on the accelerator. "It's fine."
Léo struggled with serious vision problems. He could only see out of one eye, and even that vision fluctuated depending on his posture. Nearly blind when standing, he could still drive when seated—but the effort it took exhausted him, causing excruciating migraines and temporarily worsening his ability to perceive his surroundings. In these conditions, tonight's treacherous weather was far from being in his favor.
"I know you don't like driving at all," he continued, hesitantly. "I'm sorry for making you do it..."
Emma nodded, acknowledging the truth in his words. She avoided the driver's seat whenever possible. She was the type to toss Léo the keys and rush to the passenger side before he had a chance to refuse. Other drivers stressed her out, the thought of hitting a wild animal on the road terrified her, and the mere idea of brake failure threatened to consume her with panic. But she would face it—just this once. For him and for their daughter. It would be no different than her daily commute to work, she tried to convince herself.
"There's nothing to forgive, my love," she reassured him. "I've got this. And besides, we have your brother's lucky charm, don't forget! Nothing bad can happen!"
To emphasize her point, she reached for the necklace dangling from the rearview mirror. A translucent green stone, encased in a thin black cord. A gift from Arthur, Léo's brother, because the color reminded him of their car. (Even though their vehicle was a bright apple green, was it really necessary for him to buy matching seat covers and floor mats?) A slightly kitschy present, perhaps, but one filled with good intentions and friendly mischief.
"You're not wrong," Léo chuckled before glancing toward the back seat. "Marie's asleep."
Wrapped in a thick blanket in her car seat, their ten-month-old daughter had indeed drifted off. She had refused to nap all afternoon, and exhaustion had finally won the battle.
"Grandpa wore her out!" Emma teased. "I didn't think she had that much energy."
"You underestimate her! She takes after her father!" Léo declared, feigning pride.
Emma playfully swatted his arm before refocusing on the road. The village where Léo's parents lived was nestled in the heights of the Auvergne region, and getting there was no easy task. Tight curves, sheer drops with only a flimsy wooden guardrail standing between them and the void—it was a true mountain road, daunting at night and even worse in the pouring rain.
Tightening her grip on the steering wheel, she muttered under her breath.
"I love your parents, you know I love them more than my own, but next time, they're coming to our place!"
Léo chuckled softly but didn't argue. He also found the drive exhausting, especially with a baby on board. It was a dangerous situation they couldn't afford to repeat.
"Do you want to stop for a break?" Léo asked after they had been driving for twenty minutes through the relentless downpour. "We're not far from a picnic area."
"I don't know," Emma hesitated. "We'll be back on the main road soon," she reasoned. "The drive will be easier."
Perhaps she should have stayed silent, or perhaps it wouldn't have changed anything at all. But just as they were about to round a curve, a figure leapt down from the rocky ledge above the road. Blurred, dark, too fast for Emma to make out what it was. Her instincts took over, leaving shock behind. Slamming her foot down on the brake, she felt the seatbelt bite into her shoulders as the car jolted to a sudden halt. She wrenched the wheel in a desperate attempt to avoid impact, but the flooded road was unforgiving. The tires skidded uncontrollably on the slick asphalt.
"No, no, no!" she cried, desperately trying to regain control.
Emma fought to steer, to brake, but nothing worked. They hurtled toward the wooden guardrail, the impact violent and jarring. If there had been even a sliver of hope that they might stop in time, it was instantly crushed by a sharp, splintering crack. The aged, neglected wood gave way beneath them.
Clutching Léo's hand, she felt him squeeze back, the force almost painful. A scream of raw terror filled the cabin, and she locked eyes with him, panic-stricken.
"Marie! Oh my God, Marie!" she sobbed.
Fear for their own lives was overwhelming, but the thought of losing their daughter was unbearable. Unthinkable. Not here, not now. Never.
As the car plummeted, time seemed to slow. Emma shut her eyes. It was cowardly, perhaps, but she couldn't bear to watch her own death. She was incapable of facing the horror rushing toward them.
"I'm so sorry," she choked out one last time.
Léo's fingers tightened around hers, a final promise.
"Together. Always," he murmured.
A deafening crash of twisted metal, a brutal impact, then a muffled explosion.
That was the last thing she remembered of the accident.