Alex arranged his bowtie and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He noticed the creases on his face, the mark of the years passing by. He then put both hands on the sink and ground his teeth. The last couple of months have exhausted them both. Since the death of Dylan Atwater, they left the country and sought refuge in France. Diane was highly functioning, but she was plagued with nightmares at night, nightmares that he knew came from all of Diane's buried emotions and memories of that dreadful day. She couldn't speak about it for two months, because it always brought her to the verge of breaking down. So he didn't insist and would rather focus on things he knew she would enjoy. He would focus on her for these two months, making every day a beautiful one so Diane could heal and move on. He also took that time off to heal his own wounds and reflect on what happened.
He kept his promise to Diane. He killed the man who hurt her, but he also witnessed her come to his rescue, fight tooth and nail against that man, and overcome her own trauma and fears. He watched her that night, stronger than ever, focused on her task at hand, and successful in saving the lives of the whole family. He saw her paralyzed as well, unable to make a move upon seeing her rapist and torturer. It was messy. Come to think of it, Alex didn't remember when a fight had been so difficult, nor did he remember being so badly injured that he had to go on a short break so he could heal and be efficient. Months later, he had healed pretty fast, and there was almost no sign of him ever being in a fight, save for his ribs and the bruises on his sides from Dylan's "intense hug". It didn't matter much because ultimately, he killed that son of a bitch. He killed Dylan, and he helped the woman he loved finally be vindicated. He heard the faint footsteps of Diane as she walked into the bathroom.
"Are you ready, Alex?" -Her voice was calm, so he quietly looked around so he could see her-
Diane was wearing her natural hair, styled in a big afro puff, tied with a red ribbon. Her dress was to die for, a lovely red sequined backless dress. At her feet were a pair of white stilettos, and the only jewels she wore were a pearl necklace with a long pearly chain on the back and a silver bracelet wrapped around her left wrist. She put some makeup on her face, and her plump lips were now adorned with a glossy chocolate lipstick. She was stunning, and Alex couldn't help but smile at her. She tilted her head to the side and gave him a sheepish smile.
"I just need a couple of minutes, and we'll be ready to go. Are you ready, Di?"
She nodded, her hazel eyes staring at him. He could no longer feel anger in her eyes since they killed Dylan Atwater. Instead, he felt relief. He felt her relax in a way he had not seen her do before. Her soft eyes averted from his face to his hair, and she slowly ran her fingers through his locks to put his hair in place. For Diane, things have been difficult. Killing Dylan unleashed a flurry of emotions and memories she kept buried deep inside her. She couldn't escape how she felt, the horrors she witnessed, and the pain and helplessness, too. She couldn't hide behind her mission anymore, now that they were all dead. Those ghosts she tried to ignore all those years ago resurfaced, and she saw their faces, locked in agony and fear. There was nothing left but pain and survivor's guilt she had to overcome. In France, she visited a therapist, renowned for his work with victims of armed conflict. That man helped her face her demons and come to terms with being the only surviving member of her family. He helped her realize that what happened to her wasn't her fault and that nothing could have stopped the perpetrators of such atrocities. He helped her realize that she was a survivor, and she still carried life inside her.
She still could participate in this life and honor the dead by channeling her pain into something positive. Unbeknownst to her therapist, she was doing it in her very own way. Killing people and taking them off the streets definitely helped their victims. Derailing criminal activities involving human traffickers, drug lords, and other people benefiting from people suffering was useful. At least, in her eyes, she was doing something good. In her eyes, she was honoring her family by saving people. Thanks to that man, she had started the difficult healing process, but she was steady on that road, and she wasn't alone. Alex was there, by her side. During their rescue mission and the fight with Dylan, she realized that she was in love with him. She realized that she wanted to live. She wanted to build a life with him. She needed him to be alive. It gave her the strength to face her rapist. It gave her the strength to go toe to toe with him and risk her life. She then cupped his cheek and stroked it with her thumb. He turned his head to the side and gave her a sheepish grin. She pinched her lips together and slowly brought her forehead to his in a gentle touch.
"I know it's not the ideal moment to talk about it, but I've been thinking about it for weeks now."
"Tell me, Diane. I'm all ears." -He gently grabbed her wrist and stroked it with his thumb. His blue eyes set upon her face, and she nodded slowly, as if she was gathering her strength to finally let go of the thoughts trapped in her chest-
" You told me a while ago that you had feelings for me, that you loved me. At the time, I wasn't able to say it back. I couldn't find my words because all I was thinking about was that I would die fighting Dylan Atwater. I believed that there was no future left for me once I completed my revenge, so I couldn't in good faith answer you." -She closed her eyes for a brief moment- "But I have found my voice today. During the rescue mission we did, I froze upon seeing that man. All I could think of was the pain he gave me. All I could do was remember that fateful day. I couldn't move, and that child did his best to snap me out of it. I came back because I couldn't let you fight his monster alone. I had to save you. I had to do my best to help you survive this encounter. I realized back then that I was in love with you, Alex. I wanted to protect you out of love. I didn't say anything after the fight because I wasn't in the right mental space for that. It took a while, but here I am, ready and willing to say it. I love you, Alex. I want to live my life with you. I want...."
He didn't let her finish. Instead, he grabbed her by the back of her neck. He pressed his lips into a hard kiss and snuck an arm around her waist. He pulled her into a tight hug and pressed her body against his. He didn't expect her to voice her feelings, mostly because he knew she loved him. Yet, it was still pleasant to hear it. She loved him. It made his heart soar, and before he knew it, He had pulled her up, so she could wrap her legs around his waist and he could keep on kissing her. He took a couple of steps so she could press her back on the tiled walls of the bathroom, and she could help support her body while his tongue danced with hers.
"I love you too, Diane. " -He managed to whisper in between their lips before he resumed kissing her. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and closed her eyes so she could savor his kiss. Diane moaned and slowly pulled away from him so she could look at his face. She smiled and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "I'm tempted not to go tonight."
"You know we have to. What would they say if we don't show up, mmhhh?" -She tilted her head to the side and pressed another kiss to his nose.- "I know you care a lot about your reputation, so we better be going. I just wanted to let you know that I loved you. I do. I will always." -She smiled and kissed his lips again in a soft kiss.-
He returned the kiss and slowly put her back on her feet. She was right, he cared about his reputation so much so that it kick-started the events in both Germany and Spain. He stroked her cheek with his thumb and slowly went back to the sink. Diane smiled at him and gently pecked his cheek before she walked away from the bathroom. He looked at his reflection, and a visible smile graced his features. Could it be that he was happy? Could it be that he was finally where he wanted to be in life? With someone he loves and someone who loves him? Could it be that he was finally at peace? With someone who understood what he was doing and who could share that life with him. She wouldn't judge him, and he wouldn't have to hide anything from her. For the first time since Nuria, he felt free. He adjusted his bowtie again and left the bathroom. Tonight, they were working. They both accepted a contract that took place in the same event, which gave them an excuse to work and stunt together, looking their best. Tonight, they were on a date. Tonight he was happy.
-The end-
