Bleed, Patch, And Keep Moving - An Apex Legends Story

Chapter 65 - Mila

Ajay woke up as the sun crept into the room. She looked over next to her and smiled as saw Octavio sleeping next to her. She climbed out of bed and gathered some clothes to change into and then she gathered some extra clothing. She headed into the bathroom and got dressed into the essentials as well as a black off the shoulder shirt and black jean shorts. She picked up the bathroom and took the extra clothing with her. She crept through the house, trying not to wake anyone. She tip-toed into the room that Natalie was staying in. She was surprised to find Natalie and Hyeon Kim on the floor naked with only a sheet covering the lower halves of their bodies. Natalie was cuddled into Hyeon Kim's chest and he had an arm around her. For the first time she noticed scars that lined Natalie's body. The scars made her look a bit older and gave her character a bit more depth than she had previously given her credit for. Ajay had a few questions for them but now was not the time.

She glanced over to the bed where they had placed Mila to rest. Ajay stepped over Natalie and Hyeon Kim and headed towards Mila. Ajay set the clothing down beside the bed as she knelt down to be at face level with the young lady sleeping in the bed. Mila was laying on her back and sound to sleep. The covers were pulled up to her shoulders. Ajay ran her fingertips through Mila's hair, pushing it from her face. Ajay felt Mila stir a bit. She watched as Mila turned her head towards her hand. Ajay's fingers were still in her hair as Mila opened her eyes and whispered, "Ajay?" She smiled at Mila. She felt an immediate connection with her like no other; maybe it was because of the experience they shared. Ajay whispered back, "Hey Mila. How are ya feelin?" Mila's hand found Ajay's in her hair and gripped it tight. Mila swallowed hard as she whispered again, "Is this real?" Ajay nodded as her eyes began to burn and warm tears stung her cheeks. "It's real." Mila began crying too.

They pressed their foreheads together and cried silently for a moment. Mila smiled, "I can't believe it. I don't understand." She cried a little more as she sat up. Ajay helped her to sit up, blocking the view of Natalie and Hyeon Kim. "Let me help ya get dressed, okay?" Mila nodded as Ajay helped her get into a bra and panties, a loose fitting shirt, and leggings. Mila was about the same size as Ajay so it wasn't hard for Ajay to find clothes to fit her. Ajay helped Mila off the bed and walked her out of the bedroom. When they passed Hyeon Kim and Natalie all Ajay could do was shrug. Mila didn't have much to say about her brother and a woman that she didn't know.

Ajay helped Mila sit down in the kitchen. "Here Mila." Ajay set down a glass of water in front of Mila before she started preparing breakfast for everyone. Mila looked at the glass like it was magical. She took a few sips of water before drinking the whole glass. She felt like she could speak clearly again. "Ajay. I still don't understand how I am here." Ajay turned from what she was doing at the stovetop, "What do ya rememba?" Mila thought for a moment, "I was sleeping and then I felt like Tae Joon was calling me again. Like the first that you and I met." Ajay had a confused look on her face. "Tae Joon?" She quickly pushed the look away and continued to listen. "Then we were in that place that I created but it was different. I didn't have any control. Then the guards were trying to break down the door to my room and I was in and out of existence. That's all I remember." Ajay turned around with an omelet on a plate and fork. Mila took the plate and the fork and began eating.

"Well, I'll start from da beginning." She paused for a moment and leaned against the counter. "When I woke up from our first encounter I couldn't rememba anythin. I had on a beautiful white dress and that damn mask." Mila almost dropped her fork, "How?" Ajay looked at her, "I don know. Or I didn know at the time. I gave the necklace ta ya brother, like ya asked me to. I just didn know why I need to. Eventually I begged him ta explain ta me what was goin on. With the help of Natalie..." Mila interrupted, "The blonde girl?" Ajay nodded, "Yah. With her help and your brother, they navigated me back to the place that we met. I was able ta put our encounter on replay for ya brother." Ajay blushed a little as she realized she was naked for part of it. "Anyway. When I thought about the circumstances of how I came back I thought I could bring ya back." Mila set her fork down, "I still don't understand how."

Ajay shrugged, "I don know. Ya said that place brought ya innermost desires to fruition. When I left there with that dress on I married Silva. That was my innermost desire." A big smile displayed across Ajay's face before continuing, "So when I went back and I could rememba everything, with the help of ya brother, I dug the chip out my arm." It was Mila's turn to blush. "Sorry Ajay. I left that there just in case I needed to contact my brother through you. I added an algorithm that would block your pain receptors too." Ajay smiled, "That's how I knew something was in there. When I couldn't feel any pain when I came back from that place. Ya very smart." Mila smiled and ate some more.

Ajay stood up, "I got the chip out and destroyed it. I figured if I did that ya would come." Mila nodded. "So when ya came I took control and asked ya what ya innermost desires were, but I already knew." Mila looked down at her empty plate, "To be with my forever family." Ajay leaned over to Mila and raised her chin up with her hand, meeting Mila's eyes with her own, "I already knew. I wanted ya to be with ya forever family too. I took a gamble and we both had the same innermost desires. I held ya tight and took ya with me back to reality. But som of ya reality was intertwined with the reality we were in and ya got shot. I pulled bullets from ya back and fixed you up."

Ajay dropped her hand as Mila felt around on her own back. "I remember. But shouldn't I be dead? Or at least not up and around so soon?" Ajay shook her head, "Natalie." Mila tilted her head, "Natalie?" Ajay smiled, "Natalie is a brilliant electrical engineer. She outfitted a device to help ya brother and me get to ya. The same device helped me use my D.O.C. drone to heal ya once I got the bullets out." Mila looked astonished but frowned shortly after she saw Ajay's shoulder and the stitches in it, "But what about you?" Mila touched her shoulder, running her fingertips delicately over the neat stitches that Octavio had wove into her skin. Ajay grabbed her hand and held it, "The device did what it needed to do. Ya here and well. Don worry about me. Ya lookin at a fighter." Mila smiled, "And a healer." Mila pulled her hand away and got up. She hugged Ajay, pulling her close as tears poured down her cheeks. "I never thought I would get out of there. Thank you Ajay. Thank you." Ajay smiled and closed her eyes as she held Mila tight.

Both Ajay and Mila were surprised when Hyeon Kim engulfed both of them, embracing Mila from behind. He kissed the top of Mila's head as he looked at Ajay and whispered to her, "Thank you." Ajay nodded just barely seeing Natalie over Hyeon Kim's shoulder. Natalie was smiling and crying at the same time. Ajay gently slid out of Mila's arms and gave her and Hyeon Kim space to hug. She walked over to stand with Natalie, "I am just so happy." Natalie said as she watched them. Ajay smiled, "Yah, me too Nat."

She gently took Natalie's hand and pulled her into the other room. "I didn't know you were with Hyeon Kim. I thought ya and Elliot were..." She stopped as Natalie looked down. "Sorry Nat. I was just surprised to see the two of ya together." Natalie twiddled her thumbs together. "Well Elliot is like a brother to me. Hyeon Kim. I have known him since he started two years ago at Apex. I wanted there to be more but he has a lot going on. He is so smart and handsome." Natalie's face went from pale to red in a matter of seconds. "Nat. You need to tell him how you feel." Natalie continued to look downward, "Non. I am afraid of rejection." Ajay sighed, "Don waste time like me and Silva. It's better than sitting there wondering and waiting." Natalie looked up at Ajay, "Maybe you're right." Natalie smiled, "I will talk to him tonight. Thank you."

They were interrupted by Octavio, "What's going on down here? Did I miss the invite?" Natalie smiled and walked back into the kitchen joining the embrace that Hyeon Kim and Mila welcomed her into. Ajay gazed at Octavio lovingly, "Nah. Mila woke up. I got her up to speed. And I made breakfast." Octavio smiled and wrapped his arms around her, "And you gave Natalie relationship advice." Ajay sunk into herself for a moment, "Yah. Ya heard all of that?" He smiled, "I heard everything. I'm glad you waited for me Che. I know it was hard. I'm..." She cut him off, "Save it Silva. No more apologizing for our past. I just want what we have now." He nodded as she kissed him. He pulled his lips away from her just enough to speak. She waited for him to say some smartass comment but for once he didn't, "Ok Che." He kissed her again, wasting no time to find her tongue with his own.