Love, War & Tears (AvaLance)

Chapter 8 - It Can't Be Her

Zari was in the OPS room tapping away on the computer when Sara came in. Sara sat down in her single leather chair that had been moulded to her shape over years of use. "What have you got that you couldn't tell me over the phone Zari?" "Sara, what I have to show you, I think you're going to need a drink for." "It's going to be one of those kind of days is it?" Sara poured herself a glass of whisky, "so what have you got Zari?" "Right, I went through the CCTV taken from outside the Nanda Parbot airport two months ago and this is what I found."

Zari played the footage showing a tall brunette woman walking outside the airport along the taxi rank. A moment before the woman entered a cab, she took off the scarf she had draped over her head. Sara sat stunned, looking at the screen, scrutinising every part of the actions of the woman. She got up to move closer to study the still of the woman there in front of them. "Zari can you rewind that slightly and pause." "Yep, and I'll zoom in on the woman's face." Zari played the footage again stopping it as the woman took off her scarf. She then zoomed in on the tall brunette, enhancing the picture as it grew bigger on the screen. Sara began choking on a gulp of whisky she was in the process of swallowing. "Is that?.... No, it can't be her, I know it can't be Nyssa, Nyssa's dead. Zari, is there anything else you've found." "Nothing else yet Sara, only this footage and unless Nyssa had a twin, I'm pretty sure that's her." Sara stood frozen, staring at the image on the screen. "If it is her why wouldn't she have contacted me to let me know she was alive and where has she been all this time. We went to her funeral, how is this even possible. I saw her die; she was in my arms." "Sara, maybe it's not her, maybe it's just a close relative or you know a doppelgänger." "I know there was only her, her sister and her Dad left in the family and that is definitely not her sister Talia." "Sara, I'm running a check on all passengers who were on the flights coming into Nanda Parbot and I'm waiting for that to come back so I can cross check those. We'll work out if it is Nyssa or not."

Sara grabbed the decanter of whisky and poured a rather generous serve in her glass promptly downing the molten liquid in one mouthful. She poured another before dropping into her leather chair. Zari got up from the computer console and turned to Sara. "I'm staying the night while I wait for the results to come back. Do you want some company?" Without saying a word Sara poured a second glass and handed it to Zari. Zari sat on the floor in front of Sara. "I don't understand if Nyssa is alive why wouldn't she have come to me. We were together for 3 years, I thought we were happy, I thought she was happy. I was with her, I held her, did she really die, how could I have been mistaken about that."

"I'm sorry I had to pull you away from Ava for this, things are going well with you and Ava?" "Yeah, we get along really well but I'm not exactly the kind of woman you take home to meet your parents and now if Nyssa is alive. I thought I had moved on from losing her but watching her at the airport, I just don't know, all those feelings are still there." "It must be bringing up some crazy stuff for you right now." Zari poured another round of drinks for her and Sara as they sat talking, trying to avoid any conversation involving Nyssa or Ava. Sara struggling with how she felt about them both, she knew how much she had enjoyed being around Ava and how good Ava made her feel about herself. Ava was the first person she had let in since losing Nyssa and she longed to be with Ava who made her happy and feel human again.

It was late in the morning when Sara woke up with a sharp pain going down her neck and a blanket had been thrown over her. Zari walked over and handed her a cup of coffee. "Morning Sara how are you feeling?" "Oooww probably not the most comfortable place to sleep. Any hits from the passengers yet?" "Most of the women have been identified except for three at the moment. I'm just waiting for images to come through. By the way, you might want to check your phone, I think you've had a few messages and missed calls."

Sara grabbed her phone out and checked who was trying to contact her. Ava had sent 3 texts, the first one asking if she was ok, the second one if she was going to visit for lunch and the third one telling Sara she was here for her if she needed. There were 2 missed calls, one from Ava asking about lunch or just give her a ring to let her know if she was ok. The other call from Quentin to say hello and will catch up later. Sara felt a pang of guilt at missing Ava's messages, the last thing she wanted to do was disappoint Ava when things were going well between them. She dialled Ava's number and waited for Ava to answer. After a few rings the phone went to message. "Hi Ava, it's me, sorry I missed your call, I'm in the middle of some work stuff at the moment and can't make lunch today but I will call you later." Sara ended the call and with much chagrin at missing the sound of Ava's voice went to the kitchen to grab something for lunch. "You hungry Zari?" Sara called out and threw together some sandwiches for them to eat while they worked.