WHAT IF...

CLOUD - NUVOLA

It's almost time for Carina to go back to Italy. Her flight will be in 120 hours, that means 5 days.

Soon after Carina announced that she had to go back, Maya realized how their home would feel empty and how she'd be alone. How much could she bear staying alone? She already knew that she would miss her 'lady lover', so they decided to welcome a new girl in their home, just to keep her company.

The news at Bishop-DeLuca's home is called Cloud.

Cloud is a young Golden Retriever and both Maya and Carina are in love with her. Maya usually takes her for a run in the morning whenever she is off shift. Cloud spends also a lot of time at the station and everybody loves her.

Today, both the Captain and her lover are home, and Maya is ready to go for her run.

"Cloud, come here, girl" Maya says while grabbing the leash

"Babe, I'm going for my run. Come with us?" asks Maya, wanting to spend as much as she could with the Italian

"Babe, I love you and I don't want to start hating you" Carina answers jokingly

"ok, ok. Got it. We'll be back in an hour"

"Wait babe, what if I'll meet you at the park in an hour. We can chill there. Maybe have a picnic" Carina suggests

"I have a better idea. We go on our run, I come home to shower and then we go to the park together. That way I can cuddle you without hearing you complaining about how sweaty I am"

"deal, love you" says Carina kissing Maya goodbye and petting Cloud

Carina takes a shower and does the laundry, then she starts packing for the picnic. She prepares some sandwiches, couple of soda, some fruit, water and food for Cloud. She decides to walk to the park instead of driving so that she can stop at the pastry shop and buy some pastry for dessert. Walking around she notices a stand that sells handmade jewelry. She stops and looks at the beautiful rings and necklaces. She decides not to buy anything and keeps on walking after talking a little with the artisan. Once at the park, she finds a spot under an oak tree and lays out the blanket.

Maya is running home to shower and then head to the park. She stops to let Cloud pee and notices Carina approaching the stand. She's curious about what caught her lover's attention. Carina loves rings and always wears lots of them. They're nothing fancy, they're usually just gold or silver bands. Maya has asked herself many times what engagement ring she Carina would like. She doesn't know that and she's convinced herself that she'll know the right one when she sees it. She quickly runs home, jumps into the shower, and in no time she's walking to the park with Cloud at her side. She stops at the stand.

"Hello, I saw my girlfriend not long ago here. I was wandering if she saw something she was interested in" Maya asks at the man

"ehm... do you have a photo of your girlfriend?"

"sure, here!" Maya says handing him the phone

"Oh sure, the doctor! She was looking at rings. She liked the titanium ones. This one!"

Maya looked at it, it was a titanium band with an irregular and matte surface. Very simple, but still unique.

"I'll get it. Thanks"

She put it in the inner pocket of her jacket and smiles behind her mask hoping her favorite Italian would appreciate it.

As soon as Maya sees Carina reading her book, she lets go of the leash and Cloud runs to her.

The blonde listens to the sweet sound of Carina's laugh and hopes that the distance won't last too long. She is addicted to her smile, her scent, her warm touch...

"Hey, babe" Maya approaches kissing her

"hi, love. Are you hungry?"

"not yet. Are you?"

"no, but I think Cloud is. You make her run too much" complains Carina

"it's just fair because you give her too much food" Maya smirks and Carina can't help but laugh

"Don't listen to her, your mama is cattiva, but I love you so" Carina says in a childish voice cuddling the dog

"how comes I'm the mean one and you're the caring mommy?! Definitely offended here" replies Maya

"you're telling me that you know how to say 'mean' in Italiano but you haven't learnt how to say 'I love you'?! I should be offended" Carina teases Maya, who rapidly cups her lover's cheeks and looks firmly into her eyes... the look has changed, she's serious and decisive

"Io ti amo da morire, Carina" [I love you so much] and with the same intensity, they kiss... they kiss like they were saying goodbye, they kiss like there is nothing that tastes better than their lips and tongues, they kiss and the world around them doesn't matter anymore.

When air becomes a necessity, they pull apart and Carina lays down on Maya's chest inhaling her scent.

"I don't want to go" Carina confesses

"I don't want you to go either... but you need to"

A small 'Yeah' left Carina's mouth. Maya can hear the sadness in Car's tone

"Car, sit down. I need to do something"

"but I'm so comfortable on your boobs"

"oh, I know you love it there, but I really need you to sit"

Carina scoffs "so bossy..."

Maya reaches her pocket and takes the little tote bag out.

"you know, titanium is a very strong and resistant metal. A ring made of titanium is supposed to be unbreakable as the bond that it represents. I'm not proposing, I definitely will, but not right now. If I proposed today, and you'd say yes, I would feel like I forced you into coming back to me. I don't want you to feel trapped in a proposal while we're apart. I want you to count the days 'til you come back to me... to us. So, I give you this ring, as a symbol... I know we're strong, I know we don't need rings to keep us together" at this point Carina has tears streaming down her face. She stretches out her hand to let Maya put the ring on. A tender kiss anticipates Carina's words

"If you proposed, I'd say yes, today and every day. You're right though... now, it's not the time. I'll always wear it, I promise, and I'll come back to you as soon as possible. Promise me you'll come to Italy to bring me home if everything goes the wrong way"

"I promise" Maya says firmly

"okay, so, now that you stole my idea, here's your little gift" Carina grabs the basket and pulls out a velvet box. Maya opens it and smiles. Carina picks the ring up and puts it Maya's ring finger.

Their hands don't have matching rings, but who cares?!

They interweave their hands and play throw and catch with Cloud until the Sun starts to disappear.

Carina now has a future wife to come home to... She knows that her two girls are her new and chosen family, and it feels good not to feel alone, despite fate has been so cruel to her.