This Lullaby ( Kaylor )

[ hold on to this lullaby ]

Well, folks, we have reached the end, here.  This has been such a great experience, and I just want to thank every single one of you for taking the time to read, comment, and vote on this story.  It means a lot, and I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I have writing it!  <3

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It was warm, the sun hovering in the sky like some sort of vast golden beast spilling heat over everything.  But it wasn't uncomfortable.  It was the sort of warmth that created a comfortable prickle in the skin, a encompassing comfort that felt like a full body hug.  Taylor let out a relaxed sigh, reveling in the grass brushing against her ankles and the feeling of a warm hand in her own. 

She glanced over at Karlie, who was brighter than the great celestial body above them.  The taller girl was smiling, just slightly, in a way that showed she wasn't even conscious of it.  She was beautiful.  Since they'd joined Niki's convoy and the comfort of regular food and available showers, they'd both become more like their former selves.

Karlie had found her place with the kids in Arcadia.  They found clothes from supply runs, mixing and matching them and throwing impromptu fashion shows in the mess hall.  The adults took notice, and soon more entertaining clothing items were brought along: feather boas, crazy hats, pajamas with dinosaurs or cats or frogs.  The fashion shows became a camp-wide thing, and once every two weeks, everyone who was interested would stay in the mess hall after dinner to watch the kids (and even some of the adults) parade in "this year's post-apocalyptic fashions".

One of the littlest boys had taken a liking to Karlie, and eventually to Taylor, too.  His name was West and he was five years old, with blonde hair and a face-full of freckles.  His family was all gone, and Taylor and Karlie had discussed with Niki about taking him in.  There was no such thing as a legal adoption process anymore, but Niki had granted them permission.  West's birthday was in two weeks.  They had plans to tell him then.

In fact, the little boy was bounding ahead of them as they walked, close enough to stay in sight but far enough to strive for independence.  Taylor shook her head as she watched him skip, "I remember when I had that much energy."

"Yeah, you're an old lady now," Karlie teased. 

Taylor looked at her, mouth dropping, clutching her chest as though Karlie had physically wounded her, "Did you just call me old?  Karlie, I'm 27!  I'm only two years older than you."

"I know," Karlie grinned, "I just like when you get all defensive."

Taylor punched her in the arm, about to retort, when West called from up the hill, "Can we stop here?"

She looked up, and the little boy had found a perfect clearing in the trees, shaded but not blocking the sun completely.  Arcadia was down the hill, but they were still within the camp boarders, so they were extremely safe.  And either way, there was a flare gun in Karlie's bag in case they needed help.  So Taylor released Karlie's hand, walking over and ruffling West's wild blonde hair, "This is perfect, buddy.  Are you the picnic master or what?"

"Duh," West replied, sticking out his tongue and putting his hands on his hips as he puffed out his chest like some sort of comical superhero.

Karlie playfully reached out to grab his tongue, and West yelped and pulled it back into his mouth, covering it with his little hands, "No, no, Karlie."

"You're no fun," She replied, and when she turned to start laying out the picnic blanket, West stuck his tongue out at her.

Taylor had to work hard to muffle a laugh.

A while later, they were all laid out on their backs on the blanket, bellies filled with sandwiches and cookies and lemonade.  West was pointing out shapes in the clouds, and Taylor and Karlie were agreeing with him even when his so-called T-rex looked like nothing more than a big white blob.

The singer leaned her head against Karlie's shoulder, whispering, "I love you."

"I love you too," Karlie replied, and as Taylor relaxed in this strange, beautiful safety, her hand slipped into her pocket, her thoughts settled on a memory from months before.

They were driving mindlessly, trying to find somewhere to stay, temporary safety.  Karlie's hand found Taylor's on the steering wheel.  She gladly accepted the touch.  The physical comfort.  Because she was scared and she knew Karlie was too.  This world was hard and had many teeth, and they were just girls who hadn't quite learned how to dance with the monsters.  All they had was each other.  All they had was this.

"Do you think we'll find other survivors?  Do you think we'll be around when a group comes through and starts rebuilding the planet?" Taylor asked, hating how shaky her voice sounded.

Karlie didn't answer for a long time, and just when Taylor was about to apologize for speaking in the first place, the taller girl spoke, "I don't know if it's possible to rebuild it, honestly.  But if someone finds a way, then I think we can make it long enough to be part of it."

"I want to marry you.  Once the world is fixed," Taylor said, no hesitation.  They'd always told her she dreamed too big.  They'd always told her this desire for a prince to save her was a terrible idea.  But Karlie had saved her so many times.  She saved her every day.  And Taylor loved her.  She loved her even though she was dirty and tired and scared.  She loved her even though they could never take their time.

Her eyes flickered over to the girl next to her.  Karlie was staring out the window, and the setting sun cast a glow around her head like a halo.  An angel.  A saving grace.  She turned to look at Taylor, the brightest grin on her face, "I think you need a ring to propose, Miss Swift."

"When I find a ring, will the answer be yes?" Taylor asked, feeling her heart flutter like a frightened butterfly.

Karlie laughed, squeezed her hand a little tighter, then shifted to rest her head on Taylor's shoulder, "Always."

Taylor swallowed and sat up.  West and Karlie both turned to look at her, and Karlie sat up as well, looking a little bit concerned.  But Taylor smiled, bright and reassuring, "Remember, that one time in the car, what we said?  About what we'd do when the world was fixed?"

Karlie looked at her, eyebrows furrowed.  But her memory seemed to kick into action the exact second Taylor shifted her weight on to one knee, reaching into her pocket for the ring.  She'd found it on a supply run she'd tagged along on.  There was no box, and it was simpler than she would have liked for her girl, but it was a ring.  Karlie's hand went to her mouth in shock, and West made an over-exuberant gagging sound.  Classic five-year-old boy.

"I know things aren't fixed, but we're safe.  We're the safest we'll ever be again.  We're happy, we've got this kid named West who tags along with us all the time, and he's not too terrible," She flashed a grin at him, and the boy gave her a thumbs up, "You've been my angel and my saving grace in all of this, the one thing that's helped me survive for so long, the one thing that will always help keep me strong.  And I uh...you know that guy at the camp who used to be a pastor?  I already talked to him, and he said he'd do the ceremony.  So, Karlie Elizabeth Kloss, will you marry me?"

Karlie was crying, beautiful diamond tears that trailed down her cheeks.  And she nodded, unable to form words for a moment.  It was only once Taylor had started crying too as she slipped the ring on to Karlie's finger that the former model managed to speak, "Always."

Taylor laughed, kissing her, and they fell to the ground in a heap.  Once their lips parted, West launched himself on top of them, joining the dog pile.  All three of them were giggling and the sun was shining.

So, maybe things were destroyed and dangerous and desolate permanently.  Maybe the world would never go back to normal.

But Taylor couldn't have asked for anything better than this.