Triple Point

Chapter 54: Home

15 OCT 33AE, 0740

Los Angeles, California

By the time Camilla flew back into Los Angeles's airspace, she still couldn't believe what had just happened over the last hour. While she still wasn't entirely sure she was ready, she accepted the position as captain and had also gotten her contract officially revised in the process. And now she was guaranteed a couple weeks of dwell time while they worked out her new squad, of which she was told to expect one or two familiar faces.

But, most importantly, she finally got to go home. She was finally able to see Elsie.

As soon as Elsie's building was in sight, Camilla immediately headed straight for her balcony. Not only was she too excited to use the main entrance like any civilized person, but she had also left her building pass in her room when she left a month ago and wouldn't be able to get into the lobby anyway.

When she landed on Elsie's balcony though, an initial glance of the interior made the condo look empty. Camilla supposed it would've been smarter to call ahead, as a good leader would, but her phone had died sometime when they were reclaiming Portland, and she never had a chance to charge it since. In any case, she could always just let herself in, but she knocked on the glass door a few times out of courtesy.

To her surprise, Elsie appeared in the living room a few moments later. Less surprising was the fact that she looked half asleep, and Camilla remembered belatedly that the sun had only risen less than an hour ago. Still, Camilla was almost as energetic as she was when she was on the Org's drugs, and she had to keep herself from jumping in place as she hurriedly beckoned Elsie over, ready to apologize as soon as she opened the door.

Once Elsie realized what was going on though, her exhaustion visibly vanished, and she rushed over to the balcony and fumbled with the lock before flinging the door wide open. And before Camilla could even think about saying sorry, Elsie had her wrapped in a tight hug.

Camilla was finally home, and she eagerly returned Elsie's warm embrace.

For a few minutes, neither of them said a word, both content with just being there in each other's arms. But they couldn't stay silent forever, and eventually, it was Elsie that spoke first.

"You didn't have to knock," she mumbled into Camilla's neck.

Camilla gave a small shrug, though it wasn't very successful when they were wrapped in each other's arms. "I wasn't sure if you were in, and I didn't want to intrude."

Elsie took a step back. There were tears in her eyes, but there was also a smile on her face, and she reached out to Camilla to tuck some strands of hair behind her ear that must have slipped from her braid. The move seemed unconscious and natural on Elsie's part, and Camilla was surprised to realize that she liked it.

"You wouldn't be intruding at all," Elsie assured. "This is your home, remember?"

Camilla did remember, but it was better to hear Elsie say it out loud.

"Besides," Elsie continued. "Can't you use your abilities to tell where people are? I said before I was okay with you using them here."

Her question made Camilla falter a little, and she couldn't help it when her gaze drifted from Elsie and down to the ground. The thought had definitely crossed her mind. In fact, it had become instinctual for her to use her abilities to constantly monitor whatever area she was occupying. But after the past month, she usually expected to detect the dead more often than the living.

"It's not that..." Camilla began, but she couldn't find the words to explain herself.

Thankfully, she didn't have to, since after a long silence, Elsie simply wrapped her in another hug.