And We're All Falling

I'm Not Saying Goodbye

"Okay, I officially hate people and I hate mornings and I hate this."

"Quit whining and go buy yourself coffee."

"But Lina—"

"Don't 'But Lina' me. Go. Buy. Coffee. Now."

Della bit back a laugh as York practically stomped over to the nearest Starbucks and pouted while in line. Carolina, on the other hand, merely rubbed her forehead tiredly and yawned. Everyone except for Wash and Della seemed to be tired.

"CT, stop sleeping," North chided, pushing the vet off of his shoulder gently.

"It's my day off and while I love supporting Della and the choices she makes, I am going to sleep if I want to because, chances are, I'm going to have to go and help a cow give birth or perform an emergency surgery on a gecko this afternoon and I don't believe that you were volunteering to help me?" CT snapped in reply.

"Thanks, CT," Della laughed, leaning on her suitcase.

"Remind me why I get Starbucks?" York muttered, walking back over. "It tastes like liquid sugar."

"Do we need to go have a discussion in the parking lot?!" Carolina snapped, crossing her arms.

"Are you two going to kill each other while I'm gone?" Della asked.

"Depends."

"Simultaneous responses are never good," she said under her breath. "Wash, you'll make sure they don't murder each other, right?"

"Of course," Wash assured. "Here's your bag. I don't want you to miss your flight so you better get going soon."

Della bit her lip.

"And I don't wanna go so soon," she said softly, taking her bag from him.

"Aw, you're gonna make me cry," CT mumbled, rubbing her eyes as she woke up more. "And it's too early for that."

"It's gonna be different around here while you're gone," North said, smiling sympathetically.

"I'll have to start running with Drill Sergeant Carolina again," York muttered into his drink. "Ow. Thanks, Lina."

"It'll be hard running with Three-Year-Old-Cry-Baby-York again," Carolina said with a smirk. "And it'll be hard running without my best friend."

"You know that I'll probably never run while in New York, right?" Della teased.

"I figured. Just come back in one piece and don't forget to come back," Carolina said, hugging Della.

"No problem there," Della assured.

"And don't forget Wash," Carolina whispered.

They broke apart and the geneticist immediately looked at Wash. The blonde was biting his lip and tugging on his clothes, almost nervously. She didn't know what was making him nervous. She could only assume it was the planes.

"Alright. I better go. Call me whenever, okay? Even at 3am," Della said, turning to the group. "Not you, York."

"Come on!"

She laughed and gave everyone hugs except for Wash. She stopped when she got to him.

Last chance, Washington. Last time I'm going to believe in this...stupid fantasy.

"Good luck. Have fun. Stay safe," he said, pulling her into a quick hug.

When they broke apart, she waited for him to say something else, anything else.

"I will," she assured, breaking the silence.

She turned back to everyone else.

"Well...I guess this is goodbye," she said, giving everyone a small wave.

"Uh, wait," Carolina protested. "We don't say goodbye. If you don't say goodbye, it means that you aren't actually gone, you just aren't there right now. So we don't say goodbye."

Della raised an eyebrow but merely laughed.

"Then here's to no goodbyes," she declared, waving once more before she turned and walked toward the security lines.

The five friends waited until she was through security and out of sight. Wash looked especially sad and sighed after he lost sight of her. He turned toward everyone else and immediately got slapped on the back of the head.

"Ow!" he yelped, rubbing the spot and looking for the culprit. "What was that for?!"

"You're the biggest idiot in the world, I hope you know that!" North scolded.

"What for?!" Wash protested.

"You told me the other day that you were in love with her and look, there she goes, and she may never come back," York added, equally as angry.

"I'll tell her when she gets back! She has to get Tau," Wash assured.

"What if she meets a guy in New York?" Carolina piped up.

"Or decides that she'll have her things shipped up there?" CT snapped.

"I'll...I'll...I don't know," Wash admitted. "I let her go."

Carolina sighed and crossed her arms. She gave him a sympathetic look.

"At least you didn't say goodbye."

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(Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Red VS Blue, they are owned by the lovely people at RoosterTeeth:))