I Hate the Way...

Part 56: "Whispers of the Past"

As the end credits begin to roll, signaling the movie is over, Hope tries to stretch her limbs, a task made difficult by the brunette sprawled out on top of her. She shifts slightly, making Josie murmur softly in her sleep.

She glances over at Lizzie and MG, who are standing from their couch. "What time is it?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper as she tries

"4 in the morning," Lizzie replies, letting out a yawn as she grabs MG's hand to lead him toward the hallway.

"Goodnight," MG offers as he's dragged away.

"Goodnight," Hope chuckles softly as the two disappear into Lizzie's room.

She turns her attention toward the sleeping brunette, tracing light patterns up and down her arm. She reaches a hand up and gently brushes a strand of hair away from Josie's face. She really doesn't want to wake her up, but she knows Josie would sleep much better in their bed.

With that in mind, she whispers softly, "Babe, the movie's over."

Josie hums softly, but she doesn't move to get up.

Hope chuckles, wrapping an arm around Josie's waist and holding her close. She presses a gentle kiss to Josie's temple before whispering near her ear, "Come on, love. We gotta go to bed."

Josie stirs a bit, letting out a soft groan as she attempts to push herself further against Hope, loving the warmth she gives off.

Hope rolls her eyes playfully, knowing how stubborn her wife tends to be, "Am I gonna have to carry you to bed?" She watches as a faint smile finds Josie's lips, and she lets out a soft sigh, shaking her head at Josie's playful antics, "Fine..."

Hope gently lifts Josie's up in her arms, cradling her close as she stands to her feet. She smiles as she hears a soft giggle from the brunette, who wraps her arms around Hope's neck as she's carried toward their bedroom.

She carefully lays Josie down on their bed, tucking the blankets around her. Her gaze lingers on the brunette for a moment before she turns to make her way back out of the bedroom, until her hand is caught by her wife. "Where are you going?" Her voice is soft and slightly groggy, and Hope doesn't miss the hint of worry in her tone.

Hope pauses, turning back to face Josie, whose eyes are now open, and looking back with a pout. "I was just..about to let the dog out one last time before bed."

Josie's expression softens, and she lifts up her head as the dog hops up onto the foot of the bed, "Peaches, do you need to go outside?"

The dog lets out a yawn before plopping down on the bed and letting out a huff of air lazily. Josie grins and turns her gaze back toward the Tribrid with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "Looks like she's good. Come on," she tugs on Hope's hand, "Let's get some sleep."

Hope relents as settles into the bed beside Josie, letting out a soft chuckle, "You say that as if you didn't just sleep through that entire movie."

Josie hums in content as she cuddles up to Hope yet again, "I don't know why you all watch it, when you know the ending anyway. It's depressing...As soon as they admit their love for each other, they're torn apart."

"Maybe..." Hope agrees, brushing her fingers through Josie's hair as she wraps her other arm around her waist to hold her close, "But it's about the journey they get to take together, the moments they share and the love they find along the way...Even though their story ended tragically, the love they shared was real, and that makes the ending worth it."

Josie lets out a soft sigh, closing her eyes as she savors the feeling of Hope laying there with her, something she knows won't last forever. "I just wish everyone could get a happy ending," she whispers softly and longingly.

Hope's fingers continue their soothing motion through Josie's hair. She's not sure if they're still referring to the movie or not, but she offers her comfort either way. She replies surely, "You're going to get a happy ending, love."

Josie nearly scoffs at that, "What makes you so sure?"

Hope furrows her eyebrows, glancing down at the woman resting against her chest. She stops her fingers from brushing through brunette locks, using the hand to lift Josie's chin. She meets Josie's gaze, and she can tell the brunette is emotional because her eye color is a touch lighter than usual. It's a small detail she's picked up on with the brunette when she's trying not to cry.

Her expression softens and her heart clenches in her chest. Her voice is gentle but firm when she replies, "Because you deserve it more than anyone in the world."

Josie's eyebrows furrow slightly at her words. There's a flicker of something in her eyes, a mix of disbelief and vulnerability, and something else Hope can't quite put her finger on.

"Josie Saltzman, you are one of the most compassionate, resilient, and beautiful people I've ever known," she adds, her words laced with sincerity, "You've faced countless challenges in your life. You've experienced things that most people can't even imagine. But you never lost your kindness or your strength."

Josie's breath catches in her throat, her eyes now shimmering with her tears as she listens to Hope. She shakes her head. "You're wrong," she says simply, and Hope is about to argue, but Josie's next words cut her off as the brunette reaches up to cup her cheek, "It's Josie Mikaeslon."

Hope's not sure what feeling washes over her in that moment, but it's strong, scary even. She doesn't get the chance to try to wrap her mind around it, as her lips are captured by Josie's in a tender yet lingering kiss, communicating emotions that go beyond what words can say.

As they break apart, their gazes meet, and there's a shift in the sliver of air between them. Hope wipes away Josie's stray tear with the pad of her thumb as Josie glances from Hope's eyes to her lips and back to her eyes again. Josie feels a warmth spreading through her chest, to her entire body, as Hope leans closer, pressing a sweet kiss to Josie's forehead. Her lips linger thare for a moment before she pulls away and whispers, "Goodnight, Josie."

Josie gazes into those ocean blue eyes for a moment longer, fighting the urge to go in for another kiss, fighting the urge to sink into whatever feeling is trying to consume her. She nuzzles her head into Hope's neck, wraps her arm around Hope's waist, and tangles their legs together. Her eyes close as she lets out a contented sigh, "Goodnight, Hope."

—---

Later, when Hope is sure that Josie is in a deep sleep, she carefully slips out of their embrace, trying not to disturb her. Once she's to her feet, she glances back at the sleeping brunette. She grabs a nearby blanket and gently drapes it over Josie, knowing she'd likely get cold without Hope's body heat to keep her warm.

Hope's thoughts are consumed by the brunette, their shared connection, the events of the evening. There's a sense of contentment she gets with the brunette that she hasn't felt in a long time, maybe ever.

But even if she has felt this before, she can't remember it. And no matter how much Josie fulfills her when they're together, she knows that she'll never truly feel complete without those memories, without knowing who she was, who her parents were, and all they went through as a family.

And Josie deserves a complete version of Hope, not some ghost of a person, haunted by whispers of the past.

Hope sighs softly, running a hand through her hair. With a heavy heart, Hope tears her gaze away from the sleeping brunette and makes her way to the door. She knows she can't change the past and all that she's done, but she wants to reclaim the memories that were stolen from her–she needs to. It's the only way she'll ever find closure and peace.

She finds herself on the dock, the sunrise just beginning to paint the sky. She removes her shirt and her sweatpants, tossing them to the side.

Hope climbs down the ladder of the dock, until she's submerged up to her neck in the water. She threads her wrists through the ropes, and she tightens the knots as she closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and sinks into the darkness of the water.