insomnia [✔]

epilogue

"Everyone makes mistakes, Madeleine. You have the choice between spending a lifetime questioning your past actions, and imagining how you could have acted better... I did, for half my life. And the other choice you have is to create something new. You don't have to deny the past. Just make a mindful choice." Maya said.

"It would be easier to start from scratch, like you..." murmured Madeleine.

"Maybe... but no one starts completely from scratch. Memory traces your story from the beginning. Thanks to this, you can estimate how far you've come. Sometimes people are surprised at how far they've come. progressed" smiles Maya.

"I understand... the idea," Madeleine replied with a sigh.

Madeleine was distractedly fiddling with the pearls in her necklace, and noticing this, Maya smiled benevolently. She explained to him that these beads symbolized the years and that those of specific colors represented important events. The young woman declared that the result was a little mismatched, but still pretty and Maya replied that it was the same with life. Always a beginning, always an end. But billions of possibilities, nuances, and discoveries.

"Look, this purple pearl corresponds to the awakening of your powers" commented Maya.

"And... this green pearl... would be... my meeting with Garfield?" murmured Madeleine thoughtfully.

"Don't forget the friends you met when you were hurting, or those who knew you at your worst. Those who saw the ugly in you, and who sought to value the good in you, deserve your attention"

"Thank you" smiled Madeleine "When will we see each other again?"

"Whenever you need to recharge your batteries, you can come back here. I'll cook you some food - you seem to have enjoyed the cassava flour fritters - and we can talk. As far as I'm concerned, I don't move from here"

"I'll remember," Madeleine nodded, and as she smiled at Maya, the floor became carpeted with purple sand. The Flame Tree also became a sand sculpture, then crumbled. Finally, Maya disappeared after giving a slight wave to the young woman.

Madeleine woke up with a start. She was on the floor, halfway between a Persian rug and the old but no less elegant parquet floor. She frowned, because her vision was blurry. Then, when she completely regained her senses, she noticed that two people were leaning over her, it was Garfield and Jason. One stood there with a worried face, while the other, hands in pockets assured that she was fine, and that no one had ever died following a simple bed descent.

"Guys...you're talking too loud," Madeleine muttered, putting a hand to her forehead, and Gar immediately helped her up.

"Are you okay? Do you have a headache?" the green-haired boy inquired, and Madeleine shook her head, but her eyes kept following him.

The memories slowly came back to him. The images follow each other like in a film. His heart was beating slowly, but with intensity. Each beat echoed through his entire being. She remembered everything and never wanted to forget again. Madeleine was dying to tell Gar that she knew him, and didn't want to hurt him anymore. What cruelty to let the other take responsibility for a common history on their own: it's too much for one person! The young woman was briefly infatuated at not having noticed that earlier.

"Is it me or...there's some kind of purple powder on her clothes" Jason commented "You would swear you never did drugs?"

"What? No! Of course I've never did drugs. Life is already complicated enough as it is" protested Madeleine.

"Actually, that powder is from her," Gar tried to explain as he helped Madeleine dust her clothes.

"Okay...I don't know if I should find this weird or disgusting. You know what? Maybe it's both!" Jason grumbled.

"Be careful what you say! You don't know Madeleine the way I know her!" Gar exclaimed and his outburst boosted his power. His face turned green, as his irises and canines lengthened. He was breathing heavily, like a bull ready to charge.

Madeleine grabbed him by the collar and hugged him. Gar took a few minutes to calm down, right up against the young woman's heart. And then a violent desire to cry replaced the anger. He was tired of pretending and denying what he felt deep inside. It had been like this for a year already, and he felt like he was losing his mind when he thought of Madeleine. On the one hand, he resented her for not having suppressed his memories too, and on the other, he would give anything to eat alone with her in this Italian restaurant that she had not forgotten.

"It's alright..." the dark haired girl whispered in his ear. "I'm so sorry, Gar..."

"Madeleine, I..." replied the green-haired boy, his heart racing.

"Yes ?" inquired Madeleine, gently holding the young man's face in her hands.

"I...I love you," Gar confessed ruefully.

"Me, too... I love you too, Gar" Madeleine smiled calmly despite all the emotion that washed over her.

"Pathetic..." Jason mumbled as he slipped away, he didn't want to admit that this scene had any effect on him.

"And now ?" asked Gat as he walked away to look Madeleine in the eye.

"I have a plane to catch" answered Madeleine.

"Oh...that's right" Gar nodded with a bit of sadness in his voice.

"But we'll see each other again, Mr. Logan" smiled Madeleine while slipping a wink.

"I see...that's cool. In that case I'll wait," Gar answered.

"As you want. But remember that my coffee offer..." Madeleine insinuated before being interrupted by an enthusiastic Gar.

"In that case I'll come visit you very soon" assured Gar who couldn't suppress a smile.

"It's up to you. As for me, I don't think I'll be back in Gotham anytime soon" declared Madeleine.

"What time is your flight?" asked Gar.

"Don't worry, we still got time" Madeleine asserted.

"To do what ?" asked Gar, not seeing where she meant.

"For this..." said Madeleine and she kissed Gar. At first the boy surprised, jumped a little, then he kissed the young woman back.