Secrets And Sins Part 3: Happy ever after

Chapter 6

~Beatrice~

Though it had only been a relatively short amount of time since Beatrice had the second Halo embedded in her chest, she had grown used to it.

Sure, the healing, the wings, the phasing and God knows what else it could offer her was an incredible gift, but her favorite thing, the thing that Beatrice loved the most, was the way the relic warmed whenever Ava was near. Reacting to her touch so strongly that they had to install tinted glass at their apartment after a make-out session on the couch had led to an orgasm that literally lit Beatrice up like a fucking Christmas tree.

So, when her fiancé burst into the recovery room in the middle of her conversation with Mary and Beatrice felt nothing from her Halo, the sister warrior promptly burst into tears.

"Bea! What is it? Are you in pain?" Ava was at her side in an instant, taking her lifeless hands.

All Beatrice could do was shake her head, sobbing too hard to speak. The emptiness from lack of connection was more agonizing than anything she could have ever imagined; it made the pain from the divinium arrow seem like a paper cut in comparison.

"We'll let you two have some privacy..." Mary murmured, hustling Dora out the door, "Outside if you need us..." She added before stepping out.

Alone with the woman she loved, Beatrice fell apart completely. With the huge racking sobs rolled through her body, she could barely breathe, her chest ached from the strain.

Through it all Beatrice could feel Ava squeezing her hands, talking to her softly, but couldn't understand what she was saying, everything obscured by the unrelenting pain. Then the soft hands let go, and unable to see through her streaming eyes, Beatrice's panic increased tenfold, the fear that Ava had left dragging her under.

"Beatrice...baby, you have to breathe for me, okay?" The words were whispered directly into her ear, lips pressed against her temple.

She's still here...

The thought was a light in the murk of her terror, Beatrice reached for it, tried to focus on it. Her harsh breathing calmed fractionally.

"That's my girl...I'm right here. You're safe...Breathe..." Warm palms framed her face as thumbs brushed away the tears spilling down her cheeks.

Closing her eyes, Beatrice tried to settle to wild emotion flooding her senses, focusing on everywhere Ava's gentle touch connected them.

When she opened her eyes, she felt a little better. Ava smiled softly at her, though concern was clearly hidden in her features.

"Hi..." Beatrice breathed, wishing she could reach out and pull her fiancé closer, she wanted her in the bed, holding her and never letting go.

"Hey Bea." Ava tilted her head, her thumbs never ceasing the endless tender circles on her cheekbones, "I love you."

"I love you." Beatrice responded with a watery smile.

Ava grinned, she always looked so delighted whenever the sister warrior told her that, like it surprised her every time. Beatrice wanted to kiss her, but closing the distance between them was impossible in her current state.

"What's going on in there?" Ava murmured, taping her index fingers against Beatrice's temples, her smile replaced by a small, worried frown.

"Something...something's wrong with me."

Ava's frown deepened, her eyebrows furrowing, but she continued her tender ministrations, "Pain?"

"No, Ava, I'm not sore. There's something wrong with the artefact..." Her voice cracked and Ava's hand on her cheek faltered.