Life is...Love, Family, Friendship

Two Hearts, One Love

It had been a restless night.  The suppressants had been stopped hours ago and while Maya's levels had initially dropped, she had finally bounced back and was stable.  Carina hadn't let go of Maya's hand all night as she kept vigil.
"Bambina, I'm begging you...I need you, we need you.  I know you are in there and I know you will not leave me alone.  Amore mio, torna da mi, ho bisogno de ti. Ti amo Maya."
Carina leaned forward and rested her head on her wife's chest.  She felt the tears roll down her cheek as she listened to Maya's heart beating.
"Babe, why are you crying? I'm right here."
Maya's free hand reached over and her fingers pressed against Carina's cheek.  Carina felt her chest exhale as she lifted her head and looked into Maya's eyes.  She couldn't hold the tears in as she moved to kiss her wife and she cried more when her kiss was finally returned.
"Madona finalmente! Maya, you came back to me!"
"I'll always come back to you Bella, lo prometto."
Being extra careful, Carina climbed on to the bed and stroked Maya's face as she stared at her.  She kissed Maya tenderly over and over, finally releasing all the emotions she had been holding in. Maya smiled and adjusted her head back so she could actually see Carina's face.  Her eyes grew wide when she noticed the bandage and welt.
"What happened? Did he hurt you?"
"No Bambina, they escorted him out immediately.  This was just because I lost my temper when I came in and saw him standing over you."
"What?! Carina-"
Maya winced as she felt her body remind her that she was recovering from a traumatic event.  Carina shushed her wife, placing a finger over Maya's lips and then kissing her.
"It's ok my love, your dad isn't allowed in the hospital at all any longer."
"My-my dad? Wait, I thought that dude who punched me outside the house did this to you...it was MY father?"
"Wait, what man outside the house? Maya, were you attacked in our driveway?"
Maya felt her head spinning, Carina propped herself up on her elbow and looked at her wife.
"Va bene, we both have some explaining to do.  But please Bambina, for me-for you, please can you just hold me for now?  I just need to be in your arms for right now."
Maya stared into her wife's warm brown eyes and nodded.  Carina laid back down, careful to not put pressure on Maya, and nuzzled her face into Maya's neck as she placed her hand on her wife's chest.  Maya wrapped her arm around Carina, rested her hand on top of  Carina's and closed her eyes.  Her mind had so many questions, but for right now, she was just relieved to feel Carina's body next to hers.  They laid there in silence and both drifted back to sleep.

The sensation of Carina's breath gently brushing across Maya's skin had always felt so comforting. Opening her eyes slowly, Maya laid there as she began to remember her time with Andrew.  She swallowed hard, knowing that when she told Carina it would make her cry and Maya absolutely hated when Carina cried.  Reaching up to brush her wife's stray hairs away from her face, Maya gently kissed her forehead.  Carina moaned slightly, sleepily opened her eyes and kissed Maya's neck.
"Buongirno amore mio."
"How did you sleep?"
"Sooo much better than I have been.  How do you feel Bambina?"
"I'm sore as hell but other than that I can't wait to be able to go for a run."
Maya smiled as Carina lifted her head up to give her wife a narrow eyed stare.  Leaning over, Maya kissed Carina and cleared her throat.
"I have to tell you something."
Carina found herself lost in Maya's blue eyes and she felt her heart start racing as Maya began explaining her experience.  When Maya spoke the Italian Andrew had given her to say, Carina simply couldn't hold back the tears.  She felt the crisscrossed emotions of utter devastation and complete relief wash over her.  Maya saying two hearts become one love was something that she and Andrea had discussed when Carina came out to him.  She had said that there was a heart out there for her and Andrea told her that when she found it, they would form one love.  That was a conversation no one knew about, not even Maya. The fact that while Maya was away from her had been devastating, but learning that Andrea was with her, that was the most comforting feeling.  As Maya was finishing up, she delivered the line Andrea had given her about how he was proud of Carina and watched over her and her children.
"Babe? You ok?"
Carina blinked out of her thoughts and focused on Maya who was staring at her intently.  She smiled through her tears and nodded, her lower lip quivering as she swallowed hard and kissed Maya with all the love she had in her soul for this woman.
"Now, my turn. Ahhh...I don't even know where to start! Ok ok, my love, we are getting Liam."
Maya's eyes lit up and she smiled as she kissed Carina.
"I told you!  I knew it! Oh Carina, I'm so happy!"
Carina kissed Maya again before she pressed her fingers to her lips and stared at her.
"My love, I had to make a decision without you and I don't want you to be upset."
Maya stared unblinking at Carina and waited for her to continue.
"We-I, I had them harvest your eggs.  Your blood labs came back and you were in peak ovulation and I asked you to give me a sign and you squeezed my hand so I took it as a sign and I said yes.  Mi dispiace Bambina but I was so scared and I couldn't bear to lose the chance to keep you with me."
Maya smiled and reached to pull Carina closer to her.  She kissed her wife tenderly but with such a passion that Carina felt herself melting into it completely.
"My love, I felt you.  I didn't know why it was so strong then but I do now. You did the right thing.  I love you Carina."
Carina kissed Maya back and smiled through her tears.
"I love you Maya."