Shadows of Revenge

22. Tides of Vengeance

Faye and Yoko sat side by side on the beach, the soft whisper of the waves washing up against the shore. The moonlight painted the ocean in shades of silver and deep blue, making the entire scene feel like a quiet dream. A gentle breeze carried the scent of salt and the soft rustle of palm trees overhead. Yoko nestled closer to Faye, her head resting on Faye's shoulder as they watched the tide roll in, their legs stretched out in front of them, toes digging into the cool, damp sand.

Faye, as always, found it difficult to let her guard down. Even in this serene moment, her mind was a storm of tangled thoughts. She had long since learned to bury her emotions beneath layers of control, but Yoko had a way of pulling the real Faye out of the shadows. Yoko’s touch was soft, her presence unwavering. It was moments like these, when they sat in peaceful silence, that Faye’s heart felt full yet conflicted. A gentle wave of warmth ran through her, but the darkness that had gripped her soul for so long loomed in the background.

Yoko sighed softly, breaking the silence but not the peace. "You don’t have to keep fighting alone, Faye," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of the ocean. She turned her head slightly, her cheek brushing against Faye’s arm as she spoke. “You deserve this, moments like this. You deserve to be happy.”

Faye swallowed hard, her throat tight. The simplicity of Yoko’s words struck her in a way she wasn’t prepared for. Happy. The word felt foreign in her chest, too distant to grasp but not far enough to ignore. Her fingers, entwined with Yoko’s, twitched slightly as if she wanted to pull away but couldn't. How could she even think of happiness when her mind was consumed with vengeance, with unfinished business?

The moonlight glistened in Yoko’s dark eyes as she gazed up at Faye, who was staring out at the horizon, her thoughts miles away. Yoko knew this look all too well—the distant expression that meant Faye was thinking about Sarah, about the loss that had shaped her, the rage that followed. Yoko squeezed her hand gently, grounding her.

“I wish I could…” Faye’s voice faltered, rare vulnerability creeping in. She paused, the words caught in her throat. “I wish I could just be here with you. But I can’t. Not yet.”

Yoko smiled softly, a knowing sadness behind her eyes. “I know, Faye. I know.”

The gentle hum of the ocean filled the silence between them as Faye closed her eyes, taking in the moment. But just as the calm began to settle over her, her phone buzzed on the sand beside her, pulling her back into the reality she was trying so hard to escape.

Faye’s body stiffened as she picked up the phone, her eyes narrowing at the screen. It was Nam.

“What is it?” she asked, her voice immediately shifting to a low, serious tone.

Nam’s voice came through, tension clear in her words. “We’ve got something. It’s not the killer, but someone who was with Sarah that night. Someone who knows more than we thought.”

Faye’s stomach clenched. That night. The night Sarah’s life had been taken. She sat up straighter, her grip tightening on the phone. “Who is it?”

“We don’t know yet. We don’t even have a name. Just that it’s a woman. Someone at the party.”

The ocean seemed to grow louder in Faye’s ears, drowning out her thoughts. A woman. Someone who had been there, who could’ve helped Sarah. Her breath quickened, and without realizing it, her hand squeezed Yoko’s fingers harder. Yoko glanced up at her, concern filling her features.

“Faye?” Yoko whispered, gently rubbing her thumb across Faye’s hand, trying to keep her grounded. “What’s wrong?”

Faye turned to Yoko, her eyes flashing with a mix of determination and something darker. “It’s someone who was there that night. Someone who could’ve saved Sarah.”

Yoko sat up fully, her brow furrowing in worry. “Do you think this person is involved?”

“I don’t know,” Faye muttered, her jaw clenched. “But I can’t let Freen get to her first. I need to be the one. I need to be the one who handles this.” She stood abruptly, brushing the sand off her legs as she began pacing by the water’s edge. The waves lapped at her feet, cold and indifferent.

Yoko followed her, standing a few steps behind, watching her love unravel. Faye’s anger, her pain, it was like a wild storm ready to break. Yoko had seen it before, and she knew that no words could completely soothe Faye’s rage. But she also knew that Faye needed someone to anchor her, even if she didn’t realize it yet.

“I’ll help you, Faye,” Yoko said softly but firmly, stepping closer. “Whatever you need, I’m with you. We’ll figure this out together.”

Faye stopped pacing, her shoulders tense, the moonlight casting sharp shadows on her face. She looked at Yoko, her eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and guilt. She didn’t deserve this. Didn’t deserve Yoko’s kindness, her patience, her love. But in this moment, she needed it more than ever.

“I don’t want you involved in this,” Faye said, her voice strained. “It’s dangerous. You could get hurt.”

Yoko stepped forward, closing the gap between them, and took Faye’s hand again, her touch firm and reassuring. “I’m already involved, Faye. And I don’t care about the danger. I care about you.”

For a moment, Faye’s hard exterior cracked, and she let herself fall into Yoko’s embrace, burying her face in the crook of her neck. The warmth of Yoko’s arms around her was the only thing that kept the darkness at bay. But even as they stood there, the waves gently crashing at their feet, Faye’s mind was racing, thinking about the mysterious woman, about Freen, and about how she would make sure no one else got in the way of her revenge.

As Yoko held her, whispering words of comfort, Faye’s resolve only grew stronger. She would find this woman, and she would make sure that no one—not even Freen—could stop her from getting justice for Sarah.

The chapter ends with Faye staring out at the horizon, Yoko by her side, as the weight of what she must do settles heavily on her shoulders. The peace of the beach is a stark contrast to the storm brewing inside her, and the love between them is the only thing keeping her from being consumed by the darkness.

...........