Gabrielle Alpin - The power of Love
"The power of love
A force from above
Cleaning my soul
Flame on burn desire
Love with tongues of fire
Purge the soul
Make love your goal"
•••
"Jane?"
I heard someone say my name. It was such a simple act, it happened countless times before. But this time, it was different. I could heard those simple words. I could feel the echo vibrating in my ears, it sent goosebumps all over my body.
I opened my eyes. But there was no darkness. There was light. I laid upon a bed, so soft. I was so comfortable, regardless to the pain I felt in my head. I took deep breathes.
The silhouette of the man sitting next to my bed became clearer.
His big brown eyes were filled up with tears, but judging by the smile that had covered his entire face up in happiness, these tears were happy tears.
"Stephen..." I spoke, allowing his name to escape my mouth. It hurt. Everything hurt.
He had a bandaid on his arm
"
What...happened with your arm? Are you okay?"
"Don't worry, it's just a scratch. Don't say no word. Shhh. Everything is okay. You're safe. You don't have to be afraid no more." He held my hand tight, as if he never wanted to let go of it ever again
"I'm never gonna let you slip away again, Jane. I shouldn't have let you go to this place all alone. I broke my promise. I left you alone."
I looked at him "It's okay, I broke mine too. But all what matters is that you came back for me."
He smiled "I always will."
He bend over to me to kiss my bruised lips. But this time, I could finally respond to it.
Showing him that I felt the same, that his lips on mine were all I had ever truly desired.
"I should have known that you were the one person who always stays." I said resting my hand to his cheek
"I love you, Jane. I always did. Since the day our ways crossed."
"I love you too."
_______
3 weeks have passed away. Since the day James Montgomery died, shot down by hundreds of bullets.
I couldn't remember any of what he said to me. I couldn't even remember how I ended up in this place.
All I remember is Holder holding me in his arms. He took care of me, just like he promised. I was back home.
Nothing had changed. I sat on the uncomfortable chair in my kitchen looking out of the window.
Fall was my favourite season. I watched the leaves falling from the trees in all their beauty and colour. It knocked on the door.
I got up and opened it
"Hi, Davidson." Linden smiled at me "can I come in?" She asked, silly as she was, of course she could come in.
"Where were you the past weeks?" I hugged her and allowed my hands to touch the softness of her sweater
"I needed a break. I'm sorry I didn't stop by at the hospital to say hi. But I'm glad you're feeling better already."
I prepared some tea "It's alright. I just got home from the hospital, Stephen was on my side every moment ever since the incident."
Linden smirked "so you two became quite close I guess. I'm happy for you."
"I'm happy too."
Linden sat down "you were so brave, Jane. The way you faced the whole situation, you headed straight towards the trouble, and found a solution. And you made it. You took Montgomery down, all by yourself.
I am so proud of you."
Linden smiled brushing a tear off her pale skin
"It wasn't just me, I would've never made it without your and Holder's help. This was our case, and we solved it together. As a team." I smiled "thank you so much, Sarah."
"No, thank you. Thank you for teaching me how to be a good a better detective, for making sure I stay strong. You always saw the best in me, you made me find myself again after I thought I had lost me." Linden stood up "I better go now."
"Where?" I asked
"It's time for me to move on. I'm leaving this city, Jane. Thank you for everything."
I took her hand "why don't you stay? Stay. Me and Stephen need you here, you complete us. We're a team."
She looked to the ground, smiling "I'm sorry Jane, but I made someone a promise. But I guess right now, it's time that I make you a promise. I promise you, this won't be the last time we will see each other."
"Pinky promise?" I asked trying to hold back my tears
She took my pinky finger into hers "pinky promise."
________
"Did you know, that all I ever wanted was to protect you? To take care of you?" I asked Stephen
He looked down to me "oh, snap. You taking care of me? Shouldn't it be the other way around? A man like me can take of himself, ya know?"
I smiled holding his hand tighter "No, whenever I saw you, I wanted to protect you. Isn't that silly? A small, fragile woman like me wants to protect a man like you."
"That ain't silly. And you're not fragile. Never was. You're the toughest person I know. Besides Linden, of course."
"Of course."
I laid my arms upon his shoulder "did you know? I love you, Detective Stephen Holder."
He smiled placing a kiss on my lips
"And I love you, Detective Jane Davidson."
We walked along the water. I used to come here with my parents when they were still alive. This place brought back so many memories, I was glad to be able to walk this way with a person I loved.
A person, who truly cared of me and loved me for what I did and who I was.
I never claimed to be perfect, but so didn't Holder. We were both broken, the past had left deep scars on our souls and our hearts.
We found it hard to trust people because our trust had been broken so many times before. But we had one another.
We healed each other, we learned from each other. I was so grateful to be able to wake up next to him every morning, to kiss his lips, to chase down bad guys with him.
To call him my crime-fighting-best-friend.
________
