Photograph (camren)

Chapter Thirty-Three (p.1)

           

"You're home." Camila smiled in adoration at her lieutenant; arms and legs still wrapped tightly around the marine. For the first time in weeks, Dinah watched as the small Latina's once dull eyes, brightened at the sight of the raven-haired girl. It had been enough to bring tears to her own.

"I am." Lauren nodded, her own grin never leaving her lips while Camila wiped the remains of her lipstick from her bottom one.

Contrary to what you may think, Ally still hadn't a clue what the commotion was all about. She opted for putting the cookies in some sort of decretive container, completely unaware that the marine had even walked in the door. However, when her motherly hearing caught Camila's muffled sobs coming from the entrance, Ally turned on the kettle then decided to go see what was the matter.

Ignoring the dopey expression that sat on Mani's features, Ally pushed past her with Shawn following closely behind. Apparently, they had both missed something rather extreme.

"Mila, what's going o-" Ally hadn't gotten the words out before her somber gaze landed on her sister and the doctor. Camila had been reluctant to let go of Lauren completely so, when it came time to hop off the marine, she settled for an arm wrapped around her shoulders as she entangled her own around her lieutenant's torso. Needless to say, the eldest of the friends had been speechless.

The smile on Camila's face instantly had Ally in tears; happy ones of course. She had spent so many nights with the younger Latina over the past few weeks. Nights that consisted of listening to the brown-eyed girl cry herself to sleep while she silently wished for Lauren's presence once again. Nights where she'd hear Camila call out for her lieutenant in the dead of the night. And others where she hadn't really slept at all.

"For the love of sugar honey iced tea." Ally gasped, thankful she hadn't had Camila's favourite mug in hand because yeah, she would've dropped that harder than Ed Sheeran dropped his album that morning. "How the-"

Shawn had run into the back of the older woman on his pursuit to find out exactly what had caused Camila to start crying once again that day. "Ally, what the hell?" As if everyone's quiet state hadn't been enough to give the brunette man some sort of clue, he finally caught sight of what exactly or, who exactly, was the culprit. "Oh fuck."

"Mendes." Lauren huffed, putting on her best fake smile in spite of her dislike for the taller doctor.

"Okay well, are we going to address the fact that nobody told me that this," Ally gestured to the lieutenant with her index finger. "was happening? Why the hell was I in the dark!?"

"Relax Smallz, we didn't tell Mila either."

"THAT'S BECAUSE IT WAS HER SURPRISE!?"

Dinah just shrugged and wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks, looking over to Mani as she did the same, a chuckle escaping both their lips. Ally's frustration never lasted too long, in any minute she'd be bounding over to Lauren to give her one of those lil bear hugs. "THIS ISN'T FUNNY YOU GUYS?!"

"Fuck." Shawn muttered under his breath, his gaze never leaving the lieutenant's glare. Yeah. Fuck.

"It kind of is." Camila started giggling herself, covering her smile with the back of her hand; something Lauren always hated about the younger girl's many insecurities.

The smaller Cuban had always been rather self-conscious of her teeth. When she was younger they had been slightly crooked and had became a target for the girls who had decided to make her life a living hell for the better part of her time in Miami. At first, it had been that she hadn't spoken English that well, but as time went on and it wasn't an issue anymore, they found something else to cling to. That something else being her smile. They had ultimately been the cause of her and her family moving to North Carolina in the first place. To this day, Camila still has trouble showing off her smile to the world, even after invisaline.