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Jesse flipped through another channel, sighing. So many boring shows on. Thankfully Emily was beside her, cuddled up and reading a book, so the evening wasn’t awful. Still, Jesse was bored and wanted to do something .
The door to their shared house opened and Jesse smiled slightly. Probably Sam coming home from work, finally. She checked the time on her phone and furrowed her brows when she realized it was five till eight PM, a little too early for Sam. She felt Emily move in her arms and freeze.
“ Lara ?” Emily gasped, jumping up. Jesse glanced back at the door and saw Lara Croft walking in. The last time they’d seen her was a month ago after she took off for yet another adventure. Now here she was, stumbling through the door, beaten and battered. Her usual combat boots, cargo pants, and blue and black sleeveless shirt were all torn up.
“Jesus, Lara!” Jesse followed Emily, helping hold Lara up. “What the fuck happened to you?”
The brunette was limping, one arm around Jesse’s neck and the other resting on her own side, trying desperately to cover a bleeding wound. There was dirt and grime all over her body, and blood was splattered on her face. Emily’s eyes frantically roamed Lara’s body, her expression becoming more and more worried. “There were… more Trinity agents looking for Pandora’s Box. I had to take them out before they got there. I-” she cut herself off, grunting and leaning forward a bit in pain.
“Lara, come on, sit down,” Jesse murmured, guiding her to the couch. Reluctantly, the brunette sat, hissing in pain.
“Is this the only major injury?” Emily asked, sitting next to her and examining her wounds. Lara hesitated, confirming the blonde’s suspicions. “What else?”
“I… think I broke a bone or two,” Lara admitted, watching Jesse slowly sit down too. “I don’t know. My head hurts…”
“You might have a concussion,” Emily hummed, moving some of Lara’s hair from her face. She moved her hands down and lightly pushed on Lara’s side, frowning when the brunette stiffened. “Broken ribs. What happened here?” She pointed at the wound Lara had been trying to hide, despite the bleeding.
“Nothing.” Lara mumbled, glancing away. Jesse huffed and took the adventurer’s hand, pulling it away. The redhead gasped, making Emily glance at the injury. There was a hole in her side, luckily not nearly as bad as when Lara got impaled with rebar back in 2013, but still bad enough to bleed continuously.
“Christ, did you get shot ?” Jesse squeaked.
Lara sighed and shrugged. “I honestly don’t remember. I could’ve. It just hurts.”
Luckily over the years, Lara had learned to stop saying she was okay when she was hurt, physically and emotionally. Still, she struggled to appear vulnerable around them all. “We need to get you to the hospital,” Emily murmured, standing and trying to pull Lara up with her.
The brunette grunted and forced all her weight on the couch, refusing to move. “No. I’m fine.”
Jesse furrowed her brows. “Lara, you are not fine. We have to go, now.”
I know she struggles with hospitals. She hates them. But this is serious.
“Please don’t tell Sam,” Lara begged, looking up at the other two women with pleading eyes. Jesse and Emily glanced at each other.
She’s gonna find out anyway.
As if on cue, the front door squeaked open with Sam walking in, looking exhausted. “Ugh, today was awful ! I swear, these publishers don’t know how to act around women. So annoying.” She glanced up, widening her eyes at the scene she saw. Lara’s face went pale, her expression exasperated and upset. “ Lara ?!”
“Sam, I-”
“Hospital, now!” Sam shouted, running over and pulling her girlfriend up. “Don’t argue with me. Let’s go.”
Lara looked both angry and terrified, trying and failing to pull herself away. Jesse huffed, pulling the brunette up with Sam. “Em, Sam, help me out?” The other women nodded and helped lift Lara so that Jesse could carry her on her back. Lara yelped and wrapped her arms around Jesse’s neck, not too tightly. Never too tightly. “Hospital’s not too far out, we can run over there in five minutes. Emily, you coming?”
“Of course I am!” The blonde looked offended, but there was a playful spark in her eyes that betrayed her. “Let’s get our girl some help, yeah?”
Lara lowered her eyes, blushing slightly. Meanwhile, Sam rushed over to the door and swung it open, watching Emily walk out first followed by Jesse with Lara. Sam shut the door behind her, nearly flying to the car. Lara whimpered, and Jesse’s heart sunk.
Sorry, Lara, but you’re too hurt. You need help.
Soon after they arrived at the hospital, Jesse helped Lara out of the car and pulled the brunette’s arm over her neck, her other hand gripping Lara’s side as they stumbled inside. Lara held onto her injured side, trying and failing to stop the blood from flowing out down her body and onto the cool tiles of the hospital. A nurse glanced up and did a double take before rushing over, assessing the situation and calling for more help. Lara flinched away when the nurse tried to touch her, and Jesse sighed.
Still a ways to go.
“Lara, you need to get patched up,” Sam murmured, walking up next to her girlfriend.
“I don’t-”
“Lara? Like, Lara Croft?” The nurse widened their eyes. They furrowed their brows, looking over at the doctor that had run over. “Make sure the gossip is at a minimum; we do not need to overwhelm her.” They turned back to the injured woman. “Come on, I can set you up in a room where your friends can sit with you while we take a look at your injuries.”
Lara hesitated before finally nodding and allowing the nurse to lead the way, Jesse helping her limp to the empty room. She sat Lara down on the table before taking a seat next to Emily in the nearby chair.
Sam stayed next to her lover, worriedly glancing at her wounds. “What happened this time, sweetie?”
The brunette sighed, but before she could answer, there was a startling knock at the door. A doctor walked in, clipboard in hand. He had a bit of stubble and was pretty slim with a pair of glasses resting on his face. Jesse glanced at Lara and saw a distant sadness in her hazel eyes. She remembered Lara talking about her time on Yamatai, how one of her close friends, Alex, lost his life while trying to save them all and play the hero. She’d seen old photos, and looking at the doctor again, she wondered if this is what Alex could’ve looked like had he survived.
“Hello, Miss Croft,” the doctor began, fixing his glasses. “My name is Doctor John Torre. You appear to have some excessive wounds that cannot be treated in a short period of time, so it seems that you’ll have to stay overnight.”
Lara groaned and furrowed her brows. “I’m fine, I don’t need to stay.”
“Lara you literally got shot.” Emily protested. “We’ll stay with you here, okay? Just let the doctor help.”
Doctor Torre nodded, sitting on a swivel chair by the computer. “I need to ask some basic questions real quick.” He cleared his throat. “Any allergies?”
“Lilies.” Answered the brunette.
Torre nodded, typing. “Medicine allergies?”
“No.”
“Any current medication?”
“No.”
“Any medical history? Cancer, diabetes, any mental illnesses?”
“No,” Lara sighed. “Is this really necessary?”
“Yes it is,” he told her. “We need to make sure we don’t cause any stress or cause a reaction with certain medications.”
“Lara,” Jesse murmured. “You do have PTSD.”
“So?” Lara huffed.
“That… qualifies as a mental illness, Miss Croft,” Torre typed on the computer, glancing at Jesse. “Any others I need to know of?”
“Besides the normal anxiety and depression? Not that I know of.”
“Alright,” he pushed his chair towards the table Lara sat at. He took his stethoscope from around his neck and situated it, listening to Lara’s heartbeat. “Deep breath.” He instructed. Lara inhaled, but began immediately coughing into her hand.
Oh shit.
“Lara?” Jesse leaned forward slightly. The brunette pulled her hand back, looking sick and pale. On her hand was fresh blood.
“Miss Croft-!” The doctor gasped, quickly opening the door and yelling to other doctors for help. Lara trembled as Sam latched onto her.
“Sam…” Lara coughed, blood dripping from her mouth and down her chin. She was shaking .
“Hey, it’s okay,” Sam assured, glancing at the doctors coming in the room. “You’re hurt, Lara. You’ve got a fucking hole in your side again. Let the doctors help.”
Hesitantly, the brunette nodded, watching with horror as a nurse wheeled in a stretcher. “I can walk-”
“You shouldn’t, though,” Jesse interrupted. “We’ll stay with you, okay? Just… let them take care of you in the meantime.”
Lara nodded, letting herself be gently pulled to the stretcher and wheeled out of the room. Emily, Jesse, and Sam quickly followed to a different room where Lara was transferred. It was much bigger than the previous space, and Jesse wondered if it was used for surgery. Their friend rested on a new table, looking out of it. Sam rushed over, holding her hand tightly. A few doctors came into the new room, concerned.
“Miss Croft, we need to remove your current clothing and get you in a sanitary gown,” One of the doctors told her. Lara nodded, trying to peel her sleeveless shirt off. She gasped and hissed from the pain. The doctor glanced around, sighing. “Looks like we need to cut the shirt. It’s too tightly clung onto you and with your injuries, stretching to remove it may make them worse.”
“I’ll help,” Emily offered, walking over. “I’ve got some medical knowledge as well.”
“And you are…?” One of the other doctors asked, an eyebrow raised. Jesse frowned at his tone.
He’s got an attitude.
“I’m Doctor Emily Pope,” the blonde responded, unbothered by the doctor’s mood. “I’ve studied at the California Institute of Technology with a major in physics and taken extra CPR classes as well as various medical classes to learn how to care for major wounds. I’ve also minored in biological sciences and have treated multiple injuries throughout the years. If you’d like to dispute my education, you can take it up with me, my work colleagues, or my boss, Director Jesse Faden, who just so happens to be right next to you.”
Jesse couldn’t help but smile at her girlfriend’s no-bullshit mode. The blonde was a phenomenal scientist and has treated Jesse’s wounds on more than one occasion, proving she was valid and able to help. The doctor widened his eyes and glanced over at the redhead, who only crossed her arms and raised a challenging eyebrow. He backed away immediately. One of the other doctors handed Emily some scrubs, instructing her to put them on over her clothes along with the gloves.
“Sam,” Lara’s gasp alerted them all. Her body was trembling, her face pale as a sheet.
“Watch out,” one of the doctors shooed Sam away, grabbing a pair of scissors and quickly cutting Lara’s shirt down the middle. It flopped open like a jacket, revealing Lara’s white bra. She blushed, flinching when the doctor peeled the fabric away from the bullet wound.
Emily stepped closer to the table, voice muffled behind her medical mask. “The bullet went straight through,” she murmured, glancing at Lara’s face. The brunette was sweating and looked absolutely pained, though she still remained conscious. “She needs to go into surgery to-”
“ No ,” Lara growled through gritted teeth. Sam had snuck back over next to her girlfriend’s head, gently moving her damp hair from her face. “I can’t afford that. I’m fine to go home, I can rest for a bit-”
“Lara, we’re not rich,” Jesse interrupted. “But we have enough money to easily pay for whatever medical assistance you need.”
“There are some deep lacerations around her sides and chest,” Emily furrowed her brows, only half paying attention to the conversation. “And there’s- oh.”
“Oh?” Sam asked.
Emily and the doctors were quiet for a moment, examining Lara’s injuries. Her eyes widened. “Did you try to cauterize this?!” She pointed at yet another deep wound near Lara’s ribcage, which looked burnt. It was bright red around the edges and had some pus seeping through.
“I-” Lara coughed again, spitting out more blood. “I’m not-”
“Surgery, now!” The doctor hollered, quickly moving to the door to wheel Lara out.
Jesse frowned, grabbing Emily and Sam’s hands to stop them from running out with Lara and the doctors. “We can’t go in with them. Let’s just sit and wait, okay? I’m worried too, but we can’t do anything for her right now. C’mon,” she pulled them out of the room, leading them into the waiting room. Sam stared down at the ground, tears in her eyes and stumbling behind Jesse. Emily furrowed her brows in concern, but didn’t speak.
Once they were in the waiting room, Jesse coaxed Sam to sit in an empty chair, watching as Emily sat next to her and whispered comforting words. The redhead sighed, sitting next to her girlfriend.
“She’ll be okay,” Jesse murmured. “She’ll be okay.”
The women sat in the waiting room for hours. At this point, Emily had fallen asleep, still in scrubs, head on Jesse’s shoulder. Sam still stared at her feet, anxiously tapping her heel against the tiles, sat on the other side of the redhead. Jesse scrolled through her phone mindlessly, letting the soft snores of her lover comfort her slightly. She glanced over at Sam, brows furrowed in worry.
She should rest.
“Sam,” Jesse started. The black haired woman tiredly looked over at her, tears in her eyes. “Hey, get some rest. I’ll wake you if the doctors come out.”
“It’s funny,” Sam whispered, sniffing. “Back in UCL, I never worried about her. Sure, she’d get into some minor trouble or break up fights in the bar she worked at, but she was never majorly injured. I always thought she was fairly invincible. But after Yamatai, after all these years…” She blinked back tears. “She’s not invincible. I’ve seen her die , Jesse. I’ve lost her before. And I can’t lose her again.”
Jesse sat still, listening to her friend blurt out her fears. She knew too well what it was like to lose a loved one. From her parents, to the entire town, to Dylan. She shook her head. Now was not about her, it was about Sam and Lara and making sure they were okay. “You won’t lose her. She’s gonna be okay.” The redhead glanced down, gripping Sam’s hand and giving a reassuring squeeze. “She’d never leave you.”
Sam said nothing, but squeezed back, eyes glazing over as she stared at her feet again.
She’ll be okay.
The group stayed in the waiting room for hours on end, only leaving to use the bathroom. Emily had jolted awake at one point, looking scared for a moment before promising she was fine. Jesse was still suspicious, but dropped the subject when a doctor approached. They looked in high spirits, and Jesse sighed in relief.
“How’s Lara?” Sam asked immediately, standing and trotting up to the doctor.
“She’s currently being transferred to a room as we speak,” they smiled. “The surgery went well and we were able to stitch her bigger wounds closed. The anesthesia should be wearing off soon, and she’ll be able to communicate with you. Given that she’s able to stand and walk a bit as well as use the bathroom, we’ll be able to give the all clear and send her home.”
“Thank god,” Jesse breathed. “Can we see her?”
“Of course! Just be sure you’re quiet and be mindful of the other patients in the nearby rooms.” They nodded, leading the way. The three of them anxiously followed the doctor to the room where Lara was resting on a bed, dressed in a typical hospital gown. There were bandages wrapped around her chest and shoulders, one of her arms, and patches and bandages of various sizes along the rest of her body. Her cheek, which had had a large gash, was patched up with gauze taped to it. Overall, she looked a mess, but she also looked peaceful.
She needs the rest.
Jesse and Emily sat on the chairs in the corner while Sam hesitantly walked up to her girlfriend, taking her hand. “Hey, sweetie,” she murmured, a hint of a smile at her lips. “Haven’t seen you with a nasal cannula in a long time. Heh, yeah, I know what that is, I can be smart too!” She chuckled, stroking Lara’s hair back. For once it wasn’t in a normal tight ponytail, but instead was cascading down her head. She looked like she was in the middle of a brown flood with how covered her face was in her own hair. “Please take better care of yourself, babe. You think you’re alone in your journeys, but you’re not.” She leaned forward, kissing her forehead. “Come back to me, Lara.”
Morning came, the sun peaking through the curtains. Sam had climbed onto the bed with Lara, being mindful of her wounds but still cuddling her. Jesse and Emily had fallen asleep in the chairs nearby, with the blonde’s head on the other’s shoulder.
Jesse blinked her tired eyes open, grumbling at the sharp sunlight shining directly in her eyes. Yawning and stretching, Jesse glanced over at Lara, who was already awake and blearily staring at the ceiling. “Lara?” Jesse croaked, clearing her throat. “Hey.”
“Hey,” Lara murmured, stroking Sam’s hair. “Have you all been here since yesterday?”
“Of course,” Jesse said. “We weren’t gonna leave you. We know how much you don’t like hospitals.”
Lara was quiet for a moment, tiredly staring at the redhead. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Jesse told her. “We all know how dangerous your missions can be. Getting hurt is just… what happens sometimes. I don’t like seeing you injured, Lara,” she whispered, eyebrows furrowed in worry. “But sometimes it comes with the job. How do you feel, anyway? Any better?”
‘Sore.” The brunette chuckled. “But I’ll be fine.” She glanced down at Sam, a distant sadness sparking in her hazel eyes. “I’m sorry I scared you all.”
“Like I said, it comes with the job,” Jesse waved her off. “We get worried, though, Lara. You’re still going to that therapist, right?” Lara nodded, seemingly ashamed to admit it. “Hey, don’t give me that look. Therapy can help, you just need to open up a bit. And you’ve been doing good. I just… don’t want to see you falling apart on us.”
The adventurer gazed at her lover, who was softly snoring in her shoulder. She blinked slowly, taking in Jesse’s words before turning to the redhead. “I… I’ll try. Promise.”
“That’s all I ask.” Jesse smiled. She yawned again, chuckling. “God, these chairs are uncomfortable.”
“You don’t have to stay.” Lara murmured. “I’m fine.”
“What did I tell you?” Jesse lightly scolded, shaking her head. “We’re staying until you’re okay, Lara.”
We won’t leave you.
“Okay,” Lara sighed. “Okay. Thank you.”
Jesse smiled, glancing at Emily as she began to stir. The blonde let out a soft groan as she slowly opened her eyes, grinning tiredly up at Jesse. “Hey, Jess. How’s Lara?”
“I’m better,” the brunette answered, startling Emily. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Emily said, stretching and standing. She walked over to the injured woman, leaning down and pressing her palm against her forehead. Lara grumbled but didn’t move. The blonde hummed, retracting her hand. “You’re a little warm, but I think you should be okay. Still, we’ll talk to the doctors about when you’re allowed to come home.”
Lara nodded, reaching for the remote that rested beside her. A twinge in her body made her freeze and hiss in pain. “Dammit.” She cursed.
“Rest, I’ve got it.” Emily whispered, grabbing the remote herself and pinging for the doctor. She glanced back at Jesse. The redhead gave a tired smile, standing slowly and dragging herself to her girlfriend and wrapping her arms around her, giving her a short kiss.
“Get a room.” Sam mumbled from Lara’s shoulder, eyes squeezed shut against the sunlight, which had now filled the room completely, giving the clean white tiles and walls a nice orange glow. The other three women laughed as the doctor knocked on the door and sauntered in.
They all listened carefully as the doctor explained Lara’s condition and how to take care of certain wounds. The injury she self-cauterized (which earned a scolding from Sam) would need to be checked frequently. Other than a small stack of papers stapled together that was handed to Jesse, the doctor said she was free to go. She left the room shortly after. Sam stood and helped her lover slide the hospital gown off. Lara blushed, glancing at Jesse and Emily, but didn’t object to them being there. She wobbled as she stood, using the bed to hold herself up as she shakily pulled her underwear on. Sam showed her a new pair of jeans she bought for Lara, carefully fixing them around the brunette’s legs and up to her waist. Lara grabbed her bra and reached back to clip it on, but stopped halfway and let out a yelp.
“Hey, hey,” Emily hushed, quickly walking over to her. “Don’t strain yourself, come on.” Sam held the bra in place while Emily hooked it in the back, sadly gazing at the multiple gashes and bandages along Lara’s body. “Jess, come here.”
The redhead nodded and strolled over, watching Sam pull out a shirt from her bag. Slowly, they pinched and pulled the shirt over and on the brunette, being careful not to agitate her wounds. Once she was fully dressed, Lara went to stand with the help of her girlfriend, gritting her teeth. She stumbled slightly, but righted herself. Lara tried reaching up to tie her hair in a ponytail, but her injuries stopped her. “Hey, just… leave it for now, okay?” Sam murmured. “We can fix it later.” Lara sighed and nodded, walking slowly out the door with the others.
Now time to make sure she doesn’t try to go on adventures for a while.
Needless to say, that was harder than Jesse thought.
The redhead had startled awake with a sharp gasp, eyes wide and body full of sweat. She glanced over and saw Emily, luckily still fast asleep and snoring away. She sighed, flipping over and sliding off the bed, walking out the door with haste. She didn’t want Emily seeing her like this. Jesse rubbed her eyes, sniffing.
Fucking Hiss nightmare.
She saw a figure dash from her line of sight and into the kitchen, and immediately she was alert, the service weapon manifesting in her palm. Slowly, she approached the kitchen, gun pointed to the floor. The figure stopped. Froze. Jesse raised her gun.
Not today motherfucker.
“Don’t try it.” Jesse hissed. The figure let out a short gasp, its hands up. The redhead reached over and flicked on the lights, eyes widening. “Lara?”
The brunette was dressed in a blue Henley and brown cargo pants, combat boots tied and ready. A large bag was slung over her shoulders, packed with who knows what. “Uhhh…”
“What the fuck, dude?!” Jesse snapped, willing her gun away. “You scared the shit outta me.” She blinked, brows furrowing. “And what the hell are you doing out of bed? You’re supposed to be resting!”
“I need to-“
“No.” Jesse sternly said, gripping Lara’s bag and taking it from her. She tossed it aside before gently holding the brunette’s shoulders. “Whatever you need to do, it can wait. You need to heal . Come on,” she grabbed Lara’s hand, leading her to her room.
But Lara protested, face going pale.
What’s wrong with her?
“Lara-“
“Just… at least let me sit for a minute. Please?” She murmured. Jesse nodded, leading her to the couch. They both sat down, and Jesse patiently waited. Lara hesitated, glancing around nervously. “I… had a nightmare. I wanted to get away. I’m- I’m going to hurt you, I can’t-“
“Hey, hey,” Jesse whispered, holding both of her hands tightly. “Breathe. You’re okay. You’re okay.”
“I’m going to hurt you,” Lara choked out, hyperventilating. “I already have before. I’m sorry I’m sorry- fuck. I-I need-“
“Shh, tell me. It’s okay.” Jesse murmured, stroking her hands up and down Lara’s arms.
She needs comfort right now.
“Just- I’ve a-attacked Sam before,” Lara gasped. “I’ve held a knife to her throat , Jesse. And I know I’ve hurt you and Emily before.”
“You haven’t. Lara,” she gripped her shoulders, forcing Lara to look at her. “You haven’t.”
Lara still shook her head, sniffing. “I just… I’m tired, Jess. So bloody tired. I can’t sleep because I keep seeing their faces.”
Alex? Grim?
“…Roth?” Jesse hesitantly asked.
The woman next to her nodded, choking on a sob. “Him. My friends. The Solarii. Jacob. Unuratu. …Ana.” Tears ran down her face. “A-all those innocent people in a small village. I caused an apocalypse .” Jesse blinked slowly, rubbing Lara’s shoulder. “God, I couldn’t save anybody .”
“That isn’t your fault.” Jesse murmured. “Shit happens. It’s not fair, but… unfortunately, we lose people we love. And even those we don’t, we still remember them.”
“I hated Trinity.” Lara breathed. “But then I saw the bodies. What had happened. I didn’t have time to process it at the moment, but afterwards…” she shuddered. “I was supposed to die up there, on that altar.”
“What?” Jesse furrowed her brows.
She was supposed to die? On an altar? When did…?
“After I killed Dominguez,” Lara whispered. “He told me… made me promise to protect Paititi. I had to. The Crimson Fire approached me, helped me lie down on the altar, and, well… stabbed me.” She gave a halfhearted laugh. “It was… scalding . I blacked out, and had a dream about my parents. What I could’ve had.”
The brunette’s heartbroken expression said it all. Jesse didn’t press her on the subject; instead she let her silently cry. The redhead brought her into a hug, Lara’s face buried in Jesse’s shoulder. She stroked Lara’s hair, gazing down at her in sympathy.
She’s been through hell and back. Stared death and violence and hate and pain and fear down and it blinked first. She deserves a break.
“I’ve got you,” Jesse hushed. “It’s okay. I’m here.”
“Thank you.” Lara hiccupped. “I-I gave them up. I turned around and walked away. The next time I was conscious, I had woken up on one of the straw beds in a hut back in Paititi. Jonah was right next to me, holding my hand and saying prayers with other villagers.” She shut her eyes tightly, gritting her teeth. “I was supposed to die . I was ready .” Lara sniffed, blinking open her eyes and staring in Jesse’s. “I don’t know how I survived. But I did. And… I’m grateful. Because now I’m with Sam.” For the first time that night, Lara smiled. “We found you and Emily.”
Jesse grinned at that, bringing Lara into a hug. “And we got to meet you and Sam.” She felt her friend slowly wrap her arms around her, breathing deeply into her shoulder. Jesse rubbed her back, being mindful of her recent scars. After a few long moments, they pulled back.
Lara wiped her eyes with the back of her wrist, sniffing. “Sorry I scared you earlier.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Jesse murmured, standing and pulling Lara with her. “C’mon, let’s get you back to bed, okay?”
The brunette nodded and let Jesse lead her back to her shared room with Sam. Opening the door slowly, Lara walked in and sat on the edge of the bed gently, sighing and pulling her boots off. Jesse took this as a sign to leave. She murmured a “goodnight” and walked out, shutting the door softly before making it back to her own room.
The redhead opened the door to her and Emily’s room, stretching and yawning. She shimmied into the warmth of the bed, smiling when Emily turned and snuggled against her, humming contently. The blonde mumbled something about a quadratic equation before snoring softly again. Jesse barely held in a chuckle, holding her lover close and finally falling asleep.
The next morning, Jesse woke to find the bed empty. She heard light conversations coming from the living room and smiled. She stretched, sitting up. Glancing around, she decided to leave the room with just her sweatpants and tank top on. Once she opened the door, she saw Emily smiling and laughing with the others. Her heart soared.
She deserves to smile and laugh more. Deserves so much love.
Jesse walked towards her, seeing Sam and Lara sitting on the couch and Emily standing at the side of it. When they saw Jesse, they waved. “Hey guys,” Jesse smiled back, yawning. “Did you eat breakfast yet?”
“We were waiting for you, actually.” Sam grinned. “I’m gonna make breakfast today. Nishimura style!”
Lara chuckled beside her. “I’m sure it’ll taste delicious.” Sam gave her a wink and shot up, skipping towards the kitchen.
Emily shook her head with a grin. “I’ll help her,” she giggled, turning and entering the kitchen too.
I think Emily’s the only actual cook among the four of us.
Jesse sat down next to Lara, gazing at her a bit worriedly. Lara caught her eyes and raised an eyebrow. “How are you feeling?”
The brunette hummed, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. “Better.” She glanced at the redhead, a small smile on her face. “Thank you. For last night.”
“Hey, you’re my friend.” Jesse waved it off. “You’d do the same for me.”
Lara nodded, her soft smile turning into a grin as she motioned towards the kitchen. Jesse turned, watching Sam lightly berate Emily. She had a whisk in her hand, jokingly flicking it towards the blonde. Emily had her hands up, giggling like a hyper child. Jesse let out a laugh, happy tears welling up in her eyes. Despite their trauma, despite their flaws, they were a family.
My family. And it’s perfect.