Page 267 of Every Almost

Reyna stepped back and her hands slipped away from Charlie slowly, reluctantly, fingers trailing.

"I have to?—"

"Go," Charlie said, her voice soft and understanding.

Reyna looked at Charlie one more time, finding nothing but warmth in the eyes looking back at her. Then she made efforts to fold the softness away behind duty. She nodded curtly, then turned and moved toward the door.

But at the threshold, she stopped, something breaking through the composure she'd tried to assemble.

She turned back without a second thought, a decision her body made before her mind could intervene.

She crossed back to Charlie in three quick strides and pulled her into an embrace.

Reyna's arms wrapped around Charlie's shoulders. Soon, she felt Charlie's arms come up around her back, both of them holding on to one another. Reyna's face pressed into Charlie's hair as Charlie's hands gripped the back of Reyna's shirt.

"Thank you," Reyna whispered. "For the dances."

"CAPTAIN SOLAS, YOUR PRESENCE IS REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY."

They didn't let go right away. Instead, Reyna placed the lightest kiss against Charlie’s cheek before finally pulling away. When she did, her eyes were still wet. She held Charlie's gazefor one more heartbeat, and everything was in it. Everything she hadn't said. Everything she would make sure was about to change.

Then she turned and walked toward the door, footsteps measured, shoulders set for the emergency that awaited her.

She didn't look back.

The corridor swallowed her. All she could hear were her boots on the deck plating and the hum of the environmental systems. But then there was the ghost of Charlie's arms still warm around her waist.

She pressed her hand against the corridor wall and stopped walking.

She had been ready, she had decided not to wait anymore or waste any additional chances. She'd pulled Charlie to her and felt her skin against her own, and was prepared to say the truest sentence of her life into the space between them. Five more minutes and she would have said all the rest as well. Every word she had been sealing away.

The alarm robbed her.

Tears she could wipe away. Her markings she could hold. But she couldn't take back missed opportunities. She couldn't regain time wasted.

She stood in the corridor and made a vow.

I will make this right.

Then she straightened and wiped her eyes.

I will make this right as soon as this emergency is handled.

And Captain Reyna Solas walked to the Bridge.

THIRTY-FIVE

RIGHT HERE WAITING

Charlie sat back downon the bench.

The nebula was still going, the room still warm where Reyna had been standing. Her hair was mussed from where Reyna's hand had been in it.

Jesus, you matter to me.

The truest thing anybody had said to Charlie since Helen's deathbed, and it had come out of Reyna Solas in the dark, four inches from her face, with tears on it.

Charlie, I?—