Page 330 of Every Almost

And Charlie broke, laughing and crying all at once.

REYNA

She was still holding Charlie's face, Charlie's laughter and tearsgoing warm against her palm, when the datapad on the desk chimed.

Reyna almost ignored it. Almost. But it was the priority tone from a Fleet channel, and some part of her that would be a captain until she died turned her head toward it.

"Leave it," Charlie murmured against her.

"It's Vondra's channel."

She felt Charlie go still against her.

She turned back to Charlie, kissed her softly, then pulled away and crossed to the desk. She picked up the datapad and read it, standing there a moment with her back to Charlie.

She read it again before tears began to blur her vision.

It was a few words and a rank.

TRANSMISSION FROM FADM. VONDRA, P.:

You got your Chief Engineer. Congratulations, Captain.

Reyna set the datapad down and turned around.

She watched Charlie's eyes go wide. "Why are you crying?"

"It's done," Reyna said softly. "The removal order. It's..." Reyna took a staggering breath. "It's completely rescinded, Charlie. You're staying."

For a second, Charlie didn't move at all. Then she watched the day's tension rush out of her, all at once, a whole day of a woman quietly bracing to be torn out of the only home she'd ever chosen.

"I'm staying," Charlie repeated.

Reyna started walking back to Charlie.

"You're staying," Reyna confirmed.

"With you?"

Reyna reached her and wrapped her arms around Charlie's waist.

"With me."

Charlie let out a breath that shook all the way through. Then her eyes narrowed, and Reyna watched that part of her that needed to understandhowthis problem had been solved.

"How?" Charlie said. "That was aCoalition directive.That was protocol. Those don't just — How did you?—"

"I told her something she couldn't argue with."

Charlie's eyes narrowed on hers.

"What did you tell her?" Charlie asked slowly, suspicious.

Reyna could have deflected. But instead, she reached up and wrapped both arms around Charlie's neck, looked at her, and told her.

"I told the Admiral that if she took you off this ship, she would be taking its captain too." Reyna kept her voice even. "If you go, I go."

Charlie stared at her.