The Eye of the Storm

Previous Chapters:

→ A Storm from the Past
→ The Calm After the Storm
→ The Brewing Storm

– I am happy.

Liz looks up, tears in her eyes.

– Wh… why? What do you mean?

– Remember all those years ago, when you called me out of the blue on Halloween, asking if I was home?

– I… yes, I do.

– You were panicking and I could barely hear you over the pouring rain. You said you were in front of my apartment building and you needed to talk. I had no idea what was going on, we hadn’t spoken in such a long time, I thought you might be in trouble or something, or that someone had died. I told you to come up.

– I remember…

– That was such a dick move.

Liz laughs and wipes her tears.

– Thinking you could just waltz into my life like that and I’d drop everything for you.

– But you did…

– Of course I did.

– I’m sorry for not…

– Don’t be sorry about anything. I would do it again, just the same. All of it, I wouldn’t change a thing. I am happy. I am happy I made that choice and I am happy for all the choices I have made since then. I don’t want to say I’m happy about the people we hurt, because I’m not, but I do not regret it one bit. I would do it all over again, exactly the same. Well…

– What?

– Now, I’ve always tried to support you and your passions, but I really don’t think I’d put all that money again into that side business of yours with those terrible dog sweaters.

– What are you talking about?! You loved those!

– Oh my god, they were so awful. I remember seeing all those dogs and thinking ‘man, if they weren’t on leashes, they’d run under the first bus they saw.’ You made sweet, adorable puppies want to kill themselves, Liz. You were a monster.

– Wha… shut up! That’s not true, they were really nice sweaters, and I put a lot of work into them! You said you liked them!

– I did? I must’ve been drunk out of my mind crying over all the money we threw away on fucking dog sweaters from Hell.

– You are such a jerk!

Syl chuckles and grabs her shaking hand.

– But I’m your jerk.

Liz laughs. She can barely keep herself from crying.

– In all seriousness, I am happy. I am happy because of you. You put me through hell and brought me to the brink of despair for so long, I never thought I would escape the abyss you threw me in. I was miserable for so many years of my life because of you. I hated you with every fiber of my being. Just as much as I loved you. But then it was also you who reached in through the darkness. I grabbed your hand and you pulled me out, and my life has been wonderful ever since. The best things in life don’t come cheap, and if it meant you had to be a bitch and I had to live on all four for all those years to get here, then I would gladly go through it again. You are the worst thing that has ever happened to me, and somehow also the best thing. You know I think fate is bullshit and the only higher power messing with our lives is the fucking government, but in my heart, Elizabeth, I know the Universe always planned for us to be together. You’d try to resist, or else you wouldn’t be you, and I love that about you, but you could never escape me. You could never escape us. And as much as I hated you, I could never let you leave. I never really lived life until I lived it with you. You were my life. And nothing else ever mattered. All I ever cared about was being with you. It’s still all I care about. The kids? Fuck ’em. It’s all about you and me, always has been, always will be. One soul, split across two bodies.

Liz can’t stop crying, but she also can’t stop smiling. She closes her eyes and holds his hand on her forehead.

– Thank you… for everything. While I didn’t always treat you the way I should have, and let’s be honest, neither did you, words cannot describe how happy I am for everything we have built together. We were apart for such a long time all those years ago, but in my heart, I knew you were the one. I just needed to be stupid and make a dozen mistakes before I was ready to be yours. The only regret I have is wasting those years of my life by not spending them with you. I would give anything to have them back. To spend them in your arms. To hear your voice. I will never be whole again. Not without you.

A few seconds of silence go by. Liz kisses his hand and opens her teary eyes.

– Syl?