Wildlands (rskde & BurningWillows)

[Risky]

"Isn't it only fair that I know the person I'm in love with?" He whispers to her, pressing his lips to hers for only a moment.

"Please tell me.." He says to her softly, running his hands through her hair, staring into her eyes as he speaks to her.

 

[BurningWillows]

"Only because you asked," she whispers, loving the feel of his fingers massaging her hair.

She would do anything for this man.

"Em lied to protect me and her. When she enrolled in the military, it wasn't for the good of the country, or to become some hero. It was for me. We've, well we haven't had anybody but each other for so many years. When I was five our parents died. She would have been twelve. We got thrown into foster care, because our grandparents had passed too and we didn't have much else in the way of family.

Em got the shitty end of the deal. Awful foster family who was only in the system for the money. I can't remember my parents. But I do remember this girl living with me, her name was Annabelle. When I was seven Wmberly ran away from home and found me. She wanted me to run away too, and I wanted to go but I didn't want to leave Annabelle. So I took her with us. She had hair just like ours and I promised we'd be sisters forever.

That night we ran away my foster family called the police. Emberlys family never did because they didn't want to lose the money coming in, but mine cared more. We were running across a street...when a car came."

She sniffles, tears pricking her eyes, "Annabelle was running behind me and got hit and thrown. We ran to her but she was already dead, her body mangled so badly I still see her in my nightmares. So we kept running. We eventually found a place to hide and the cops couldn't find us but they found Annabelle. Unfortunately they were only looking for me, and when they found a mangled red headed child lying in the street they presumed it was me. I was declared dead, and Annabelle wasn't even declared missing. The damn foster family smothered the fact that two girls got out.

After that we lived on the streets till Em got a job and she put me back in school, under a fake name - Pierce. She enrolled in the military to continue paying for my education, wanting me to be successful. But if the government knew about me...she would have gone to jail Alex. It's illegal for two minors to live with no adult. She lied to protect me."

Tears were falling down her face now, "she died trying to keep me happy and safe. I went looking for because she's all I had. All I had known. And she's gone now."

 

[Risky]

He hugs her tightly, his eyes closed tightly as the story ends. "I'm so sorry." He whispers to her. "I promise our life will be better in San Francisco." He says to her softly.

 

[BurningWillows]

"I hope so," she hiccuped, "when Em passed the money she had been giving me stopped. It's why I knew she wasn't in Afghanistan though. The money kept wiring to me from Bolivia. She was paying my tuition through college for literature. To become a journalist. All those languages I know I learned growing up. We didn't have electricity so Em would find me books and we both starting learning these languages, to pass time. It helped me graduate and get into college. And she paid for a dorm so I'd finally have a roof over my head. She was everything to me Alex. And once the money stopped coming I broke down. I knew something had happened, but because no one knew Em had a sister, I never got informed. I dropped out because I couldn't pay for my courses. I lost my dorm. I have nothing but the few funds in my savings and you now. Just you."

She was shaking as she cried, her head buried in his chest, "my friends from school probably I think I had a meltdown and just ran away. Some of them knew my story, and it's obvious no one is looking for me, because then the police would know I exist. I want to tell them I'm alive, so they know I'm alright. I want to be safe."

 

[Risky]

He nods, holding her close to him and resting his head against hers. "I watched Emberly die.. And it was my fault Serena, she volunteered to die in order to save me and my friend Katerina, I couldn't even speak before-." His voice cracks at the last part, he takes a shaky breath. "But now I've moved on, I have you, and we'll be together forever, no matter what, I promise." He says to her softly, rubbing her back gently to help comfort her.

 

[BurningWillows]

She sniffles and looked up her eyes round and puffy, "that's a big promise to make Alex. What if...what if one day you stop loving me and leave?"

 

[Risky]

He presses his lips to her again, kissing her lovingly before whispering to her. "Ask yourself, how could I ever stop loving you? You're a dream, young, beautiful, great in bed, intelligent, you speak how many languages? I feel like I barely even know you but I know so much.. I could never stop loving you, even when I die I'll call your name until you join me." He says to her softly, as if truly confessing something to her.

 

[BurningWillows]

She wipes tears from her eyes, "Really?"

Then she pulls him in tightly, burying her face back into his chest as she breathes him in. She hasn't felt this good in weeks, weeks without him to hold her, to love her unconditionally.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," she sighed into his skin, knowing he could hear her, "I was afraid you'd think of me differently. Think of Emberly differently too."

 

[Risky]

He softly kisses the top of her head, his hands running down her body and pulling her against him, her skin against his making him feel great. "You don't have to be sorry for anything.. Now go to sleep, we've got a big day tomorrow." He whispers to her.

He gives her a final kiss on the top of her head before falling asleep, sighing as he feels her face pressed into his chest.

 

[BurningWillows]

With a soft kiss and a hum she drifts to sleep with him, excited to start a new chapter in her life with him the next day.

~~

Tomorrow comes and Serena is under all the covers, refusing to wake. As Jordan had warned she could grow irritable, and waking up was one of the worse times for her mood swings.

 

[Risky]

He wakes up and shakes her gently. "Time to wake up beautiful." He says to her softly, his eyes tracing down her body as he speaks.

 

[BurningWillows]

"Noooo," she groans, rolling over and pulling the blankets over her head, "Go away Alex. I wanna sleep."

Her words aren't harsh or snippy, coming out much quieter and in an exhausted voice. She can feel him watching her, his eyes oogling her body before she hide under the blankets. She's trying to be tired and grumpy but he pulls a smile out of her, unable to help herself when her man's eyes are glued on her.

 

[Risky]

He sighs. "Oh fine, you'll just go to the airport like this then." He says before pulling the covers off of her and picking her up wedding style, walking her towards the door of the apartment.

"Here we go!" He announces.

 

[BurningWillows]

"NOOOO!" she squeals, trying to wiggle in his grasp, "I'm naked!"

She didn't have a single item of clothing on, falling asleep comfortably with him without any need for it. It had been the first time she'd seen him sleep clothless too. Even when they got back he had worn a shirt and pajamas for the few couple weeks, a habit grown from always being on guard as a ghost.

"You're naked too!" she cried, clinging to him so that he wouldn't drop her either, "Alex I'm awake! I'm awake!"

 

[Risky]

He turns around before he even gets to the door, laughing his ass off. "That's what I like to hear, now get dressed, we've got a flight." He says to her after laying her down on the bed again.

He grabs some fresh clothing from his drawer, quickly covering himself up with it while he expects her to do the same, checking his watch to make sure they aren't late for their flight.

 

[BurningWillows]

Groaning she gets up and dresses in something comfortable for the flight. She ends up choosing black shorts and flip flops, stealing one of Alex's plaid button up shirts he had recently gotten himself, loving the smell of him wrapped around her. The bullet shell rests still on her chest, the necklace never far from her. Grabbing her cane she shuffled into the bathroom and brushed out her untamed curls then turned to the front door to wait for him.

"Can you roll my bag too baby? The cane...it makes it so difficult."

 

[Risky]

He nods, taking her bag and his before walking out of the room. They make it to the airport in time and catch the flight to San Francisco.

About a week later they are settled into their new apartment, all of their things moved inside. The hunt for a new job begins, Alex deciding to apply to be a SWAT candidate.

After a week of staying with her, Kyle and Arya stand in the airport, his next departure for Afghanistan is today.

"I love you." He whispers to her, his arms wrapped tightly around her as the flight begins to board. "I'll be extra careful this time, I promise." He says to her before giving her a weak smile. "I'll call everyday, you can start worrying when I dont." He says to her.

 

[BurningWillows]

The first day they arrive at their new apartment Serena was estatic. For all of five minutes. Then she broke into sobs, crying unconscionably in the front entrance. When she finally calmed down to speak she explained they weren't tears of sadness. She was overwhelmed with emotion; Serena had never had a home before. Or a home she could remember. For as long as she could remember she'd been living on the streets, and even when she moved into the dorms it had been nothing more than a bed, one she had to give up after only a few months.

Once she settled in, Serena was on a all-time high, overjoyed to finally have somewhere she could call home. Alex hadn't realized how much it meant to her, or how much she loved it. Every day he came home from job hunting she had dinner ready, excited to hear about his day.

~

A week later Serena wakes up and stretches, her sleep about as good as the sex the night before. Rolling over she finds the bed empty but a note on it, saying he was out applying to a new job.

"I should look for one too," she sighs, closing her eyes, "I could help him if I had a job."

Arya kisses him hard, "I'll worry whether you call or not. Please be careful okay? Like don't run into a smoke screen. And maybe teach Max to not do that either."

Kissing him once more she lets him go before returning home, finding Kevin in the living room.

"You'll be okay right?" she asks, looking over at her suitcase near her bedroom door.

She had already discussed it with Kevin, but they had both decided to leave it a surprise for Kyle.

"My flight leaves in a couple hours, I just came to grab my last few things," she smiled, "Thanks for helping me plan this Kevin."[/align]

 

[Risky]

Alex trains all day, getting a folder at the end, instructed not to open it until he got home. He walks into the door of his home at the end of the day, opening the folder and nodding before leaving it on the table, the SFPD SWAT symbol is evident.

"Babe I'm home!" He calls out, looking around for his beautiful red headed girlfriend.

 

[BurningWillows]

She comes out of the bedroom, wearing nothing more than a white tank top and panties.

"Alex!" her smile shined from ear-to-ear, hobbling over to him and throwing her hands around his neck, "How was your day? Oh, dinner will be ready in five. I didn't feel like dressing, so it's a dinner invitation with pants being optional."

She winked at him then kissed him hard.

 

[Risky]

"Can panties only be an option?" He asks with a wink before kissing her back hungrily, grinning into the kiss as his hands grip her hips.

He breaks away before resting his forehead against hers. "You're looking at SWAT Officer Miller." He says to her with a smile on his face. "I get paid for sitting around until something actually happens, or training." He says with a grin

 

[BurningWillows]

"You did it!" she exclaimed, her chocolate brown eyes dancing with joy for him, "Oh baby that's wonderful. I knew you could! What about Kevin, did he apply too?"

She led him into the small kitchen they had with adjoining dining room, making him sit as she started to serve up plates.

After saying goodbye to Kevin, Arya left for the airport. The flight took less time than she had guessed, and soon enough she was strolling out of the plane, excited for what came next.

 

[Risky]

Alex nods, smiling at her before kissing at her neck, pushing his nose into the crook of her neck. "I love you baby." He says to her softly before continuing to kiss the soft flesh of her neck.

"So what's for dinner?" He asks.

 

[BurningWillows]

​

"Dinner is lemon chicken and rice, with salad on the side. It's new."

Serena had been trying new recipes all week, loading them off the computer. Something about bustling around cooking felt calming, and she liked the smile she saw on his face when he came home to home cooked food that tasted delicious.

"I have good news of my own. The college I went to has online courses, and I only had three classes left to graduate. Plus I was speaking to an editing company today, and they want to hire me as an intern. If I graduate they might give me a full time job, and let me work from home."

She served him supper, limping to her own chair and settling in before continuing, "I'll need to come up with about three thousand dollars though. Then I thought, 'Hey Alex came up with money for the down payment on the apartment, I'll ask him'."

 

[Risky]

Alex raises his eyebrows as he eats. "This is very good.. Three thousand dollars?" He asks, his voice full of doubt before it changes. "Of course I'll give you the money beautiful." He says to her.

"You can withdraw it from my account tomorrow and take it to the editors." He says to her, grabbing her hand and rubbing her wrist with his thumb.