Chapter 16: Return from the Edge.
The world around Ava was neither light nor dark. It existed in a liminal space, like the edge of a dream. A soft, golden hue bathed everything in a warmth she hadn’t felt in years. The air was thick with silence, but not the kind that unnerved—it was peaceful, almost inviting. She glanced down, her body unburdened by the pain that had gripped her moments before.
Ahead of her, the familiar hum of a motorcycle engine purred like a heartbeat. She stepped forward, her boots scuffing against the dust beneath her feet, each step steady but uncertain. In the distance, a figure crouched by a bike, adjusting the carburetor with a familiarity that sent a ripple of recognition through her.
"Ethan?" Ava's voice was soft, trembling with disbelief. The figure straightened, slowly turning to face her.
"Been a while, bar girl," Ethan said with a grin that was just as she remembered—warm, easy, and full of life. His hands were smudged with grease, just as they always had been when working on his bike, and the sight made her heart twist with nostalgia.
For a moment, everything else faded. The battle, the blood, the screams—they were all gone. All that existed was this place, this quiet oasis where Ethan stood as if he had never left her. He looked so real, so alive, that Ava almost forgot where she was, why she was here. She moved closer, her feet pulling her toward him as if she had always been meant to return to this place.
"Pass me that wrench, will you?" Ethan asked, his voice as casual as it had been on any normal day. Ava’s hand automatically reached for the tool, handing it to him as though they had never been apart. The simplicity of the action grounded her, but also filled her with an aching sadness.
"Where are we?" Ava asked, her voice quieter now, as if afraid the answer might shatter the delicate peace around them.
Ethan looked up from his bike, his eyes soft but knowing. "This? This is the in-between. Not quite here, not quite gone. Just a place for reflection. You’ve still got choices, bar girl."
Ava swallowed hard, the reality of what he was saying sinking in. She was somewhere between life and death, standing on the precipice of something unknown. The warmth of Ethan’s presence offered comfort, but the thought of leaving everything behind pulled at her heart.
"I... I don't know if I'm ready to go back," she admitted, her voice breaking with the weight of her confession.
Ethan stood, wiping his hands on his trousers, and walked over to her. "Ava, you're one of the strongest people I've ever known. Strong enough to fight for others, even when you couldn't fight for yourself. But this? This isn't your fight to lose. Not yet."
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In the distance, Ava could faintly hear voices. They were muffled, distorted by the thick veil of whatever world this was. But they were real, calling to her, pleading. She heard Talon's voice, raw with desperation, and it tugged at her like an anchor trying to pull her back.
"That sound... Talon," Ava whispered, turning her head toward the voices, though they felt far away.
Ethan nodded, his face softening. "Yeah, he’s out there. He’s not ready to let you go. Neither are the rest of them."
Ava looked back at him, her eyes filling with tears. "But Ethan, I’m tired. I don't know if I have anything left to give."
Ethan reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder, the weight of it as real as the love and trust they had shared. "You’ve got more in you than you know. You always have. And you've never been alone, not once. You've got people out there who need you, who love you." He tilted his head, his eyes glinting with pride. "And you’ve got work left to do."
"But what if I’m not enough anymore?" Ava’s voice cracked, her vulnerability spilling out in front of the one person who had always seen through her armor.
Ethan smiled, shaking his head gently. "You’ve always been enough, Ava. Always. And when you go back, you'll be more than enough for them." He pulled her into a tight hug, his embrace solid and grounding. "You’re the heart of your team, bar girl. Without you, they’re lost."
Ava clung to him, her tears spilling freely now as the reality of her choice pressed down on her. "I miss you, Ethan. Every day, I miss you."
"I know," he whispered, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "And I miss you too. But this isn’t the end for you. You’ve still got miles to go."
The echoes of the outside world grew louder, more urgent. She could hear Talon’s voice again, followed by the panicked voices of medics, but Ethan’s presence held her in place, like a sanctuary she didn’t want to leave.
Ethan pulled back, his hands resting on her shoulders as he looked into her eyes. "This isn’t goodbye, Ava. It’s just ‘see you down the road.’ We’ll catch up again. But for now, they need you more than I do."
Ava nodded, her resolve building as she took one last look at the man who had meant everything to her. "Thank you, Ethan. For everything."
Ethan smiled, stepping back toward his bike. "Now, go raise some hell out there. You’ve always been good at that."
As she turned toward the fading sound of the voices calling her name, the golden warmth around her began to dissolve, replaced by the sharp sting of reality. The weight of her body returned, the pain in her side and back pulling her from the serenity of the in-between.
Suddenly, Ava gasped, her lungs burning as they filled with air. The blinding white lights of the medical tent assaulted her senses, but the first thing she saw was Talon’s tear-streaked face hovering over her.
"She's back!" a medic shouted, pulling away the defibrillator paddles. Ava's eyes flickered open, focusing on Talon's worried face.Talon’s hand gripped hers tightly, his knuckles white with tension.
"Blondie, stay with me, please" Talon whispered, his voice breaking with emotion. Ava blinked up at him, her vision clearing as she squeezed his hand in return. The pain was sharp, but the warmth of life was even sharper.
"I’m here," she whispered back, her voice raspy but alive. "I’m not going anywhere."