She woke up with a pounding head ache and her entire body burned as she tried to get up. Sara instinctively looked around to discover the culprit of her pain – several bottles of tequila were scattered on the floor as well as clothes she wore the night before. She also recognized the very uncomfortable couch she slept in. It was painful to lie down on especially when she and Nyssa would cuddle up during movie marathons. Nyssa. Her body went cold when she remembered what had happened the night before

She and Nyssa were on the floor taking turns with the shot glass and they seemed like they were having a good time. Seconds later, Nyssa was pulling her closer, kissing her forehead gently. Sara stared at her brown eyes, her heart aching. She could feel the warmth of Nyssa's hand on her face.

"shit" she cursed. Sara prayed she wasn't naked but what she saw was so much worse. She was wearing her underwear, her bra was missing and she was wearing Nyssa's shirt. She couldn't remember the rest but she knew what could have possibly happened between them.

Sara could feel her heart pounding. She couldn't believe that she could hurt Ava like this especially when she just got her back. If she indeed cheated on her, it will break Ava's heart. This was their second chance. Sara knows that this could finally be the breaking point of their relationship. Ava would never forgive her.

She immediately picked up her own clothes in the floor but her bra was still missing. She put on her jeans and her shoes before she went to look for it. Thankfully, Nyssa was nowhere to be found. She had to hurry before she was caught. She was afraid that Nyssa could come back any moment so she decided to leave her bra behind. She quietly made her way to the door, picking up her jacket in the rack. Just as she was about to open the it a voice spoke behind her.

"you're forgetting something, Miss Lance" the accent was thick and she recognized it immediately. She turned around to see Nyssa holding up her bra. Her throat went dry.

"Nyssa" she took a step closer to her "last night was a mistake. We...I shouldn't have – I... I love Ava and I would never do anything to jeopardize what we have. I came to tell you that last night. I'm sorry. I should never have slept with you – shit!" she was almost out of breath. She tried so hard to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall. She clenched her jaw so tight, it hurt.

"slept with me?" she could see Nyssa grinning.

"Yeah! It was as stupid mistake" She waited for a reply from the other woman. The silence was almost deafening that she could hear her own heart beating from her chest. Her confusion grew when Nyssa started laughing.

"Wha – why are you laughing? Nyssa this isn't funny!" but the other woman ignored her and kept laughing.

"You were so wasted last night you couldn't really remember?" Nyssa shook her head.

She tried to recall the previous night but she could not remember a thing after Nyssa kissed her forehead. "So... so we didn't?" she asked quietly. The guilt was slowly eating her up but she was immediately relieved when the other woman finally stopped laughing and answered her question.

"No!" the other woman threw her bra on her chest. "You're cute. Put that on" Nyssa teased.

***

"What happened last night?" She asked again. After putting on her bra, Nyssa was able to convince her to stay for a cup of coffee.  The two women were now in the kitchen, waiting for the coffee to brew. Sara was so nervous that she could not stop fidgeting with the ring on her middle finger.

"Well, after you told me you're leaving me for your ex – wife I lured you into my apartment" The other woman joked. Nyssa smiled but her eyes were telling a different story. Sara could see how much she's trying to hide the pain.

"I remember. We talked on the rooftop. I'm sorry Nyssa" She knows that no amount of apology would be enough. Nyssa was nothing but good to her and she didn't deserve to be treated like this. There was a point in their relationship that Sara could see her as partner; someone she could be with long term. But now, she was sure her heart belonged to Ava.

Sara was prepared for whatever Nyssa's reaction was. She knew at one point she would be screamed at or slapped even. However, she didn't expect how the other woman reacted when she told her how she truly felt.

"Nothing good ever comes from conversations that start with 'we have to talk'" Nyssa lets go of her hand and they both faced to the view of the city. The night was clear and the moon was brigh that it was almost perfect.  This would have been a wonderful date, but instead she was about to break her heart.

"I... I don't know how to start" Sara loved Nyssa. They might not have had the same connection as she did with Ava, but what they had was good. She never wanted to cause her pain. But she already made her choice. "I... while you were away, I...shit, Nyssa I'm – "

"You're still in love with your ex-wife?" It took her by surprise when Nyssa blurted out the words she had been too afraid to admit.

"Nyssa – "Sara gasped.                               

"deep in my heart I knew. At first I told myself that I was just jealous or overthinking" Nyssa's brown eyes stared hurtfully at her own. "When I visited the first time, I saw in her eyes how much she still cared for you. And I just hoped, that maybe you didn't feel the same way too. But I knew. It wouldn't take long before you would realize"

"How..." Sara was speechless.

"Coz I know you Sara" her heart broke even more. Nyssa took her hand and kissed it "your heart always belonged to her"

"You helped me, in so many ways. I... you taught me how to love again" Her heart was aching so much, she didn't realize she already shed a tear. "I want you to know what we had...it was real too" she confessed.

"I know, my love" Nyssa wiped the tear on her cheek. "Ironic isn't it? I loved you enough for you to find yourself, and yet... I could not love you into loving me"

"Nyssa..."Sara finally broke down in front of her. This woman loved her, when she thought she would never find love again. She opened her heart to Nyssa, she allowed her to love Laurel like her own. It felt like she was also losing a friend.

"It's okay" she smiled bitterly. "I understand. More than you know."

They kept quiet for a while; staring at the stars, unable to let go of each other yet. It's like they both know the moment one of them walks away, it would never be the same again. Sara couldn't get herself to leave. She knew she had to go home to her daughter and to Ava but it hurt to leave Nyssa alone.

But when Nyssa asked "you want to get out of here?" she hesitated.

"Nyssa..." It wouldn't be a good idea. Her emotions were clouding her judgement and she might do something she would regret. But she saw the hope in Nyssa's eyes.

"Come one. Let's make the most out of our last night" the other woman pleaded.

---

"Several bottles of tequila later, boom. Here we are. We just had fun. We mostly talked, and cried...and laughed" Nyssa explained as she made their coffee. Sara couldn't believe that she allowed herself to get wasted. Despite not being able to remember it, the night they spent together gave her a sense of closure.

"Just how you like it" Nyssa handed her the mug.

"thanks Nyss" She needed to hurry up and go home to her family. Laurel was left alone in the house and she might be looking for her so she quickly took a sip. She immediately regrets the decision when she felt the coffee was too hot, it burned her tongue.

"Take your time, Sara. Ava would understand. I remember you texting her last night"

"I need to get back to my kid" Sara immediately took out her phone. There was a missed call and one message from Ava. The message read 'I'm home. We need to talk'. She did try to message Ava last night, telling her she and Nyssa are okay and that she will be home soon, but she might have been too drunk to hit send.

"I'll whip you up a quick breakfast" Nyssa was already at the fridge, getting the ingredients. But she was worried about the text she got from Ava. She wasn't supposed to be home last night and it sounded serious.

"I'm okay Nyssa. I... thanks for the coffee but I have to get home"

"Come on you barely took a sip" Nyssa coaxed.

As much as she needed the meal, she was already picking up her things and putting her jacket on. "I really appreciate it Nyssa but Ava's home and she might be wondering why I'm not" The other woman frowned at the mention of her ex-wife's name. Sara said a quick good bye before hugging Nyssa.

"Thank you again...for everything"

***

Sara hurried to her car, calling Ava as she does so. Her head was still pounding but the talk with Nyssa sobered her up just enough for the headache to be bearable. The call goes to voicemail but she didn't bother to leave a message. Before she could fasten her seat belt, her phone rings.

"Detective Lance" she answered. Since Sara went back to work, she had been answering her phone professionally despite the fact that it might just be Ava calling her back.

"Boss, the chief wants you to come in. Meet me in the crime scene. I'll send you the address" Shit. She almost forgot about work. Before she could reply, Mick had already hung up the phone.

After receiving the address, she took off immediately. The site was a hotel only a few minutes away from her. Thankfully, there was no traffic. When she arrived there were other police in the area, already talking to the management, taking pictures and lifting evidence from the crime scene.

A girl in her mid-20s is lying lifeless in the king sized bed. Her blood pooled from the gunshot wound in her abdomen and shoulder. Guessing from the color of the blood, the crime had happened early in the morning.

"Second day back at work and you look like absolute shit" Mick comments when she walked towards him. He was bagging the empty wine glass from the side table. The place was trashed. There were cigarette butts on the floor and wine on the carpet. Everything was a mess.

"I haven't showered" she was hoping that Mick would the only person that noticed and that the others would be more preoccupied with their job. However, it was hard to miss when she's still wearing yesterday's clothes.

"Trust me. I know" he takes a quick whiff at her. "Hmm" he grunts. "Tequila. I like it" Sara is stubborn and she's willing to bend a few rules if it meant that she was doing the right thing while getting the job done. Mick however, was always unconventional. He is carefree, and occasionally sloppy but nevertheless, effective. Part of her wondered if they gave him as her partner because she was the only person capable of keeping him on a leash - a very long and loose leash.

"Shut up" Sara slaps him in the back jokingly "So... tell me about our victim"

She listens to Mick explain about what they already know – the identity of the woman. They went over plans of questioning of the hotel staff as well as reviewing the CCTV footage.  This was going to be a long day for her. Sara thought about the paperwork and research that needed to be done after gathering sufficient evidence in the hotel. The text from Ava sounded urgent but it might have to wait later in the day.

---

Ava wasn't the jealous type. Maybe because the entire time she and Sara were together she never gave her a reason to be. She has a way of making Ava feel like she was her world. Sara was affectionate and romantic. Never has she seen her look at another woman the same way she looks at her and she was grateful for it. The first time she felt this jealous was when she saw her ex-wife and Nyssa for the first time in her home with Laurel.

However, after seeing the picture, immediately decided to fly back to Star City. She could see how much her ex-wife cared for Nyssa. The way they glanced at each other at the Christmas party, or the way Sara would laugh. Somehow reminded her of how they used to be. And it hurt her.

When she got to the house, Laurel was still sleeping soundly in the guest room. Normally, she and Sara would tuck her in her own bed but the little girl might have been missing her mom.  Nana Anne was beside her with a book laid open on her chest. She placed a quick kiss on her daughter's forehead before heading upstairs.

As she got closer to the master bedroom door her eyes started to water. Please be in there. Please be home. Please be waiting for me. She whispered to herself. She knows Sara. She's honest, loyal and she would never betray her but she couldn't stop thinking about the picture that she saw earlier this morning. If Sara was in there, it would mean that she chose her and their family.

Ava takes in a shaky breath before turning the doorknob open. She was hoping to see her ex-wife under the sheets sleeping, or waiting for her. She bursts into tears when she saw that the bed was still made and Sara was nowhere to be found. She didn't know why her heart ached so bad, she couldn't breathe. She was so scared of losing her, that there were so many thoughts coming into her mind.

"She might be at work you know" she convinces herself. "Stop going into stupid conclusions, Ava. Pull you together" She takes in a couple of breaths and laid in bed for a couple of minutes. She took time to clear her head and think of the most mature way to handle the situation. 

She finally convinces herself to relax and clean up so she and Sara could talk afterwards. After washing her face and changing into some house clothes, Ava proceeds to the kitchen where Laurel was already having her breakfast.

"Mama!" the little girl ran to her with open arms

"hey baby" Ava hugs her tight. She didn't realize how much she missed her until now. "Where's mommy, little bean? She didn't eat breakfast with you?" The little girl only shook her head and went back to her seat.

"Nana has Sara gone to work already?" Ava checked her watch. It was 9 am. Sara normally leaves early to catch up with paperwork. By this time, she would already be working in the office.

"She hasn't come home at all. Laurel was looking for her last night. Poor girl wouldn't sleep until her mommy would read her a story" Nana Anne explained. "So I stayed beside her. I fell asleep, myself. Have you tried calling her?" Her worry started to come back. If nothing happened between the two of them, why would Sara not come home?

"No..I – " she patted her pocket to find her phone, only to realize that she had already changed. "Damn it. I ummm... I'll go look for my phone"

Ava tried to look for it in the bathroom and the master's bedroom but she couldn't find her phone. She retraced her steps and even emptied her bag to look for it but it wasn't there. Eventually she got too frustrated. A part of her wondered if Sara had texted her, or called her back.

"Lance, you better have a good damn reason why you're not back home"

---

"I'm coming" a muffled voice replied from behind the door. Ava knocked again for the fifth time, more demanding than the previous ones. "All right! All right! I'm here. Jesus" she could hear the voice getting louder. The door creaked open, revealing a very tired and unkempt lawyer.

"Ava. I thought you were in Ivy Town?" Laurel greeted her with a confused look. "Why are you in house clothes?" she asked again. "And why do you have that face?" her ex sister in law looked at her up and down as if she was judging her.

She groans in frustration. She got too tired of waiting in her own home that she decided to pay her ex sister in law a visit. If anyone could talk some sense into her, it was the person who knew Sara better than her. She didn't bother to answer a single question.  Ava pushed her Laurel inside of her own apartment and jumped in the couch. "Laurel. Is Sara cheating on me?" she blurted out.

"What? Back it up. Why in the world would you think that?"  And so she told Laurel everything. She told her about Sara meeting up with Nyssa in secret and that she saw an intimate photo of them together.

"Are you sure that it wasn't an old photo when they were still dating? I mean, no offense but your mother could be a bitch" it made sense for second but Ava knows that her mother will never stoop this low unless she was certain something was wrong.

"It couldn't be. I know my mother. Yes, she's mean and very intense but she is not a liar. That woman plays a dangerous game but she loves to win fairly" Her mother took a while to warm up to Sara but she hasn't found a single fault, up until now.

"Have you talked to Sara about this?" Laurel holds her hand. "She should at least explain herself right?" Laurel half smiled, trying her best to comfort her.

"No. I just got home. She wasn't there. Nana said she didn't come home" Ava tried to fight back the tears. "What if she still loves her?" she looks down and sees a tear drop on her clenched fist.  "I can't lose her again Laurel"

"I know my sister, and I know how much she loves you and Little L. She would never betray you"

Ava hoped that Laurel was right. This was the second chance she had been waiting for and now that she has Sara back, she promised to herself that she would never let her go. But how do you hold on to someone who allows themselves slip away?

---

Ava followed Laurel's advice. She waited for Sara's shift to end so they could talk when she came home. And as the hours passed by the more she doubted. It was already past 9 and Sara was supposed to be home by now. Ava's phone was still nowhere to be found. She tried calling Sara's office with the telephone a couple hours ago but the officer who answered said that she was not able to log in for the day. That's when she started to overthink again.

"I don't want to doubt you Sara. But you're making it so difficult" she couldn't stop the tears from falling now. There were so many thoughts that ran through her mind. She didn't want to believe that Sara could do that to her but then again, she started falling back in love with her despite being with Nyssa.

Ava was upset at first, but eventually she could feel herself getting angry. Sara should have at least the decency to tell her that she was going to leave her or their daughter. Laurel wondered where her mother was and Ava had to tell her she was working late in the office and that when she woke up, Sara would be back. She was crying the entire day up until she fell asleep.

Ava tried calling the office once more but no one answered. Eventually she reached her peak "fuck" she whispered. "She chose her. She chose her and she fucking left her daughter" She could feel her cheeks getting red. Ava was mad at the fact that Sara didn't pick her when she thought she would. She was mad that she didn't bother to tell her or Laurel. She was mad that she was being left alone. 

If Sara was going home, she wouldn't want to see her face. Ava was so mad and conflicted, she found herself desperate to leave. So she runs to the bathroom and pulls out all her clothes from the closet, shoving them up in her suitcase until it was too full to even close.

"fuck! This is my fault" she laughs in frustration as she wipes the tears from her face aggressively. "I am so fucking stupid. What am I doing?"

Maybe Sara was right. Maybe she is a coward that runs from her problems. She couldn't handle the loss of her son so she took off and now she was hurt again. This time however, she will not make the same mistake of leaving her daughter again.  After packing her things she went to the guest room to pack Laurel's things. The little girl was still fast asleep in the bed after she gathered the child's belongings. She shook Laurel gently, kissing her in the forehead. "Hey little bean"

"mama?" the little girl was confused "is mommy home?" Ava placed her hand on her mouth, stopping herself from breaking down. Her heart ached for her. How does she tell her daughter that they won't be complete again?

"Mommy's not home. But do you wanna come with mama?" she asks the little girl. Laurel was too young to understand but eventually, when she's older, she will. All she has to do is take care of her little girl.

"Come with you where, mama?" Ava cups her cheeks and kisses her forehead.

"In mama's other house in Ivy Town. Where gammy and grandad live" she forced a smile, hoping it was convincing enough for Laurel too believe.

"Will mommy be coming with us?" Laurel looked around for Sara. "She won't get mad?" She will be. But the pain Ava was feeling weighed on her options more than Sara's feelings. If she wanted her to stay, then she should have been here by now.

"Umm, I will ask mommy okay. But we have to leave now bean. Were gonna ride an airplane and mommy can follow us after, okay?" Ava kisses her one more time.  She hated lying to Laurel. But if that was the only way for her to be with her daughter, she would.

"mama why are you crying?" the little girl reached out to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"I just missed you so much, little bean. We gotta go. Come on" and the little girl nodded. She took Ava's hand and walked out of the room.

She knows it's wrong. Their daughter doesn't have to be caught in between there problems. Laurel deserved better. She shouldn't have to choose between staying with her or Sara. She deserves a complete family that will teach her how it is to be loved and how to love but is it too late? Have they failed their little girl?

---

Sara was exhausted. After reviewing the CCTV cameras from the hotel, they were finally able to ID the suspect. They followed a trail that lead to a chase. It took them a while until they were finally able to catch the shooter. There were gunfire exchanges and she had cuts and bruises from chasing the guy but no serious injuries.

After locking him up, Mick and Sara began processing the paperwork. Since she had missed so much, she had to work extra hard to be caught up to speed.   She texted Ava multiple times that she was going home late and that she should not wait up for her. Since there were no replies, she also tried calling but it went straight to voicemail. She left a quick message and continued to work.

After a couple of hours they decided to go to the bar to blow off some steam. They met up with the legends for a couple of beer.  Sara was still bothered about ending things with Nyssa and with work piling up, she was burnt out. A good time with friends felt necessary.

"So...you talked to Nyssa?" Amaya poured herself another shot of tequila.

"Yup. We ended things" she kept it brief. She didn't want to be reminded of the heartbreak she caused. Amaya pushed the drink towards her instead of drinking it.

"We're happy of that choice right?" Zari raised her brows.  She took the shot and felt the liquor burn her throat.

"Yes" but the guilt was still there. "I love Ava more" She smiled. Sara was reminded how much she missed her. How she longed for her warmth and comfort.

"Were here to support you Sara. Were on your side" Nora, who was on her right, put her arm around her shoulder and gave her a quick squeeze.

"We just want you to be happy. You deserve it" Nate added. Sara could see Ray nodding beside him.

"Are we gonna get weepy or are we going to drink?" Mick grunted. He wasn't always the most expressive, but deep down he cares for everyone. "More beer!" everyone laughed and cheered. 

She was grateful for the people who surrounded her. Sara knows she could count on her friends to help her make the right decisions, drinking and dancing. Eventually Sara was the only sober person left so she volunteered to drive Mick before going home.

When she arrived, one of the cars was out front and the driver was loading suitcases. "Good evening ma'am" the driver greeted

"Is Ava leaving?" she was confused but she also knows that as a lawyer, Ava had to travel a lot and her trips were mostly unexpected. However, she was a little disappointed because she was hoping to see her and talk about what happened between her and Nyssa. The driver might not have heard her because he didn't reply anymore.

When she opened the main door, she sees Ava. Her eyes rimmed with red, one hand holding Laurel and the other, their daughter's bag. They looked like they were getting ready to leave. Laurel was dressed and so was her ex-wife.

"Where is everybody going?" Sara asks.

"Mommy!" the little girl beamed and ran to her mother. Sara picked her up and kissed her cheek.

"hi little bean. Oh I missed you so much" she kisses Laurel once more. She puts Laurel back down afterwards.

"Oh. So now you show up?" she was taken back by the tone of  Ava's voice. She was clearly upset about something.

"What?" Maybe because she was home later than what she hoped. "I told you I was going to go home late Aves. I was swamped at work. We –" 

"Swamped at work? Really?" Ava scoffed. Her voice was a litter louder this time. "That's your excuse?" she could tell that she was serious and their conversation was headed to something their daughter should not hear.

"Hey Nana? Would you mind taking Laurel upstairs for me, will you?" she looks at Laurel in the eye "Mama and I need to talk okay? You go with Nana Anne" the little girl hesitated at first but she eventually listened to her mother.

"What the hell Aves?" she asked when Laurel couldn't hear them anymore. "What is going on?" She tried to recall any events from today that would make her upset. But Sara had nothing in her mind.

"Where were you this morning?" Ava's voice was ice cold. Her face was stern and stoic. This was a face she was familiar with. An expression she thought she would see again. Despite being exhausted, Sara kept her composure. 

"I was at work. Mick and I had a case. A woman was shot today.  I was busy with paperwork in the office" She explained.

"Really?" Ava's tone was sarcastic now "because I called the office today and they said you never logged in" she didn't. Because she wasn't able to come by the office until after they caught their suspect. 

"Maybe I forgot. There were a lot of things on my plate today Aves. I texted you a couple times. I even tried calling you. I left you a voicemail" Sara took a couple of steps closer. She didn't want to start a fight with Ava. She had no energy and she badly needed to shower and sleep.

"Where were you last night?"  She asks again, implying that something else was wrong. "Were you going to tell me that you met up with Nyssa or are you going to lie about that too?"

Her heart sank. She never lied to her about anything because she valued her trust. . Ava's accusation hurt her. "How... I was going to tell you Aves. She came home early and invited me to dinner. We were gonna talk about it. I was just caught up at work" she sees another maid carrying a bag down the stairs "Wait what is happening. Why are you upset with me? And why are your bags packed?"

"Laurel and I are leaving. We're going to be in Ivy Town for a while" Sara could see Ava trying to hold back her tears.

"what?" Sara was starting to get upset. "Ava. Were you just going to take her without telling me?" she waited for a reply but Ava just stared at her. "Wow. So you couldn't wait for me to go home and talk before you decide to take our daughter and leave?" She couldn't believe what was happening.

"I did wait Sara! I waited. I came home and you weren't here! You talked to your lover secretly and then you didn't go home! What am I supposed to think? That you just wanted a mini sleepover before breaking things off?" Ava was crying now but Sara could still see how upset she was.

"So you think I'm cheating on you?" she couldn't believe that Ava would think that way about her.

"I saw the picture!" Ava was shouting at her at this point. She still had no idea what she was talking about, but clearly it made her so upset that she would pack up and leave.

"What picture?" she tried to asked calmly. She was so tired that she could feel her body burn as she moved. She hated fighting with Ava. All she wants is to hug her, wipe her tears and kiss the pain away. 

"My mother. She showed me a picture of you and Nyssa. You were about to kiss!"

"Your mother? What picture?" Sara was now upset. "Your mother is spying on me now?" So that's how she found out. It was her mother that told her about Nyssa, and Ava already assumed the worse before she could even explain.

"No! I don't know how she got it. I don't have it! I couldn't find my phone" she could tell that Ava was just as confused as her. It was a misunderstanding and fighting over nothing was not worth it. Part of it was also her fault. If only she told Ava about meeting Nyssa, and had gotten home in time,

"Ava. I didn't cheat on you. Nyssa and I talked! And we ended things peacefully. We had a couple of drinks, I texted you but I forgot to hit send" Listening to herself made her realize how stupid of an excuse that was but it was the truth. "Nothing happened I swear! I blacked out. I was not able to go home. Mick called me in to work the next morning and we had a case that took a while. Then we met up with friends to drink." She could see Ava starting to listen to her.

Sara takes a couple of steps closer to her. "Please Aves. Let me explain" she says softly. She tried reaching for Ava's hand but she moved hers away.

"You can call Nyssa. You can call Zari or Nate or whoever. They can confirm it to you. I did text and call you Aves. I'm sorry if I went home late" all Sara could do was to explain herself honestly and sincerely and hope that Ava would believe her.

"Sara" Ava closed her eyes. "please" it was a whisper that Sara didn't almost here. "I want to trust you"

"Then trust me" she cups Ava's cheeks and pulled her closer. "Look at me" she whispers. "I didn't cheat on you. I would never leave you and Laurel. I want us to be a family again. After everything we have been through, we deserve to be happy"

"So it's over?" Ava sniffled "Between you and her" Ava looked at her softly. Her voice was still hoarse from crying.

Sara nodded. "I choose you" She whispered. She looked at Ava's piercing blue eyes. "I love you Ava Sharpe and I will always choose you" She felt soft lips pressing against hers. She could feel tears down her cheeks but they weren't hers. Ava kissed her deeply, showing her how much she wants to believe everything she just said.

"you love me?"Ava asked kissing both her hands. Sara nodded and pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"Don't ever do this again. Please" Sara pulled her into a tight hug. "Don't ever leave me again"

---

She takes in a deep breath when she finally saw herself in the mirror. Her hair fell perfectly in loose curls, and she almost didn't recognize her own face. Ava takes a moment to admire the work of the makeup artist. Then her mind wanders to how Sara might look. She pictured her in a white dress, walking down the aisle. Her heart swelled with joy and excitement.

She had dreamt of this day ever since she was a kid. She had an idea of where she wants to be married, the reception and even the color scheme. Ava had prepared for every single detail but what she didn't prepare for was how much she could love the person that will be standing next to her on their wedding day. Sara came unexpectedly but she was someone she prayed for and more.

Her thought was interrupted by the quiet creak of the door. "Knock, knock" she sees a beaming Laurel peeking through. "How's the lovely bride? Are you nervous?" Laurel came in and gave her a tight hug.

Ava couldn't help but squeal. She feels like a teenager after her first kiss. She could feel her excitement, radiating up to the tip of her fingers and toes."Today's the day Laur" she faces the mirror once more.

"I am so excited to be your sister" Laurel reached to play with her hair. "You look amazing"

"Thank you" she meant it. Laurel had already been a sister to her long before today. She has been a true friend, someone she can count on. Quentin and Dinah were also very supportive. She couldn't be happier to be a part of their family.

"Do you already have what you need?"

"Umm, I have this" she showed her the necklace she was wearing "it's been in my family for years, so I guess this is something old. And oh..." Ava pulls her dress to reveal her  wedding garter decorated with an sapphire blue  stone in the middle. "Something blue." She smiles. "The necklace was my great grandmother so I guess it's also something borrowed"

"How about this for something borrowed?" Laurel takes out a small hair pin out of her pocket. "The Lances pass down these among other things to the women in the family when they get married. Sara also has the same one" 

Ava couldn't help but shed a tear. This was one of the sweetest things someone has ever done for her. "Laurel. This means so much to me"

"Anything for my sister"

***

Most will say the same about their wedding but for Ava, their wedding day was beyond perfect. It was everything she'd ever imagined. It was a small and intimate. It was held in open space, beside a beautiful lake. Flowers were arranged so that they were draped like a canopy, running through the sides of the arch at the end of the aisle. Only their closest family and friends were invited. William and Victoria wanted a grand wedding, but of course, she and her fiancé get to have the final call.

Laurel was Sara's maid of honor, and Ava chose Zari for hers. Nora, Amaya, Charlie were their bridesmaids. She walked the aisle first, in the arms of her father while the orchestra played in the background. She couldn't help but feel so overwhelmed. She could see the happiness of the people surrounding her. Ava kissed her father on the cheek before she left her in the altar.

Then, the music briefly stopped, and changed. And there she was...her future wife. Sara was beyond beautiful. Her dress was a mermaid style dress with a deep neckline that hugged her every curve. Behind her was a train flowing from her waist. Ava couldn't help but shed a tear when Sara started walking towards her.

Every moment, every choice in her life almost felt like it led to this. Ever since the day she met Sara, she knew she found the one. She found the person who she could spend the rest of her life with. Then, she was there, right in front of her. Quentin gave her a quick peck on her cheek before giving her hand to Ava.

Ava locked her eyes on her. It was then, that no one else mattered. It was her, and Sara, against the world.

"Hi baby" She whispers.

"Hi" Sara wiped the tear from her cheek. Ava holds both of her hand and kissed them.

"We are gathered here today, to witness a union of two souls who were brought together by love" the wedding officiant began. The entire ceremony, Ava couldn't stop smiling and staring at Sara that it all went by so fast. The officiant announced the exchanging of rings and vows. Nate and Ray held the rings for the both of them. Ava took one and faced her future wife.

"Sara, every person in this room knows how lucky I am to be standing here in front of you. To love you is an adventure and I couldn't wait to spend every waking moment of my life, knowing you are mine. With this ring, I promise to..." Ava held back the tears forming in her eyes. "I promise to love you with all that I have. To be there for you through happiness and pain. I vow to be faithful, and to respect our differences. To teach you and learn from you. I promise to be understanding, even though you drive me insane sometimes" Ava shook her head and everyone laughed. "I will walk by you, through whatever journey life puts us through. I promise to hold your hand when you are afraid, and leap with you when you are in doubt. You are my home, my person as I vow to be yours. I love you so much"

"Ava" Sara starts. "I actually wrote down a little vow because I was afraid I wouldn't know what to say" she told everybody in the crowd. "But seeing you today, made me realize how much I wanna be there for you, and how much this relationship means to me. I vow, that I will be there for you every step of the way. To do my best to make you laugh and to challenge you to for the better. I also promise to clean up after myself, and to not burn the kitchen when I cook" Sara jokes. She wipes the cascade of tears on her cheek.

"This ring is a promise of an imperfect life. Yes, imperfect, because it is easy to make promises when everything goes according to plan but it gets harder to stick around when things start to fall apart. So I vow...to love you without condition; to be your comfort and your stronghold. To help you build yourself and pick you back up when you fall. On the difficult days, I vow to love you harder. You have made me, the best version of myself Ava Sharpe. I am, so in love with you.

"You may now kiss the bride"

---

Pain could often feel never ending. We succumb to its grasp, allowing ourselves to drown in it until we finally find a reason to swim. Most of the time we don't think we can survive and it takes us by surprise when we finally reach the top and feel a gasp of air – a taste of hope. So then we find courage to fight for that hope.

"I love you so much" she whispers at her. Ava kisses her bare shoulders and pulled her closer to her chest.

She has been awake for almost an hour, but she couldn't find it in her heart to wake Sara up. After her loss, Ava thought she could never feel this much joy or love in her heart again. But looking at Sara, peacefully sleeping beside her proved her wrong. Even though it took her a while to heal, she eventually did.

"You were the very reason I kept going. I don't ever want to let you go" Ava caressed her face gently.

"Marry me, Lance"