MARRY YOUR KILLER
Chapter Forty-Five: The Return
---
The plane landed at noon.
The sky over Manila was bright, the sun high, the clouds white and slow. Jay sat by the window, her hand in Keifer's, her face turned toward the city below. The buildings rose up to meet them, familiar and strange, the place where she had been born, the place where she had fought, the place where she had almost died.
Keifer was beside her. His face was still pale, the bandages hidden beneath his shirt, his hand steady in hers. He had been quiet on the flight, sleeping mostly, his head on her shoulder, his breathing slow. The doctors in Singapore had wanted him to stay. They had wanted more tests, more rest, more time. He had refused. He had said he wanted to go home.
Jay looked at his face. His eyes were closed. His lips were parted. He looked younger when he slept. He looked like the man who had thrown mud at her in the garden. He looked like the man who had saved her life.
She kissed his forehead. He didn't wake up. She smiled. She watched the city rise up to meet them.
---
The house was waiting when they got home.
The gates were open. The garden was blooming. The steps where they had sat were empty. Keiran was at the door, his face pressed against the glass, his hands waving. Keigan was behind him, his arms crossed, his face cold, but his eyes were on the car.
Jay helped Keifer out of the car. His steps were slow. His face was pale. He leaned on her, just a little, just enough.
"You should be in the hospital," she said.
"I'm home," he said.
She put her arm around his waist. He put his arm around her shoulder. They walked to the door together.
Keiran burst through the door. His arms were around Keifer's waist. His face was in Keifer's shirt. "Kuya! Kuya! You're home! You're home!"
Keifer knelt. His face was pale. His hands were steady. He held his brother. "I'm home."
Keiran pulled back. His face was wet. His eyes were bright. "Ate Jay said you were coming home. Ate Jay said you were okay. Ate Jay said—"
"I'm okay," Keifer said. He looked at Jay. "Ate Jay was right."
Keiran hugged her. His arms were small. His hands were tight. "You brought him home."
She held him. "I brought him home."
---
The house was full.
Percy was in the kitchen, making noise, making food, making everything normal. Aries was beside him, their hands in their pockets, their face soft. Yuri was in his corner, his arms crossed, his face cold, but his eyes were on Percy. They were always on Percy.
Ci N was on the sofa, his phone in his hand, his face bright. Felix was beside him, his head on Ci N's shoulder. "I got it all," Ci N said. "The whole thing. The fight. The man. The end. It's all on video."
Jay looked at him. "You recorded it?"
"I record everything." He held up his phone. "You're going to want to watch this when you're old."
Keifer laughed. It was a real laugh, the kind that came from somewhere deep. Jay was laughing too. They were laughing together. They were home.
---
Care came with Cole. She checked Keifer's bandages, his pulse, his eyes. Her hands were steady. Her face was calm. "He's healing," she said. "He needs rest. He needs food. He needs—"
"To stop getting shot," Percy said from the kitchen.
Care looked at him. "That too."
Jay took her hand. "Thank you. For saving him. For saving all of us."
Care looked at her. Her face was soft. "That's what we do. We save each other."
---
Lyra was in her corner.
Her hands were empty. Her face was blank. The ring was on her finger. Alex was beside her, his arm around her, his hand in hers. She was watching the garden, the flowers, the steps where she had stood so many times.
"You're quiet," Alex said.
She leaned against him. "I'm thinking."
"What are you thinking about?"
She looked at the house. At the people inside. At the family she had found. "I'm thinking about the war. About the man in Singapore. About the years I spent running."
He pulled her closer. "You're not running anymore."
She looked at him. His face was close. His eyes were bright. "I'm not running anymore."
He kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes. She was home.
---
Jay stood at the window of her room.
The garden was gold. The flowers were blooming. The steps where she had sat with Keifer were empty. She could see them from here, the place where he had kissed her for the first time, the place where she had told him she loved him.
Keifer came in behind her. His steps were slow. His face was pale. He stood beside her. His hand found hers.
"You're thinking," he said.
"I'm always thinking."
He looked at the garden. At the steps. At the place where they had become something more than a contract.
"I was thinking about the day you threw mud at me," she said.
He almost smiled. "You threw mud at me first."
"You threw mud at me."
"You threw mud at me."
She leaned against him. His chest was warm. His heart was steady. "I was thinking about the day you saved me. In the street. When my uncle's men came for me."
He kissed her hair. "I was thinking about the day you saved me. In the hospital. When you sat beside me for three days."
She looked at him. His face was close. His eyes were dark. "We've saved each other."
He smiled. It was small. Tired. Real. "We've saved each other."
---
The night came.
The house was quiet. Keiran was asleep in his room, his arms around his dinosaur, his face soft. Keigan was in his room, his light on, his door open, watching. Percy was in the living room, sprawled on the sofa, his feet up, his phone in his hand. Aries was beside him, their head on his shoulder. Yuri was in his corner, his arms crossed, his eyes closed.
Ci N was in the garden with Felix, their voices low, their laughter soft. Care was in the kitchen with Cole, making tea, her hand in his. Lyra was in her corner, Alex beside her, her head on his shoulder, his hand in hers.
Jay was in her room. Her room. Their room. The bed was made. The curtains were open. The moon was bright.
Keifer came in behind her. His arms went around her waist. His face was in her hair.
"You should sleep," she said.
"I'm not tired."
"You're always tired."
He turned her to face him. His hands were on her face. His eyes were steady. "I'm not tired. I'm home."
She looked at him. The enemy. The stranger. The man she had married. The man she had fallen in love with.
"I love you," she said.
He kissed her. Soft. Slow. A kiss that promised everything.
She kissed him back.
---
The morning came bright and clear.
Jay woke in Keifer's arms. Her head was on his chest. His heart was beating beneath her ear. The sun was warm on her face. The garden was green below the window.
She looked at his face. He was awake. His eyes were open. He was watching her.
"You're staring," she said.
"I'm observing."
She almost smiled. "Same thing."
He kissed her forehead. "I love you."
She smiled. "I know."
He laughed. It was a real laugh, the kind that came from somewhere deep. She was laughing too. They were laughing together.
The house was waking up. Keiran's voice was echoing from the kitchen. Percy's voice was louder. Ci N was recording something. Lyra was in her corner. Alex was beside her. Everyone was home. Everyone was safe. The war was over.
Jay looked at Keifer. His face was close. His eyes were steady.
"What happens now?" she asked.
He kissed her. Soft. Slow. "Now we live."
She kissed him back. "Now we live."
---
END OF CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE