Written in Ink

Sixty | Reagan

The last thing I remember is that Alonzo was practically dying in front of me. Was it all a nightmare? Is that why I'm in a white, fluffy bed? Am I back in my parents house? Back home? Home. No matter what home is, I want Alonzo there too. If this all was a nightmare, I'd be home, waking up in my own bed.

But this isn't my childhood bedroom, and the familiar dogs next to me aren't the ones I grew up with because I didn't have any dogs. "Buchanon? Lorenzo?" I croke. They perk up and inch closer to me. "Hi babies."

I pet them and try to sit up but am strained with movement. Alonzo's hoodie is over my body with a pair of his boxers on too. They are very comfortable. But I feel like I've been sleeping for weeks, I need to get up and stretch.

I pull up and lean against the bed and I stand up. Blood rushes to my brain, making my vision blotchy for a moment before going back to normal. "Hmm." I groan for a moment before standing up straight.

I take a few steps before I am able to fully walk and find myself going down the hall. This house is so bright. It's so different from the environments I've been in for the past year. Though, the walls are empty, no picture frames or anything. But it's a humble little thing.

I find myself in a living room with a large television playing the news. "The Italian Mafia Don and his wife have been pronounced legally dead." A newscaster says. "The Napolitani mansion in Italy has burned down with no evidence of anything." The mansion is shown ablaze and then it cuts to the house burnt to the ground. "The rain of terror that Napolitani has stormed down on the entire continent of Europe and Asia." Then it cuts out.

"They think we are dead?" I croke.

Alonzo who was sitting on the couch turns back at me with a grin on his face. He rushes over to me and hugs me tightly. "There's my wife. They do. Everyone does." He says into the crook of my neck. He pulls back just enough to look at me. "How are you feeling?"

I shrug my shoulders. "Little aches everywhere." I admit.

"Do you need anything?" He asks, putting his hand on my cheek.

I smirk. "I could use a little kiss." I chuckle a little bit.

Alonzo chuckles back and presses his lips firmly on mine. The sweet soft lips that I have missed passionately kiss me. "Want to hear something funny?" He asks me.

"Always." I chuckle, looking up into his grey eyes.

"It's your birthday, happy birthday." He kisses my eyebrow. "Want to hear something else that is funny?" I nod my head. "It's mine too."

"We share the same birthday?!" I exclaim. He nods his head. "How old are you now?" I sing the tone that typically goes after the birthday song.

"I'm twenty-five." He answers.

"You old fart." I laugh. "I'm only nineteen, perv."

He picks me up quickly. "I am not a perv." He says defensively.

I laugh, telling him to put me down. "Stop! I know I know!"

He puts me down, kissing me again. "I've missed you." He says.

"I missed you too." I reply, kissing him quickly. "But what does this all mean?" I ask. It's a fair question, what if they find us? People could find us and kill us.

"You, me, living a normal life, in this house." He smiles.

My heart swells. That sounds amazing. "Does everyone really believe that we are dead? What if they find us?"

He nods his head. "Yes, we are safe. And I have a friend checking up on us every now and then to make sure we are safe."

"So we really are just normal people now?" I ask, almost getting emotional.

"We are. It's written in legal ink. The Napolitani's are dead." He tells me.

"We are free." I add.

"That we are." Alonzo assures me. "Do you want to give your parents a call?" He offers.

My jaw drops, and my eyes get watery. "Yes." He hands me a phone and I dial my parents' house phone.

"Hello?" My father picks up.

My heart skips a beat.

"Hello?" He repeats.

"Dad?" I croke.

"Reagan?! Honey! It's Reagan!" He calls for my mother. "Honey! Are you okay?" He asks in a panicked tone.

"Reagan?!" My mother steals the phone. "Honey, honey where are you?"

"Safe." I respond. "Safe."

"Can we see you?" My mom asks.

I turn to Alonzo who nods. "How about tomorrow?" I suggest.

"Of course! I want to hear everything!" She says.

I chuckle. "I'll tell you everything tomorrow. But hey, I have to go, see you then, yeah?"

"Yes, yes. We love you." She says, I hear her voice crack.

"Love you too." I answer before ending the call.

"You could have talked for longer." He offers.

I shrug my shoulders. "I know." I come close to him and kiss him like it was the last time I'll ever kiss him. "Happy birthday, Alonzo."

"Happy birthday, Reagan." He responds, kissing me back.

I am so happy, so grateful to spend the rest of my life with Alonzo. The rest of my free life. We have so much to talk about, but right now I just want to be with him. It's been so long since he was last in my arms.

From the beginning of all of this, I thought I was trapped forever, though I didn't have a choice. Thought I was going to be miserable for the rest of my life until Alonzo just had to pull at my heartstrings making me fall for him.

All the hell he has been through, hell all I've been through too, it feels so good to just be done with it all. We are free, we've got everything we could ever need. And even if we didn't, as long as I was with him, I'd be happy.

Thoughts?