Chapter Text
Estela woke slowly, the events of the days prior catching up with her. As she came to, she took in the presence of the woman whose embrace had brought her comfort through the night. Taylor was cuddled up, spooning her… surrounding her. One could almost forget how badly everything had gone to shit.
They were stranded, imprisoned. And Rourke was long gone. It was all Estela could do to hold back the wave of bitterness-- she’d been so close. If Iris hadn’t interfered, Rourke’s corpse would be a charred ruin beneath the crumbled temple, a spear through its head and left to rot.
Taylor was still breathing deep and slow, blissfully asleep. Just the sound of her at peace like that made Estela’s mouth twitch with a smile.
Maybe it wasn’t the worst thing to have some time… it was as though she’d barely caught a breath since returning to The Celestial with the other students. And now, with Taylor….
Estela clutched Taylor’s arm to her chest. She didn’t want to lose this. They’d recovered Diego safe and sound, so once they got off their prison isle there’d be nothing holding Estela back from her mission. Unless…. She should make sure that the others made it home safe. Rourke wanted the twelve of them, that was clear, so denying him that was to strike a blow. Would it be enough to keep his plans at bay, even foil them completely?
Taylor began to stir. She sighed happily, tightening her hold around Estela and nuzzling into her hair. “Mmmm….”
Warm fuzzies. Estela didn’t think she was a ‘warm fuzzies’ kind of a person, but maybe she was… maybe for Taylor.
She turned in her lover’s arms so they were face to face, noses almost touching.
“Hi,” said Estela, and now the smile could not be held back, for Taylor’s face just lit up with what looked like affection. No… she wasn’t going to lie to herself. That was affection, plain and simple. And it made Estela’s heart swell with an aching fondness.
“Hi, you,” Taylor replied. Her hair was mussed, her eyelids still droopy. “Did you sleep all right?”
“Yeah, not bad considering. I guess I was just too tired to overthink everything.”
Taylor chuckled. “I’m pretty certain that ‘too tired to freak out’ got a lot of us through the night.” She wiggled her body against Estela’s. “It was nice having you close. I could get used to cuddling you to sleep.”
Perhaps their being stranded here would give Estela the time that they might get used to this. Had they not been captured… Diego’s successful rescue should have been her cue to step away. It was difficult now. Not only was her care for Taylor deepening seemingly by the hour, but she cared for the others too. Fighting for survival alongside someone could do that to a person. For now at least, Estela could let her focus be on making sure the group came through this challenge.
Someone had to tell her body that. Because the yearning became a physical need, impossible to ignore when Taylor was right there, pressed against her, smiling as though they had a hope in hell of a future. Future or not-- they had now.
Estela’s tongue felt heavy. She should say something. ‘Yes, I could quite happily sleep with you every night for the rest of my life.’ No-- that was too much. Why did she have to be so intense all the time? And in the time it took for her to ponder over what to say, she’d gotten lost gazing upon Taylor’s lips, and the need in her reached a fever pitch.
She slid an arm down Taylor’s torso, coming to rest at her hip and gently tugging her closer. Then, she was moaning into a fierce kiss.
Estela reluctantly pulled away. They couldn’t afford to ignore reality.
“We can’t just…. We need to conserve our energy until we work out how to sustain ourselves here.”
Taylor frowned-- almost pouting. “That’s awfully inconvenient. I guess… I’ll just have to kiss you slow.”
She ran her hand over Estela’s collarbone, her neck, the top of her chest, fingers trailing across her skin lightly.
“If that’s okay?” Taylor added, and she closed the distance between their bodies.
Estela gently kissed Taylor’s lips. Just a peck. Then another one. And another. Taking it slow and easy.
“I’ll just have to--” --smooch-- “try not to get all worked up.”--smooch--
Then they lay together, arms and legs entwined, foreheads touching.
Estela supposed she was touch-starved. She’d barely let her uncle hug her in years. How did you let yourself get so lonely?
But she knew why. It was a necessity. She could not trust others not to hurt her, nor herself not to hurt anyone who tried to get close to her. Even now… it went against everything programmed into her.
From so close, she could see every freckle on Taylor’s nose, the fine hairs on her cheeks. Estela wanted to know her more. Everything she already knew, it drew her further in. Taylor was kind-- that wasn’t unusual in a person, but that the kindness extended, unprompted, to Estela, held meaning. People just weren’t open like that, however they might like to think of themselves. Taylor was courageous, and her courage came in the staunch defense of the people around her. It was that protectiveness that had her keep her head in the face of the dangers thrown at them. And Taylor was kind of… just… fun. She had that playful way about her-- it was so easy the way they flirted together, alien though it all was to Estela.
Estela closed her eyes as Taylor kissed her again, hand cradling her face, holding her near.
Then she sighed. “All right. We’re not going to escape just lying around here.”
In a dilapidated sitting room, Sean was rifling through drawers and cupboards. Upon seeing he had company, he dropped his hands to his sides and sighed.
“Nothing so far. No leads….” He shook his head and moved toward the door, to the next room he could turn over from top to bottom. “If there’s a clue to getting off this isle, it’ll somewhere in this place, I’m sure of it.”
“That’s an if,” Estela said baldly. She could feel Sean deflating further at her words, but there was no point beating around the bush. There wasn’t time to beat around the bush. “We don’t know what we’re looking for, and in the meantime, what are we drinking? What are we eating? There’s thirteen of us to keep alive, and I’m guessing resources here aren’t up to much.”
Taylor nodded, frowning. “It makes sense to cover our bases for survival first. Who knows how long we’ll be working out how to get back?”
She felt the appreciative glance Estela gave her. It was a no-brainer. Their best bet was to trust the judgment of those with survival skills, and quite simply, they’d never escape if they let themselves get sick with dehydration.
“We can probably work out a system of removing the salt from the seawater,” Estela said, “but it’ll be a lot of work for little reward. We need some of us scouting for a better water source.”
Sean’s brow furrowed. “And food? I don’t think even Grace or Aleister could identify most of the plants here. Anything we eat, it’s a risk.”
Estela shrugged. “Diego has been eating like a Vaanti for six months. He’ll have some clue.” Her face clouded over. “But to be honest, a small island like this, there won’t be enough to sustain us for long, even if we do identify useful fruits. We’re gonna want to hope we can get off this rock quickly.”
Sean was visibly crestfallen, and Taylor grasped his forearm.
“We’ll get drinking water sorted first,” she said firmly. “We could even put together some kind of a rainwater tank using materials from the mansion…. But we’re all together again, somehow alive in spite of the War Chief gunning for us; this is nothing we can’t work with.”
While Taylor caught herself up with Diego, and talked to Grace and Aleister about a desalination system, Estela found herself at a loss. They were all in this together now, and yet… she’d not really ever just ‘hung out’ with anyone in the group, bar Taylor and-- briefly-- Jake. It seemed they all trusted her by now. God, she hoped they did. Not just because it would give them their best chance of surviving long enough to escape, but because more than she’d care to admit, she wanted to belong with these people, to be a part of this haphazardly cobbled-together team.
“Hey, Estela!” It was Raj barreling over, grinning from ear to ear. “Close your eyes, and put your hands out. You’re gonna love it!”
Apparently, there was the expectation from her companions now that she trusted them. Estela hesitated, but did as Raj said. She couldn’t say she was ready to put blind trust in his judgement, but she did have faith in his good intentions.
There was a little weight in her hands, a spiny texture. She opened her eyes and looked down.
“Is that… some kind of pineapple?”
“Hell yeah, it is!” Raj replied, beaming. “I didn’t think it’d be so sweet, being a wild variety, but it is nice. You’ve gotta try some-- ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ and all that.”
Estela took a bite. The fruit was wonderfully juicy, and as Raj had said, sweeter than she’d have expected.
“That’s pretty good!” she remarked. “Are there more of these growing around here? They’d have a decent water content.”
It was something. A little piece in the ‘not dying’ puzzle.
A little while later, Estela found Quinn sitting apart from the main group. Everyone was bustling around, breaking into small groups to seek out a water source and some more substantial food. Quinn was alone. Estela approached, and feeling no ‘leave me the hell alone’ vibes, sat down beside her. She’d barely had an exchange with Quinn, but Estela knew she liked her. Quinn was kind, and optimistic-- even if naively so. At least… that’s what Estela would have assumed before the bombshell was dropped. If anyone needed to take proper care of themselves, it was the redhead who sat alone on a rock, looking out to sea and seemingly lost in thought.
“Have you eaten today? We got lucky with Raj finding a couple of pineapples. It’s not much, but it’s a start.”
Quinn smiled, appreciating the company. Feeling unhelpful, she’d tried to avoid being in the way. “I’m not all that hungry, to be honest. But thank you.”
“Well, at least keep your fluids up, and if you can force yourself to eat something….” Estela trailed off, and her cheeks reddened. “This isn’t me babying you because you’re sick,” she stated. “In a situation like this, it’s easy to let things slide-- but you can’t. Things can go south scarily fast.”
“If there’s not much food to go around,” Quinn admitted, “it’s… hard… taking those resources. I’m a dead weight at the moment.”
“Well, until you’re actually dead, I’m going to make sure you’re taken care of just like everyone else.”
Quinn laughed at the bluntness, and Estela glanced away shyly. This was so far outside her comfort zone….
“Thanks, Estela. For not tip-toeing around me. I’ve gotten so tired of it… people talk to me like just one wrong word would break me.”
Estela looked back, relieved that she hadn’t screwed up with her insensitivity.
“Eat something,” she said simply. “Even if it’s just a bite. Nobody can run on no fuel.”
Quinn nodded. “I know I should.”
They sat for a few moments in a surprisingly easy silence, watching the waves roll gently in.
“Do you… do you want to go home?” Estela ventured quietly.
A smile came to Quinn’s face, and she turned her head to meet her companion’s eyes once more. It had been hard to be sure of Estela, who held herself apart from the group, stoic and seemingly cold. Perhaps in that quiet, she had clarity others lacked… she could see through a facade. Quinn had to ponder for a moment on how to respond honestly.
“It’s complicated, I suppose,” she replied at last. “There are people I need to say goodbye to, things I need to say…. At the same time, I feel as though I’m living more now, here, than I have in all my life. I don’t think I want to lose that just yet.”
Estela frowned. It wasn’t right that Quinn was here, imprisoned for some bullshit crime the Vaanti dreamed up. Maybe Quinn would rather her final days were spent embracing the adventure La Huerta was giving her, or maybe she’d rather go home-- but she deserved the choice. The thought brought the fire to Estela’s belly, steeled her determination to get the group, now her friends, to safety.
“So, Estela. Do you want to go home?”
“It’s complicated.”
Taylor came jogging over. “Hey, guys!”
Estela felt her face light up. One thing she did know was that she wanted to make the most of every second she had with Taylor. If she had to be stuck on an island prison, left to fight for survival, there was no one she’d rather be stuck there with.
“Hola, Taylor,” she called back, a tease in her voice. “How’d you go with Grace and Aleister?”
“Pretty good actually,” Taylor said, upbeat. “They’re pretty confident they can use some pots we found to remove the salt from seawater by boiling it and collecting condensation-- and longer term, put together a proper solar still system.”
“Sounds promising!” Quinn said brightly. However downtrodden she must have been feeling, she greeted Taylor with a smile and sunny enthusiasm. That, Estela thought, was bravery. Facing whatever lay in front of them as though she didn’t know her days were numbered. “And we were going to see what we can use to collect rainwater as well, right? Once we get it established, we should be set for however long it takes to find a way back.”
Estela grunted, thoughtful. These things took time, and there were thirteen thirsty mouths to feed. “I still think we need to seek out a source of running water-- we can scout for fruiting trees at the same time.”
Taylor met Estela’s gaze. I’m in if you are. “I’m up for an expedition. We could have several groups go, fan out and cover the whole island in just a few hours.”
Making certain to track their coordinates and note any distinctive landmarks or fruiting trees, Estela and Taylor hiked out into the heart of Sharktooth Isle.
Taylor was optimistic. The grand old mansion they’d taken refuge in was evidence to her eyes that this isle was livable. They simply had to work out the logistics, and she was confident that the friends she’d come to care for so deeply, that she’d come to believe in above all else, would come through with flying colours. Grace and Aleister were working out a desalination system, while Sean, Craig and Zahra were setting up a system for rainwater collection. That left Diego, Raj, Michelle, Jake and Lila to seek out anything edible they could all live off for the foreseeable. Between them, they had a pretty solid base of knowledge on what might be poisonous, what the Vaanti recognised as a food source, and what might have some value nutritionally. As long as they needed to, they could get by. They could do this. She knew they could do this.
Of course, Taylor’s mood was also buoyed by the presence of Estela beside her. It was all new, new and exciting. This prison sentence was an unfortunate bump in the road in their efforts to get back home, but it was also a chance to slow down and better get to know one another.
“Do you… do you fancy another round of Two Truths and a Lie’?
Estela gave a little laugh.
“Taylor, you don’t have to play games; if you have a question, you can just ask me.”
“All right,” Taylor said, and she walked closer, her fingers brushing Estela’s. “Fine. I guess we are girlfriends now, aren’t we?”
“I know you want me to understand you’re not forcing me to open up. But I do understand. It’s okay-- I get it. If I don’t want to answer something, I won’t.”
“Okay. That’s… that’s pretty simple to work with.” Taylor looked to Estela and smiled. This was a lot; she knew it was a lot. It was for herself as well-- there were things she knew had to come out. “All right, then. So, you’ve lived in San Trobida since you were very little? Do you still have family in Colombia?”
Estela took her time before responding. Giving away private information still went against so much that had been drummed into her for so many years. She could want to open up to Taylor, but it was a concerted effort to make it actually happen.
“There’s no one left…,” she said eventually. “It’s why Mom took me to live with my uncle as soon as she could scrape the money together. Both my grandparents died a couple of years before. My abuela was estranged from her family, my abuelo’s brothers died young. It was just us. Now just me and Tio Nicolas. He didn’t have to take us in… but he wouldn’t hear ‘no’. I guess that never changed.”
“He must be an amazing man; it sounds like he really took you under his wing.”
It was difficult to think about. Generally, Estela avoided it. In their old home, now echoingly empty, her tio would be waiting… wondering. He might never hear from her again; it was a truth known to both of them when last they parted. It was a terrible thing to live with.
Estela just met Taylor’s eye and nodded. For now, that was too much. But still… Estela didn’t know that she’d ever spoken of her family to any extent, not beyond that safe circle of her mother and uncle.
Taylor took the cue, and backed off. “Phew, it’s so sticky out today! That means it’s going to rain, right? It being so muggy….”
Appreciative, Estela gave Taylor a small smile. “I don’t notice it so much. The climate back home is similar; you get used to it. We were by the sea in our place as well; we always would catch a breeze that made it that bit more comfortable.”
“Do you live in a big town?”
Estela shook her head. “No, it’s small. Small enough that everyone knows everyone-- for better or for worse. A little way out from the city, but kind of sheltered. Forest on one side, the sea on the other. We were isolated enough that we could disappear if we needed to. I don’t think I could live in a large town; too much noise.”
“I’d be with you on that one,” Taylor agreed. “You’ve got to be able to slow down, hear the birds in the trees, see a starry night sky without fighting light pollution. I think especially after being here… a big city wouldn’t be for me.”
“What about you, Taylor? Is your family close to Hartfeld?”
Taylor suddenly stumbled, as if she was struggling to lift her feet. Estela reached out to steady her. When she touched Taylor’s skin it was clammy.
“Taylor?”
“Uhh….”
”If the humidity’s getting to you that much, you need to rest,” Estela scolded. “I can slow the pace if we need to-- it helps no one if you pass out in the middle of the goddamn jungle.”
For the harshness of her words, Estela was gentle as she eased Taylor into a sitting position upon the forest floor.
“Have something to drink,” she said, softer.
Obediently, Taylor took a long, slow swig from her bottle. Hopefully the clouds would make good on their threats and rain would soon come… she was already getting low on water. Again, she tried to picture home, and her queasiness redoubled. Giving in, she leaned against Estela’s shoulder for support, and focused simply on breathing. She could’ve kicked herself for letting herself look like such an idiot in front of Estela, but there was a nagging feeling that what was wrong was not the humidity, or dehydration, or exhaustion, or anything she had a clue how to deal with….
“I’m sorry,” Estela grunted, her cheeks red. “If anything happened to you, I….”
She realised with a start just how much she’d sounded like her tio, fierce in that blazing drive to protect.
Meanwhile, Taylor still didn’t know how to answer Estela’s question.
My family….
Of course, it had to come up, it was always going to. She couldn’t go around trying to get a feel of what Estela’s life might look like and not expect such open-hearted curiosity to reflected back at her.
She swallowed, hard. Taylor hadn’t let herself linger too long on home, focused as she was on whatever crisis La Huerta was presenting her with at any given moment. When she did think about what she’d left behind, the increasing blurriness of the details of her life scared her so much that denial was her only defence. It was just a trick of La Huerta-- as those dreams-that-weren’t-dreams had been. Like the time loop had been. There couldn’t really be a blank space where home and family were supposed to be, for what would that make Taylor?
“Actually, um… this is weird,” Taylor said shakily, then paused, biting her lip, “but… I don’t remember much about my family.”
Whatever Estela had been expecting to come out of Taylor’s mouth, it sure as hell wasn’t something like that. She tried to contain her shock-- Taylor had gotten herself into enough of a state already without being treated differently over something beyond her control.
“Really?” She felt stupid for saying it-- of course, really-- Taylor was deathly serious, clearly frightened.
“There’s… nothing.” Again, Taylor felt ill. To say it all out loud… it made it real, and that was fucking terrifying. “Whenever I try to think back to them, I just get confused. Like a dream I can barely remember.”
Estela’s brow furrowed, her eyes filling with confusion. “I see,” she said steadily. She leaned in closer to Taylor, so that their shoulders were touching. “Do you know how long it’s been like this for you?”
Were she not so queasy, Taylor might have laughed with relief at how calmly Estela was taking the bombshell. And yet… she knew enough not to have really expected any different.
“No… I think the island must be messing with my head or something. I know I’ve got a family. I feel it… but I can’t seem to remember anything about them.”
Estela was quiet, turning it all over in her head. What was it, some kind of amnesia?
“So… so, yeah” Taylor said with a wobbly shrug. “I don’t know where I’m from. America, I guess, but that doesn’t exactly narrow it down. Hartfeld is clearer to me at least, but even then, it’s like the details are all blurred out of focus if I try to think back too far.”
“You would have talked to Diego about your family before we got here, right?” Estela asked. “Whatever’s been screwing with your head, he’d know a few details at least… maybe jog your memory.”
“That’s what I thought,” Taylor murmured, then shook her head. “I don’t think he does. I haven’t asked directly… guess I’m scared to admit what’s happening to me… but when I’ve ventured in that area, it’s all vague. He got a bit weirded out, realising he couldn’t remember where I was from, and I made something up on the spot.”
Estela couldn’t deny that was weird to say the very least. So, not just Taylor, but maybe Diego too? It wasn’t news that La Huerta had a way of messing with a person’s head, but this was something else. Would they all lose their memories as Taylor had? The thought was horrifying. Suddenly, that Taylor had been content to throw her support behind Estela, thoughts for her own safety be damned, made a lot more sense. Taylor didn’t feel she had anything to lose.
“No clues in your phone?” she asked, reaching for some answer, even just an inkling of one. “Pictures, messages from family, nothing?”
Taylor shook her head. “That’s what’s probably the strangest thing. Nothing. If it’s just me forgetting, why is there nothing there? It’s as if someone’s hacked my brain and my phone.”
There it was, that helpless feeling again. Estela didn’t have the slightest clue what she could do to help Taylor… other than to let her know that she was with her.
“You’ve been so calm about all this,” Taylor chuckled darkly. “There really is nothing that can throw you….”
“I dunno,” Estela said, and she slipped her hand into Taylor’s and squeezed it. “I think you’ve seen what you do to me.”
She turned to meet Taylor’s eyes, expression serious. Their noses were almost touching. “Whatever this is that’s messing with you, if there’s any way I can help you work it out, I will.”
“I know,” Taylor said, and it was true. There was an honesty to Estela that was plain as day, and trust came easily. “I guess… all we can do is tackle the crazy one step at a time. First, we work out how to survive, then we escape this place, then… I dunno, try and get a few answers.” And she managed a tentative smile. Thank you.
Estela could feel the appreciation, the warmth there. She and Taylor, they were a team. It was how they were going to survive this place, how they’d end Rourke, how they’d find their way home. She leaned in, and kissed her, slow and deep.
“Mmmm….” Taylor smiled against Estela’s lips. “No matter how much things are going to shit… I’ve got you. Makes it better.”
Estela then pulled Taylor in a hug, and held her there, holding so tight. That much was true. But this was a vulnerability as much as it was a source of strength, and Rourke could exploit a vulnerability. God, if he ever got his hands on Taylor….
The sooner Rourke was dead and left to rot, the better.
Taylor breathed out, and sank deeper into the warm embrace. She nuzzled her face in against Estela’s neck. Everything was going to be all right. It couldn’t not be, not with those arms encircling her, bringing a feeling of safety beyond reason.
“How are you feeling?” Estela asked gently as she finally stepped away. Taylor felt stronger, sturdier.
“Better, I think,” Taylor said. “I was so scared to acknowledge it, as if it would make it more real, an actual threat to my own mind… but I think… I think talking helped. I just can’t tell anyone else. I know I should-- what if it’s not only me it’s happening to? But I can’t.”
Estela gently held Taylor’s chin, stroked her cheek. “It’s your burden. Your choice.” She kissed her once more. “Are you ready to keep moving? We still have a lot of ground to make.”
Taylor nodded, and took a few deep breaths to re-centre herself. She was determined to come through with this, to help her friends thrive in this place for as long as they needed to. Everything else-- it just had to wait.
Upon reaching the coast, Estela gazed out across the water. The channel was not so wide here, far less so than that between Elyys’tel and the shore where they’d been dropped off. If they were to attempt a crossing, it should be here, escaping directly into the rainforest and away from their captors.
“If we just had a glider,” she growled, frustrated, “I’m sure we could get one or two of us across. I just don’t know that we could D.I.Y. a glider anyone would trust to use.”
It was a difficult one, but not beyond the realms of possibility. “We’ve got some pretty solid brainpower going for us, and Jake knows his flying,” Taylor said. “I wouldn’t write it off as an option if we exhaust all other possibilities.”
Freedom looked so close. Estela was certain she could swim the distance, if only it weren’t for those vicious fish. It made her want to scream. Rourke was just a channel swim away… and a few fish were going to stop her.
“Maybe,” she said. For a few minutes, she paced along the shoreline, willing herself to think up some solution, some means of escape. Then she turned back to Taylor, who’d given her space to vent. She gave her an almost imperceptible nod, one that said ‘I’m all right’. “But that can wait. Let’s keep going.”
Back into the thick forest, north from their initial transect line, steeper slopes made for tough going, but Estela remained impressed with how Taylor kept the pace. Maybe it had simply been extreme stress that had caused her earlier wobble?
Then, something caught her eye.
“Taylor--look! Do you see how the leaf-litter’s disturbed here? Animal tracks.”
“That’s hopeful, yeah? If we follow the tracks, it could lead us to a water source. Whatever’s been through here, it has to be surviving on something.”
They trudged onward for a little while longer.
“So…,” Taylor said, ducking through a tangle of twisted vines, “you transferred to Hartfeld in the spring, didn’t you? How have you found it? Is it a lot different to back home? I don’t know much about life in San Trobida, to be honest.”
Talk was a pleasant distraction from that creeping helplessness, and again, Estela was surprised how easy it could be to share with someone once she got started and found her flow. Taylor genuinely wanted to know her… and Estela found she wanted to let her.
“Different in some ways,” Estela replied. “I stick out more. But it was good, in a way. People left me alone. I just took my lessons, kept on top of my physical training, and kept an ear to the ground to get clues about Rourke’s son.” She gave a dry laugh. “Would you believe I actually knew Aleister by sight while we were at school? The closest thing to kindness anyone ever showed me in that place, and it was from the person I’d come there to abduct.”
“Jeez…. It’s a pretty damning indictment of Hartfeld’s student body when Aleister is what’s considered friendly.”
“I won’t argue with that,” Estela muttered. Those days were admittedly lonely. How different things might have been had Taylor crossed her path….
“Just as well you never did find out who he was and follow through with that plan,” Taylor said with a dark chuckle, “you’d have soured him for being nice to anyone for good-- we’re on thin ice with that as it is.”
And Estela laughed too, a full-body laugh that came easier than she could have imagined. When the hell did she last laugh like that? She found herself needing to lean against a tree as she doubled over.
“Oh my god, Taylor! I mean, you’re not wrong….” Awkwardly, she straightened up, looking at Taylor quizzically. How did that woman make such a mess of her? She liked it, and yet it scared her half to death.
They walked on, and Estela was lost in thought. Nothing had happened as she’d planned. The longer she was imprisoned, the more she was losing any sense of control over her mission. Of course, that she had any control in the first place was wishful thinking-- but at least she had a semblance of a plan. She’d had the chance, more than once, but Rourke was still out there, still planning whatever horrors Estela’s mother had died trying to prevent. And he remained a threat to the people Estela now almost dared call friends…. He remained a threat to Taylor, perhaps most of all.
When the opportunity came again-- if it ever came again-- she could not falter, could not fail. She needed to keep her spear-throwing arm strong, keep her aim practiced and true. Yes… once sustenance was secured, she’d need to double-down on training her mind and body.
“Hey--do you hear that?” Taylor stood bolt upright, stock still in spite of her hair getting tangled in spidery branches.
Estela froze, and heard it too. Running water. “This way!”
It was a stream. Narrow but flowing steadily, and to touch, the water was pleasantly cool. Estela immediately got to refilling their water bottles, and quenching her thirst.
Taylor gave a satisfied laugh, and she winced, pulling the last twigs from her hair. “Well, that’s one hurdle overcome! And if I’m right… not too far from the manor either-- this is going to be a lifesaver.”
Estela looked up at her from the stream, grinning. “We’ll track this, see how close it runs to our base, find the best place to access it.”
A success. That had to count for something. And along the way, they’d taken photographs of at least a dozen fruits-- surely, some would be familiar to Diego. Their prospects for survival had already increased dramatically, and that was without even taking into account what the others were pulling out of the hat.
And just like that, it all felt different. There was room to catch a breath. There was room to linger on little touches, the way Taylor would catch Estela’s eye and a giddy smile would scrunch her nose. Each time, those shared looks held for longer, as though each were offering a silent dare to the other. What are you waiting for, now?
Estela caught Taylor’s wrist. “Taylor--” She softened her grip as Taylor turned around to her, eyes visibly darkening.
“Yeah?” Taylor spoke breathily, then giggled. “God, I’m such a mess right now! Why don’t we just cut to the chase and--”
There was no need for her to finish. Estela tugged her in roughly, then Taylor was all over her, hands in her hair, in her clothes. She moaned loudly against Taylor’s mouth as their lips crashed together.
“Mmmm….” Taylor could feel her heart beating a mile a minute, and Estela’s, thundering along with her.
Estela whimpered softly between fierce kisses, her entire body tingling as Taylor worked her bra undone, feeling her.
Then there was a voice through the trees, and then another--
“We’ve got company,” she said. Damn it. That was Diego, and… Raj.
Taylor sighed dramatically. “We’ll have to pick this up later. Again.” She swooped in for one last kiss.
Estela knew she was letting herself get drawn in too far, almost losing all sense of her surroundings. Their friends were right on top of them and it took her so long to….
She pulled away with a frustrated squall. Swaying slightly on the spot, she had to physically shake herself to her senses.
“You’re turning me into some kinda useless… horny….,” she muttered under her breath, then just laughed because it was all so ridiculous. How the hell was this what her life was becoming?
Taylor moved back in, smiling against Estela’s face as she kissed her, tiny fluttering kisses that made Estela’s legs turn to jelly. “You’re fine. It’s hard not to get a little bit caught up.” She chuckled affectionately, and leaned her forehead to Estela’s. “You’re just too gorgeous.”
What the hell, Taylor? You can’t just say….
But she meant it. Taylor meant it. Estela’s adoring smile trembled, and she held Taylor there with her, their panting breaths mingling. With her other hand, she stroked through Taylor’s tangled hair, taking in the feel of her, all warm and sweaty and perfect.
“You are,” she whispered. “I’ll just, uh, fix up my….”
Taylor burst into a fit of giggles and collapsed into Estela’s shoulder. She gently made to lift the back of Estela’s shirt. “Here-- I’ll get that for you.”
Upon rejoining Diego and Raj-- who had gathered enough food for a veritable feast-- they shared their successes and the short hike back to the mansion. There, they were met with two water collection systems up and running, a small mountain of coconuts, and two chickens that Jake and Lila had dispatched. Lila was cheerily butchering the hapless birds with remarkable efficiency and skill.
Diego’s eyebrows raised. “So, uh, you learned that in the girl scouts too?”
Lila did not miss a beat, perky as usual, almost impossibly so for having spent the best part of a day trekking through a hot, sticky, and treacherous jungle. “We had to eat something around the campfire, and it wasn’t going to prepare itself!”
Taylor, whose stomach had been growling, didn’t linger too long on curiosity over Lila’s odd skillset. There would be time for that when her hunger was sated. At least, though, it was looking like hunger was not something that would be a problem. While any normal island of this size might have struggled to sustain them as Estela had worried, this was La Huerta, and shit just grew like crazy.
“I’m assuming these would be descendents of birds brought over by whoever once lived here? Actual domestic chickens… that’s some insane good luck.”
“There’s plenty more where these came from,” Lila said cheerily. “We can wait for Mr Rourke to come and collect us with nice full bellies.”
Taylor exchanged a look with Estela. Upon hearing that Rourke had Diego with a knife to his throat, Lila had brushed the information off… as though it barely registered. ‘Surely, all part of his plan. He’ll be along for them when he was ready’…. But Taylor knew enough to know that Lila must be hurting, abandoned after finally being reunited with the boss she clearly idolised. Estela’s expression had become stony, saying quite clearly ‘like hell he will’.
Around the light of a raging campfire, the thirteen huddled around to eat. Raj had outdone himself, clearly having had a ball experimenting with the fruits, roots and herbs Diego had introduced to him, and the whole group was soon lounging with full bellies. The result was that much of the anxiety that had hung over them that morning had dissipated, replaced with determination. They were surviving this place… and they were getting out.
That was tomorrow’s mission. And the day after that if need be. It didn’t matter. Perhaps it was the comfort of full bellies, the gorgeous glow of the full moon, or the realisation that so long as they were all together they were winning, but everything just felt different.
As was often the case, Estela was among the first to head to settle down for the night. The others may have had time to goof off by the fireside, but she had to keep herself at her peak-- and that meant plenty of rest.
A familiar figure jogged to her side.
“Hey, Estela.”
“Hello, Taylor.”
Taylor was all shining eyes and rosy cheeks… contented… optimistic. It was good for everyone when Taylor was emotionally on top form; she had her way of bringing out the best in each of them. If she was putting her worries about her memory loss aside for the time being, the better for them all. But Estela would keep it in the back of her mind. Taylor couldn’t be expected to function carrying that burden if she were holding it alone. She supposed it was what they did now… they shared the load. It was why her own feelings of helplessness hadn’t crushed her yet, and she’d offer Taylor the same.
“I was gonna go with Quinn, check out those Singing Cliffs Diego mentioned. I think she could really use a change of scenery, get away from the camp for a bit.”
“You’re a good friend,” Estela observed. It wasn’t news. It was just who Taylor was, maybe even the very core of her. That Taylor had bonded easily with the sunny and optimistic Quinn was no surprise either, though the initial flirtationship had settled into a warm and affectionate friendship. Quinn was a good person; she deserved to have a night out with someone fun who cared for her.
“Hang on--” Estela reached into her backpack, and rummaged before bringing out a couple of emergency ration bars. “I don’t think she’ll want to take them, but maybe if it’s from you…. They’ll cover her nutritional bases. Just a boost to keep her strong if you’re away from camp for a while.”
Taylor’s heart brimmed with affection, and it showed upon her face, prompting Estela’s own shy smile.
“I’ll try and convince her. You’re the best, you know that?”
That, Estela just had to shrug off. But it felt nice. God, it felt nice.
“I’m not sure if I’ll be back tonight,” Taylor said, “a round trip might be pushing Quinn’s limits. But I’ll see you in the morning, yeah?”
Estela reached for Taylor, hugged her. “You will. Have a good night, cariño.”
She felt her cheeks flush hot at her own words. Were they doing coupley terms of endearment yet? But Taylor appeared delighted, and leaned in for a see-you-later kiss.
“You have a good night too, babe,” Taylor replied, her eyes sparkling. She lingered for a moment more, grasping Estela’s hand, then pocketed the ration bars and headed to find Quinn.
How was it that Estela missed her so much already, just seeing her walk away? She couldn’t stop thinking about Taylor, nor did she want to.
She just had to hang onto this… hang onto this, let it fuel her, because there was no way in hell she was giving up.