Epilogue

EPILOGUE

5 YEARS LATER

T he warm Hawaiian breeze swept through the open windows, carrying with it the scent of saltwater and the faint rustle of palm leaves. Sunlight filtered through the gauzy curtains, casting a golden glow across the living room where Ros sat flipping lazily through a magazine. It had been five years since she'd left her military career behind, and though the transition hadn't been seamless, she'd finally settled into this new chapter of life. A chapter filled with peace, love, and Scarlett's steady presence.

"Morning, love." Scarlett's voice floated in from the kitchen, the sound of her bare feet padding across the tiled floor following close behind. She appeared in the doorway a moment later holding two mugs of coffee, still dressed in her sleep shorts and one of Ros's old t-shirts. Her hair was a wild mess of curls, slightly damp from the shower she'd just taken, and Ros couldn't help but smile at the sight of her.

"You spoil me," Ros teased, reaching out to take the mug Scarlett offered, her fingers brushing lightly against hers.

"Someone's got to," Scarlett replied with a playful grin, sinking down onto the couch beside Ros. She tucked her legs beneath her, nestling into Ros's side as they both took their first sips of the rich, dark coffee. The mornings were always their time—the peaceful, unhurried moments before Scarlett headed off to the base and Ros set about her day. It was a ritual they had fallen into since moving to Hawaii, one that felt as comforting as the steady rhythm of the ocean just beyond their doorstep.

"Any plans for today?" Ros asked, setting her mug down on the coffee table and wrapping an arm around Scarlett's shoulders, pulling her closer. She could feel the warmth of her skin, the familiar weight of her body against hers, and it made her heart swell with contentment.

Scarlett shook her head. "Just the usual. Base operations are running smoothly, so nothing too crazy on my plate today. What about you?"

"Thought I'd head into town and pick up a few things for dinner. Maybe swing by the beach afterward." Ros's tone was casual, but there was a hint of mischief in her eyes, as if she was already planning some small surprise for later.

Scarlett chuckled, catching the look. "You've been cooking a lot more lately. Should I be worried?"

Ros laughed, giving her a light nudge. "I'm just trying to keep you on your toes. Besides, someone has to take care of you now that you're getting closer to retirement."

At the mention of retirement, Scarlett's smile softened, and she leaned her head against Ros's shoulder, staring out the window at the brilliant blue sky. It was still strange to think about a future where she wouldn't be reporting for duty, where her days would be free to spend however she wanted. The thought excited her, but it also came with a pang of uncertainty.

"You think I'll go stir-crazy without the routine?" Scarlett mused, her voice quieter now, more thoughtful.

Ros gave a knowing smile. "I think you'll adjust just fine. It took me a while, but once I stopped worrying about not having orders or a mission, I realized how much freedom I had. You'll find your way, and we'll have plenty to keep us busy."

Scarlett lifted her head, meeting Ros's eyes. "Like what? What's your plan for me, General Carson?" She used Ros's old rank with a smirk, knowing it would get a reaction.

Ros rolled her eyes but grinned nonetheless. "Well, we did talk about all the places we wanted to travel to, didn't we? Europe, New Zealand, maybe even a road trip. We could take our time, see the sights, and just enjoy life."

Scarlett's smile widened at the thought. "I'd like that. It feels like we've been waiting so long for that kind of freedom. First, we were sneaking around, and then we were navigating all the military red tape. And now, finally, we're just us."

Ros brushed a stray curl from Scarlett's forehead, her touch gentle and full of affection. "That's what I've been looking forward to most, just being with you. No distractions, no obligations. Just us."

They sat like that for a while, the quiet between them filled with the soft hum of the world outside. The sound of the ocean waves rolling in the distance, the occasional call of a bird from the trees. It was moments like this that reminded them both of how far they'd come, how much they'd fought for this life together, and how much it was worth.

"I was thinking," Scarlett said after a pause, her fingers absently tracing patterns on Ros's arm. "Once I retire, maybe we could look into buying a little place of our own. Something near the water with a big porch where we can watch the sunsets."

Ros tilted her head, considering the idea. "A house by the water, huh? Sounds perfect. We'll need space for all the souvenirs we'll be bringing back from our travels too."

Scarlett laughed softly. "I'll try not to go overboard with the souvenir shopping."

"You? Overboard?" Ros teased, her voice laced with mock disbelief. "Never."

They shared a quiet chuckle before falling into a comfortable silence again. Scarlett's eyes drifted back to the window where the sunlight was beginning to shift, casting long shadows across the room. There was a deep sense of peace in her heart—a certainty that no matter what came next, they would face it together.

The years leading up to this moment had been hard, but they had also been full of growth and of learning to navigate their love amidst the constraints of their careers. And now, with retirement on the horizon for Scarlett, they had a whole new chapter ahead of them. A chapter filled with possibilities, adventures, and the kind of freedom they had once only dreamed of.

Ros pressed a kiss to the top of Scarlett's head, her voice soft. "Whatever we do, wherever we go, I'm just glad it'll be with you."

Scarlett smiled, closing her eyes and sinking deeper into the warmth of Ros's embrace. "Me too."

The sun was beginning its slow descent, the golden-hour light spilling across the yard in dappled beams. The sky over the ocean transformed from a blazing orange to a deep, fiery red, reflecting off the water like molten glass. The warm breeze that had drifted in from the shoreline earlier had softened, now carrying the faint scent of sea salt and hibiscus flowers. Scarlett and Ros sat side by side on the porch, the simple wooden chairs they occupied creaking gently beneath them.

Ros stretched her legs out in front of her, crossing her ankles as she leaned back into her chair. "You know," she began with a lazy smile, her hand resting comfortably on Scarlett's knee, "I always wondered if I'd ever get tired of sunsets like these. But every night, they're just…different. Stunning."

Scarlett turned to her, her lips curling into a soft smile. "That's why we moved here, right? For moments like this?" She gave Ros's hand a gentle squeeze, and though her voice held a playful note, there was a weight beneath it—a gratitude for this life they'd built together.

"That, and to get you out of the cold climates," Ros teased, her grin broadening. She reached for her glass of wine on the small table between them, taking a sip. "Not that I ever minded those mornings when you came back inside with your cheeks all pink from the cold."

Scarlett chuckled, leaning into Ros's touch. "Yeah, you always had a way of warming me up." She took her own sip of wine, the cool liquid a contrast to the warm air. Her eyes wandered to the horizon where the sky was deepening into purples and blues. "It feels surreal sometimes. Like we fought so hard to get here, and now we have it. This life."

Ros nodded, her gaze following Scarlett's. "It's strange, isn't it? For so long, everything was about the next mission, the next hurdle. And now, we've got nothing but time." Her voice grew quieter, more thoughtful. "We earned this."

Scarlett turned toward Ros, studying her for a moment. "You sound like you're still trying to convince yourself of that."

Ros glanced sideways, meeting Scarlett's eyes. She could never hide her emotions from her; Scarlett always saw right through her. "Maybe I am, just a little. I was so used to the structure and demands. It took me a while to stop feeling guilty for not doing something. But now"—she paused, her fingers lightly tracing circles on Scarlett's knee "now, I think I've finally let myself relax."—

Scarlett smiled, a deep, genuine smile that reached her eyes. "I've noticed. You've changed, Ros. In a good way."

Ros chuckled. "Not too soft, I hope."

Scarlett raised an eyebrow, her smirk teasing. "Soft? You? Never. You're still the toughest woman I know."

They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, watching as the last remnants of the sun dipped below the horizon, leaving the sky awash in purples and pinks. The sound of waves crashing softly in the distance mixed with the gentle hum of the tropical evening, the cicadas beginning their nightly chorus. It was peaceful, idyllic.

Scarlett sighed contentedly. "I've been thinking a lot about what comes next."

Ros shifted in her chair, turning her attention fully to Scarlett. "Oh yeah? What's on your mind?"

Scarlett glanced down at the glass in her hand, swirling the wine as if gathering her thoughts. "Retirement's not far off for me now. It's hard to believe that soon, I won't be reporting to base every morning. That I'll have days where I'm not needed there."

Ros nodded, understanding the sentiment all too well. She remembered how strange it felt when she'd first stepped away, how the loss of routine had been jarring at first. "It's an adjustment, for sure. But you're going to love it. I promise."

"I know," Scarlett said, her voice soft. "And I am excited. I mean, we've talked about all the things we want to do: traveling, seeing the world, having the freedom to just go wherever we want. It's exciting. But…" "But?" Ros prompted gently.

Scarlett met her gaze, her brow furrowed slightly. "I guess I'm worried I won't know what to do with myself. I've always been so focused on the job, the next task, the next goal. What if I don't know how to be still?"

Ros's smile was tender and full of understanding. She reached over, placing her hand on Scarlett's. "You're not going to be still, love. We're going to be busier than ever, just in a different way. We'll have the time to do all the things we've always talked about. Visiting new places, learning new things, maybe even picking up some hobbies we've never had time for."

Scarlett's lips twitched into a small smile. "Hobbies, huh? You mean like knitting?"

Ros laughed, shaking her head. "No, not knitting. I was thinking more like hiking, maybe some photography. Hell, we could even take cooking classes together and learn how to make something other than pasta."

Scarlett snorted. "I'm not that bad at cooking, am I?"

Ros gave her a playful look. "Let's just say you're better at fixing helicopters than you are at making lasagna."

Scarlett laughed, the sound light and full of warmth. "Okay, fair. But seriously, Ros," she said, her tone growing softer again. "What if it's weird? Not having the routine, the orders. I'm just used to it."

Ros leaned forward, cupping Scarlett's cheek with one hand, her thumb brushing gently against her skin. "You're going to figure it out, just like I did. And you won't be alone. We're in this together. And trust me, we'll have plenty of adventures to keep us busy."

Scarlett leaned into her touch, her eyes softening. "I can't wait for that. To just live. With you."

Ros smiled, leaning in to press a soft kiss to Scarlett's lips. "We've got our whole future ahead of us, Scarlett. And it's going to be amazing."

Scarlett pulled back slightly, her eyes shimmering in the fading light. "You really believe that, don't you?"

"I do," Ros said, her voice firm and full of certainty. "We've been through hell and back, and we've come out stronger. We deserve this. We've earned it."

Scarlett let out a slow breath, her shoulders relaxing as she smiled. "Yeah. We really have, haven't we?"

They fell into a comfortable silence once more, watching as the sky deepened into night, the stars beginning to twinkle overhead. The world around them seemed to settle into stillness, the peaceful hum of the evening wrapping around them like a blanket.

After a few minutes, Scarlett broke the silence. "So, what's the first place we're going to visit once I'm officially retired?"

Ros smiled, her mind already racing with possibilities. "Well, we did say we wanted to do a road trip across the States, didn't we? See all the national parks, the little towns, maybe stop by some of those diners you love so much."

Scarlett grinned. "That sounds perfect. And after that?"

"Europe," Ros said with a glint in her eye. "We'll rent a car, drive through the countryside, stop wherever we feel like. Maybe spend a few weeks in Italy sipping wine and eating pasta by the sea."

Scarlett's smile widened. "That sounds like heaven."

Ros chuckled. "It will be. And after that? Who knows. We've got the whole world to explore."

Scarlett leaned back in her chair, her eyes drifting back to the stars. "I can't wait, Ros. I really can't."

Ros squeezed her hand, her heart full. "Me neither, love. Me neither."

As the night settled in around them, they sat together in peaceful silence, the weight of the past lifting from their shoulders. The future stretched out before them—wide, open, and full of possibilities. And for the first time in a long time, they weren't worried about what lay ahead.

They had each other, and that was all they needed.