Chapter 19 up

Chapter 19 up
After the storm that tore through Zurich subsided, Felicia and Andre found themselves in a hidden wooden cabin at the foot of the Alps, far from the reach of Obsidian’s satellites or the roar of war machines. Here, in a place known only to the mountain winds and the vast stretches of pine, time seemed to stand still. There was no sound of gunfire, no hiss of toxic gas, and for the first time in a very long while, no vendetta to settle.
That morning, sunlight filtered through the large glass windows, reflecting off the warm wooden floor. Felicia sat in a rocking chair near the fireplace, slowly detaching the outer modules of her exoskeleton. Without the metal armor, she felt fragile, yet strangely, she also felt whole.
Andre stepped in from the small kitchen, carrying two steaming cups of chamomile tea. He wasn't wearing his tactical gear; only a gray wool sweater that made him look like an ordinary man, not the fugitive heir to a dynasty. He placed the cups on a small table and knelt in front of Felicia.
"Let me do it," Andre whispered softly.
With fingers that were practiced yet full of tenderness, Andre helped release the final clasps at Felicia’s ankles. He gently massaged her leg muscles, which were still stiff, providing a warmth that no machine could ever give. Felicia closed her eyes, feeling the touch of Andre’s rough yet loving hands.
"Thank you, Andre," Felicia’s voice was low, nearly swallowed by the crackling fire in the hearth.
Andre looked up, gazing into Felicia’s eyes, which no longer radiated the coldness of steel. "You don't have to thank me for something you should have every day, Felicia. I want you to remember that behind all this technology and war, you are still the woman I loved in that little flower shop."
Felicia offered a thin smile, one that truly reached her eyes. She reached out, stroking Andre’s jaw, now covered in light stubble. "I miss the 'us' we used to be. Before all these secrets were uncovered. Before I lost... everything."
At the mention of their loss, the air grew heavy for a moment. But Andre did not let the sadness take hold. He stood up and pulled over a small chair to sit directly in front of Felicia, gripping both her hands tightly.
"We haven't lost everything, darling," Andre said with absolute conviction. "We lost a beginning, but we still have a long journey ahead. In this place, there are no enemies. Only you and me. I want you to promise me one thing."
"What is it?"
"From today, for as long as we are here, don't talk about Obsidian. Don't talk about the mission. Talk to me about the dreams you haven't had the chance to tell me. Tell me about the paint colors you want for our future home, or about the flowers you want to plant at the orphanage later."
Felicia let out a soft laugh, a single happy tear falling down her cheek. "I want to plant white roses and lavender. I want the children there to wake up to the scent of flowers, not the smell of dust. And I want our house to have a large library with windows facing the sunset."
They spent that afternoon taking small walks around the cabin. Andre patiently supported Felicia, letting his wife feel the texture of the grass beneath her feet as they began to regain their sensitivity. They didn't rush. They stopped to listen to the gurgle of a small stream and watched the birds perching on tree branches.
As twilight began to fall, turning the sky into a palette of purple and orange, Andre prepared a simple dinner on the wooden deck. They sat side by side under the same thick blanket, staring at the mountain peaks as they began to be shrouded in mist.
"You know," Felicia whispered, leaning her head on Andre’s shoulder. "In the midst of all this chaos, it’s moments like this that give me the strength to keep going. Knowing that there is a quiet harbor where I can come home."
Andre kissed Felicia’s temple, breathing in the scent of his wife’s hair, which now smelled of sandalwood. "You are my home, Felicia. Wherever you are, that is where I will return. I don't care if the world has to crumble, as long as I can still hold your
hand like this."