Gaia

Gracie got to Jeremiah first. The poor guy had been forgotten in that closet, and while he’d been able to squirm free from his bound wrists and the bag over his head, he couldn’t open the door from the inside. He managed to find a keychain flashlight and a bag of chips in Gracie’s purse to help him survive those, but when they opened the door, he still looked like he'd been to hell and back. He wasn't amused in the least, and he'd turned pale from the side effects of the spray. Well, at least Mari was wrong about one thing. He wasn't dead.

He didn't seem to want to talk to Mari, but Gracie was there for him enough for the both of them. He seemed more interested in her, anyways. They sat on the couch and spoke in hushed tones as Gracie helped him to feel better, and Mari found that they wouldn't have even noticed if she left. She went back to Eli’s side, finding him asleep from medications. At that point, no one bothered to try and kick Mari out. She brushed his hair from his face, holding one of his hands in hers as she studied his face. He woke up after a few minutes, seeming relieved to see Mari still there.

“Shouldn't you go get some sleep?” he asked.

“It's one in the afternoon,” she told him. “Your clock is all out of whack. It's stupid that they don't have any windows in these hospital rooms.”

“I feel like I've been hit by a train,” he sighed, letting Mari help him sit up.

She sat on the edge of his bed, careful not to tug on any of his wires as she leaned over to kiss him. He was less careful, eagerly pulling her in. She pulled away before the heart rate monitor went crazy and sent a nurse in.

“Did you know you have freckles?” Mari asked him.

“What? No I don't,” he said.

“Yeah you do,” she laughed. “It's really light. Really, really light. But they're there.”

“You've been sitting here, staring at me?” he asked.

“Standing,” she corrected. “They took my chair away so I can't spend the night again.”

“It's a damn shame,” he said. “I don't like the doctor. He has little to no energy to deal with me. And I miss your never-ending jabbering.”

“I'll be jabbering until you get sick of me,” she grinned.

“I won't get sick of you.”

“You sure?” Mari asked. “Even if I throw myself on the ground and throw tantrums?”

“Then I'll drag you across the floor and put you somewhere no one can hear you until you calm down,” he said plainly. “I think we've been over this before.”

“Yeah, maybe once or twice,” she laughed.

Mari visited Eli every day, as long as she was allowed to by the doctors. After a couple weeks they let him go home, only to be greeted by a hoard of paparazzi and flashing cameras right outside the hospital, asking him about Desoto and what happened. Mari held on to his arm and helped balance him as he walked, smiling up at him reassuringly as he ignored the reporters. If he ignored them long enough, the story would die out. One of the reporters tried to follow them into the elevator, but stumbled out when Mari gave him the sort of glare to make him fear for his life, which amused Eli.

There was another week of bed rest and medication until Eli was able to work again, taking Mari with him. Everyone grew used to having her around, and it wasn't so much a secret anymore when it came to their relationship. A relationship that became extremely official when she did show up to Lord Townsend’s annual Christmas party with Eli, with her own key to his house in her handbag. Andy was right about some things, after all.

Mari gave the old apartment to her brother so he'd stay in the upper level, and after batting her eyelashes a bit at Eli, Andy was made to promise to give up the criminal life, and join the enforcers. He wasn't all that eager about it, until he met his partner. Renee was completely heartbroken that Mari had a twin brother, and even more upset when she realized that he was assigned as her partner. Mari liked to think of it as karma. Andy was thrilled about it, though.

For the first time, nothing was dragging down this perfect life. With Desoto and his goonies out of the picture, Eli and Gracie were both out and about all the time. Gracie spent a lot more time with Jeremiah, but Mari didn't mind it too much. It gave her time alone with Eli. It was the moments where they just lounged around in their pajamas and talked that she cherished the most.

“Would you still love me if I got a huge tattoo of Ella Stellar on my ass?” Mari asked him one night as they watched the sickeningly sweet ending to an Ella Stellar romance movie.

“Mari, it's way too late for these kinds of questions,” he yawned. “Can we just go to bed? You don't even like Ella.”

“I hate her, which is why I illegally pirated this movie,” Mari said.

“You realize that I run security in the whole tower, right?” Eli asked. “Who gave you a pirated movie?”

“Pirated movie?” Mari asked innocently. “Oh, no. I meant pirate movie. Argh.”

“Sure you did,” he chuckled, giving her a peck on the nose. “Yes, I'd still love you. But I'd never undress you, ever again.”

“Well shit,” Mari said. “There goes that idea.”

“Seriously though, don't use my computer for illegal stuff,” he warned.

“Then I guess you just have to buy me one for myself,” she shrugged, leaning back against him.

“Mari, you are hopeless.”

“Hopelessly in love with you,” she said, batting her eyelashes at him.

“Absolutely hopeless,” he laughed. “Maybe I can call in sick tomorrow? You can take care of me, all day long?”

“Whatever you say, boss.”