𝑈𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑇ℎ𝑒𝐸𝑛𝑑

Carmen and Gray met up with Zack and Ivy at their rendezvous, hand in hand. And the two Bostonians were surprised to say the least.

They didn't expect Carmen to work with Graham or Gray or whatever his name was and then become his girlfriend. But if Carmen trusts him, then so do they.

But it doesn't mean they shouldn't be cautious.

"C'mon, we have to book a suite at a hotel." Carmen said, as she and Gray got in the back seat. Their hands still laced together.

"You guys are livin' the high life, huh?" Gray asked Carmen, about to kiss Carmen's cheek before she pushed him away with her index finger.

"Not now, lover boy. Maybe later." Carmen said, giving Gray a visible smirk. Which made the young Aussie pout at her.

Carmen smiled, laughing. "Fine, one kiss." She said, leaning in and kissing Gray full on the lips.

From the front, Ivy watched Carmen kiss Gray with pure jealousy. She always had a crush on Carmen since the beginning, but she didn't realize it until the team's recent mission in Dubai.

Ivy snapped her eyes back to the road before Carmen and Gray can notice she was looking at them. As Zack drove to their destination, Ivy snuck glances back at the new couple.

But once they got to the hotel, she decided to cut back on them.

Carmen booked a suite for four and was given their room key.

She bid the receptionist a thank you and the team was off to their room. And Gray walked beside her.

"So, what now, Le Femme Rouge?" Gray asked, using a really bad mocking French accent.

"For now, we just relax. We have some time when Player is encrypting the next entry." Carmen said, as the group made it to their room.

"The kid who's always inside your ear?"

"Yup. I remember mentioning him once, though." Carmen said. "On the train."

Gray hummed, wrapping an arm around Carmen's waist. "Yeah, I think I remember that too. So, what is there around here we could do, Little-Miss-walking-geography book?"

Carmen laughed. "We'll just have to get a pamphlet from the lobby in the morning."

"Sounds good." Gray said.

Carmen inserted the key into the slot built into the door knob and once the light on the top turned green, she took it out and opened the door.

Zack and Ivy immediately went to raid the kitchenette they had and Carmen went to the couch. Sitting down and pulling out her laptop.

Player showed up on her computer screen. "Hey, Red. How's the room?" He asked, smirking in amusement.

"Kid, you need to stop spoiling me, I swear to God." Carmen said, shaking her head. Player's smirk widened.

"What else am I supposed to do with VILE's money? Save it? Pshhh..No!" The teenage hacker said.

"Saving is for little kids! Not young adults!" Player said, crossing his arms over his chest and looking away.

Carmen raised an eyebrow. "Sometimes even young adults need to preserve. You're just saying that because you're a teenager and that most teens would rather spend than save."

Player groaned. "Fine. You caught me."

Carmen smirked in triumph. "You heard me kid-save. Don't spend. Unless you're using the money responsibly."

Player groaned. "Yes, Mom."

"Alright, well, you should get some sleep. It's the middle of the night there, right?" Carmen said, having lost track of what time it was in Canada.

"Yup. 2am, local time." Player said, not really wanting to go to sleep.

Carmen rolled her eyes. "You never go to sleep, don't you?"

"Nope~" Player said in amusement.

Carmen chuckled. "Okay, well, don't come running to me when you don't get good grades in school because you always fall asleep before you can even start your homework."

It was Player's turn to roll his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Bye, Red!"

Carmen chuckled from the other line. "Bye." She said, hanging up the call.

"Hey, Carm?" A familiar female Boston-accented voice yelled from the kitchen they had. Carmen turned around to face the source of the voice.

"Yeah, Ivy?"

"Zack and I are goin' shoppin' for food if ya wanna come!" Ivy said, coming into the living room with Zack.

Carmen shook her head. "I'm good. But thanks for the offer!" She said, smiling at the siblings.

Zack sprinted to the door. "C'mon sis! We do NOT wanna miss the food on sale there!" He exclaimed in excitement, dragging Ivy with him by the wrist.

"You and Graham better not try anything!" Ivy shouted, as she was dragged off animatedly by Zack.

Carmen almost flushed at what Ivy said. She and Gray were just starting their relationship, they couldn't possibly be ready for..THAT.

....could they?

"Whatcha thinkin' about?"

Carmen jumped at the familiar voice. She turned around to face her Australian lover himself. Coming out from the bathroom.

Carmen sighed in relief. "Oh, it's just you." She said, while knowing that Zack and Ivy had just left a minute ago. What was happening with her?

Gray smiled at her. "Yeah, who else would have an Australian accent on the team?" He asked, walking over to the couch and sitting next to the auburn haired thief.

Carmen shrugged. "I don't know. Could be a complete stranger coming into my life." She teased, bopping Gray on the nose.

Gray's smile widened. "Except we've known each other for..what? Two years?" He asked, leaning in to Carmen's space.

Carmen grinned back at him. "Yep. But those two years were crazy." She said, remembering all the moments they had together at VILE Academy. And also..

That memory.

Carmen looked down at the floor. Her saddened face expression not hiding itself from plain view.

Gray looked at Carmen to see her depressed look. His brown eyes shining in concern.

"Black She-Carmen, are you okay, mate?" He asked, even if he knew very well that she was not even near okay.

Carmen tried to stop herself from crying. She can't cry! If she did, she would be labeled as a weakling, she can't possibly think that crying in front of her best friend-slash-boyfriend was a good idea!

Could she?

'Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry!' Carmen thought to herself, trying to stop herself from having a mental breakdown. But it was too late.

"Carmen? What is it?" Gray's worried voice asked. But it was tuned out when Carmen then began to softly sob.

"N-Nothing." Carmen said, trying her best to stay calm. But she just..couldn't.

Carmen completely broke down sobbing after saying that one word.

Gray looked at the woman he loves. Crying in front of him.

He pulled her into his arms. Holding her against his built chest as she sobbed into it.

"Carmen, come on. You can tell me." Gray said softly, rubbing Carmen's back.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't-I didn't know what VILE did to you before that night at the opera and I'm sorry I couldn't stop them-"

"Shhhh..." Gray shushed her. "There's nothing you could've done, okay? It was back on VILE Island, so you couldn't have been able to make it to save me even if you tried." He said, gently running his hand through Carmen's long and curly auburn locks.

Carmen sobbed harder. "But, Gray-"

Gray shook his head. "No buts. There was nothing you could've done. If you were there, it would've been the same outcome." Gray pulled away from the hug and took Carmen's face into his hands.

"Look, it's all over now. And so what if I die when protecting you from them? If it means you're safe, then I'll do it!" Gray said, a determined frown on his face.

Carmen's eyes widened. "No, Gray. You can't! I-I can't live without you!" She said, before covering her mouth with her hand.

Gray's eyes also widened at that. But then he smiled at her.

Gray reaches out and wiped the tears from Carmen's eyes, while sliding his hand down to her hand and taking it into his palm.

"Carmen, I-I love you too. I always have." Gray said, squeezing Carmen's hand. "I can't live without you either."

Carmen and Gray both leaned into each other's space. Their noses touching.

"Then..shall we?" Carmen asked. Gray nodded.

"We shall."

And with that, they both leaned in, and their lips smashed together in a passionate kiss.

Gray's lips automatically melted into Carmen's cherry-colored ones. She felt so warm. So loving. He felt so stupid for not loving her sooner rather than later.

As she was kissing Gray, Carmen was wondering whatever she did to not have fallen in love with this man earlier. This man, the one who was kissing her, was the one she needed, the one she wanted, all along.

Back at VILE Academy, Carmen only came into contact with one upperclassman during her hold-over year.

He was cute, she'll give him that. But, one thing that made her hate him was that he was too..pushy.

So pushy that he almost forced his lips onto hers if it weren't for Gray's intervention at that time.

Gray was around that area of the academy when it happened. And once he saw that..pervert try to be all smitten with her, he went straight into protective-big-brother mode.

Carmen internally chuckled at the memory. Gray was definitely not his usual self that day, but it was for a good reason.

Gray wrapped his arms around Carmen's waist and pulled her closer to him.

Carmen hummed into the kiss as she felt her man's arms tighten around her. She felt safe when he held her against him.

'I love him.'

'I love her.'

' Until the end.'

_____________________

"So, apparently there's only one bed we can share. Since Zack and Ivy already took the two separate ones." Carmen said, as she and Gray stood in front of the queen-sized bed.

"Sharing a bed, huh?" Gray said smugly, only to earn a swap on the shoulder by his girlfriend.

"Shut it. You know I didn't mean it like that." Carmen scolded, glaring up at the young electrician-slash-thief.

Gray threw his hands up in mock surrender. "You're right. I did." He said, before his wide, teasing grin returned to his face.

"But I bet you would be good in bed."

"GRAY!"

"I'm kidding! I'm kidding!"

Carmen rolled her eyes at him. "You are insufferable."

"You love me." Gray said, leaning close to Carmen.

"Do I, now?" Carmen asked teasingly, leaning into his space.

"You do."

Carmen chuckled. "You're right, I do." She said, pecking Gray on the lips. This man was a huge dork, but..he was her dork.

Carmen then walked to the bed. And got herself tucked in under the covers. She patted the spot beside her.

"Come join." She said.

Gray did as he was told and joined his classmate-turned-friend-turned-girlfriend under the sheets.

Gray turned towards Carmen in the bed. "I have a bet to make with you." He said, smirking.

Carmen sighed. "What is it?"

"If you don't get up at 7-am tomorrow, you and I have sex. But if you do..I'll be your slave for a whole day." Gray said, expecting Carmen to scold him again. But he was shocked by what she said next.

"Fine. I accept it." She said, rolling over to face his beautiful brown eyes. His eyes widened in surprise.

"You do?"

Carmen nodded. "It was bound to happen sooner or later."

Gray frowned. "What was?"

"You asking me for sex."

Gray froze, but then chuckled. "Yeah, true." He said, brushing a strand of Carmen's hair behind her ear.

He kissed her crown as she snuggled into his shoulder.

"Goodnight, Gray."

"Goodnight, beautiful."

And with that, the young couple drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

_____________________

If our love's a tragedy,

Why are you my remedy?

If our love's insanity,

Why are you my clarity?

_____________________