I blink my eyes open as they adjust to the bright light around me.  I furrow my eyebrows as I rub my eyes. Wasn’t it just night time?  How long was I out?  I sit up and move my hands to take in my surroundings.  My eyes immediately widen.  Why do I see nothing but clouds?  Only then do I notice the peaceful warmth around me.  Flashes of the past hour start racing through my mind’s eye.  Ashley, fire, gun, shot…I was shot.  I look down at my torso only to see no evidence of the wound that I was bleeding from.  The words I spoke to Avi and the painless release filters back into my memory as well.  “Am…am I-”

          “Dead?” a voice behind me says.  A chill runs down my spine as I sit up straight. “Yep.  Super dead.  It takes a minute to adjust, but you’ll get there.”

          I turn around to face the direction of the voice and there I see a figure that I have longed to see for so long.  “Rachel?” I whisper, my voice straining as my throat tenses with emotion.

          “I’m here, Chlo’,” Rachel says as she opens her arms.  I scramble to my feet as I rush to her arms.  I hold her close as tears start trickling down my face.

          “I’ve missed you so much,” I sob, burying my face in Rachel’s shoulder.

          “I’ve missed you too,” Rachel says as she holds me tighter. “And now I never have to leave you.  We can be together forever.”  Rachel pulls away and cups my face for a minute before pressing a kiss to my lips.  I return the kiss softly but with a desperation to make up for lost time.  Finally, Rachel breaks free and glances over her shoulder.  “I guess I do have to share you now though,” she says.  I furrow my brows in confusion.

          “I feel like the one who saved her life gets first dibs, but I guess I will share,” another familiar voice echoes as another figure steps into view behind Rachel.  I immediately recognize the blue eyes and freckled cheeks.

          “Max!” I shout as she runs forward and hugs me.  I hold her close for a moment before letting her lose. “I never thought I was going to see you again.  And then you died in front of me after taking a freaking bullet for me.”

          “Well now I’ll never leave you Chloe,” Max says.  I smile as I hug her one more time.  Rachel wraps her arms around both of us as we all sit there, soaking in each other’s presence after so much lost time.

          Rachel is the first to speak up, “Come on Chlo’, we have lots to show you.”  Max and Rachel start to walk away, but I can’t help but hesitate.  I look down, my thoughts turning to Avi.  I feel a hand on my shoulder.  “She’ll be okay,” Rachel says. “She’s got people in her corner.  You’ve done your duty.  Now it’s time to rest.”  I nod as I put a hand on Rachel’s shoulder, looking down for a little while longer.

          “Besides, we have one more person who wants to see you,” Max says.  I finally turn around.

          “There’s my Chloe girl,” maybe the most comforting voice of all calls out.

          “Dad?!”

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This piece was done by the amazing EffraSorbus