The Truth

The walk to Finn’s apartment felt endless. Every step pressed guilt and dread deeper into her chest. But she couldn’t avoid this conversation any longer—not after everything. Devin was in the past now. She owed it to Finn, to herself, to be honest.

She reached his door just after sunset, the city humming with life below. She knocked softly, almost wishing he wouldn’t answer. But of course he did. Finn opened the door, smiling that warm, easy smile that had drawn her in from the start. But his eyes held a hint of worry.

“Hey babe. You okay?”

She stood there, uncertain for a moment. Then she nodded, stepping inside. His apartment was warm, comfortable, the scent of his cologne lingering in the air. She felt her heart twist.

“Yeah,” she said, closing the door behind her. “I just... I need to talk to you. About everything.”

He gestured to the couch.

“Sit down.”

She hesitated, then lowered herself onto the cushion, her hands twisting in her lap. He sat across from her. His eyes searching hers.

“What’s going on, Rikki?”

She took a deep breath, the words thick in her throat.

“Finn, I haven’t been honest with you. About who I am. About... everything.”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

Her chest felt tight, but she pressed on. “I’m not just a parole officer. That’s only part of me.” She met his gaze, her voice trembling. “Finn... I’m Nightingale.”

For a moment, he just stared at her, unblinking. The silence stretched and stretched.

“What?” he whispered finally.

She nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. “I’m the superhero, Nightingale. That’s me.”

He leaned back, shock painting his face. “You... Rikki, you’re Nightingale?”

“I’ve been hiding it from you,” she said, her voice breaking. “All those nights I said I was working late, or too tired to talk. I was out there being Nightingale.” She reached out to him, but he flinched. He raked a hand through his hair, his mind clearly racing.

“Jesus, Rikki. All this time. I can’t believe it.”

Her heart sank. “I know. I lied to you. And I hate myself for it.”

He shook his head slowly, as if trying to piece it all together.

“So all those times I worried about you—when you didn’t answer your phone—”

“—it was because I was out there,” she finished, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I’m sorry, Finn. I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how.”

Finn got up and started pacing. “I don’t even know what to say.” He paused, turning to look at her. “So, all those bruises they were from… fights?”

“Yeah,” she whispered.

He let out a breath that sounded like a laugh but wasn’t. “My girlfriend’s a superhero.”

“Please, Finn,” she said, her voice ****. “I need you to understand. I love you. That’s why I’m telling you now. Because I can’t keep living a lie. Not with you.”

He stopped pacing, his face softening just a little. “You really love me?”

She nodded, her heart in her throat.

“More than anything.”

“I mean obviously I suspected something was up with you. I just didn’t think it would be this. You’d disappear for hours with no explanation, sometimes days. So many times you were never fully present. At times I thought maybe you were having an affair.”

Rikki grimaced.

“I… I understand why you didn’t tell me. I’m not happy about being lied to all these months but I get it. You didn’t do this to hurt anyone. You did it to help.”

Rikki smiled at him and he smiled back.

“It’s just… a lot. I’m trying to process the fact that the woman I’ve been falling for is out there, risking her life, getting stabbed, shot at, whatever the hell else… and coming home like nothing happened.”

She stepped closer. “I’m still me. I still want a life with you. I just couldn’t keep pretending this wasn’t a part of it.”

“I don’t want you to pretend,” he said. “I just need to know… where do I fit into this world of yours?”

Her eyes softened. “You’re the most important part of it.”

Silence fell again, gentler this time.

Finn exhaled. “So… what now? Do you want me to just, accept this? Learn to live with it?”

“I’m not asking you to be okay with it overnight,” Rikki replied. “But I need you to know the truth. I need you to know me.”

He looked at her for a long time, then finally stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. She melted against him, relief blooming in her chest.

“I don’t know how we do this,” he murmured into her hair. “But I want to try. I love you, Rikki. Even if you are secretly some badass who terrifies half the city’s criminals.”

She laughed against his chest, a warm, shaky sound. “Good. Because I’m kind of in love with you too.”

He pulled back, smiling slightly. “Just promise me one thing.”

“Anything.”

“No more secrets.”

She nodded solemnly. “No more secrets.”

She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. In that moment, she didn’t feel like a hero, or a liar, or someone doomed to repeat Sandra’s mistakes. She felt like Rikki Drakeson. And for the first time in a long time, that felt like enough.

END OF CHAPTER 2