Tick. Tick. Tick.... Goodbye.

The day felt like it was burning away under you. In no time it was the end of business, and you and Sabrina were headed out while Eric would catch up on some of the overtime that you, Gemma and Sabrina had been putting in.

Sabrina made it clear, once you left the building, that she’d talk about her thing after Gemma had left. You weren’t sure why she couldn’t tell you on the bus ride back to her place, but she just changed the subject when you brought it up. It was a little frustrating, but with her reassurances that it wasn’t a danger thing and putting a time on when she would talk about it, you felt like you didn’t have much place to push it.

Gemma was waiting for you at the apartment, with dinner in the oven, and it didn’t take long for you to have inhaled the lasagna she’d made and then end up on the couch, naked, cuddling under a blanket.

You and Sabrina just held her in the silence, and eventually Gemma started quietly talking about what she was excited to do when she was home, and the things she would want to show you in December when you came for the wedding, and Sabrina on the next trip - there was no question that there would be a trip, the question was just when. And then the three of you talked about next summer - once Law School applications were done, the ‘correct’ choice for your careers was to pick up new internships, but there was still that idea of the three of you going on vacation together.

The French Riviera was the original idea, and while other locations were suggested, none seemed so magically surreal. So you decided that was what you were going to do - which was insane, considering the three of you had only been together for two and a half months and you were making plans 8 months in advance for a trip that would last three months or more.

“We really don’t hold back, do we?” you chuckled.

“And I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Gemma said, leaning in and kissing you.

There was no sex - all the sexual goodbyes had happened already. The three of you just were together for the last two hours of peace.

Then it was time to go, and you had to get dressed.

“John,” Gemma said as she pulled on one of your T-shirts that she was stealing from you. “Move in with Sabrina here.”

“What?” you asked, the change in topic taking you a second to parse.

“Part of the reason we didn’t all just start living together was because I didn’t want to abandon my friendship with Becca and Charlotte, and we felt like we needed our alone time,” Gemma said. “Neither of those counts anymore. Just move in with Sabrina here for the last week, it’ll be easier for both of you.”

“I-” you said, then looked at Sabrina. “If that’s what you want?”

“Are you kidding?” Sabrina asked. “I’ve wanted that since we started boning and we weren’t even in a relationship.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” you asked.

“Because we were in a routine, and if you moved in then Gemma would feel like the odd one out,” Sabrina said. She turned to Gemma and hugged her. “Thank you, baby.”

“You’re welcome, love,” Gemma said, hugging her back.

All set to go, passport ready, bags packed and devices fully charged for her long-as-fuck flight around the globe, Gemma stood at the door to Sabrina’s apartment and took one last look around. “You know,” she said. “This feels like home. And my life changed in so many different ways here.”

“Want me to see if the landlord will let me buy the couch?” Sabrina asked with a smirk.

That got snorts and laughs out of you and Gemma, and you were out the door. The Uber driver almost brought her to the wrong terminal and had to circle around the airport once before unloading, and you and Sabrina went in with Gemma and waited as she checked her baggage. The airport was busy and bustling, and you wondered where all these people were headed on a Wednesday evening.

“Well, that’s everything,” Gemma said as she came back to you and Sabrina and you started walking, slowly, towards the TSA lines. “I-” She shut her mouth and you could see the tears starting to brim in her eyes.

“Do the other thing first,” Sabrina said, rubbing her arm.

“Other thing?” you asked, trying not to tear up yourself.

Gemma cleared her throat and grinned wryly at you. Then she dug into her side satchel and pulled something out. She took your hand and put a piece of fabric into your hand. “This, love of my life, is to pay you back for the sweaters,” she said. “Because you need something that smells like me just as much as I need something that smells like you.”

You were smiling and frowning at the same time, and looked down at what she’d handed you and quickly clutched it tight and shoved it into your pocket as they both laughed. It was a pair of sheer lingerie panties. “Thanks,” you chuckled, shaking your head.

Gemma was grinning as she looked deep into your eyes. “We’ll call every day,” she said. “And you’ll come visit in December, and we’ll be together again permanently by the end of April. I’m going to miss every inch of you, and every minute we’re apart is going to feel awful. I love you, John Watkins, with all my heart.” She turned to Sabrina, pulling her a little closer with an arm around the slender girl’s shoulders. “And I’m going to feel like half my heart and brain are still here in the US without you, Sabrina. John is the best compliment to my puzzle piece, but you’re the other half of it. You complete me in ways I didn’t know I needed.” Tears were running freely down her cheeks now. “I love you with all my heart too, Sabrina Sodemeyer. I belong to you both, and you belong to me.”

The hug between the three of you was crushing and felt like it might have gone on for twenty minutes. The crowds swirled around you, and you didn’t care if people were looking or staring. Gemma kissed Sabrina, and then she kissed you, as you held each other.

“I know you’ve got the whole thing about it,” Sabrina finally murmured. “But if you didn’t, I’d probably have asked you to marry us - however that would work.”

Gemma sniffed hard and pulled away a little, the earnest smile on her lips as she wiped at her eyes with one hand saying she wasn’t upset. “Thank you for not,” she said. “Yet.” She swallowed and shook her head. “I probably would have said yes, though. I’m just not ready for that title again yet, I need more distance from last time.”

The feeling of knowing she would have said yes was an explosion in your heart, shitting a brick in your pants, and floating off the ground all at once. You knew the love was real, but that just made it feel… more so.

“Be safe, Gemma,” you said, pulling her back into a solo hug for a moment and kissing the side of her head. “I love you to the ends of the Earth - even Australia.”

“I love you too, love,” she murmured.

“You said it wrong that time,” you smiled softly.

“You’ve been saying it right the whole time,” she replied. Then she stepped away and hugged Sabrina, and they murmured to each other quietly enough you couldn’t hear until they finally separated. “Alright,” Gemma said, adjusting her backpack and her side satchel. “Here I go, leaving the two best things in my life. Keep him safe and ours, Sabrina. John, make sure you tell her No every once in a while, it’ll only turn her on more. And when the thing this weekend comes up, just say yes, OK?”

“The thing this weekend?” you asked.

“Eight months,” Gemma said, and kissed Sabrina, and then kissed you, and turned to get into the security line.

“Hold me, baby,” Sabrina said, sliding under your arm as you watched her go. You hugged Sabrina to you, rubbing her back.

“What did she mean by ‘thing this weekend?’” you asked once Gemma had left your view.

“It’s a secret,” Sabrina said. “Now take me home. I need a pint of ice cream, my boyfriend holding me while I cry, and Nathan Fillion. Stat.”

“Doctor’s orders?” you asked with a soft chuckle.

“Yeah, Doctor Lovesick,” she said. “Now let’s go, or I’ll turn into a sobbing mess in the taxi. I’m barely keeping myself together right now.”

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