Chapter Text
Melanie was back. She not only survived, but was actually successful. Her mission has gathered the data the engineers needed to determine when and where they could recolonize the Earth.
When they were coming back to pick her up, Audrey was nervous. And scared. They knew Melanie was alive some weeks back, since they got the data from the uplink. But they had no way of knowing what could have happened after. She was out there a whole month.
During those four long weeks, Audrey was forced into dealing with her past, her mistakes and her past relationship with Wilford. She didn‘t want to deal with all the shit his visit to the Nightcar brought up for her. But she also didn‘t want to get sucked back in. Not now. Not when she had Melanie.
So she reached out. She truly opened up to Zarah, who was concerned for her, after peaking into the Experience room and seeing that. Zarah wasn‘t a therapist, but she tried to help Audrey the best she knew how. And Audrey realized that just talking about all the things she went through had a healing effect. She wasn‘t perfect, but she also wasn‘t susceptible to Wilford‘s machinations again.
She also met Alexandra during their outing to the Nightcar. She immediately knew it is her, when she saw the lanky teen. She looked so much like her mother. So Audrey started a conversation with the girl and she quickly realized, that Alex not only looked like Melanie, but she was also genius, like her mom. Alex first seemed hesitant at the idea of talking to her, but when Audrey mentioned Mel, she was suddenly too eager to soak up any information about her mother that she could. And Audrey happily obliged. She recounted as many stories as she could remember to Alexandra and the girl was happy to hear positive things about her mom. When she had to leave, she promised Audrey, that she would try and come back to talk more.
Audrey didn‘t hold her breath about that, but few days later, when she was lounging in her changing room, she heard light footsteps and then nervous voice to call softly „Hello?“
She came out of her room and saw the teenager to look around her. Nightcar felt differently during the day. Not that you could tell in the perpetual darkness that shrouded the car, but Audrey and Alex were currently its only occupant and it was earily quiet.
After this visit, they started spending more time together, anytime Alex was allowed to come to Snowpiercer. Which now, when Melanie wasn‘t on board of the train happened to be almost every day. Wilford didn‘t have to keep them separated to punish Mel anymore, so he didn‘t really care where Alex was spending her free time.
When it was time to pick Melanie up, both her and Alex were waiting by the transition chamber where Mel was supposed to board the train again. Alexandra was pacing back and forth in front of the door to the chamber. Audrey was leaning her back at the train wall. Mel once told her, that she can feel what‘s wrong with Snowpiercer by just touching her and listening. Audrey closed her eyes and tried to listen too. But she was no genius engineer. Suddenly she felt a change in speed and her whole body jerked forward as she was not expecting it. Alex too.
The train slowed down and they both knew this was it. They came closer to the door, when suddenly there was a loud noise and the light above their heads started blinking red. It meant that door to the outside were open. Audrey felt her heartbeat speed up and she grabed Alex‘s hand and squeezed it tightly. Alexandra squeezed right back, but her eyes were glued to the chamber on the other side of the small round glasss in the door.
When they saw movement on the other side, Alex loudly gasped and Audrey got so overwhelmed, that she bowed her head, so her forehead was touching the cold metal of the door. They heard another loud boom, which meant the outside door were now closed. Audrey looked through the small window and she saw her. After a whole month, she finally saw Melanie again. Mel was trying to get out of her helmet and Audrey glanced above her head. The light now changed from red to green, and it was safe to open the door. So she did. Melanie turned after the hissing sound and she saw her daughter and Audrey quickly coming inside the chamber and while Alex stopped when she got past the door, Audrey rushed to Mel and helped her to remove her helmet. Within a few seconds she was free and her smiling face showed up.
She looked at Audrey, who was standing right before her and then her eyes fell on her daughter standing quietly behind Audrey. Melanie seemed a bit shocked to see the girl there, but her smile got even bigger. Audrey thought her cheeks must hurt. Melanie didn‘t waste any time and she hugged Audrey and pulled reluctant teen into hug too. All three of them just stood there and enjoyed their closeness. After a while Mel released both of them and she started to undress from the rest of the gear. After that she wanted nothing more, than to close herself in her cabin with her two favorite girls and just tell them everything she saw and did. But she knew she had to inform others first. They were all waiting for her and her news.
So the three of them headed for the engine, when they met Ruth in the hallway in first class. The blonde woman froze for a second, her eyes filled with tears and then she was hugging Melanie tightly and tearily proclaiming, that she knew she would make it back. Mel was touched. She knew she had hurt Ruth badly and they did not part on best terms. Sure, they were civil towards each other just before Mel‘s departure, but she wasn‘t sure, they would ever get their friendship back. This made it seem, like they are on a good path to repairing their relationship.
After reaching the engine, they were lucky. All three men Mel needed talk to were there. Javi, Layton and Bennett were discussing something when the doors opened and revealed happy Melanie and her companions. When the men turned and saw Melanie, Bennett smiled widely and ran to them to hug her. Melanie‘s hand was still tangled with Audrey‘s and she felt the other woman to tense. She squeezed her hand to let her know it‘s ok and Audrey slightly relaxed, when she realized that Melanie was not letting go of their joint hands.
After almost an hour of briefing the guys on her adventures and discoveries, Melanie retreated to her room with Audrey and Alex tailing after her. Alex seemed a bit reluctant when she informed her mother, that she had to go back to Big Alice if she didn‘t want to anger Wilford. Melanie was dissapointed she was leaving so soon, but Alexandra assured her, she would come back soon. She even hugged both older women before she left. After the door closed after her, Melanie and Audrey looked at each other.
„I see you have new friend,“ smiled Melanie and Audrey coud tell that it was important to her, that she and Alex got along just fine.
„Yeah, she‘s a lot like her mom, so how could I not like the kid,“ winked Audrey and Melanie‘s smile dropped slightly. She moved, so was standing right in front of Audrey and she sneaked her arms around Audrey‘s neck. The singer wrapped her arms around Mel‘s waist and pulled her even closer.
„I‘m just glad you had each other, while I was out there.. I was worried about you. With him being back and all,“ said Melanie and her nose grazed Audrey‘s cheek.
„I‘m not gonna lie. I was a mess at first. Especially after he came to Snowpiercer and we were face to face after all those years. But Zarah helped me a lot. She knew some little things about our past, or she deduced and she was a great help. And after I met Alex, that helped a lot too. She was here almost everyday and it was welcomed distraction. We got to talk about you, about the train and her memories of the outside world and it was great. She truly is a mini you. Even after all those years of his influence.“
Melanie sighed and her lips lifted up in a small smile. „Allie was always stubborn. She has her own head and she would not be told what to do. Even when she was a toddler. If she didn‘t want to do something, there was usually no way to force her. I remember this one time. She was spending weekend with my parents. I was supposed to arrive on Saturday afternoon, after work. I got delayed, as usual, but when I arrived to the house, little Allie was sitting outside, on the porch, holding her favorite stuffed dog in her arms and she was asleep. I remember trying to tell my mother she couldn‘t leave her outside like this. And she told me there was no other choice. Every time anyone would come near her after she would fall asleep, she would wake up and put up a fight to stay right there on the porch. She would wait there until I have arrived. And she was four years old at the time. Can only image how much stubborn she got over the years.“ chuckled Mel.
Audrey was charmed. She got the know the girl over the past month and this insight from her mother served to flesh the image in her mind even fuller.
„Just as I said before. Like mother, like daughter.“ smiled Audrey and before Melanie could protest, she captured her lips in ravenous kiss. Mel didn‘t fight her and they moved across the room to the tiny bunk bed, while undressing each hungrily.
//////
Melanie was awoken by knocking sound. She opened one eye and realized, that not only she‘s back in her room on Snowpiercer, but that she isn‘t alone. There was an arm around her waist and she felt a body snuggled into her from behind. After blinking few times, the memories from the previous night came to her and she couldn‘t help herself, but smile happily. Audrey could always brighten her day. She was pulled out of her daydreaming by the same sound, that woke her up. She carefully got out of the bed, trying not to wake her peacefully sleeping companion and looked around for some clothes she could use. After getting dressed, she went to the door and opened them, to find impatient Ruth on the other side.
„Finally,“ grumbled the blonde. „I was knocking for like ten minutes.“
„Sorry, Ruth. I‘ve finally got some good night sleep, so I guess I overslept.“ apologized Melanie to her former colleague. Ruth‘s expression softened and she even allowed herself a small smile.
„It‘s ok. I guess being out there wasn‘t best for your sleeping schedule. However, now that you are awake, your presence is requested in the first class dining room. And if you see Audrey, could you tell her, she should appear too? Seems that she did not spend the night in her room in Nightcar.“ chuckled Ruth and her only asnwer was Melanie blushing hard.
„Sure, Ruth. Will do,“ mumbled the engineer and she closed the door. When she was turning around, she heard rustling of the sheets.
„Looks like we weren‘t that subtle, as we thought.“ Audrey‘s voice was raspy from the sleep and Melanie felt the urge to just stay in bed with her all day. The sure deserved it. But they had responsibilities they had to attend to. Both of them.
„Seems like we have been summoned.“ said Melanie, still looking at Audrey wantonly. The other brunette stretched on the bed, her naked body on full display.
„You sure you don‘t want to continue our fun from last night? Smiled Audrey and Melanie groaned.
„You know I‘d love too. I‘d stay here with you all day if I could, but..“
„But we need to go. I know.“ whispered Audrey. „But maybe a quick shower, what do you say?“
„You are a tease!“ replied Melanie, but she was already tossing her clothes as she looked at Audrey. „You coming, or what?“
„Don‘t have to tell me twice!“ Audrey scrambled from the bed and ran after her lover into small bathroom. They could be a few minutes late.