Though I was surrounded by a thick, grey haze, I was still able to make out the scenes that flashed before me. Crumbling buildings, bright flares, smears of blood, and dominating flames – all accompanied by the repetitive sounds of gun shots in the distance and the thundering blast of a bomb.

Everything wove seamlessly together in my mind, casting me as a helpless onlooker with no power to keep the events from unraveling.

It was like I was stuck in a dream – a nightmare – and unable to wake up.

But just like when I'd first arrived, when I finally found the strength to open my eyes, I was faced with the reality that it had not been a dream.

A dull pounding began behind my temples as I blinked, my surroundings fading into view. I was in the Grand Hall, but things were different than before. Instead of a space where agents were free to enjoy their down time with a meal and good company, it'd been completely transformed to resemble a large infirmary. Tables that had previously been used to eat at were now being used as makeshift beds for the injured, with blankets thrown across them to give a semblance of comfort. One food counter remained open, serving those who had the strength to move about, but otherwise, the ambience flooding the Grand Hall was a somber one.

It was a scene that made me wince, wondering what state the rest of the building was in. Because if memory served me right, we'd been somewhere well below the east wing – underneath the library, infirmary, labs, and study rooms – when the bomb had gone off.

And suddenly everything came rushing back to me, my headache growing larger as I made a move to sit up. I remembered the way the ground shook and the fear that shot through me as the stones began to fall, closing me in. But what worried me the most were the unknowns – the events I'd missed while I'd been out.

What had happened to the dagger? To the Gemini Clan? To my friends and the other S.I.C.O agents?

My heart was speeding up with worry when a nurse came rushing over, noticing that I was awake. "Here," she said, picking up a small amount of healing solution and a glass of water from a cart a few feet away. Handing them to me, she smiled encouragingly. "Drink these. They'll make you feel better."

With shaky hands, I reached for them, lifting the water to my lips first. "Thanks," I replied, the cold water soothing my parched throat. As I then took the healing solution, cringing at the unpleasant taste it left in my mouth, the nurse used the opportunity to look over me.

Still adorning the same clothes I'd worn in the fight, I knew that I looked a mess. There were tears in my pants and my shirt, revealing the bruising skin beneath, and in the aftermath of the events, I was covered in a mixture of dust, dirt, and – though I didn't want to think much about it – I was positive the dried patches of crimson alluded to blood lost. If it all belonged to me, I wasn't sure.

My appearance however, was the least of my worries. Besides the pounding inside my head, the muscles in my arm and legs were starting to cramp, having been completely worn out, and with each small move I made, my back screamed in agony. My entire body was protesting, and while I knew that the healing solution would eventually work its magic, I expected to have to suffer through the pain for at least another couple of hours.

When the nurse's eyes finally came back to meet my own, I did my best to conceal my misery. "Do you need anything else?"

Her tone suggested that she believed I was more hurt than I was letting on, but I held my tongue, shaking my head in response. She hovered at my side for a moment longer, but when I said nothing more, she turned to walk away, moving to check on other agents.

Letting out a slow breath, my shoulders sagged and I closed my eyes, wanting just one minute to try and replay everything I'd done, wondering if there'd been another option. A safer option. But there was no time, because as the groaning of wood beside me caught my attention, I turned my head to see that Catherine was occupying the makeshift bed beside mine.

"Aspen," she said, her voice hoarse. Joe was by her side and I watched as he leaned closer to her, muttering something in her ear before she shook her head. "You're alright."

My eyes widened as I took her in. Her skin had lost a significant amount of colour, now a sickly pale shade, only made worse with the darkening shadows underneath her eyes. She lay down, seemingly too weak to move with an IV hooked up to her left arm and a large bandage wrapped around her abdomen.

"Wh-what happened?" I stuttered, flicking my gaze back and forth between them. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she insisted, though the strain in her words had me full of disbelief.

"What she means," Joe cut in before I could push, "is that she will be fine." He glanced at Catherine, meeting her gaze and having a silent conversation for a moment before turning back to me. "Damon cornered her in the attack."

My breath caught, remembering what Finn had said about Damon wanting to take care of Catherine. While he'd used the information to taunt me, he'd also been telling the truth.

"Now your mother here is strong, and has the capability to take on whoever stands in her way of getting things done, but when someone brings a gun into the mix, the stakes always get higher."

It was the first time that I wasn't objecting to someone referring to Catherine as my mom – partially due to the lightning bolt of worry that coursed through me at the word gun. "You were shot?"

"It'll heal," Catherine replied. "Before long it'll be nothing more than a scratch."

I was glad someone seemed to be looking on the bright side, because in that moment, I sure wasn't. "And Damon?" I asked, fearing for what I'd hear in response. "What happened to him?"

"When the bomb went off, like so many of the other Gemini agents, he tried to flee," Joe started to explain, leaving me waiting in anticipation as he paused. "But he didn't get far." I uttered a curse of relief under my breath. "As soon as the alarms went off we were able to contact S.I.C.O headquarters, and as we held off the Gemini Clan, they worked quickly to get here. Damon was caught and detained, as were many of the others."

"So, he'll be locked up?"

"First he'll be questioned, and likely administered a truth serum if he doesn't talk," Joe replied, "but yes. After S.I.C.O gets the information they need, he'll be confined to one of the prison cells they have scattered across the globe."

It was good news. Finally, after weeks of not knowing what would come of the Gemini Clan's advances, I should've been able to breathe easier now that things had ended in our favour. In theory. Instead, I could feel the pressure of unanswered questions – the unknowns – pressing in on me from every direction.

The only way to relieve it? Answers.

"And Finn?" I asked, a tremble to my voice. Though some part of my subconscious already knew the answer I'd get.

I saw the wave of sadness that smoothed over Catherine's features, and let out a breathy sigh as she managed to gently move her head back and forth. Despite his actions, I couldn't stop the ache that spread in my chest as I listened to Joe say the words. That he'd died in the explosion.

"He made his choices, Aspen," Catherine spoke quietly, and I managed to just keep the tears that glazed my eyes at bay, "and there's nothing you could've done to save him."

"But if I'd said something earlier – about suspecting that he was the one working against us, he could still be alive."

"There's no use stressing the past. What you did was brave, albeit rash and dangerous," Joe paused, looking at me pointedly. I shrank back, a small, guilty smile pulling at my lips. "But because of it, Finn never got a hold of the dagger. When everything was dug up, we were able to get you and Kira out, as well as Finn's body, and the dagger was secured. It's in the possession of S.I.C.O headquarters now, and they'll decide what comes of it."

"Kira," I said immediately, "oh my god, is she alright? And what about Beckett, and everyone else?"

"Beckett's been spending time talking things through with the agents that came from headquarters. There were barely a few scrapes on him when all was said and done, but Kira," Joe's voice dropped as he trailed off. "She's been treated and the nurses believe she'll make a full recovery, but the damage was bad. As far as I know, she hasn't woken up yet."

I gulped, but it'd do me no good to worry. I had to trust that the nurses knew what they were doing; had to believe that Kira would be okay.

"So, what do we do now?" I asked, my gaze darting between Catherine and Joe. "With everything that's happened, is it safe to stay here, or...?"

A look of uncertainty filled Catherine's eyes, and I noticed the way that Joe reached for one of her hands as she mustered the breath to speak. "For now, given the damages that have been done, Division 27 is being disbanded. S.I.C.O is working hard to send every agent to the Division that they believe will be the best fit, but I've been asked to help out at headquarters for a while, as has Joe. And you, Aspen, have a choice."

My brows furrowed in confusion.

"I never wanted this life for you," she admitted. "The danger, the constant worrying, and the large question marks that come with each assignment. And now that the Gemini Clan no longer poses an imminent threat, if you choose, you can leave S.I.C.O behind and go back to the life you knew. It may not be completely safe going back home, but if you want a normal life, you're free to go anywhere and have it." She paused for a moment as I took in that information. "Or... you can choose to stay. I wanted to ask if you'd consider coming with us. I'd like the chance to get to know the daughter I gave up, and the woman you've grown up to be, but only if it's what you want as well."

She was giving me a choice, unlike when I'd first arrived. If it'd been two months prior, there wouldn't have been any hesitation on my end as I took the opportunity to leave this all behind. But now, after gaining friends whom I could trust to have my back and beginning the journey of becoming a S.I.C.O agent, my perspective had changed.

I wasn't the same girl who'd been brought here against her will. I was stronger, and in that moment, I realized that I didn't want to go back. I'd come so far, and I wasn't ready for everything to unravel.

"Yeah," I said, a genuine smile pulling at my lips as I met Catherine's gaze, "I think I'd like that."

----------

It was a few hours later when I began to feel the effects of the healing solution. The pain was still there, but it was dimming, and even though they advised against moving around too much, I managed to convince one of the nurses to take me to see Kira.

She had been set up atop one of the tables on the other side of the Grand Hall, and though I did believe the nurses were telling the truth, that she'd be okay, I needed to see it for myself.

As I slowly limped my way through the hordes of people, a nurse at my side for support, I saw for the first time all the damage that'd been done. It seemed like almost everyone had obtained some kind of injury in the fight – some much more severe than others. There were stitched up cuts and broken bones. Bruised skin and exhausted eyes. And then there were the heartbroken ones, those who'd lost a friend and were mourning the agents that hadn't made it out of the fight alive.

By the time I reached Kira's side, the nausea in my stomach had grown to insurmountable heights, and I was forced to take long, deep breaths to dispel just a fraction of the worrying thoughts that were consuming me. Sitting down on the bench of the table, I thanked the nurse for her help, though it came out as more of a wheeze, and she nodded in acknowledgement before leaving me alone.

Shifting my gaze over to Kira, I felt my chin begin to tremble. She was certainly worse off than I was, and it was all because of that serum Finn had used on her. I'd asked the nurse what it'd been, and was shocked to learn that it hadn't been the same thing that Beckett had used on me the first night we'd met. It was more destructive. It hadn't just left her unconscious, but had weakened her from the inside, making the physical blows from the explosion all the more impactful.

Her eyes were still closed, but her breathing was steady as I took one of her hands and squeezed it between my own. "Please," I said softly, willing her to awaken, "please be okay."

As the minutes passed, there wasn't so much as a twitch from her body. Periodically, a nurse would come around to offer me something to eat, but eating was the last thing on my mind. In fact, even the thought of forcing food into my body, no matter how rational it was, made my stomach twist.

Instead, I sat there, waiting for hours until her hand finally moved in mine, squeezing it as she was pulled into consciousness.

"Kira," I breathed out with relief as her eyes fluttered open.

Her features scrunched up in pain as she moved slightly, rustling the blankets she lay on. "I'm guessing this means everything worked out?" she asked, her voice scratchy.

My laughter was woven with choked back tears and pure joy. "Yeah, for the most part," I replied, watching as her dried lips stretched into a thin smile. "Kira, I have to ask... how did you even know where I was? What I was planning to do?"

"I didn't," she replied, "but I was tasked with watching the security cameras and helping stand guard of the labs. If I hadn't seen you disappear after that cloud of smoke you released, I wouldn't have realized what you were doing."

Suddenly, I found myself overcome by a pang of guilt. "But you didn't have to follow – "

She was quick to cut me off. "I know I didn't have to, but that's what friends are for. Though I didn't know that Finn had followed you until I saw all the guards that'd been stationed outside the tunnel completely down for the count." For a moment, a horror spread through me, knowing that when Finn had come after me, he clearly hadn't spared anyone. "And at that point, there was no time to grab any back up. I knew I had to get to you."

"Honestly, if you hadn't come when you did, I don't know what I would've done," I admitted, knowing that I'd been overrun with nerves and had been seconds away from backing down. "But I'm so sorry that I got you into that mess. If I hadn't – "

"Don't apologize," she said, cutting me off once more. "Every agent knows that even if it's dangerous, sometimes following your instincts is the best way to get things done. Plus, if I had to choose again, I wouldn't do anything differently."

There was a moment where an unrecognizable emotion crossed her features, almost like a mixture of grief and understanding, but before I could ask her what was wrong, she spoke again.

"There's something..." she paused, as though struggling to hold back tears. "I've never told you the real reason behind my transfer into the lab."

From the tenderness of her words, I didn't know if I was ready to hear the story, but nevertheless, I held onto her hand as she told it.

"Her name was Raven," she said eventually, exhaling slowly. "She was gorgeous, strong, and fearless. I spent a lot of my childhood wondering if something was wrong with me, wondering why I'd been born attracted to girls instead of guys, but after meeting her, everything kind of fell into place." There was a whisper of a smile on her lips, because even though her memories were painful, she cherished them.

"We were together through it all – training, our first assignments – and when we were paired up for an assignment after so long, there was a comfort knowing that I'd be there to keep her safe, instead of waiting up for her to come back to me. But things went to shit that night. I accidentally set off a hidden alarm while doing surveillance and the next thing I knew, the sound of gun shots ripped through the night. And if... if she hadn't jumped in front of me... if she hadn't taken the bullet for me... she'd still be here." The tears were falling by this point, and each word was a hiccup that she had to force out. "She sacrificed herself for me, and after that... after that I never went out into the field again. Not until I ran after you, because in some part of my brain, I thought that protecting a friend – putting my life on the line – would prove to the gods above that I was worthy of being hers, even if it was just for a short moment in time."

The story absolutely broke my heart, even more so as it ended and I watched her completely fall apart. I'd have never guessed that Kira, someone who appeared to be the epitome of confidence and strength, had carried the weight of her girlfriend's death on her shoulders. And after so long, there'd been nothing pushing her to face her past. She could've stayed in the lab and alerted someone else of my whereabouts, but she hadn't. She stepped out and fought for me – like a true friend – and a lumped formed in my throat knowing what it cost her emotionally to do so.

"There's not a doubt in my mind that she's watching over you right now and smiling, because there's no way she's anything but proud of you," I said softly, smiling through the tears. "And so am I."

She squeezed my hand, but even I could see that through the emotional turmoil she'd just put herself through, her energy was dwindling.

"Get some rest," I said, and her eyes were already closing as I added, "and when you wake up, you can tell me all about Raven, and every way that she stole your heart."

I called over the closest nurse as Kira's breathing evened out. As I watched her get checked over, the worries in my mind slowly began to vanish, because I knew that I didn't need to hope anymore – I knew she'd be okay.

----------

When I awoke the next morning, I was in my room, the sun hitting my face as it shone brightly through the cracked glass of the window.

Instead of bringing me back to the place I'd taken up beside Catherine, the nurses had deemed me well enough to head back to the housing wing for the night – which had attained the least amount of damage. And now, as I slid out from underneath the covers and trotted across the room to my en-suite, I reveled in the way the healing solution had worked its way through my body. The aches and pains that'd been front and center the day previous were now gone, leaving only the physical scars to remain.

After a lengthened shower, in which I stood under the spray until every last piece of evidence from the fight had been washed away, I let my damp hair fall down over my shoulders and pulled on a fresh set of clothes.

It was a new day and I was feeling better. Not quite 100% yet, but good enough that I wanted to venture out onto the grounds, needing to see for myself the damage that'd been done.

Making my way down the stairs, I saw the cracks that now adorned the stone I walked on, and as I reached the bottom, noticed the security tape that had been hung up to keep everyone from exploring the east wing. From here I could see large pieces of stone littering the hall, and could only imagine the extent of the damage beyond.

Stepping outside, I could hear the faint chirps of birds in the distance as they flew over head. A mild breeze kissed my skin and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, making it seem like a perfect spring day – if it weren't for the state of the Division.

Careful of scattered debris, I made my way slowly around the grounds with no real destination in mind.

Over a quarter of the building was left in ruins. As expected, the most damage had been in the east wing, and as I got a better look, I saw nothing but complete demolition. There was nothing left but a pile of stones, though beneath them, it was likely that items such as clocks, chairs, books, and so many other miscellaneous things, remained within the rubble.

Around where the east wing had previously stood, that which remained was considerably worse for wear. Charred stone, shattered windows, and smaller piles of fallen stone made up the remainder of the scene, forming such a contrast to the view I'd grown used to.

As I rounded the edge of the building, a wisp of happiness flowed through me as I saw that the gazebo remained relatively intact.

Walking up the cracked steps, I pulled open the flimsy door and moved towards the center of the enclosed space. From where I stood, I could see both the horrors that the Gemini Clan and Finn had thrust upon the Division, as well as the horizon that reached well beyond the forest. There'd be no way to forget the events; the knowledge that there'd been blood spilt on these very grounds, and the memories would always linger in the back of my mind, but in that moment, I chose to look towards the horizon – towards what would surely be a new beginning.

I must've lost track of time, because before I knew it, the sound of footsteps hit my ears and the door squeaked open.

"Hey."

A soft smile pulled at my lips as I turned to face Beckett. "Hey," I returned, my eyes scanning over him as he continued towards me, coming to a stop just inches away from me. "How are you?"

"I'm good. Just a few scratches," he said, lifting a hand to the side of my face before running the back of his fingers softly over my cuts. "It's nothing I can't handle."

I wanted to bring up what had happened – the way I'd kissed him out of the blue, only to disappear and put my life on the line, but he didn't give me the chance. Before I could find the words, he brought his lips down onto my own. Applying a light pressure at first, I felt a thrill of euphoria stream through me, and once the surprise wore off, I didn't hesitate to kiss him back. Our lips moved in unison, equally as demanding, and when I felt the sweep of his tongue across my bottom lip, a shiver raced down my spine as I opened my mouth wider to give him better access.

From there, everything escalated. The pace picked up, and while my hands had previously been clutching the front of his shirt, they slowly inched upwards, exploring the panes of his chest, the muscles in his arms, and the strength in his shoulders as they went. I could feel him smile against my lips as I pushed myself closer to him, craving the safety that he offered, and just as a quiet moan escaped my lips, he began to lighten his movements.

"You scared me half to death," Beckett said as he pulled away, my eyes still closed as his breath fanned my lips. When I slowly forced them open, I saw the complex emotion that stared back at me. "What were you thinking going down that tunnel?"

"I don't know if I was, to be honest," I replied, moving my hands to hold either side of his face. "I just knew that there were so many people fighting to keep the Gemini Clan at bay, including yourself, and I wanted to help. I had figured out where the dagger was hidden, and I don't know, some part of me just knew that it wasn't as protected as it should've been."

His arms dropped to hang loosely around my waist. "I'm not saying I'm not proud of you, because I am," he said, an underlying softness to his words, "but when the bomb went off and no one could find you, I felt the ground beneath me shift. And when you were dragged from underneath all that stone, Aspen, I don't know if I can ever forget the burst of relief I felt when they said you were going to be okay."

I lifted upwards, landing a quick peck on his lips. "I'm a fighter, you know that firsthand," I replied, trying to make light of the situation. There was nothing to worry about now. The worst of it was behind us. "I guess you'll just have to get used to the fact that you're not the only one willing to risk their lives for the greater good."

A wariness filled his features. "Yeah, about that," he started. "For the past few weeks, my assignments have been geared more towards surveillance work for agents at the S.I.C.O headquarters. They're looking to reclaim the other two remaining weapons from the Gemini Clan, and now that the dagger is in their hands, well, they're moving forward with their efforts. I'll be heading there once everything here is sorted."

From the way he was looking at me, anticipating my response, I knew he expected a different reaction than the one I gave. "Well it just so happens, that my mom is also being transferred to headquarters for a while." I smiled up at him. "And when she asked, I told her I'd go with her."

His expression was one of surprise and happiness. "Seriously?"

I nodded. "It may not have been what I saw myself doing with my life, but being a part of S.I.C.O, being an agent, it's what I want now. I want to continue training, I want to prove to myself that I have what it takes, and maybe, just maybe, I want to get skilled enough to take you down in a fight."

Laughter escaped his lips. "You can try," he teased, before planting his lips on mine once more. It was a soft kiss, but one filled with passion and yearning all the same.

When he pulled back a minute later, Beckett slipped his arms around my shoulders, tucking me in close to him. I felt his cheek rest softly against the top of my head and I sighed in contentment as I wrapped an arm around his waist.

I didn't know what was ahead for me, for us, but I couldn't wait to find out.

THE END

a/n: And things have come full circle! This is the official last chapter of Cloak and Dagger – there will be no epilogue! Thank you all for sticking with me on this journey as I tried to write outside my comfort zone, and I hope that with things now said and done, you guys enjoyed this story. I know I had a blast writing it, and even though I technically did leave it open for a possibility of a sequel, right now, there are no plans to write one. But who knows what the future will hold!

In other news, with this book officially coming to an end, my next book – Shot on Goal – will be uploaded within the next two weeks, and if you're a fan of hockey, romance, and the two twined together, you're in for a treat!

As always, a reminder to follow me on social media for any other updates:

Twitter/Instagram: emmaroseszalai