Work Text:
V? But you…you’re…is it really you? I've been waiting for you to come home now for over a month!
Hey Jude. How’ve you been baby? Are you holding up okay?
V, am I asleep? I’m dreaming, aren't I?
Take my hand Judy. We don’t have much time. There's some things I need to say to you.
V, please, just tell me. It’s been so hard since you’ve been gone. Is this real? I mean right now? Are you really here in this room with me?
No baby. Not in the way I think you mean. I’m sorry. I want you to take a walk with me. I’m worried about you.
Calabacita, it’s just so hard living without you. It hurts. Every morning, as soon as I wake up, I look for you. But all I see is your pillow; it’s killing me.
I know baby. I know. But you need to start accepting the fact that I’m gone and I’m not coming back.
It hurts me to even say it, but it’s the truth. And I’m worried about you. If you want to be happy baby, you’re going to have to learn to live without me. I’m gone Jude.
And you know I’ll always love you with my whole heart but I’m not coming back, and it really really sucks, but there’s nothing we can do about it.
Come on, take my hand baby. Walk with me out in the world. It’s a gorgeous day. I promise you’ll feel a little better. Trust me one last time.
V had been dead for about a month; finally succumbing to the power of the relic, her mind and body just weren’t able to handle the strain any longer.
They always knew it was a real possibility. Judy’s been in such a deep depression. She’s really been trying to get on with her life, but she sees her calabacita everywhere.
Her clothes are still strewn all over the floor of their apartment. Her makeup sits on the bathroom sink. Her shampoo still leaks when Judy knocks it over.
Judy won’t get rid of anything, and the memories are piling up around her. They’re threatening to overthrow her life.
The past can never be stronger than the present; it doesn’t work that way. Some days, Judy doesn’t want to leave the bed. She’s living in the past more and more. Her dreams have all but stopped.
Her once sassy, spunky, cocky personality has dissolved into a sullen, sad, morose state of existence.
They knew death was always around the corner but they were so happy, so in love.
They started to believe that their feelings and emotions were more powerful than the relic. Unfortunately, that was never going to be true.
Judy grasps V’s hand, but it’s not the same. her heat, her warmth, her light; they were gone.
They’re suddenly outside, in Night City. They’re walking through the streets and avenues. It’s a beautiful day but Judy knows something’s different. The people are blurry, unclear. The buildings sit empty, and cold. Sounds of laughter of anguish of joy and happiness replaced by an uneasy stillness, a void.
Where are we going V?
Ohh, you know. Our favorite place in the whole world. I want to go to Laguna Bend with you. One last time baby. I thought it’d be nice just to sit together down by the water. We don’t have to talk. We can just sit with each other.
V, I, I can’t do this. It hurts too much. I see you everywhere and it only gets worse. Isn’t it supposed to be easier? Doesn’t everybody always say time heals all wounds? Well when? When is that going to be true! It’s all bullshit!
Close your eyes, Jude. Please baby, for me.
She closes them, and when she opens them, they’re sitting on the dock outside of the lake house. The sun is shining. This time, V puts her head in her baby’s lap. She’s looking up at her with a sad smile on her face. V says, I remember being in the water together and feeling so exhilarated, so full of life. I never wanted the day to end.
Judy instinctively starts running her hand through V’s hair. It feels so good, sublime, even if the feeling is ephemeral. The world is silent. The light comes through the clouds and rests on the water.
Jude, please, live your life, be happy. We’ll always always have our love, our memories. They’re always going to be there. See, that’s the thing. The past can be beautiful as long as we don’t give it more power than the present. When that starts to happen, life can go downhill pretty quickly. So please baby, for me. Live your life. If you meet someone else, it’s okay baby. I only want you to be happy. It’s so so short, life. She continued looking up at Judy, smiling, content.
I don’t want to meet anyone else. I want you. Why can't you come back Valerie!
I can’t baby. I’m sorry. Our time here's almost done. Remember, live your life the way you want. Who cares what anyone else thinks. Be happy. I’ll always be right here Jude, and she lifts a ghostly hand and points to Judy’s heart.
Ohh V, calabacita I miss you so much! Will you tell me it'll get easier?
V looks her in the eye.
I promise it’ll get easier. I have to go now. Bye baby. I’ll always love you. Goodbye!
She sits bolt upright in bed. It's still dark. She checks the time, 3:30 am. She looks over at V’s old pillow.
She sits there for a minute, in the darkness, disoriented and confused. Nibbles comes over and starts to purr.
V, I, I miss you. But thank you for tonight. It was so nice to sit by the water and watch the sun go down with you. I’m gonna try and take your advice. I am. I’ll take it slow. I know it’s not gonna be easy, but it’s a start. It’s a start. I love you calabacita. Bye!