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The capsule hits the ground with a jolt and a loud thud.
The moment that Hen realizes they survived reentry, the sound of joyous laughter erupts from the adjacent seat, filling the air around them.
Hen shifts her attention towards her best friend and is glad to see that their return to Earth has returned the smile to her face. She basks in the moment as Athena giggles with emotional relief, and it's not long before Hen laughs along with her. "Tell me that wasn't fun," Hen states, extremely grateful that Athena looks happy and is safe.
"Yeah," Athena agrees as she reaches out her hand towards Hen's shoulder, sharing a moment of elation that against all odds they've returned from space. They might have had to make a detour via the ISS, and left one member of their party behind, but overall it was successful as they are all still alive.
Hen hears the others celebrating behind her as Athena unbuckles her safety restraints, stands up, and opens up the hatch.
It means they are one step closer to returning home to LA. One step closer to her family, to Karen - her wonderful wife.
Hen took the trip for both of them, and Karen's the reason she's made it back. She has never been prouder of being married to the best person she knows.
She thinks about how Karen devised a plan to communicate with the five macronauts and how she was the one that was able to get them home. (And if Hen never hears that term again it would be too soon).
Now that they can step outside, Hen allows herself to picture their reunion, where she can embrace her wife and remind her that she is Hen's hero.
Hen happily exclaims "it's time to go home."