[Aeon]

Thank you all for the kind feedback. It encourages me to write more.

She never felt so light and full of complete peace as she did now. Feeling herself floating higher and higher she felt drawn and guided to a source of the most soothing light that felt like it embodied the most perfect feeling of love in all the universe. A figure in the distance began to take shape and in the blink of an eye she stood before the most beautiful woman she ever knew. "Natasha..is it really..you?" The beautiful blonde woman smiled lovingly as she took both her hands in her own, "welcome back home Ana."
"This must be a dream..you're so young..you look just like you did when I last saw you..so many years ago.."
"This is no dream Ana..you're back home. We are together again and will be so for eternity, just as it was meant to be." Instantaneously Ana realized she had passed to the other side, and she too was young and vibrant again. "Oh Natasha...I've missed you so! I never stopped loving you and here you are, just as I always hoped for... to be together again." "I love you too Ana, and now we are together again. Come, there are many others who are happy to see you come home again. We have eternity to make up for all the lost time and the love we missed sharing on the other side." Natasha took Ana's hand and led her the way...

When grandma didn't come down for breakfast the girls went to check on her and found that she passed away peacefully in her sleep. "I..can't believe she's..gone" Lena spoke between tears as Yulia held her. Yulia also cried for Ana was more like a grandmother to her than any she had known.
"She went quietly while she was in bed asleep..she was warm and happy..when you think about it, that's not a bad way to die. I will really miss her though."

After all the necessary calls including the one to Lena's parents the girls spent most of the day within arm's distance, often in embrace which they both found comforting.
"I don't know what I would do if you weren't here Yulia. Now that grandma's gone I'd feel so alone if you weren't with me."
Stroking Lena's face Yulia gently spoke, "I'll always be here for you Lena. You're the closest thing to family I have, you won't have to go through this or anything alone ever."
"My parents are flying in from Tver, they should be here by tonight. I haven't seen them in six months, and I'm not sure what's going to happen now that grandma's gone. I can't move there and be so far from you Yulia..it would kill me to lose you."
"Shh..let's not worry about that now..no matter what happen's we'll be together." Both girls lay close in each other's arms in silence, each plagued with worrying thoughts in their minds.

Lena's parent's walked with her from the funeral, each with a protective arm around her. They felt somewhat alien to her and she felt heavy with grief that she allowed them this closeness, it seemed to her it was more for their sake than hers. Yulia walked behind them not wanting to interfere with what seemed a family related by blood occasion.
Once inside the house, Lena's father turned and saw the smaller girl behind them, "Yulia, thanks for being there for Lena at this difficult time. We need to speak with Lena alone for a moment to discuss family matters. I'm sure you understand."
Yulia politely nodded and left the room and went up to Lena's bedroom.
Lena's mother turned to Lena and said, "Lena, honey...now that grandmother's passed away, we want you to return home to live with us."
Lena's head jerked up and looked at her mother. "Mom, this is home for me, and there's no way I can leave Yulia. She's everything to me, I can't be without her, especially now!"
Lena's father spoke, "Lena, we are your family, and we should be together. Besides, you're too young to live here on your own. We want you to come home with us tomorrow. You can always have your friend visit on occasion."
"No, you don't understand. She's not just a friend to me..she's..we are closer than I've ever been with anybody."
"Honey, we understand she's been a good friend to you. We're happy you weren't alone when you found your grandma gone. But there's no way you can stay here now. We'll have to sell the house and we really want you to be with us. Moscow is no place for a girl your age to be living on her own."
"Mom, I won't be alone! Yulia will live with me, and I'm nearly eighteen anyway. I don't want to live in Tver, this is my home now!"
Her father spoke more sternly. "Lena, we can't afford to keep both homes. How would you live? There is no room for debate. We've missed not having you with us, and you will be coming home with us tomorrow."
"I can find work, me and Yulia can take care of ourselves! You were never much parents to me before, and now you want to be now? No one, not even you can separate us!"
Lena stormed out of the room and ran to her bedroom to be with Yulia. She was crying uncontrollably with fear, grief and anger welling up inside her. Yulia stood and reached for her. "Lena, what's the matter?"
"They..they want to take me away. But I can't be without you Yuli!"
Yulia hugged her and both girls held onto each other tightly. "Lena..it'll be all right..we'll find a way..somehow.."

TBC...