Otalia: The Smell of Cookies - (21/21) FINALLY FINISHED
Author: Chrissie aka itsalovestory
Title: The Smell of Cookies 21/21
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my imagination. Characters belong to Telenext/P&G. References to and dialogue from The Sound of Music belong to 20th Century Fox and others.
Fandom: Guiding Light
Pairings: Olivia/Natalia, Olivia/Alan, Doris/Blake, Rafe/Ava
Rating: Mostly PG-13, but will eventually reach NC-17
Summary: As the whispers of war spread across Europe, two souls are forever changed all because of the smell of cookies, the sweetest smell in all the world.
Spoilers: None, though I wish I had something to spoil.
A/N: This A/U combines my favorite movie and my favorite soap couple. I have attempted to stay historically accurate, but some events and dates have been changed to fit my story.
A/N 2: Welllllll...hello there dear readers...so the last few years have been crazy. I finished school, found a great job, lots a lot of weight, and met and married Mrs. Itsalovestory to get my own love story! I recently found my old Otalia hard-drive and saw some Venice pics from the recent season's filming that inspired me to write again. Please forgive the huge delay. I hope this final installment of The Smell of Cookies is sweet for you all! :)
Previously: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20
Olivia stood there, silent and still, her mouth agape with disbelief. “What the hell do you mean?” Olivia asked, snatching the envelope out of Alan's grimy hands.
Alan smirked like a slithering snake, “Oh just the beginning of your demise. Unless...”
Glancing up from the papers she was frantically looking through, Olivia asked again, “Unless?”
“As I've stated clearly before, unless you marry me, my dear,” Alan grinned, striding towards the shook woman. “Because, as you can plainly see, you are in serious trouble.”
The papers were damning for sure, but that's if they were actually real. Olivia knew they were forged, but what court of law would actually believe her when Alan was so rich and powerful and had so many other rich and powerful friends? Her hands shook as she handed the papers to Natalia, who then looked through them herself.
Natalia could not believe that these papers were real at all. However, like Olivia, Natalia knew that Alan would try to do whatever it took to take whatever, or in this case, whomever, he wanted. “Alan, if you come after the children, so help me God,” Natalia firmly spoke.
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Alan chuckled, “Oh you need all the help from God you can get, sister.” Alan knew if the women tried to stop him he could also bring his suspicions about their ungodly relationship to light as well.
“Well, you will not be able to do anything now,” Natalia defiantly proclaimed as she tore the papers in half.
Alan just laughed. “If you think I am dumb enough to bring the original copies of those documents to you two, you are both even more crazed then I thought and rightfully belong locked up behind bars at the Palais de l'Isle!” He gathered his belongings and turned towards the door. “As I am a godly man myself,” Alan sneered, “Olivia, you have until the morning to make a decision, or else I'm going to the inspector general myself.”
And, with that Alan turned and left.
***
Olivia paced the room and threw her hands up into the air before clenching them by her side again. “The nerve of that man! How dare he come into my home and try to actually blackmail me. I mean the audacity!” Olivia looked at Natalia nervously and spoke quietly, “I mean you know that I actually am not guilty. Right?”
Natalia looked up at Olivia from her perch on the chaise, her eyes soft and full of love. Natalia didn't even have to speak a word, but Olivia knew immediately how foolish her question had been as Natalia was the one person's opinion and belief in her innocence she could count on the most. Sitting next to Natalia, Olivia took her hand in her own, stroking the soft skin with her thumb. No matter what may come in the hours and days ahead, Olivia knew that Natalia was her home.
***
The women were jolted from their thoughts by a quick rapt at the front door. Olivia shook her head angrily and rose, walking quickly to the door and flinging it open. “If you think I will marry yo-”
Instead of Alan though, a wide-eyed Rafe stood broadly at the entrance. “Olivia, Paris has fallen!” he exclaimed.
***
After Rafe explained what was going on in France, especially Paris, the two women devised a plan to escape Annecy and, more importantly, how to out smart Alan. Packing frantically all they could fit into three suitcases total for the family, Olivia and Natalia held hands and looked back towards the house sadly.
Natalia, sensing her her lover's sadness, squeezed her hand and resolutely spoke, “We will be back someday.”
***
Twenty minutes later, Alan arrived at the abbey, his fancy automobile idling in the long driveway. After hearing of the news of the of the fall of France on the wire, he had gone straight to Spencer residence. But, not finding anyone home, he knew where the horrid women and grandchildren would hide like the cowards they were. “I must take what is rightfully mine!” Alan yelled and banged on the front doors of the church. “Olivia, you will be my wife!”
***
Meanwhile, Sister Doris and Sister Blake, giggled to themselves, holding a handful of wires and bolts. “I wish we could see this terrible man's face when her realizes his car won't be of much use to him any more,” Sister Blake chuckled.
Sister Doris agreed, nodding her head firmly, “I do believe that cad got exactly what he deserved.”
The two nuns walked happily back to the dormitories, knowing that the punishment from confession would be well worth it.
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***
Alan would not, could not be stopped, though. He stole a horse from the abbey's stables and made his way up through the surrounding mountainside. The hooves galloped loudly against the ground, Alan's teeth clenching and grinding angrily with every step. “I will find you, Olivia!”
***
The path up Les Dents de Lanfon was barely visible, the only light from two small lanterns that Olivia and Rafe held. The night sky was dark with no moon to guide the way and the stars too obstructed by clouds to see. They were scared but determined.
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Rafe stopped at a fork in the trail on the mountainside. Facing the group, he pointed to the right. “This will take you to Switzerland. Follow it for ten miles and you will come upon a small shack on the right. That is my friend's hunting cabin. He keeps the key for it stored under the mat by the boots. I know he has not been there for awhile, but there should still be some canned food and wood for a fire. You can rest there until morning and then make the two mile walk to the village below. And there you will be safe in your new lives.” He smiled sadly at his aunt, “I must stay behind and protect our homeland. I'm sorry.”
Natalia smiled and said simply, “I know.” She wouldn't have expected anything less from her nephew. She knew he did not understand the special connection between Olivia and her. Heck, she barely knew what to make of it either. However, Rafe had been honorable and kind and now so very brave, leading the way to safety for them all. She walked over to Rafe and gave him a big hug. “I love you dearly. Be saf-”
A shot broke out from beyond the trees, breaking the stillness of the night.
Around the bend, Alan strode out on the horse, his devilish smile still eerily bright in the dark. “Oh look what I have found here. A queer family moment!” He jumped down off the horse, which ran off, and quickly walked to the group, a revolver at his side, gripped tightly. “But, it is much too bad that I must get rid of you!” He pointed the gun squarely at Natalia's head.
Suddenly, a flash of a light flew by. Alan was thumped in the head. A shot rand out. The light went out and there was a great struggle for the gun, grunting voices and thrashing bodies. Another shot echoed through the quiet. A body collapsed, the light going out behind the steely eyes.
Olivia stood up triumphantly and faced the stunned group, the gun in her shaking hands. She tossed the weapon aside into the trees. Spitting on Alan's still warm corpse, she smiled sadly. She faced her family. The children were shivering, scared and protected by Ava and Natalia. Olivia turned to the left following their gazes. Curled up in a ball was Rafe. Olivia ran over to him quickly.
“Rafe!” she exclaimed. “Can you hear me?” He had blood on his clothes. His hand covered his left leg.
“Huh?” Rafe groggily responded. “Oliv-ia?”
“I'm here, Rafe.” She examined his body, looking for the source of his misery. She turned to the children and Natalia. “It seems the bullet just grazed his leg. He'll be okay!”
Natalia sent up a silent prayer of gratitude. The younger children cheered. Ava gasped as she ran over to Rafe's side. He shakily sat up and smiled at the younger Spencer. “I guess I can't fight in a war after all,” he grinned.
“Oh Rafe!” Ava cried, kissing the young man's cheek softly. She wrapped her clean handkerchief around his leg and helped him to his feet. He wobbled a bit, and she steadied him in her arms. “No, you're coming with us,” she stated plainly. He just smiled.
Olivia walked over to Natalia and gave her a big hug. “I'm safe now. We're all safe, Mademoiselle Rivera.” Olivia gave Matthieu, Leonard, and Emma a big hug before hugging Natalia once more.
Natalia smiled up at Olivia through teary eyes, “That's because we are a family, Mademoiselle Spencer. I would climb every mountain, ford every stream, and follow every rainbow until we make it together...to our dreams.”
They gathered their belongings and resumed the trek once more to their new lives.
“Just as long as there are cookies, Natalia,” Emma demanded as they made their way through the dark.
Olivia quipped with a smile, wiggling her eyebrow, “Yeah, Natalia.”
“Oh there will be so many cookies, Emma,” Natalia responded.“Because the smell of cookies are magnificent. They are after all, the sweetest smell in all the world!”
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