Erica knew from the moment her eyes landed on Keyla Detmer, on her first day at Starfleet Academy, that they were destined to be. She had found the love of her life, beautiful and sweet, with the perfect hint of sass. The way Keyla laughed, and the way her blue eyes twinkled, made Erica fall harder for her. She was head over heels and she couldn't wait for what the future held.

The moment Keyla looked back at her and their eyes met, it was as if time had frozen. It didn't take Erica long before she dove right in and Keyla soon followed, trusting that whatever was between them was unbreakable, and something like nothing else in their lives. She was in love. She knew that her heart beat for the woman in front of her and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Erica never expected to have someone in her life, she never expected them to have the same interests and goals in life as herself, but here she was. Keyla was the one she never expected, the one who was only in her wildest dreams and fantasies, and now as she felt Keyla's hand gently run through her hair, Erica was certain Keyla was the one she would always wait for. Keyla accepted her with all her flaws and only saw the good in her.

Erica knew they were just kids when they met, fresh cadets ready to take the universe by storm, and fuck some shit up while falling deeper and deeper in love. She fell for Keyla day by day, not knowing how strong her feelings really were until their lips finally met in a slow kiss that felt like magic exploding through her body.

Erica knew Keyla owned her heart, and Keyla owned hers. All she had to do was stare into pools of blue to know that nothing would ever tear them apart. Gently caressing the side of Keyla's face, Erica leaned in and kissed her slowly, just like their first kiss – to remind her that this was and was always going to be.

Resting their foreheads together for a moment, brown eyes met blue, and Erica wanted nothing more than to get lost in the eyes of the woman she loved with every fibre of her being. Keyla was home, and one day she hoped they would settle down together and have the whole picket fence experience.

Standing up, Erica held her hand out and when Keyla took it, she held her close, wrapping her arms around her, holding her tight. They were in her quarters aboard the Enterprise, Discovery was right next to them, and as the light from the nacelles illuminated her dark quarters, she began to softly sway them to the hum of the engines. The rug was soft under her feet, Keyla was between her arms, and they were quietly dancing together, wanting to spend as much time together as they could.

"You look like a hot mess," Keyla said affectionately, a smile on her face as she began to run her fingers through Erica's hair.

"You always look perfect to me," Erica whispered under her breath.

Looking up, she could tell by the smile on Keyla's face that she had heard her. Gently tracing Keyla's jawline with her finger, Erica had found a woman who was just as headstrong as she was. They were a force to be reckoned with, the two best pilots in Starfleet, and best friends, lovers, and soulmates. It was like they were destined to be.

With Keyla, she could share her hopes and dreams, talk about everything and anything, cry openly and be held in loving arms. They carried one another's secrets, and deepest fears, and they could map out each other's bodies with their eyes closed, and most importantly, they loved one another wholeheartedly.

Hearing the announcement to head back to their respective ships, Erica laced her fingers through Keyla's and kissed every knuckle before they headed to the transporter room. Erica knew that the odds weren't in their favour but she would do anything to fight it. They would be alright, they would see each other again, they were each other's future and nothing would ever be able to tear them apart.