She's back.
The realization hit him all at once, sharp and overwhelming. Relief surged through him so fast it almost hurt. But it was quickly followed by something heavier when he saw her expression, the way she wouldn't meet his eyes, the way shame clung to her like a second skin.
"Hey," he said softly, sitting fully beside her now and pulling her gently into his arms. "Why are you apologizing?"
She shook her head, tears spilling faster now that he was close. "I scared everyone. I worried you. I didn't mean to disappear like that." Her voice cracked. "I remember everything."
Leo tightened his hold, one hand cradling the back of her head, pressing her gently against his chest. He rested his cheek against her hair, breathing her in, grounding himself in the fact that she was here. Fully here.
"You don't need to apologize for surviving," he said quietly. "Or for breaking when something hurt you."
