(Jayjay & Kiefer POV)
The fluorescent lights of Freedom Hospital were harsh but comforting, and the soft beeping of monitors filled the room with a steady rhythm. I lay in one of the three beds, my head bandaged, feeling the lingering ache from the blow. Next to me were Kegan and Kieran, Kiefer's younger siblings, each resting on separate beds, still pale and tense from the earlier chaos.
Kiefer moved quietly around the room, checking on all of us. His usually stern expression softened as he knelt beside Kieran, who still clutched a blanket tightly.
"Hey… it's okay," Kiefer said gently. "No one's going to hurt you again. I promise."
Kieran's small hands gripped the blanket even tighter, eyes wide with fear. "B… but… Dad…" he stammered.
Kiefer's jaw tightened. "He won't get to you. Not now, not ever. I'll protect both of you. You don't have to be scared."
Kegan gave a shaky nod, still pale from the earlier fight, but a little comforted by Kiefer's words.
I watched silently, feeling a mix of relief and admiration. Even in this vulnerable hospital room, Kiefer's presence was strong, protective, unyielding.
When he turned to me, his eyes softened. "How are you feeling?"
I gingerly touched my bandaged head. "It… hurts. But I'll survive."
He nodded, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "Good. Because I won't let anything happen to you, either."
Yuri and Percy came in briefly to check on us, with Iris hovering nearby. Everyone was tense but careful not to crowd the room too much. The hospital felt safe, yet fragile, like the calm before another storm.
For a while, the room was quiet except for the faint hum of monitors and our soft breaths. Kiefer stayed close, ensuring JJ, Kegan, and Kieran felt as safe as possible. I leaned against his shoulder, letting myself relax for the first time in hours, while the little ones slowly drifted toward a calmer state.
By the time evening came, Kiefer made sure we were all settled. "Rest. No one's touching you tonight. Not a single person," he said firmly, his tone brooking no argument.
I nodded, exhausted but comforted, and for a moment, I realized the chaos outside might have been terrifying, but in this room, with Kiefer watching over us, we were protected. We were together.
The soft beeping of the monitors became a lullaby as I drifted into a deep sleep, knowing that tomorrow, Section E would regroup, the school would resume, and life, in some small way, would start to feel normal again.
After a while, the room grew quiet. Kiefer sat beside me, still alert, while Kegan and Kieran finally relaxed, their small breaths steady. The chaos of the past weeks felt like a distant storm, leaving only the calm of the present.
And with that, the world began to move forward—softly, steadily, and as normally as it could after everything.