The Man Cave feels wrong without Ray.
Too quiet.
Too still.
Like it's holding its breath.
Christina sits on the edge of the worktable, hands wrapped in paper towels Schwoz shoved at her five minutes ago. Blood seeps through anyway—slow, stubborn, red. She doesn't look at it.
Henry stands a few feet away, arms crossed, jaw tight. He hasn't said a word since Ray stormed out.
Charlotte breaks first.
"Okay," she says carefully, arms folded. "Nobody's talking. That's bad."
Jasper nods. "Yeah. When I'm the quiet one? That's a problem."
Schwoz peeks at Christina's hands, horrified.
"Oh no, oh no, oh no—those are hands—we need antiseptic, bandages, maybe emotional support—"
"I'm fine," Christina mutters.
Henry finally snaps.
"You are not fine."
Everyone looks at him.
He steps closer, voice low but sharp. "You just picked up broken glass with your bare hands. Ray basically—"
He stops himself, swallows.
"—he basically admitted he knows you. And you're sitting there like nothing happened."
Christina shrugs, eyes still down.
"What do you want me to do? Throw a party?"
Charlotte's expression softens despite herself.
"He said you're like your mother," she says quietly. "Ray doesn't say things like that unless they matter."
Christina lets out a humorless laugh.
"Yeah. Congratulations. He remembers the worst parts."
Jasper frowns. "Worst?"
She finally looks up.
"He left," she says flatly. "That's usually considered a bad part."
The words land heavier than expected.
Henry clenches his fists. "He didn't know where you were."
Christina's eyes flicker—just for a second.
"Didn't try hard enough."
Silence.
Schwoz clears his throat, fidgeting. "For what it's worth… he never forgot either of you."
She stiffens. "You said he didn't remember me."
Schwoz winces. "I said he pretended not to."
Henry turns slowly. "Schwoz."
Schwoz shrinks. "In my defense, Ray denial is… aggressive."
Christina exhales shakily, jaw tight.
"So what?" she snaps. "He knew. And he still looked at me like I was a problem."
Henry steps closer—too close.
"He looked at you like he was terrified."
She scoffs. "Of what?"
Henry doesn't answer immediately.
"Of messing it up again."
That hits.
Christina's throat tightens before she can stop it.
Charlotte watches her carefully. "What's your plan now?"
Christina laughs softly, bitter. "Plan? I didn't even think I'd get this far."
Henry's voice drops. "You can't just disappear again."
She looks at him—really looks at him.
"You'd care?"
He hesitates.
"…Yeah."
That does it.
She looks away fast, blinking.
Footsteps echo from the elevator tunnel.
Everyone freezes.
The doors slide open.
Ray steps out.
He looks… wrecked.
Not angry. Not yelling. Just tired. Shoulders slumped. Knuckles wrapped in a hastily tied bandage.
No one speaks.
Ray's eyes land on Christina.
Then—slowly—on the blood on her hands.
His jaw tightens.
"Schwoz," he says gruffly. "Med kit."
Schwoz bolts.
Christina doesn't move.
"I said—"
"I heard you."
Their eyes lock.
Something unspoken passes between them—years, guilt, loss, regret.
Ray exhales through his nose. "Sit."
She hesitates.
Henry watches, tense.
Then she slides off the table and sits.
Ray kneels in front of her.
The room might as well not exist anymore.
He takes her hands carefully this time. Gentle. Precise.
She flinches anyway.
His grip falters.
"…You always did that," he mutters.
Her breath catches.
"You remember," she whispers.
Ray doesn't look up.
"I never forgot."
The words hang in the air—heavy, final, devastating.
Henry feels his chest tighten.
Charlotte's eyes widen.
Jasper whispers, "Oh."
Ray finally meets Christina's gaze.
His voice is rough. "I didn't know where you were. I didn't know how to find you. And by the time I could've—"
He stops.
Swallows.
"…I was too late."
Tears burn behind Christina's eyes—but she refuses to let them fall.
"So what now?" she asks.
Ray tightens the bandage, jaw clenched.
"…That depends," he says quietly.
"On whether you're here to destroy my life."
She meets his stare.
"…Or be part of it."