(Author's POV)
The night had gone too quiet.
Jay sat on the bench, her body slightly bent forward, one hand gripping the edge while the other pressed tightly against her stomach. Her breathing hadn't settled—not even a little. Each breath came in broken pieces, interrupted by sharp hiccups that made it harder for her to even stay still.
She tried to control it.
She always did.
But this time—
it wasn't working.
And then—
she felt it.
That shift.
Subtle. Almost invisible.
But real.
Her body reacted instantly. Her shoulders tensed, her fingers tightening unconsciously, her breathing stuttering even more as that familiar instinct kicked in.
She wasn't alone.
Not anymore.
Her head lifted slightly, her vision still blurred, her chest rising unevenly as she tried to focus. She didn't turn immediately. Didn't speak. Because somewhere—deep down—she already knew this wasn't random.
This wasn't danger.
This was something else.
A step broke the silence.
Soft. Controlled.
Then another.
And then—
they stepped into view.
Not all at once. Not rushing her.
Just enough.
Just right.
Alex stood ahead, calm as always, his presence steady and grounded like nothing could shake him. Luna was beside him, her eyes already locked on Jay, concern visible but controlled. Cora stayed slightly behind, quiet, observant—taking in everything without saying a word. Daniel stood to the side, his posture relaxed on the surface, but his attention sharp, focused entirely on her.
For a moment—
no one spoke.
Jay looked at them.
Properly.
And everything stopped.
Shock didn't show first.
Recognition did.
Then something heavier followed.
Something she had buried for two years.
"You…"
The word barely formed.
Her voice didn't hold.
A weak, breathless sound escaped instead, followed by a small, broken laugh that didn't carry any humor.
"Of course…" she muttered, shaking her head slightly, though even that felt like effort. "Now you show up."
No one reacted to the tone.
No one took it personally.
Because they weren't looking at her words.
They were looking at her.
And what they saw—
wasn't okay.
"You shouldn't be here," Jay added, her voice unsteady, her breathing still uneven between every word.
Alex stepped forward slowly, his movements controlled, careful not to overwhelm her. "Neither should you," he replied calmly.
Same voice.
Same presence.
Nothing about him had changed.
And that alone made something inside her tighten further.
"I'm fine," she said quickly.
Too quickly.
Luna didn't argue. She just took a step closer, her voice softer but certain. "You're not."
Jay scoffed weakly, but it broke halfway through, turning into another uneven breath.
Cora finally spoke, her tone quiet but direct. "You left."
That landed.
Jay's eyes dropped for a second, her grip tightening slightly on the bench.
"I didn't—"
Her voice failed again.
Daniel's came next. Low. Steady. "You ran."
Silence followed.
Heavy.
Real.
Jay didn't deny it this time.
Because she couldn't.
Because her body was already giving in.
Another sharp hiccup hit her chest, pulling a small, unsteady sound from her as her hand instinctively pressed harder against her stomach.
And that's when they saw it.
Not just the tears.
Not just the shaking.
Something else.
Something wrong.
Luna's eyes dropped instantly. "Jay…"
Jay shook her head quickly, even as her breathing broke further. "I'm fine," she tried again, but it didn't sound convincing—barely even audible.
Daniel stepped closer now, his attention sharpening. "What is it?"
She didn't answer properly.
Just exhaled unevenly, her body tensing again as the pain twisted deeper.
Cora moved slightly to the side, her gaze narrowing as she focused on Jay's posture. "That's not just breathing," she said quietly.
Alex didn't wait after that.
He stepped in fully, closing the distance without hesitation this time. "Sit still," he said, calm—but firm.
Jay didn't listen.
Or maybe she couldn't.
Because when she tried to adjust herself—
her balance shifted.
Her body reacted too slowly.
And for a second—
she almost slipped forward.
Daniel caught it immediately.
"Hey—easy," he said, steadying her just enough to keep her upright.
Luna crouched in front of her now, her expression focused, serious. "Jay, we need to check."
"No…" Jay tried, but her voice barely formed, her breath breaking again between words.
Cora didn't wait for permission.
She stepped in, careful but precise, her hand moving just enough to assess what was wrong.
And then—
she stopped.
Just for a second.
But that second was enough.
Her expression changed.
"What?" Daniel asked immediately.
Cora looked up this time.
Her voice was quiet.
But clear.
"…her stitches are open."
Silence fell instantly.
Alex's jaw tightened slightly. "How many?"
Cora didn't hesitate.
"Three."
That was it.
Everything shifted.
Jay didn't argue this time.
Didn't deny it.
Because she couldn't.
Her head dropped slightly forward, her breathing uneven, her strength already slipping.
She had been walking.
Crying.
Alone.
Like this.
"You've got to be kidding me…" Daniel muttered under his breath, tension clear now.
Luna moved instantly, her voice sharper. "Why didn't you say anything?"
Jay tried to answer.
But nothing came out properly.
Just broken sounds.
Half-formed words.
Lost between shallow breaths.
Her eyes struggled to stay open.
Her body leaned forward again—
and that was enough.
Alex stepped in fully, steadying her before she could fall. "We're taking her," he said.
No one argued.
Not this time.
Daniel moved to support her from the other side, while Luna stayed close, already checking her condition again, her movements quick but controlled. Cora straightened, scanning the surroundings instinctively before falling into step with them.
Jay didn't resist again.
Not because she agreed.
But because she didn't have the strength left.
And this time—
they didn't let her go.