CHAPTER 30: OUTSIDE THE BUNKER

The door closed behind them.

I stood there for a few seconds, just looking at the door. My hand was still in the air, where Killian's hand was before.

I felt empty immediately. Even though I know he will come back, my heart always beats fast when he goes outside.

Bianca looked at me. "Are you okay?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yes. I am okay. I just... I always worry when he goes out."

"I understand," she said. "I used to worry like that too."

Leo pulled my dress small. "Elena, don't worry. Killian is strong. He will beat everybody."

I smiled. "I know, Leo. He is strong."

I sat down slowly on the chair. My belly was heavy this morning. The twins were moving small small. I placed my hand on my belly to calm them.

"Eva," I said, "show me outside camera."

Eva answered, "Yes, Elena. Showing outside camera now."

The small screen on the wall came on. I could see Killian and Damian walking outside.

The outside was quiet. The sun was just coming up. The road was empty. No raiders. No noise. Only the wind moving the dry leaves.

Killian was walking in front. He was holding his iron pipe in his hand, but down. He was looking around carefully. Every step, he checked left and right. That is how he always does it. He never rushes outside.

Damian was walking behind him. He was also holding his iron pipe. He was also looking around, but he looked nervous. His eyes were moving too fast.

I could hear them through the speaker. Eva had connected the outside audio.

Killian stopped near the gate. "Damian, stay close," he said. "Don't go far. If you see anything, tell me first. Don't run."

Damian nodded. "Okay. I understand."

They walked to the side of the bunker. Killian checked the water tank. He checked the small garden we planted behind the bunker. The plants were still there. Nobody touched them.

"Good," Killian said. "Everything is still here."

Damian looked at the garden. "You planted this?" he asked.

Killian nodded. "Elena planted it. She likes to plant little vegetables. For the future. When the twins come, they will also eat from here."

Damian was quiet. He looked at the ground. "She is a good woman," he said. His voice was low. "I... I did not know what I had. I was stupid."

Killian did not answer him at first. He just kept walking.

Then he stopped. He turned and looked at Damian straight in the eye.

"Damian, listen to me," Killian said. "I am not letting you stay in my bunker because I have forgiven you. I am letting you stay because Elena said so. Because Tiny Elena needs a safe place. And because Bianca needs help with the baby."

Damian nodded quickly. "I know. I know. I am grateful. I will not cause trouble."

Killian continued, his voice calm but serious. "If you do anything to hurt Elena again, if you stress her, if you make her cry again, I will throw you out myself. Even if there are raiders outside. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Damian said. "I understand. I swear, I will not hurt her again. I have changed. Seeing how peaceful she's now... seeing how she still saved us after everything... I felt ashamed. I cried last night in the corridor. I am sorry."

Killian looked at him for a long time. Then he nodded small. "Good. Then prove it with your actions. Not with words. Help me protect this bunker. Help me protect Elena and the children. That is the only way."

"I will," Damian said. "I will."

They continued walking. They checked the front road again. Still empty. Still safe.

Inside the bunker, I was watching them. My heart was a little calm now. Killian was safe. Damian was listening to him.

Bianca was feeding Tiny Elena small milk through the bottle Eva prepared in the automated kitchen. The baby was drinking slowly, her small eyes looking at Bianca.

"She is drinking well today," Bianca said, smiling. "Yesterday she could not even drink. Today she is better."

"Yes," I said. "She is strong. Like her mama."

Bianca looked at me. "Elena... can I ask you something?"

"Yes," I said.

"Why did you forgive Damian and I so easily? After everything we did to you? We never deserve a second chance but you gave us one."

I thought for a moment. I placed my hand on my belly.

"Bianca, I did not forgive you both because what you did was okay," I said. "What you people did hurt me. I will never forget it. But if I keep the anger in my heart, the twins will feel it. I don't want my babies to grow inside anger. I want them to grow inside peace. And Tiny Elena... she is innocent. She did not do anything. So I let you both in. Not for Damian or you. For the baby. And for peace."

Bianca was quiet. Tears came to her eyes again. "You are a better person than me, Elena," she said. "I am sorry I judged you before. For joining Damian to call you barren.I thought you were just a small girl Killian picked up. I did not know you have this kind of heart."

I smiled small. "It's okay, Bianca. We are sisters now. We both have children to protect."

Leo was playing on the floor with his small toy car. He looked up at us. "Elena, when the twins come, will they play with me too?"

I laughed. "Yes, Leo. They will play with you. You will be their big brother."

He smiled wide. "I will protect them! Like Killian protects you!"

I touched his hair. "I know you will."

On the screen, Killian and Damian were coming back to the door. Killian knocked two times. That is our signal.

"Eva, open the door. It's us," Killian said.

Eva answered, "Opening door, Killian. Welcome back."

The door opened. Killian walked in first. His face was calm. He looked at me immediately. When he saw me, his face softened.

He walked straight to me. He knelt down beside my chair. He placed his hand on my belly.

"How are you, my love?" he asked. "Did you worry too much?"

"I was worried a little," I said. "But Eva showed me outside camera. I saw you. I was okay."

He smiled. "Good. Outside is safe. No raiders. No trouble. We checked everything. The garden is still there. The water is still there."

Damian walked in behind him. He stood at the door, not coming close. He looked at me, then at Bianca.

"It's safe outside," he said. "Killian checked everything."

Killian stood up. He sat beside me. He held my hand.

"Eva," he said, "how is Elena's health this morning?"

Eva answered, "Elena is stable. Heart rate normal. Twins are active. She needs more rest and water."

Killian nodded. "Did you hear that? You need to rest. Come, let's go to our room. You need to lie down and have some rest."

I nodded. "Okay."

He helped me to stand up. He held my waist as we walked to our room.

Bianca stayed in the main room with Tiny Elena. Damian sat down far, near the corridor. He was tired, but he looked more calm than this morning. Like a weight had left his chest small.

When we got to our room, Killian helped me to lie down on the bed. He covered me with the blanket. He sat beside me, rubbing my belly slowly.

"Killian," I said, "did Damian really change?"

Killian looked at me. "I don't know yet," he said honestly. "But he cried last night. And today he listened to me outside. He said he wants to prove it with actions. Let's watch him. If he changes, good. If he doesn't, then I throw him out."

I nodded. I trusted him.

He kissed my forehead. "Sleep a little, my love. I am here. I will not go anywhere again today."

I closed my eyes. His hand was on my belly. His breathing was beside me.

Outside, the world was still dangerous. Raiders were still out there. But inside this bunker, with Killian beside me, with Leo playing, with Bianca and Tiny Elena safe, I felt peace.