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Chapter 17
publish date:
2026-04-08 17:05:10
Latest chapter
Where fear ends Chapter 20
Kim – Pov The door clicks shut behind me, and I lean back against it for a moment, letting the silence of the apartment settle around me like a blanket. I didn’t think I’d last the whole shift at the ward today—but I did. Another small step forward. I should be proud of that. I think Erik would be. I shrug off my coat, toe off my shoes, and pad softly into the bedroom. The mirror in the corner catches my reflection, and I pause. The bruises are gone. The cuts, the burns—everything that once marked me like evidence has faded. My body is whole now. For the first time in a long time. I strip off my clothes and step into the shower. The water is hot and soothing, and as it flows down my back, I try to let it wash away the tension that still clings to me from work. From life. From the quiet thoughts that sometimes sneak in even when I think I’m doing better. After the shower, I dry off and go to the small dresser Erik bought for me—one of the many things he insisted I have. Soft clothe
Where fear ends Chapter 19
Kim pov. I’m still not sure how I ended up here. Standing outside the emergency ward with a glass casserole dish in my hands, wrapped tightly in a towel so it wouldn’t burn me. My palms are sweating anyway. Not from the heat—but from everything else. People walk past me—some in uniforms, some in pain, others just in a hurry—and I do my best not to shrink. I remind myself, again and again: I’m okay. I’m safe. The fear doesn’t disappear. But I’ve started to learn how to speak to it. To walk next to it without letting it grab my hand. I think Erik would be proud. I told him I might try this one day. He nodded gently when I said it—like he wanted to believe me but didn’t want to expect it. So I didn’t tell him I was coming. I just made the beans. The way he likes them—slow-cooked with cumin and garlic. I remembered him telling me once, almost in passing, that his mom used to make them when he had hard shifts. He said they reminded him of home. He’s been my home for a while now.
Where fear ends Chapter 18
Erik – Pov It was just a month. Thirty-something days. And yet... everything feels different. When I open the door and step into the apartment, I don’t hear the silence I used to walk into. I don’t see the dimmed lights or find her tucked away in some corner, quiet and unsure if she was allowed to exist in this space. No. Not anymore. Now, the kitchen light is on. The scent of something warm and familiar fills the air—chicken, maybe, with herbs she’s learned to use just right. There’s a soft hum of music playing from her phone on the counter. And there she is. Kim. Standing near the stove, looking over her shoulder when she hears me. Her eyes light up. That alone could undo me. “Hi,” she says softly, a small smile tugging at her lips. I close the door gently behind me, watching her as I toe off my boots and hang my jacket. She doesn’t flinch at the sound. She doesn’t shrink or move out of the way as if expecting to be punished. That change—subtle, but massive—hits me lik
Where fear ends Chapter 17
Kim – Pov I didn’t expect his hands to be so warm. When he touched me on the bench—when he gently pulled my sleeves back and cradled my hand in his—I thought I’d freeze. I thought the panic would take over again, that the storm would swallow me. But it didn’t. Not fully. His touch was careful, steady. Warm. Solid in a way I didn’t know I needed. Even after I pulled my hand back, I could still feel the trace of his touch tingling across my skin. My sleeves stayed rolled up. That might not sound like much to anyone else—but for me, it was everything. Now we’re in the car, on the way home. The radio plays low in the background, just soft enough to be ignored. I’m staring out the window again, but my mind isn’t on the trees or the houses we pass. It’s back on that bench. On his hands. On the way his thumb brushed so gently across my skin like he was memorizing it. Like I was something fragile and worth protecting. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye. His jaw is tense, but
Where fear ends Chapter 16
Erik – Pov I took the day off from the ward. Didn’t even hesitate. The moment the therapist suggested the exercise—to slowly bring Kim back into the world—I knew I wanted to be the one beside her for it. She trusted me. That meant more than I could explain. It was more than duty. It was personal now. When I told my supervisor I needed the time, she gave me a look that said she knew. And she didn’t ask any questions. So here I am. Saturday morning, coffee in hand, standing near the front door while Kim gets ready. I can hear the quiet shuffle of her movements from the bedroom. She’s always careful not to make too much noise, like she still expects someone to punish her for it. I check the weather on my phone again even though I already know—it’s warm, but not too bright. Spring is soft today, forgiving. A good day for a first step. The door creaks open slightly, and I look up. Kim stands there, in jeans and an oversized sweatshirt. Her hands are buried in the long sleeves, hidde
Where fear ends Chapter 15
Erik Pov. The car ride home from the therapist’s office is quiet, as usual, but no longer awkward. Kim sits beside me, hands in her lap, her gaze focused outside the window. The late afternoon light spills onto her face, casting a soft glow over her features. There’s something different about her now—small, barely perceptible shifts. Her shoulders aren’t quite so tight. Her breathing, though shallow, no longer sounds like a silent apology. I steal a glance at her as we stop at a red light. Her hair falls over her cheek, and she tucks it behind her ear with the kind of hesitance that says she still doesn’t want to draw too much attention to herself. “Kim?” My voice is gentle, hesitant. She turns her head slightly. “Yes?” “I wanted to ask you something,” I start, careful to keep my tone light. “You remember what your therapist said? About the exercise?” She nods slowly, eyes narrowing just a bit with uncertainty. Her fingers press against each other in her lap, knuckles pale. “I
Where fear ends Chapter 10
Erik’s POVThe glass still sits where she left it—on its side, a little water dripping off the edge of the table. I haven’t moved. I haven’t even breathed right since she ran into the bedroom like I’d burned her.All I did was touch her hand.Or maybe that’s not true.All I did was remind her of so
Where fear ends Chapter 8
Kim’s POV The walls are too soft. Not the color, not the texture—just the feel. Everything in this office feels like it’s trying too hard to be comforting. The muted beige. The fake plants. The carefully arranged bookshelves. Nothing feels real. I sit stiff on the couch, my hands clenched toget
Where fear ends Chapter 14
Erik’s POV Therapy days have started to settle into their own kind of rhythm — quiet car rides, soft music playing low in the background, Kim sitting beside me, sometimes staring out the window, sometimes lost in her thoughts. She still doesn’t say much before or after the sessions, and I never as
Where fear ends Chapter 9
Kim’s POVThe apartment is quiet. Always is. Erik doesn’t play music. Doesn’t talk too much. Doesn’t fill the space with anything other than his calm presence. And maybe that’s why it’s the first place I’ve ever felt I could breathe without permission.It’s been three days since the session with Dr
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