The noise outside dulled to a distant blur—voices, radio chatter, the shuffle of movement as everything was pulled under control.Inside, the house felt still again.Too still.Sophia stood a few steps from the door, her breathing finally slowing, the adrenaline starting to fade.A knock came—firm, controlled this time.“Hey… it’s me,” Patrick’s voice called through.Sophia unlocked the door and opened it.Patrick stepped inside quickly, closing it behind him like he was sealing the chaos out.For a second, he just looked at her.Really looked.Taking in everything—the tension, the way she was holding herself together, the fact that she was still standing there after all of that.“You’re okay?” he asked, softer now.Sophia nodded once. “Yeah.”He didn’t hesitate.He stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.Tight.Protective.Familiar in a way that caught her off guard.Sophia stiffened for just a second… then let herself settle into it.Not because everything was okay.But because,
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