All Chapters of Caught Between Two Men And The Apocalypse : Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

The mechanic laughed and called the helicopter a terrible name, but Natasha just smiled. "I like it," she said. The mechanic rolled his eyes. Aaron walked slowly around the aircraft, his hand brushing against the cool metal. "When was the last time it flew?" he asked. The mechanic’s expression turned proud. "Three weeks ago." His answer stunned everyone. Three weeks—not three years. The helicopter wasn’t abandoned. It had been flying. Excitement built in Natasha’s chest. For the first time since the outbreak, the possibility felt real. Not just surviving, but traveling, exploring, reconnecting with others, and finding answers. Aaron glanced over and saw her smiling—a genuine smile he never seemed to get tired of. "What are you thinking?" he asked. She looked at the helicopter, then back at him. "If we secure enough fuel, we could reach other states." She stepped closer to the aircraft. "We could search for survivor settlements." Her eyes brightened. "We could bring people here.

They walked out together. This time, when Aaron’s hand rested lightly at the small of her back, Natasha didn’t stiffen, but she accepted it. And that acceptance changed more than she wanted to admit. The research wing buzzed with activity when they arrived. Elias stood behind a glass partition, staring into a microscope feed projected on a large screen. Professor Hargrove sat nearby with old Cerberus files spread out. Liora worked at a computer station, Nyra cleaned her rifle near a window, and Dax ate something from a foil packet. No one asked where he found it. Josh leaned against a table with a tablet, his attention shifting the moment Aaron and Natasha entered. He noticed Aaron’s hand leaving her back and how she didn’t look uncomfortable. He noticed too much these days, and that had become his punishment lately—just watching Aaron give Natasha the things he had failed to give her when he had the chance. Elias didn’t look up right away, but Professor Hargrove did. “Good. You

The room remained silent after the survivor's question. "How are you still alive?" Everyone looked between him and Natasha. The man looked just as shocked as everyone else. His hands trembled slightly as he stared at her. Natasha frowned. "What do you mean?" The survivor opened his mouth, then closed it again. Whatever he wanted to say seemed trapped behind exhaustion. Aaron stepped forward immediately. "Enough." His voice wasn't harsh, but it carried authority. The survivor looked toward him. "You need food first. Then medical treatment. Then sleep." The man seemed ready to argue. Instead, his stomach growled loudly. Dax immediately pointed. "There." Everyone looked, and the survivor looked embarrassed. Dax nodded. "Food first. Conspiracies later." Even Natasha smiled. The tension eased a little. Aaron motioned toward the medical staff. "Take care of them." The five survivors were quickly escorted away. One of the women nearly cried when another tray of food appeared. B

Her late parents had loved her openly, generously, without making her earn it. Her mother had kissed her forehead when she worked too late. Her father had called her his brave girl even when she pretended not to need comfort. After they died, Natasha had learned to survive without that kind of love. Josh had loved her, maybe. In his own closed, silent way, he had. But Aaron’s care was different. It arrived before she asked for it. Natasha carried the clothes into the ensuite and closed the door behind her. The bathroom was huge with pale stone floors, a deep glass shower, and warm lights that made everything feel unreal. She placed the clean clothes on the counter, then slowly stripped out of the dirty ones and dropped them into the laundry basket. When the warm water hit her skin, she closed her eyes. For a long time, she simply stood there and let the dirt, sweat, and exhaustion wash away. Her mind drifted. Aaron’s hand on her back in front of everyone. His voice when he s

Natasha woke slowly. For a few seconds, she didn’t know where she was. The bed beneath her felt incredibly soft and comfortable. The room was warm, filled with gentle morning sunlight that slipped through the floor-to-ceiling windows and painted long golden lines across the walls and floor. Everything around her felt peaceful, almost too peaceful for the world they lived in. Then the memories from the night before came rushing back. Aaron. The kitchen. His quiet confession. The way he had looked at her with that rare vulnerability in his eyes. The way she accepted him without any doubt. A soft smile appeared on her face before she could stop it. Natasha immediately covered her face with one hand. “This is ridiculous,” she whispered to herself, yet the smile refused to leave. She turned slightly and found herself staring at the other side of the bed which was empty. Her eyes lingered there for a long moment. Last night, after dinner and far too many lingering glances and touches,