Runaway Brat
"Mommy, are you scared sometimes? Of the shadows?"
Cinthye pulled her close, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. "Yes, my love. Fear is a shadow that follows the light. But our love makes us stronger than any darkness. Your father and I—we protect this family with every breath, every beat of our hearts."
Damien appeared then, his presence filling the room like a rising tide. He scooped all four children into a massive group embrace, their laughter bubbling up as they piled onto him. The crew watched from the edges—Romnick with a roguish grin, Aiva's eyes soft with data-stream reflections, Nicholas standing tall like a sentinel. They were more than allies; they were blood forged by choice,