"I did it," Oliver whispered against Samantha's shoulder, his small body still trembling but solid. "I got stuck and then I got unstuck."
"You absolutely did," Samantha confirmed, holding him close while her heart rate slowly returned to normal. "We're so proud of you."
Ms. Winters appeared with paperwork—because apparently even supernatural crisis required documentation. "This is completely standard," she assured them while Samantha signed. "We have three to five phasing incidents per week. Oliver handled this remarkably well, actually. Many children panic and need full dimensional intervention."
"Really?" Oliver asked, peeking out from Samantha's embrace.
"Really. You stayed calm enough to call for help, and you extracted yourself with minimal assistance. That's excellent problem-solving." Ms. Winters smiled at him warmly. "I'm very impressed."
Oliver straightened slightly, his flickering settling into solid presence. "Can I go back to class now?"
