Rain continued pouring from the heavens.
Cold.
Heavy.
Relentless.
---
The city had become quieter now.
The fire at Stephanie's home had finally been extinguished.
But the smoke still lingered in the night sky.
A cruel reminder that what had been lost could never truly be restored.
And not too far from the flashing emergency lights and shattered remains...
Stephanie Rogers sat beneath the covered courtyard of Riley Styles' mansion.
---
Neither of them had spoken much during the drive there.
Because what words could possibly exist for something like this?
---
A warm blanket rested over Stephanie's shoulders.
Yet she still trembled.
Not from the cold.
Never from the cold.
Her eyes looked empty.
Lost.
She sat curled slightly into herself on one of the outdoor couches while rainwater cascaded down the edges of the courtyard roof nearby.
The soft sound of rainfall filled the silence between them.
Riley sat beside her.
Close enough that their shoulders touched.
