Dorian sat in the back of the car as it moved through the city, his hands resting stiffly on his knees.
He kept replaying the fight in his head, the moment in that other world when his body had moved on instinct, when he had struck without hesitation. Back then, he had expected consequences. Accusations. Questions.
But now?
No one mentioned it.
No police question. No warnings. No looks of suspicion. After everything that had happened to the world, after the disappearances, the chaos, the grief, it was as if his actions no longer mattered. As if violence itself had been absorbed into the background noise of disaster.
So, he didn't bring it up.
He told himself it was better that way.
The driver suddenly spoke."We'll be taking a different route."
Dorian looked up sharply. "That's not the way to my house."
The driver glanced at him through the mirror and smiled. It was calm. Practiced.
"We have another option for you," he said.
An option.
The word sent a chill through Dorian's chest.
Before he could respond, the car turned. Only then did Dorian realize where they were headed.
The hospital.
His breath caught in his throat.
Not just any hospital, that hospital. The one near his home. The one he had avoided for years. The one where his sister had died.
"No," Dorian muttered. "No, no, no…"
The car slowed to a stop.
They guided him inside without force, without urgency. The building smelled exactly the same, clean, sharp, sterile. Every step echoed too loudly, as if the walls were listening.
They led him into a room and opened the door.
His sister lay on a hospital bed.
Unconscious.
Machines surrounded her, wires and tubes connected to her chest and arms. A monitor beeped steadily beside her, slow and patient. Her skin was pale.
Dorian stepped closer.
He reached out and touched her hand.
It was cold.
Not cool.
Cold, like it had been left out too long.
His stomach dropped.
A doctor stood nearby, hands folded. "It's a miracle," he said calmly. "Her heart didn't stop. Not for a single day. And then… she returned."
Dorian stared at him.
"She died," Dorian said, his voice low and shaking. "She died."
The doctor smiled faintly. "That is what I just said."
That was when Dorian lost it.
"What is this?" he shouted. "Some kind of sick joke?" His voice cracked as he pointed at the bed, at the machines. "You think this is funny? You think you can do this and call it hope?"
People in the hallway turned to stare.
"She's cold," Dorian yelled. "She's not awake. She's not breathing on her own. You drag me here and expect me to believe this is real?"
He laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "This is a mistake. A cruel prank. That's all this is."
No one stopped him.
No one corrected him.
The doctor didn't even flinch.
Dorian turned back toward the bed, his chest heaving, his hands clenched into fists.
And then...
"Brother."
The voice was weak.
Barely there.
But unmistakable.
Dorian froze.
Slowly, he looked back at the bed.
His sister's lips had moved.
Her eyes were still closed.
The machines continued to beep steadily.
And the room went completely silent.
-----
When Serena and Dorian left first, Liam was preparing to head home alone.
Before he could take more than a few steps, Kade stopped him.
"Wait," Kade said. "I'll come with you."
Liam frowned. "What about your place?"
Kade hesitated for a moment before answering. "It is… empty. There is nothing there. No one."
Liam didn't ask for details. He didn't need to.
So Kade decided to go with him.
They walked together, the streets quieter than they should have been. Along the way, they talked, about nothing important at first. Old jokes. Small memories. Things that felt normal. Things that helped them forget, just for a moment, how wrong the world had become.
When they reached Liam's house, it was still standing. The lights were on.
Inside, everything looked the same as it always had.
They sat together for a long time. They talked. They played games. They ate whatever food they could find. Hours passed without either of them noticing. For a while, it almost felt safe.
Eventually, the night grew late.
Kade stood and stretched. "You know what," he said casually, "I don't think I should be alone tonight."
Liam nodded. "Yeah. You can stay here."
Kade smiled. "Thanks."
Kade sat on the edge of the couch, staring at the floor.
"I'm sorry," he said suddenly. "I didn't mean to force myself on you like this."
Liam looked over. "You didn't."
Kade hesitated, then continued, his voice lower. "I've never really known how to talk to people. Even when I was a kid. I always said the wrong thing. Couldn't keep friends. Couldn't fit in."
Liam shrugged slightly. "I don't know you that well," he said honestly. "But… I think you're changing."
Kade let out a quiet breath, almost a laugh. "That's what I'm hoping."
He rubbed his hands together, as if warming them. "I didn't want to go back to my place. I think if I did, I'd fall back into my old habits. Being alone. Shutting everything out." He looked up at Liam. "Maybe staying here is how I change."
Then he stiffened. "Sorry," he added quickly. "I didn't mean to dump all that on you. You probably had it rough too."
Liam frowned. "What do you mean?"
Kade blinked. "That house you mentioned. The one you lived in with your father. You said it was… a bad memory. A sad one."
Liam stared at him.
"My dad?" he said slowly. "I never met the guy. What are you talking about?"
Kade froze.
The room went quiet.