Jackson stayed exactly where he was, afraid that even the smallest movement might pull her back under. Pearl's fingers were weak around his, but they were real—warm, present, unmistakably hers.
"That's it," he murmured, voice steady despite the tightness in his chest. "You don't have to say anything else. Just… stay with me."
Her eyes fluttered, struggling to focus. When they finally did, confusion clouded them, followed by a flicker of recognition. It was faint, but it was there—and it felt like sunlight breaking through heavy clouds.
"Hospital?" she whispered.
He smiled, the kind that hurt his cheeks. "Yeah. You scared everyone. You're very good at that."
Her brow creased slightly, like she was trying to piece together a puzzle with missing edges. "You… didn't leave?"
"Not for a second," Jackson said. "Even when they told me to get some rest. I ignored them."
A tiny hint of a smile tugged at her lips. "That sounds like you."
Relief washed through him so fast he had to blink it back. He squeezed her hand gently. "You need to rest. Doctors will explain everything when you're more awake."
She nodded faintly, eyelids growing heavy again. Before they closed, her grip tightened just a little, as if she were anchoring herself.
"Stay," she said.
"I'm not going anywhere," he promised. And this time, the words didn't feel like hope—they felt like fact.
Pearl drifted back to sleep, her breathing slow and even. Jackson leaned back in the chair, still holding her hand, letting the moment settle into him. The fear didn't vanish completely, but it softened, reshaped itself into something manageable.
Jonathan slipped into the room quietly. "Doctor says this is a good sign," he whispered. "She's responding more clearly now."
Jackson nodded, eyes never leaving Pearl. "I know."
Jonathan hesitated, then placed a hand on Jackson's shoulder. "You did good."
Jackson finally looked up. "We're not done yet."
Jonathan smiled. "No. But you're not alone in it."
Night settled fully outside the window, city lights blinking on one by one. The hospital grew quieter, the chaos of the day giving way to something gentler. Jackson watched Pearl sleep, memorizing the simple rise and fall of her chest, the calm he'd feared he might never see again.
For the first time in what felt like forever, the future didn't terrify him.
It waited—uncertain, fragile, real.
And when Pearl woke again, he would be ready to meet it with her.