Morning came quietly.
Soft light filtered through the hospital blinds, settling over the room without disturbing anything.
Leah was still asleep.
Carefully positioned beside Izana on the bed.
Not fully leaning on him.
Not risking it.
Even in her sleep, she was cautious.
One hand rested lightly over her stomach.
The other near him.
Like she needed to stay connected even without thinking about it.
Izana was awake.
He had been for a while.
Not moving much.
Not rushing.
Just watching.
Watching her.
Watching the slow rise and fall of her breathing.
Then—
his gaze shifted.
To her stomach.
His hand moved slowly.
Still weak.
But steadier now.
He placed it gently over her baby bump.
Quiet.
Familiar.
"…Morning."
His voice was low.
Rough.
But clearer than before.
A pause.
"…You've been quiet."
No response.
Izana's thumb shifted slightly.
"…That's new."
He watched for a moment.
Then leaned down slowly.
Careful.
Measured.
And pressed a soft kiss to her baby bump.
The moment his lips touched—
thud.
A kick.
Direct.
Immediate.
Izana froze slightly.
Then pulled back just enough.
His eyes narrowed faintly.
"…You just kicked me."
Silence.
Then—
another smaller movement.
Izana stared at her stomach.
"…That's how you respond?"
A pause.
His voice stayed low.
Flat.
"…You've been calm for days and now you do that."
Another faint shift.
Izana exhaled quietly.
"…Don't start."
Leah stirred beside him.
A small movement.
Her brows shifted slightly.
Not fully awake.
"…mm…"
Izana glanced at her.
Then back down.
"…You woke her up."
Leah mumbled faintly, eyes still closed.
"…He missed you…"
Izana looked at her.
"…He attacked me."
Leah's lips curved slightly.
Still half asleep.
"…That's your fault…"
Izana didn't respond.
Just looked back at her stomach.
"…You're already difficult."
A faint pause.
Then quieter—
"…Just like her."
Leah gave a small breath that almost sounded like a laugh.
"…Rude…"
Izana ignored that.
His hand stayed where it was.
His attention didn't move.
For a moment—
everything was quiet again.
Soft.
Still.
Then—
the door opened.
Dante walked in.
He stopped.
Immediately.
His gaze landed on them.
Izana leaning slightly over Leah.
His hand on her stomach.
Leah half-asleep beside him.
Silence filled the room.
Dante didn't speak right away.
Just looked.
Processing.
"…I'm interrupting something."
Izana slowly lifted his head.
His gaze met Dante's.
Cold.
Sharp.
No trace of the softness from seconds ago.
The shift was instant.
Complete.
"…What do you want."
Dante didn't react to the tone.
Didn't look away.
"…Kairo is being held at the main base."
Silence.
The air in the room changed.
Completely.
Leah's eyes opened.
Fully this time.
Her body tensed slightly.
Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach.
"…He's still alive?"
Dante nodded once.
"…For now."
Leah looked at Izana.
Waiting.
Watching.
Izana didn't respond immediately.
His gaze stayed on Dante.
Unreadable.
Then—
"…Good."
A pause.
His voice dropped slightly.
Colder.
"…He doesn't die yet."
Dante stepped further into the room.
"…What do you want to do?"
Leah's eyes stayed on Izana.
Studying him.
The change in him was clear now.
The softness was gone.
Replaced.
By something else.
Something familiar.
Something dangerous.
Izana's gaze didn't waver.
"…We'll deal with him."
A pause.
"…Properly."
Silence followed.
Leah's fingers curled slightly against the bedsheet.
"…You're going back."
Her voice was quiet.
Not accusing.
Just stating it.
Izana didn't look at her immediately.
Didn't deny it.
Didn't confirm it either.
Just silence.
Then—
his hand moved again.
Back to her stomach.
Resting there.
Grounding.
Leah noticed.
Her expression softened slightly.
But her eyes didn't leave him.
"…You just woke up."
Izana's voice was calm.
Controlled.
"…I'm not moving yet."
A pause.
"…But this doesn't wait."
Dante crossed his arms slightly.
"…The others are watching."
Izana's gaze flicked to him.
"…Let them."
Silence.
Dante didn't argue.
Elias would've said more.
Dante didn't need to.
Leah shifted slightly beside him.
Careful.
Her voice softer now.
"…He's the one who did this."
A pause.
Her hand pressed lightly over her stomach.
"…He almost—."
She stopped.
Didn't finish it.
Didn't need to.
Izana's expression didn't change.
But his fingers pressed faintly against her stomach.
A small movement.
Grounding.
Then—
another kick.
Light.
But there.
Izana's gaze dropped instantly.
His thumb shifted slightly.
"…Not now."
His voice was low.
Directed downward.
"…Stay calm."
Leah watched him.
"…He listens to you."
Izana didn't respond.
Just kept his hand there.
A pause.
Then—
"…I'll handle it."
Quiet.
Certain.
Leah's eyes stayed on him.
Searching.
"…You always say that."
Izana finally looked at her.
His gaze softer.
But only slightly.
"…And I always do."
Silence.
Leah held his gaze for a moment longer.
Then exhaled slowly.
Not fully convinced.
But not arguing either.
Dante spoke again.
"…Do you want him moved?"
Izana didn't hesitate.
"…No."
A pause.
"…I'll go to him."
Leah's head turned slightly.
"…You're not even fully recovered."
Izana didn't look away from Dante.
"…Doesn't matter."
Leah frowned.
"…It does."
Izana's tone didn't change.
"…Not for this."
Silence.
Leah's grip tightened slightly against the sheet.
"…You said you weren't going anywhere."
A pause.
"…You just said that."
Izana's eyes shifted to her again.
Calm.
Steady.
"…I'm not."
A pause.
"…This ends it."
Leah held his gaze.
Trying to read him.
Trying to decide if she believed that.
Another kick came.
Softer this time.
Izana's hand remained steady over her stomach.
His thumb moved once.
"…Stay."
Quiet.
Directed downward.
Then—
he looked back at Dante.
And just like that—
the softness was gone again.
"…Prepare everything."
Dante nodded once.
"…It's already done."
Izana didn't respond.
Didn't need to.
The room fell quiet again.
But it wasn't the same quiet as before.
Not soft.
Not calm.
It was something else now.
Something sharper.
Something waiting.
Leah shifted slightly closer to him.
Careful.
Her voice quieter.
"…Just don't do something reckless."
Izana didn't look at her.
"…I won't."
A pause.
Then softer—
"…Not anymore."
Leah's eyes stayed on him.
Then slowly—
she leaned slightly closer.
Resting carefully against him again.
Not fully.
But enough.
Her hand moved over his.
Still resting on her stomach.
"…You better not."
Izana didn't respond.
But his hand didn't move.
Didn't leave her.
Didn't leave Zarek.
And for a moment—
everything stayed still again.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
But this time—
it wasn't just recovery anymore.
It was the beginning of something else.