Morning came slowly.
Soft light filtered through the curtains, settling across the room without urgency.
Nothing sharp.
Nothing loud.
Just quiet.
Leah was already awake.
She hadn't slept much.
Not properly.
Her body had rested—but her mind hadn't followed.
Her hand rested over her stomach.
Familiar.
Constant.
Then—
a kick.
Sharp.
Immediate.
Leah exhaled softly.
"…You're up early."
Another kick followed.
Then another.
Not frantic.
But persistent.
She closed her eyes briefly.
"…Or you just didn't sleep either."
The door opened quietly.
Leah didn't turn right away.
She already knew.
Footsteps.
Measured.
Slower than before—but steadier.
Izana.
He stepped inside.
Closed the door behind him.
No rush.
No wasted movement.
Leah turned her head slightly.
Her gaze settled on him.
Careful.
Observing.
"…You're walking better."
Izana stopped beside the bed.
"…Enough."
Leah studied him.
The way he stood.
The way he carried himself.
Still controlled.
Still composed.
But something else—
something quieter—
sat underneath it.
She didn't look away.
"…You didn't tell me everything."
Silence.
No confusion.
No hesitation.
Just stillness.
Izana met her gaze.
"…No."
That was enough.
Leah's fingers tightened slightly against the sheets.
"…So it's done."
He didn't answer.
Didn't need to.
The silence said everything.
Leah pushed herself up slightly.
Careful.
But deliberate.
"…Did you kill him?"
A pause.
Izana didn't look away.
Didn't soften.
But he didn't answer either.
And that—
was the answer.
Leah exhaled sharply.
Her hand pressed against her stomach.
"…You said you wouldn't leave like that again."
Izana's voice stayed even.
"…This was different."
Leah shook her head immediately.
"…No."
Her voice tightened.
"…It wasn't."
A pause.
Her breathing shifted.
Faster now.
Uneven.
"…You still left."
Izana didn't respond.
Leah continued.
Her voice gaining edge.
"…You still made a decision without telling me."
A beat.
"…Again."
Izana's gaze sharpened slightly.
"…I handled it."
Leah's eyes flashed.
"…That's not the point."
Silence.
Then—
her voice rose.
Not loud.
But breaking.
"…You think this doesn't affect me?"
Her hand pressed more firmly against her stomach.
"…You think this doesn't affect him?"
That landed.
Direct.
Izana's jaw tightened slightly.
"…I made sure it doesn't."
Leah let out a breath that almost sounded like a laugh.
But there was no humor in it.
"…You don't get to decide that."
Her breathing grew uneven.
Faster.
"…You don't get to decide what affects us—."
She shifted too quickly.
Too sharply.
Her body reacted instantly.
A sharp pull.
Her breath hitched.
"…Iz—."
That was enough.
Everything stopped.
Immediately.
Izana moved.
No hesitation.
No delay.
He closed the distance in a second.
One arm around her—
careful.
Firm.
Pulling her into him before she could move again.
Not tight.
Not rough.
But unyielding.
Grounding.
Stopping her.
"…Stop."
His voice was low.
Close.
Controlled.
But different now.
Leah tensed against him.
Still breathing unevenly.
"…No—you don't get to—."
"…Stop."
Firmer.
Still quiet.
But absolute.
Her body resisted for a second.
Then faltered.
Her breathing stuttered again.
Izana didn't loosen his hold.
One hand steady against her back.
The other braced carefully—
anchoring her without risking her stomach.
"…Don't do that."
Leah's voice broke slightly.
Muffled against him.
"…You always do this…"
Her grip tightened weakly against his shirt.
"…You always—."
She couldn't finish.
Her breath wasn't steady enough.
That was it.
That was all he needed.
Izana's voice dropped.
Lower.
Closer.
"…I'm sorry."
No delay.
No justification.
Just—
immediate.
Leah stilled slightly in his hold.
Not fully.
But enough.
Her voice came softer now.
Weaker.
"…You always say that after…"
A pause.
Her fingers loosened slightly.
"…After you already decided everything…"
Izana didn't pull away.
Didn't step back.
He kept her there.
Until her breathing started to even out.
Until the tension in her body eased.
Even slightly.
"…This isn't worth it."
His voice was quieter now.
Less sharp.
"…Not like this."
A pause.
His hand shifted slightly.
Lower.
Resting carefully over her stomach.
Grounding.
"…This isn't worth risking you."
Another beat.
Softer—
"…Or him."
Silence.
Heavy.
But no longer sharp.
Leah's breathing slowed.
Gradually.
Her grip loosened.
Her forehead resting lightly against him now.
"…I hate when you do that…"
Her voice barely above a whisper.
"…When you just decide things…"
Izana didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"…I know."
That made her pause.
Just for a second.
Her voice quieter now.
Less sharp.
More tired.
"…You don't tell me anything…"
A small kick interrupted her.
Both of them felt it.
Leah's hand moved instantly.
Pressing against her stomach.
"…He's reacting again…"
Izana's hand shifted over hers.
Resting there.
Warm.
Steady.
The movement beneath their hands slowed.
Then stilled.
Leah exhaled softly.
"…He feels everything…"
Izana didn't look away.
"…Then we don't let it get this far again."
Leah didn't argue.
Didn't push.
Her body didn't have the energy for it anymore.
"…I don't want to fight you."
A pause.
Her voice quieter.
"…Not like that."
Izana's grip loosened slightly.
But he didn't fully let go.
"…Then don't."
A beat.
Then softer—
"…Not like that."
Leah stayed where she was for a moment longer.
Not pulling away.
Not fully leaning in.
Just—
still.
Then slowly—
she leaned back.
Carefully.
Letting him guide her back onto the bed.
Izana adjusted the pillow behind her.
This time—
she didn't stop him.
Didn't argue.
She watched him instead.
Quiet.
Tired.
But fully awake.
"…You're going to do it again."
Not accusing.
Just certain.
Izana met her gaze.
"…Yes."
No hesitation.
Leah exhaled slowly.
Her hand moved to her stomach.
Then over his.
Still resting there.
"…Then don't make it feel like I don't matter."
Silence.
That one settled deeper.
He didn't answer immediately.
Didn't deflect.
Didn't avoid it.
Then—
"…You do."
Leah studied him.
Longer this time.
Searching for something more.
Something underneath that.
"…I don't like not knowing what you're thinking."
Izana's gaze didn't shift.
"…You know enough."
Leah shook her head slightly.
"…Not when it matters."
Silence.
A small kick broke it.
Softer this time.
Izana's thumb moved faintly.
The movement calmed again.
Leah watched it happen.
Then looked back at him.
"…He listens to you."
Izana didn't respond right away.
Then—
"…He listens to both of us."
Leah didn't argue.
But she didn't fully agree either.
Her gaze lingered on him.
Steady.
Aware.
Still processing.
Still there.
"…Just don't shut me out."
Her voice was quiet.
But clear.
Izana held her gaze.
Didn't look away.
"…I won't."
Silence followed.
Not soft.
Not resolved.
Just—
held.
Leah didn't lie back fully.
Didn't close her eyes.
She stayed propped up.
Watching him.
And Izana—
didn't move.
Didn't leave.
His hand remained over hers.
Over Zarek.
Grounding.
Present.
And this time—
neither of them pretended it was over.