Ryder looks up, nodding toward us. “Patrol clear?”
“Yeah,” I reply, setting the bowls down. “No sign of hunters or toxins. The border’s quiet.”
“Good,” he says simply, though I notice his shoulders relax slightly. His worry never fully leaves him, but it’s less sharp now.
Callen pulls out a chair for Paige, his grin crooked. “Sit. You’ve earned it.”
She laughs, handing him a bowl before settling beside him. I slide in across from her while Parker takes the seat next to Ryder. For a while, the only sounds are spoons clinking against bowls and soft conversation.
This moment is simple, but it fills a space inside me I hadn’t realized was empty. Callen teasing me about my terrible table manners. Ryder quietly refilling Paige’s glass before she even notices it’s empty. The way Paige looks at all of us, as if committing this peaceful scene to memory, storing it away to carry her through whatever storms come next.
After a while, Paige leans back, a faint smile on her lips. “You know, this is the first time it’s felt truly quiet here. Not just the sound, but everything.”
“Feels like the calm after the storm,” Callen says.
Ryder hums in agreement. “Let’s hope it’s not the calm before one.”
I catch Paige’s gaze across the table. There’s something in her eyes that tells me she’s thinking the same thing I am-that nothing this fragile ever lasts forever, but that doesn’t mean we can’t hold onto it while it’s here.
Parker breaks the silence first, leaning back with a satisfied groan. “I swear, if I die tomorrow, I’ll die happy.”
“Don’t tempt fate,” I warn.
He grins. “I’ll risk it.”
Callen throws a crumpled napkin at him, and laughter fills the room again.
When dinner ends, Ryder insists on handling the dishes with Parker, muttering something about “not letting Paige lift a finger.” She protests, but Ryder’s look shuts down any argument. Callen heads upstairs to check on Jax.
That leaves Paige and me alone in the quiet once more. She’s curled up on the couch now, wrapped in a blanket, scrolling through the TV menu. For a moment, I just stand there, watching her-the soft line of her jaw, the calm in her eyes, the steady rhythm of her heartbeat through our bond.
“Come sit,” she says, patting the cushion beside her.
I cross the room and settle down next to her, the warmth of her presence easing the last remnants of tension from patrol.
“Everything okay out there?” she asks.
“Yeah. Peaceful for once.”
“Good,” she says softly, leaning against my shoulder. “You all deserve some peace.”
I wrap my arm around her, pulling her closer. “So do you.”
For a long while, we sit in silence, staring at the list of movies. Her breathing slows, steady and even against my chest. The world feels still, and for now, that’s enough.
**Paige’s Perspective**
This morning, the house feels vibrant once again.
A gentle laughter floats softly from the living room, mingling with the quiet murmur of voices. There, Jaxon is nestled on the couch, wrapped snugly in a blanket. His cheeks still hold a faint rosy tint from the coughing fits, but thankfully, the fever has finally broken. Ryder sits close by, his fingers gently running through Jaxon’s hair as they watch cartoons together.
Every so often, Ryder carefully checks Jaxon’s temperature, making sure the fever isn’t creeping back. He barely left Jaxon’s side during the night, watching over him with the same devoted care I remember giving him when he was a baby battling his first virus.
It’s heartwarming to witness-Ryder’s protective nature is steady, patient, and instinctive. Yet, a small ache tugs at my heart, knowing he wasn’t there for so many moments over the past six years. I linger quietly in the doorway, watching the two of them, my entire being swelling with love and a bittersweet sense of longing.
Behind me, sunlight pours in through the kitchen windows, casting a warm, golden glow across the floor. I step toward the light, craving its warmth on my face, needing a brief moment to breathe-and to give Ryder the space he clearly still requires. I’ve learned that trying to pull him out of his protective mode only makes him cling tighter. This quiet bonding time between father and son is precious for both of them.
–
Parker is leaning casually against the kitchen counter, a cup of coffee in hand. The aroma is strong enough to make me wrinkle my nose. He looks up as I enter, a slow, knowing smile tugging at his lips.
“How did you sleep?” he asks gently.
I shake my head, the exhaustion clear in my voice. “Not well. You?”
“Not much better, with Ryder pulling the world’s most intense bedside vigil. Every time I closed my eyes, I could feel the worry radiating off him.”
A faint smile crosses my lips. “He just needed to be sure Jaxon was okay. Watching your usually lively kid so still is scary.”
Parker’s expression softens. “Yeah, he really scared us all.”
I press my palms against the counter, nodding slowly. “It’s never easy, but then they bounce back so fast-while you’re still drained from the worry, they’re already full of energy again.”
He watches me quietly for a moment. “You’ve been through this cycle a lot, haven’t you?”
“More times than I can count,” I admit. “But it’s easier now, with you all here. Sometimes I wonder how I ever managed it alone.”
“Did Greg not help at all?” His question catches me off guard, stirring a sudden wave of anxiety in my chest.
I take a steadying breath, reminding myself who I’m talking to-Parker isn’t here to judge. I appreciate how easy it is to talk about my past with my friends; they genuinely listen. If anyone mentioned Ryder’s name around Greg, he’d explode. There’s no way Greg would want to discuss my past unless it was to hurt me.
I shake my head. “No, not really.”
“Well, now you’ve got four of us-not just willing, but eager to help,” he says with a grin, though it fades as he studies me more closely. “When was the last time you really rested, Paige? I don’t mean just sleeping or taking a bath-I mean truly resting.”
I shrug, a tired smile flickering. “Before Jax was born, maybe?”
His smile softens. “You don’t have to carry everything by yourself anymore, you know.”
I meet his gaze. “I’m not.”
He steps closer, resting his hands on the counter beside me, close enough that I can feel the warmth radiating from him.
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