But intentional.
My breath catches.
“Welcome back,” I whisper.
Something shifts in his expression.
Subtle.
But there.
His lips part slightly.
Like he’s trying to say something.
Nothing comes out.
Not yet.
“That’s okay,” I murmur. “You don’t have to talk. Just stay with me.”
His grip tightens again.
Stronger this time.
And something in my chest—
Something I’ve been holding back since the moment we got here—
Cracks.
Because this isn’t just relief.
This isn’t just professional.
This isn’t just—
I push the thought away.
Hard.
Now is not the time.
But it lingers anyway.
Right there under the surface.
“Doctor,” the medic says again, softer this time, “he’s stabilizing.”
I finally look up.
Just for a second.
Meeting his eyes.
Confirming it.
Seeing the numbers.
