I was breaking down, unable to stop crying.
We were back at the safe house, Rose was with Susan, and Tony had been trying to comfort me.
"I had the shot, it was a clear shot, and I hesitated. Dante escaped because of me."
"You made a human choice. You didn't execute someone in cold blood."
"And now he's out there planning his next attack and coming for Rose because I couldn't pull the trigger."
"Katherine-"
"Don't!" I was now shouting. "Don't tell me it's okay. It's not okay! I put my morality above our daughter's safety! What kind of mother does that?"
He was holding me, but I couldn't stop shaking. I couldn't stop seeing that moment.
Dante's head was in my sights, his finger on the trigger. The hesitation that cost us everything.
I had an emergency session with Dr. Nina Cole via video call. It was me alone - crying, broken, and could barely speak.
"I'm a mother. My only job is to protect her, and I failed because I couldn't become a killer."
