Chapter: In This House, She's Safe
(Keifer's POV — Continued)
When she asked, "Why?"
It didn't feel dramatic.
It didn't feel romantic.
It felt real.
"Because it was you," I repeated.
And for a second, her eyes softened.
Then they filled again.
Aries pulled her back into his arms before she could spiral again, and that's when she broke.
Not loud.
Not screaming like earlier.
Just shaking.
"I hurt Keif again," she cried into his chest. "I always hurt him."
I stepped closer.
"You didn't hurt me."
"I threw things— I screamed at you— I—"
"You were scared," Aries said firmly, holding her tighter. "You weren't attacking him."
"But I did it in his house," she whispered.
"I don't care about the house," I said.
She looked at me again.
Red eyes. Wet lashes.
"You don't?"
"No."
Her voice cracked. "I saw it again… and I couldn't stop it."
Aries closed his eyes briefly.
"I know," he murmured.
So he really did know.
I felt something heavy settle in my chest.
There were parts of her life I hadn't seen.
Parts that still had claws.
And today, they came back.
"I don't want to be like this," she whispered.
"You're not 'like' anything," Aries said softly. "You're just healing."
She shook her head weakly.
"I scared everyone."
"I scared too," I admitted.
She froze slightly at that.
"I didn't know how to reach you," I continued quietly. "That's what scared me."
Her fingers tightened in Aries' shirt.
"I thought you were mad," she said faintly.
"I was terrified," I corrected.
Silence filled the broken room.
The lamp still shattered on the floor.
Books scattered.
The air heavy.
Aries slowly guided her to sit back down on the bed.
She looked exhausted.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
"I'm tired," she whispered.
"Then sleep," Aries said gently.
She looked at me.
Almost asking permission.
I nodded once.
"Sleep."
She hesitated.
Then, without a word, she lay down.
Aries sat beside her on one side.
I sat on the other.
She curled slightly toward Aries at first.
Still fragile.
Still shaken.
But her eyes kept drifting toward me.
As if checking.
As if making sure I wasn't gone.
"I'm here," I said quietly.
Her breathing slowly evened out.
Aries brushed her hair back gently.
Within minutes—
She fell asleep.
Not restless.
Not shaking.
Just exhausted.
Aries and I sat there in silence for a long moment.
Then he exhaled slowly.
"You didn't leave," he said without looking at me.
"I wouldn't."
"I know."
That was the first time he'd said that so calmly.
No tension.
No rivalry.
Just understanding.
"She blames herself for everything," he continued quietly.
"I noticed."
"She thinks she ruins things."
"She doesn't."
Aries nodded once.
"I know that. You know that. She doesn't."
I looked at her sleeping face.
Peaceful now.
But tear tracks still visible.
"I'll make sure she knows," I said quietly.
Aries looked at me for a long second.
Then he stood up carefully.
"Stay with her," he said.
"I am."
He walked out of the room.
I sat there for a few more minutes.
Just watching her breathe.
Making sure she didn't slip somewhere I couldn't reach again.
Eventually, I stepped out too — quietly closing the door halfway.
And that's when I saw them.
All of them.
The entire Section E squad.
Keigan and Keiran sitting on the stairs.
Yuri standing near the wall, looking like guilt was eating him alive.
Ci n pacing.
David and Emman whispering.
Eren and Rory silent.
Erdix leaning against the hallway.
Mayo, Kit, Blaster, Calix, Felix, Drew, Denzel, Josh — all unusually quiet.
My house had never felt this full.
Or this tense.
They all looked up at the same time.
"How is she?" Ci n asked immediately.
"Is she awake?" Keigan added.
Yuri didn't speak.
He just looked at me.
Aries stepped beside me.
"She's sleeping," he answered calmly.
Relief moved across the group visibly.
"She fainted for real?" David asked quietly.
"Yes," Aries replied.
"Is she okay?" Mayo asked.
"She will be," I said.
Silence.
Yuri finally spoke.
"Did I… trigger it?"
No one answered immediately.
Aries looked at him.
"It wasn't one sentence," he said evenly. "It's not that simple."
Yuri swallowed hard.
"I didn't mean to—"
"I know," I said.
And I did.
He didn't mean to hurt anyone.
But emotions don't ask permission before reacting.
Blaster ran a hand through his hair. "She looked really scared earlier."
"She wasn't seeing us," Keiran added quietly.
I leaned against the wall.
"She was somewhere else."
That made them all go quiet again.
Denzel frowned. "Like… a panic attack?"
"More than that," Aries replied softly.
They didn't push further.
Good.
Some things weren't for a hallway discussion.
Ci n crossed his arms.
"We're not leaving."
I looked at him.
"We didn't ask you to."
"Good," he said.
Keigan nodded firmly. "We'll stay till she wakes up."
Yuri looked at the closed bedroom door.
"Does she know we're all here?"
"She will," I said.
Josh spoke quietly for the first time. "Don't let her feel embarrassed."
I nodded once.
"I won't."
Aries glanced at me.
"She listens to you," he said.
I didn't respond.
But I knew what he meant.
After what felt like forever—
The house slowly settled.
Some of them sat on the floor.
Some leaned against walls.
No music.
No jokes.
Just quiet loyalty.
An hour later—
The bedroom door creaked softly.
I turned immediately.
She was standing there.
Hair messy.
Eyes tired.
But awake.
And when she saw the hallway full of her people—
She froze.
Everyone stood up at once.
No teasing.
No noise.
Just concern.
And for the first time that day—
Her expression didn't look guilty.
It looked… surprised.
Like she hadn't expected anyone to stay.
And I realized something quietly—
She thought she was a burden.
But she didn't see what I was seeing right now.
An entire section.
Standing.
Waiting.
Because she mattered.