Chapter — The Place She Could Breathe
The car finally stopped outside the base.
Everyone slowly got out.
Jay barely spoke.
Her mind was still somewhere inside that warehouse.
Cora was hurt.
Not because Jay had attacked her.
Not because Jay had made a mistake.
But somehow, Jay couldn't stop blaming herself.
Kyle's words kept repeating in her head.
You should have come alone.
Maybe he had been right.
Maybe everyone around her really was becoming a target because of her.
She walked inside quietly.
Nobody stopped her.
Nobody asked questions.
She simply moved toward one of the quieter corners of the common room and sat down.
Her hands rested together in her lap.
She stared at the floor.
Keifer noticed.
Of course he did.
He had been watching her since they left the warehouse.
He slowly walked over and sat beside her.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Jay kept staring downward.
Finally, she whispered,
"I should've gone alone."
Keifer's expression changed.
"No."
Jay swallowed.
"Cora got hurt."
"That wasn't your fault."
"But—"
"Jay."
His voice was gentle, but firm.
She finally looked at him.
"You didn't hurt her."
Jay's eyes became glassy.
"I know."
But she clearly didn't believe it.
Keifer could see how exhausted she was.
Not just from the fight.
From everything.
The past.
Kyle.
The fear.
The constant feeling that she had to protect everyone.
He didn't ask her to explain.
He didn't tell her to stop crying.
He simply opened his arms.
Jay stared at him for a moment.
Then something inside her finally gave in.
She moved closer.
Keifer carefully wrapped his arms around her.
The hug was quiet.
Steady.
Safe.
Jay's forehead rested against his shoulder as she finally allowed herself to stop holding everything together.
Keifer held her securely, careful of her healing injury.
One arm remained around her shoulders while the other rested gently across her back.
There was no pressure.
No questions.
No expectation that she had to speak.
For the first time that night, Jay didn't have to watch everyone else.
She didn't have to check whether Cora was okay.
She didn't have to pretend she wasn't frightened.
She didn't have to be the strongest person in the room.
She could simply breathe.
Her shoulders slowly relaxed.
Her breathing became steadier.
Keifer stayed completely still, letting her decide when she was ready to pull away.
Jay's fingers lightly held onto the fabric of his shirt.
Her voice came out barely above a whisper.
"I'm tired, Keif."
Keifer lowered his voice.
"I know."
That was all.
And somehow, those two words were enough.
Jay closed her eyes.
The tension she'd been carrying since the warehouse slowly began leaving her body.
She wasn't suddenly okay.
She hadn't forgotten what happened.
She hadn't stopped worrying about Cora.
But for a few quiet minutes, she didn't have to carry everything alone.
Keifer remained beside her.
No promises.
No speeches.
Just staying.
And Jay finally let herself breath