Page 31 of Rest In Peace

"Information, updates, decisions—don't shut me out. Maybe I can keep you safer if I'm in the loop." His hand gripped mine tighter. "I don't want to lose you."

"Okay." It was a simple word, but it sealed an unspoken pact. "Together, then. We tackle this together."

"Exactly." Matt exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing. "We're a team, right?"

"Right." I smiled, letting his strength seep into me. "Team us."

"Team us," he echoed, a faint smile touching the corners of his lips.

Leaning in, I brushed a kiss against Matt's forehead. His eyes, once clouded with doubt and fear, softened under the warmth of my lips.

"Thank you," I whispered, tracing the line of his jaw with my fingertips, feeling the stubble that spoke of days spent worrying.

"For what?" he murmured, his hand finding its way to the small of my back, pulling me closer on the couch.

"Listening. Understanding."

He chuckled quietly, a sound that danced against the tension that had surrounded us. "I think I should be thanking you."

"Matt…."

"Shh." He pressed a finger to my lips, silencing me. "Let me speak, okay?"

"Okay," I conceded, my voice a mere breath as I settled into the crook of his arm.

"I am trying to fight it, you know?" His admission was raw and vulnerable. "But ever since the shooting, everything feels… fragile."

"Life is fragile," I said, tilting my head to meet his gaze.

"Exactly. Which is why—" Matt paused, searching my face, "—I can't bear the thought of losing you—not to the job, not to anything."

"Hey, look at me." I cupped his cheek, urging him to understand. "You won't lose me. I'm right here."

"Promise?" The word hung between us, a plea for reassurance.

"Promise." I sealed it with a kiss, gentle and lingering, a testament to the depth of our bond.

"Okay," he breathed out as we parted, his thumb caressing my cheek. "Okay."

"Team us, remember?" I repeated, then smiled, nudging his nose with mine.

"Always, team us." His smile matched mine, a mirror of relief and love.

As the weight of our promises hung in the air between us, a sense of unity settled over the room, wrapping around us like a shield against the dangers lurking outside. Matt's hand found mine, fingers intertwining in a silent vow to face whatever came our way together.

"I love you," he said, his voice a soft declaration that filled the space with warmth.

"I love you too," I replied, my heart swelling with gratitude for having him by my side.

Chapter 35

THEN:

Sarah's fingers clenched the fabric of the curtains, her knuckles white as she peered through the window. The red and blue lights from the ambulance painted the night in urgent strokes, casting an eerie glow over Steven's hunched figure as he carried Victoria's limp body outside. Victoria's arm dangled lifelessly, her head rolling against Steven's chest with each hurried step he took. He told her he would take Victoria. Sarah wasn’t good at handling these situations of crisis. She would only be in the way.

"Be safe," Sarah whispered, her voice a fragile thread in the vast silence of the room.

The ambulance doors slammed shut, muffling the distant wail of the siren that soon faded into the night. Alone now, the house's quiet pressed in around her, amplifying the rapid beat of her heart—a drumbeat of fear and helplessness.

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