Page 61 of Shadows of Recovery

Tristan squeezed her hand gently. “You’re going to be okay.”

Sophie took a shaky breath. “I’m scared, Tristan. What if it’s not enough?”

His expression softened, and he leaned in closer, his eyes searching hers with a depth of concern that made her heart ache. “What if what’s not enough?”

“This,” Sophie whispered, her voice almost breaking. “Us. Everything you’re doing… what if it’s not enough to keep me… to keep me from falling apart?”

His fingers threaded through hers with a comforting squeeze. “Sophie, look at me.” He waited until her eyes met his again. “Itwillbe enough. I promise you that.”

“But how do you know?” Her voice was laced with doubt. “I don’t even know if I’m strong enough for this… for us. What if I’m too broken?”

“You’re not broken.” Tristan’s gaze never wavered. “You’re hurt, yes, but you’re not broken. And you don’t have to be strong all the time. That’s why I’m here. We’re in this together.”

Sophie swallowed hard, her throat tight with emotion. “I just… I don’t want to be a burden to you. I don’t want you to have to carry my fears, along with everything else.”

“You’re not a burden, Sophie,” Tristan replied. “I care about you more than anything else. You don’t have to carry this alone. We’ll figure it out together, day by day. You just have to trust me.”

She hesitated, searching his eyes for any sign of doubt, but all she saw was unwavering determination and something else—something deeper, a kind of love she wasn’t sure she deserved but desperately wanted to believe in.

“I’m trying. I really am. But what if… what if the darkness comes back? What if I can’t push it away?”

“Then I’ll be here to push it back with you,” Tristan said without hesitation. “You don’t have to face it alone. We’ll take it one step at a time, together.”

When a tear slipped down her cheek, he reached up to gently wipe it away. “You’re not alone, Sophie. You never have to be alone in this.”

His words were a balm to her frayed nerves, soothing some of the anxiety that was biting at her. She wanted to believe him, to hold on to his promise as if it could keep her safe from the shadows that lurked in her mind.

“Okay,” she whispered, “I’ll try. I’ll try to believe that we can do this… together.”

Tristan smiled, a small but genuine smile that made her heart swell. “That’s all I ask.”

Sophie nodded. “Together,” she echoed, holding on to his hand just a little tighter.

The paramedic looked over, offering a reassuring smile. “We’re almost there, just a few more minutes. Hang in there, Sophie.”

She closed her eyes, trying to draw strength from Tristan’s words. “I just want this to be over.” Opening them again, she swiped at her tears.

They were almost at the Blackwell Institute when Sophie’s gaze shifted to the rear window. Her eyes widened with sudden recognition as they passed a familiar house. “Tristan,” she whispered, her voice filled with a mix of confusion and yearning. “Isn’t that… isn’t that our home?”

Tristan glanced out the window, where the familiar outline of their house had come into view. “Yes,” he said softly, turning back to her. “That’s our home.”

A spark of clarity lit up Sophie’s eyes. “Can we go there?” Her voice trembled with hope. “I want to go home, Tristan. Please.”

He swallowed hard and rubbed his chest, then squeezed her hand gently. “Sophie, I know you want to go home,” he choked out, “but you can’t right now.”

Her face fell, confusion and hurt clouding her features. “Why not?” Desperation tinged her words. “I don’t understand.”

Tristan took a deep breath, and then another one. “Your brain and body need more time to recover,” he explained gently. “Our home… it doesn’t have what you need right now.”

Tears welled up in Sophie’s eyes, and she shook her head. “But it’s our home,” she insisted, her voice breaking. “I just want to be there with you.”

Tristan’s Adam’s apple moved up and down at the sight of her tears. He leaned closer, cupping her face with his free hand. “I know, love,” he said softly. “I will be with you. Our home isn’t our home without you. Right now, the best thing for you is to be at the Institute. They’ll help you heal faster, and then we can go home together.”

Sophie’s shoulders sagged at his words. She looked down, tears spilling onto her cheeks. “It doesn’t feel fair,” she murmured.

* * *

Tristan’s throat tightened,but he forced himself to smile, brushing away her tears. “I know it doesn’t, but I promise you, this is just a temporary step. We’ll be back home before you know it. And until then, I’ll be right by your side.”

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