Rose woke up first.
She didn't scream.
She just stared at the ceiling like she didn't recognize it.
White.
Quiet.
Safe.
Her hands were shaking.
She hid them under the blanket.
A nurse leaned over her.
"You're fine."
Rose blinked.
"...He?"
The nurse didn't answer.
Because at that exact moment, two doors down—
Ari collapsed.
When he opened his eyes, the world felt wrong.
Like he came back from somewhere he wasn't supposed to go.
He tried to sit up.
Everything spun.
He shut his eyes again.
And for a second—
Silence.
That same silence.
His chest tightened.
He opened them quickly.
White ceiling.
Buzzing light.
Infirmary.
Alive.
The door opened.
Leilla walked in first.
Malak right behind her.
They both stopped when they saw him awake.
Leilla let out a breath. "You scared us."
Ari looked at her.
Then past her.
"Rose?"
"She's here," Malak said quietly. "Different room."
He nodded.
Then memories came back.
The dog.
The snap.
The eyes.
His jaw tightened.
Leilla pulled a chair closer. "Talk."
He stared at his hands.
"I saw it again."
Neither of them asked what "it" was.
Malak leaned against the wall. "When?"
"Right before."
He swallowed.
"It's not random."
Leilla's eyes sharpened. "Explain."
He shook his head slowly. "I don't think it's saving me."
Silence.
He looked up at them now.
"It feels like it's waiting."
"For what?" Malak asked.
"For me to break."
That landed heavier than he meant it to.
Leilla didn't joke this time.
No one did.
Later, they let him walk.
He didn't like how weak his legs felt.
They passed Rose's room.
He stopped.
Leilla opened the door quietly.
Rose was sitting up.
Blanket around her shoulders.
Staring at nothing.
When she noticed them, she tried to smile.
It didn't work.
Ari stepped inside.
"You good?"
She nodded too fast.
"I'm fine."
He sat on the edge of the bed.
Her eyes flickered to Leilla.
Like she could still see the teeth there.
"...I thought I saw you die," she whispered.
Leilla didn't answer immediately.
"Yeah," she said finally. "Me too."
Rose's fingers tightened around the blanket.
"I couldn't move."
"That's normal."
"No." Her voice cracked slightly. "I froze."
Rose shook her head.
"I heard it snap."
Silence.
Ari looked at her properly now.
She wasn't shaking anymore.
That was worse.
He exhaled slowly.
"Next time," he said quietly, "we stick together. All of us."
She looked at him.
A small nod.
Not healed.
But breathing.
That was enough for now.
Two staff members came later.
Same questions.
Same looks.
Leilla explained the reset.
Again.
"And before the dog killed him," she finished, "everything went white."
The taller staff member turned to Ari.
"Who are you?"
Ari blinked.
"...What?"
"Family history. Anything unusual."
He gave them nothing.
Normal school.
Normal city.
No special incidents.
No father mentioned.
They left unsatisfied.
Training resumed three days later.
They didn't talk about it.
Not directly.
Rose moved quieter now.
More focused.
Less smiling.
Malak got sharper.
Leilla stopped hesitating.
And Ari—
Ari stopped checking if they were behind him.
He just trusted they were.
At night, though—
He woke up twice.
No nightmare.
Just remembering Chae.
One evening, they sat outside with soda cans.
No mission.
No training.
Just air.
Leilla looked at the sky.
"My sister would laugh at me if she saw this."
"She'd be proud," Ari said.
Rose glanced at him.
"You don't even know her."
"I know you."
That got a small reaction out of her.
Malak raised her can.
"To Leilla."
"FOR LEILLAA!"
They clinked cans.
Ari smiled.
And for a second—
The pressure in his head eased.
Just a little.
"Enjoying the bonding moment?"
Cookie stood behind them.
They all groaned.
"Get up," he said. "You're coming with me."
Leilla stood first.
"Are we dying again?"
"Hopefully not," Cookie replied.
Rose stood slower.
Ari watched her.
She met his eyes.
No words.
Just understanding.
They walked.
Together.
This was it—
The final step.