The hospital smelled like antiseptic, plastic curtains, and something faintly metallic. For most, it was a terrible scent but to West it was oddly comforting once he realized it meant safety.
Aria barely let go of him from the moment they stepped through the sliding doors.
She guided him to triage, hand firm around his wrist as if he might disappear again if she loosened her grip. West noticed the looks they got—some curious, some concerned—but he didn't care. H
The nurse at the counter raised an eyebrow when she saw the state he was in.
"What happened to you?" she asked.
Aria answered before West could. "He was caught in a residential ruin emergence."
That single sentence changed everything.
The nurse's posture straightened immediately. "Room three. Now."
