The next morning arrived with good news.
The kind of news that made the last few days feel worth it.
Ellie was sitting on the hospital bed kicking her feet happily while a doctor finished her examination.
The little girl had far more energy than she had the day before.
Her cheeks were no longer flushed from fever.
Her cough had improved significantly.
And most importantly, she was smiling again.
The sight alone made Lillian feel lighter.
The doctor finished checking her over before smiling.
"I think you're ready to go home."
Ellie's eyes immediately widened.
"Really?"
The doctor laughed.
"Really."
"Today?"
"Today."
Ellie threw both arms into the air.
"Yay!"
Lillian couldn't help laughing.
The little girl looked as if she had just won the lottery.
"I don't like hospitals."
The declaration came less than five seconds later.
Thomas chuckled.
"That makes two of us."
Caroline gave him a look.
"You complain every time you visit a hospital."
"Because hospitals are depressing."
"They save lives."
"They can still be depressing."
Caroline rolled her eyes.
Ellie giggled.
Lillian sat quietly beside the bed watching them.
For the first time in days, she felt some of the tension leave her shoulders.
Ellie was alright.
That was what mattered.
That was all that mattered.
Or at least that was what she kept telling herself.
Because another thought continued sitting quietly in the back of her mind.
Sebastian.
She hadn't stopped thinking about him.
Not after seeing him unconscious.
Not after seeing him wake up.
And definitely not after watching him collapse in front of her.
The memory still made her stomach tighten.
An hour later they had gathered their belongings.
Thomas carried a bag.
Caroline was helping Ellie put on her coat.
The little girl was excitedly talking about everything she wanted to do once she got home.
Lillian smiled while listening.
But her attention wasn't entirely there.
Caroline noticed.
Of course she did.
She always noticed.
"What are you thinking about?"
Lillian looked up.
Her mother already knew the answer.
They both knew it.
After a moment Lillian quietly said,
"There's something I need to do before we leave."
Thomas and Caroline exchanged a glance.
Neither of them looked surprised.
"Go," Thomas said gently.
"We'll wait."
Lillian nodded.
Then looked down at Ellie.
"Come on, sweetheart."
The little girl immediately slipped her hand into hers.
"Where are we going?"
"Just somewhere for a minute."
Together they left the pediatric wing.
The walk felt longer than it should have.
Every step seemed heavier than the last.
Because unlike the previous times, this wasn't accidental.
She was choosing this.
Choosing to see him.
Ellie happily walked beside her, completely unaware of the emotional storm happening inside her mother.
"Can we get ice cream later?"
Lillian blinked.
"I thought you were sick."
"I'm better now."
Thomas had definitely influenced her too much.
Eventually they reached the ICU floor.
The atmosphere immediately changed.
Everything felt quieter.
More serious.
More fragile.
Lillian stopped outside Sebastian's room.
For a moment she simply stood there.
Staring through the small window.
Unable to move.
Ellie tugged her sleeve.
"Mommy?"
Lillian inhaled slowly.
Then pushed the door open.
The room was silent.
Machines hummed softly.
Monitors blinked steadily.
And Sebastian lay motionless in the hospital bed.
Still unconscious.
The sight hurt more than she expected.
Not because of the machines.
Not because of the IV lines.
Not because of the hospital room.
But because Sebastian looked vulnerable.
And vulnerability had always been something he fought desperately to hide.
Three years ago he had been the strongest person she knew.
Now he looked exhausted.
Fragile.
Like someone who had spent too long carrying burdens alone.
Lillian slowly walked closer.
Ellie stayed beside her.
Holding her hand.
Quiet for once.
For several moments, Lillian simply looked at him.
The silence stretched.
Neither she nor Sebastian spoke.
One because she didn't know what to say.
The other because he couldn't hear it.
Finally she sighed softly.
"You really scared everyone."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"You scared me."
The confession slipped out before she could stop it.
Sebastian didn't respond.
The monitors continued their steady rhythm.
Lillian looked down.
A part of her felt ridiculous standing here.
Talking to someone who couldn't hear her.
And yet another part of her needed to do it.
Needed to see for herself that he was alive.
"You need to stop doing this to yourself."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"You're not supposed to destroy yourself."
The room remained silent.
Then a small voice broke the quiet.
"Mommy?"
Lillian looked down.
Ellie was staring at Sebastian curiously.
Blue eyes studying the sleeping man.
"Who is he?"
The question hit harder than expected.
Lillian froze.
For a moment she couldn't answer.
Because the truth sat right there.
Just beyond reach.
One sentence away from changing everything.
Your father.
But she couldn't say it.
Not yet.
Maybe not ever.
Instead she forced a small smile.
"He's a friend."
Ellie accepted the answer immediately.
Because she was three.
Because children trusted the people they loved.
"Oh."
The little girl looked back at Sebastian.
Studying him again.
"He looks sick."
Lillian swallowed.
"Yeah."
"He should drink lots of water."
The simple seriousness in Ellie's voice almost made Lillian laugh.
"I think that's good advice."
Ellie nodded firmly.
Satisfied.
Then looked toward Sebastian again.
"I hope your friend gets better."
The words struck Lillian directly in the heart.
Because neither of them understood how significant they were.
Sebastian remained asleep.
Unaware that his daughter was standing only a few feet away.
Unaware that she had just wished him well.
Unaware that the child who shared his eyes was looking at him with innocent concern.
After another minute, Lillian knew it was time to leave.
Staying longer would only make things harder.
"Come on, sweetheart."
Ellie nodded.
"Okay."
They turned toward the door.
Lillian paused one final time.
Looking back over her shoulder.
At Sebastian.
At the man she had once imagined building a future with.
At the man who still had no idea he had a daughter.
A soft ache settled in her chest.
Then she quietly whispered:
"Get better."
And finally walked away.
A few hours later they were back home.
The apartment immediately felt warmer than the hospital.
More alive.
More comfortable.
Ellie practically sprinted toward her toys.
"I'm home!"
Lillian laughed despite herself.
Only a child could recover from a hospital stay and immediately start running around again.
That evening, after dinner and a warm bath, Ellie was finally tucked into bed.
The little girl hugged her stuffed bunny tightly.
Already half asleep.
"Mommy?"
"Yes?"
Ellie yawned.
Then quietly asked:
"Is your friend gonna be okay?"
Lillian froze.
The question sounded innocent.
But it wasn't easy to answer.
Because she honestly didn't know.
After a moment she reached down and brushed blonde hair away from Ellie's face.
"I hope so."
Ellie nodded sleepily.
Satisfied with that answer.
A minute later she was asleep.
The apartment fell quiet.
Lillian remained sitting beside the bed.
Watching her daughter sleep.
Listening to the gentle rhythm of her breathing.
But her thoughts drifted elsewhere.
To a hospital room.
To a man lying unconscious.
To blue eyes that looked far too much like Ellie's.
And for the first time in years, she found herself wondering how much longer the truth could remain hidden.
Because fate had already brought them back into each other's lives once.
And she wasn't sure it would stop there.