Chapter 132– When Time Stops
Reception Hall
Everything had become noise.
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Shouting.
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Footsteps.
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Crying.
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Someone calling emergency services.
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Someone screaming for help.
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But for Care—
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The world had become strangely quiet.
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As if all the sound was drifting farther away.
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Farther.
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Farther.
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Until only familiar faces remained.
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Rhys
Was on his knees beside her.
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Hands shaking.
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Actually shaking.
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The same hands that had survived impossible surgeries.
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The same hands that had saved hundreds.
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Today—
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They couldn't stop trembling.
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Rhys
"Stay with me."
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His voice broke.
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Rhys
"Care."
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Rhys
"Look at me."
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Lyra was beside him.
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Crying openly.
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Trying.
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Still trying.
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Refusing to stop trying.
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Lyra
"You're okay."
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Lyra
"You're okay."
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She repeated it again.
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And again.
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And again.
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Like if she said it enough times—
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It would become true.
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Care
Knew better.
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She could feel it.
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Every second.
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Every breath.
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Growing harder.
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Heavier.
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More distant.
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She knew.
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And somehow—
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That wasn't what scared her.
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What Scared Her
Was them.
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The people she loved.
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The people she was leaving behind.
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Her eyes found JJ first.
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JJ was crying so hard she could barely breathe.
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Percy was holding her upright.
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Because her legs had stopped working.
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JJ
"No."
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JJ
"No."
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JJ
"No."
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Over and over.
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Like a prayer.
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Like denial.
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Like heartbreak.
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Care
Smiled weakly.
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Care
"Jasper."
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JJ immediately moved closer.
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Falling beside her.
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JJ
"I'm here."
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Care
"Thank you."
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JJ froze.
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Care
"For every stupid thing."
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A tiny laugh escaped.
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Care
"For every annoying thing."
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A tear slid down JJ's face.
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Care
"For staying."
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JJ
"Don't."
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Care
"For being my sister."
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JJ
"Care."
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Care
"I love you."
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JJ completely broke.
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Then Keifer.
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For once—
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Keifer had no joke.
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No smile.
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No sarcasm.
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Nothing.
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Just grief.
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Raw and devastating.
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Care
"Take care of her."
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Keifer nodded instantly.
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Care
"Even when she's impossible."
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Keifer
"Always."
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His voice cracked.
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Care
"Good."
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Ash
Was crying silently.
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The way people cry when the pain is too deep for sound.
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Care
"Ash."
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Ash
Immediately.
---
"I'm here."
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Care
"You better stay."
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Ash laughed through tears.
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Care
"No disappearing."
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Ash
"I won't."
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Care
"Promise."
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Ash
"I promise."
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Then Lyra.
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Her best friend.
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Her person.
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The one who had seen every version of her.
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The broken one.
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The angry one.
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The happy one.
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The lost one.
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Care
"Lyra."
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Lyra grabbed her hand.
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Immediately.
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Lyra
"No."
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Care
A small smile.
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Care
"You always cry first."
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Lyra
"Because you're stupid."
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Care
"Probably."
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Both laughed.
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Both cried.
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At the same time.
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Care
"Thank you."
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Lyra
"Don't."
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Care
"For every year."
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Care
"For every memory."
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Care
"For being home."
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Lyra lowered her head and cried.
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Unable to answer.
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Then Rhys.
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The strongest person she knew.
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The one trying desperately not to fall apart.
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And failing.
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Care
"Rhys."
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He couldn't speak.
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Not immediately.
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Care
"You did your best."
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His eyes closed.
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Because somehow—
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She knew exactly what he was thinking.
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Rhys
"I should've—"
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Care
"No."
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The word was weak.
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But firm.
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Care
"You did your best."
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A tear finally escaped him.
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The first one.
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Care
"You were the best friend."
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Rhys looked away.
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Unable to bear it.
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Then
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Finally.
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Her eyes found him.
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Cole.
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The room disappeared.
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Everyone disappeared.
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Only him remained.
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The man she loved.
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The man who looked shattered.
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Completely shattered.
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Like someone had taken his soul apart piece by piece.
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Cole
Holding her hand.
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Refusing to let go.
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Cole
"No."
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Still.
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The same word.
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Over and over.
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Cole
"No."
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Like reality would listen.
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Care
"Cole."
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His head snapped up.
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Immediately.
---
Care
"Look at me."
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He did.
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Instantly.
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Like he always would.
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Care
"I love you."
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A sob escaped him.
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The first one.
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Care
"I love you so much."
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Cole
"Stop."
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Care
A weak smile.
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Cole
"Please."
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Care
"You have to listen."
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Cole
"No."
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Care
"You have to."
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Because she was running out of time.
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And both of them knew it.
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Tears
Slipped down her face.
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Quietly.
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Silently.
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Care
"Don't stop living."
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Cole froze.
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Care
"Please."
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Care
"Don't become cold again."
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His eyes closed.
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Because she knew him.
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Better than anyone.
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Care
"Don't lock everyone out."
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Care
"Don't shut down."
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Care
"Don't spend the rest of your life surviving."
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Her voice trembled.
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Care
"Live."
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Care
"For me."
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Care
"Promise me."
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Cole
Couldn't answer.
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Couldn't.
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Because his heart was breaking.
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Right there.
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In front of everyone.
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Care
"Promise."
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Finally—
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Barely audible—
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Cole
"I promise."
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And somehow—
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That made her smile.
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A real smile.
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Small.
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But real.
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Her fingers tightened around his hand.
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One last time.
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The wedding ring catching the light.
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The ring she'd worn for only a few hours.
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Yet loved completely.
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Care
Softly.
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"So handsome."
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A broken laugh escaped him.
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Mixed with tears.
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Care
"My husband."
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The words lingered.
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Like a blessing.
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Like a goodbye.
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Like forever.
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And for one final moment—
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She looked at all of them.
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Her family.
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Her people.
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Her home.
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And smiled.
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As if she wanted them to remember that smile.
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Not the pain.
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Not the tragedy.
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Just that.
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The smile.
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The love.
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The life they built together.
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And then—
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The room held its breath.
She went limp.
Her fingers slipped from cole's hands.
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Wedding Venue
8:59 PM
For a moment—
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Nobody moved.
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Nobody breathed.
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Nobody understood.
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Because the impossible had happened.
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And the world simply refused to catch up.
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Then Reality Hit.
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Hard.
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Violently.
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Mercilessly.
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Rhys
"NOW!"
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The shout shattered the silence.
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Everything exploded into motion.
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People running.
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People crying.
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People screaming names.
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Care
Had gone completely still.
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Too still.
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Her head resting weakly against Cole.
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Eyes barely open.
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Breathing becoming harder.
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Far harder.
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And suddenly—
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The fear became real.
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Cole
"No."
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He pulled her closer.
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Cole
"No."
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Again.
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Cole
"No."
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Like the word could somehow hold her here.
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Keep her here.
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Save her.
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Then
Without another second—
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He lifted her into his arms.
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And ran.
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Not Walked.
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Not Moved Quickly.
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Ran.
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Like his life depended on it.
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Because it did.
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Behind Him
Chaos.
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JJ
Sobbing.
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Keifer
Holding her.
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Ash
Frozen.
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Percy
Trying to help everyone at once.
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Aera
Being restrained.
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Nobody even understood how any of this had happened.
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Not yet.
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Outside
The night air hit like ice.
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Cole didn't feel it.
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Couldn't feel it.
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All he could feel—
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Was how frighteningly light Care suddenly felt in his arms.
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Parking Area
He reached the car.
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Opened the door.
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Almost tore it off.
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Rhys
Already inside.
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Lyra
Already crying.
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Care
Didn't react.
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And that terrified everyone.
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Cole
Slid behind the wheel.
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Started the engine.
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And the car launched forward.
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Inside
Nobody spoke.
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Nobody.
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Only panic.
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Only fear.
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Only the sound of breathing.
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And even that wasn't steady.
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Rhys
Checking her.
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Again.
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And again.
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And again.
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Like refusing to stop would somehow change reality.
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Lyra
"Care."
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No response.
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Lyra
"Care."
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Still nothing.
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Lyra
"Please."
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Front Seat
Cole gripped the steering wheel so tightly his hands hurt.
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He didn't notice.
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Red lights.
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Traffic.
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Rules.
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None of it mattered.
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The Hospital
Had never felt this far away.
---
Then
A weak sound.
---
Barely audible.
---
Care
"...Cole..."
---
Immediately.
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Cole
"I'm here."
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Instantly.
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Like he'd been waiting.
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Like he'd answer that call forever.
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Cole
"I'm here."
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His voice broke.
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Cole
"I'm right here."
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Care's Eyes
Opened slightly.
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Searching.
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Finding him.
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Even now.
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Always him.
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Then they slowly drifted closed again.
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Lyra
"No."
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Immediate panic.
---
Lyra
"No no no."
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Rhys
"Care."
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No response.
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Rhys
"Care."
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Nothing.
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The Car
Suddenly felt too small.
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Too silent.
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Too terrifying.
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Cole
Looked into the rearview mirror.
---
Just once.
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And the fear on his face—
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The fear nobody had ever seen before—
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Broke Lyra completely.
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Because Cole Watson looked helpless.
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Completely helpless.
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Three Minutes From Trinity.
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Three.
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The longest three minutes of their lives.
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One Minute.
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Rhys
"Stay with us."
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Lyra
"Please."
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Cole
"Come on."
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His voice barely held together.
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Cole
"Come on, Care."
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The Hospital Appeared.
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Finally.
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Bright lights.
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The emergency entrance.
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People already running.
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Because news had reached them.
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Because Trinity knew.
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Because the entire hospital was waiting.
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The Car Stopped.
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Before it fully halted—
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Cole was already out.
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Already moving.
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Already carrying her toward the doors.
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Running.
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Again.
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Faster.
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Desperate.
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Terrified.
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Around Him
Doctors shouted.
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Nurses rushed forward.
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Stretchers appeared.
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Emergency teams assembled.
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But none of it felt real.
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Not to him.
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Because as the hospital doors opened—
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The wedding music was still echoing somewhere in his memory.
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The vows.
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The kiss.
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The smile.
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The ring.
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Only hours ago.
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Only hours.
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And now—
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Everything was slipping through his fingers.
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Trinity Hospital NYC
Operating Room
The doors closed.
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And the world outside disappeared.
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No wedding.
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No reception.
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No laughter.
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No flowers.
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Only a patient.
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Only a life.
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Only Care.
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Inside The Operating Room
The atmosphere was different.
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Not because of the emergency.
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They had handled emergencies before.
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Not because of the pressure.
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They lived under pressure.
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No.
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This was different because—
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The patient wasn't a stranger.
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The patient was theirs.
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Rhys Kapoor
Lead surgeon.
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Friend.
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Trying desperately to be only the surgeon.
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Trying desperately not to be the brother.
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Lyra
Focused.
---
Terrified.
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Trying not to cry.
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Trying not to remember all the nights they studied together.
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All the years.
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All the memories.
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Then
The doors opened again.
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Another doctor rushed in.
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Cin.
---
Still wearing part of his wedding attire beneath his hospital coat.
---
He had left the wedding earlier because of an emergency consult.
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He hadn't known.
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Nobody had told him.
---
Not yet.
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Then he saw the patient.
---
And froze.
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Completely froze.
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Cin
"..."
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His face drained of color.
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Cin
"No."
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A whisper.
---
Barely audible.
---
Rhys
"Cin."
---
Nothing.
---
Rhys
"Cin."
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Finally.
---
Rhys
"We need you."
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And immediately—
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Cin moved.
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Because there was no time.
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No time to process.
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No time to grieve.
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Only time to fight.
---
Minutes Passed
---
Then more.
---
Then more.
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Every possible effort.
---
Every possible intervention.
---
Every possible chance.
---
The team refused to stop.
---
Refused.
---
Because this was Care.
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Because people like Care weren't supposed to die.
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Because heroes weren't supposed to become patients.
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Because sisters weren't supposed to be lying here.
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Rhys
Had never looked so exhausted.
---
Rhys
"Again."
---
The team moved.
---
Rhys
"Again."
---
Nobody argued.
---
Nobody questioned.
---
Nobody suggested stopping.
---
Not even for a second.
---
Lyra
Had tears running down her face.
---
She didn't notice.
---
Or maybe she did.
---
Maybe she just didn't care.
---
Lyra
"Come on."
---
A whisper.
---
Lyra
"Come on, Care."
---
Cin
Could barely recognize his own hands.
---
Because they were shaking.
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Because this wasn't supposed to be happening.
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Not to her.
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Never her.
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The Monitors
Continued their relentless rhythm.
---
Numbers.
---
Alarms.
---
Warnings.
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Silence.
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Hope.
---
Fear.
---
Everything mixed together.
---
Then
The room changed.
---
Instantly.
---
Every person in it felt it.
---
Before anyone spoke.
---
Before any alarm sounded.
---
They felt it.
---
A Monitor Alerted
---
Sharp.
---
Loud.
---
Terrifying.
---
The room froze.
---
Only for a fraction of a second.
---
Then everyone moved at once.
---
Rhys
"CODE BLUE !!!"
---
The Fight Began Again
---
Not giving up.
---
Not stopping.
---
Not surrendering.
---
Because surrender wasn't an option.
---
Not when it was Care.
---
Minutes Passed
---
The longest minutes.
---
The cruelest minutes.
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The kind that change lives forever.
---
Rhys
Kept going.
---
Rhys
"Again."
---
Lyra
Kept going.
---
Lyra
"Again."
---
Cin
Kept going.
---
Cin
"Again."
---
Because maybe—
---
Maybe the next moment would be the one.
---
Maybe the next effort.
---
Maybe the next chance.
---
Maybe.
---
Maybe.
---
Maybe.
---
But Hope
Can be cruel.
---
Because sometimes—
---
You fight with everything you have.
---
And it still isn't enough.
---
The Room Slowly Changed
---
The urgency remained.
---
But something else entered.
---
Something nobody wanted to acknowledge.
---
Something nobody wanted to believe.
---
Rhys
Knew first.
---
His eyes closed briefly.
---
Only briefly.
---
Because even now—
---
Part of him refused to accept it.
---
Lyra
Saw it in his face.
---
And immediately shook her head.
---
Lyra
"No."
---
A whisper.
---
Lyra
"No."
---
Cin
Stopped breathing.
---
For one impossible moment.
---
Because he understood too.
---
Silence
Started filling the room.
---
Slowly.
---
Relentlessly.
---
Like a tide.
---
Rhys
Looked at the clock.
---
Then at Care.
---
Then at Lyra.
---
Then at Cin.
---
Three doctors.
---
Three friends.
---
Three broken hearts.
---
Standing around someone they loved.
---
Finally
Rhys spoke.
---
His voice barely held together.
---
Professional.
---
But shattered underneath.
---
"Time of death..."
---
The room became perfectly still.
The date.
The time.
The moment.
Recorded forever.
The bride who had gotten married only hours earlier.
The doctor who had saved countless lives.
The friend.
The sister.
The daughter of their found family.
Gone.
And outside those operating room doors—
An entire family was still waiting.
Still hoping.
Still believing she would come back.
Unaware that inside OR-3—
The fight had ended.
And the world had changed forever
The words felt impossible.
---
Unreal.
---
Wrong.
---
Yet they existed.
---
Nothing would ever be the same again.
---
The clock continued ticking.
---
The monitors continued glowing.
---
The operating room remained exactly as it was.
---
Yet everything had changed.
---
Everything.
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Chapter End.