Authors (pov)
The room had gone too quiet.
Keifer's phone rang, sharp against the silence. He glanced at the screen, his expression tightening just enough to matter.
"Stay with him," he said quickly, already stepping out.
The door closed behind him.
And the silence returned.
But heavier.
Jay turned toward Keigen slowly.
He hadn't moved.
Still sitting. Still closed in on himself.
But something was changing.
His breathing.
Uneven.
His fingers tightening.
His gaze… slipping.
"Keigen?" she called softly.
No response.
The air felt wrong now.
Like something fragile was about to snap.
Then—
he stood up.
Too suddenly.
Jay flinched.
"Hey… it's okay—" she tried, her voice gentle, careful.
But he wasn't listening.
His eyes darted around the room, unfocused, searching for something that wasn't there.
His hand grabbed the nearest object.
Heavy.
Cold.
And before she could react—
he threw it.
It hit her.
Hard.
The sound echoed in the room.
Jay stumbled back, her body hitting the edge of the bed.
Pain shot through her head, sharp and blinding.
For a second—
everything went silent.
Then came the ringing.
Her hand moved up instinctively.
When she pulled it back—
there was blood.
Red.
And that—
triggered something.
Her breath hitched.
Her vision flickered.
For a split second, the room wasn't the same anymore.
Voices.
Faint.
Distant.
But familiar.
From somewhere she didn't want to go back to.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
Her body threatening to give in.
"…not now."
She forced her eyes to focus again.
Forced her breathing to steady.
"No," she whispered under her breath, more to herself than anyone else.
She swallowed the panic.
Pushed it down.
Because right now—
he needed her.
Not the other way around.
She straightened herself slowly, even as the world tilted slightly.
Then stepped toward him again.
Blood still tracing down her skin.
Pain still pulsing.
But she didn't stop.
"Keigen…" her voice was softer now, weaker—but still there.
He didn't move.
Didn't recognize her.
So she reached for him.
Her hand found his.
His grip locked around hers instantly.
Tight.
Desperate.
"It's me…" she whispered, her voice shaking now. "I'm here…"
Something shifted.
He shook his head.
"No… no…"
"I'm not leaving," she said, barely holding herself steady now.
Her vision blurred again.
But she stayed.
Right there.
"You're okay…" she whispered.
And then—
something inside him broke.
His grip loosened—
then suddenly—
he pulled her into him.
A tight.
Desperate hug.
Too tight.
Like he was holding onto the only thing keeping him from falling apart.
Jay let out a soft breath at the sudden pull, her body barely able to keep up.
But her hands moved weakly—
holding onto him.
Even now.
"I'm here…" she murmured softly near his shoulder.
Her voice fading.
Her strength slipping.
Her body growing heavier with each second.
"You're okay…"
Those were her last words.
Before everything went dark.
Her body gave in.
But she didn't hit the ground.
Keigen caught her.
His arms tightening instantly around her.
"…ate?"
His voice broke.
He looked at her—
really looked at her this time.
The blood.
The stillness.
Panic hit him like a wave.
"Ate…?" his voice trembled.
He shook her slightly.
No response.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" he started, his words tumbling over each other.
"Ate, please wake up… please…"
Tears slipped down his face.
"I didn't mean to… I didn't—"
"Ate… please…"
"I'm sorry… please wake up…"
And at that exact moment—
the door opened.
Keifer stepped in.
And everything stopped.
keifer (pov)
The moment I stepped out of the room, I answered the call.
"Hello."
"Mr. Keifer," the voice on the other end came quickly. It was Keigen's psychiatrist.
My grip on the phone tightened slightly.
"We need to talk. His recent reports… they're not stable. His condition has worsened in the last few days."
I leaned against the wall, my jaw tightening.
"I need you to bring him in," the doctor continued. "As soon as possible. It's important."
I closed my eyes for a second.
Of course it had gotten worse.
Of course.
"I'll bring him," I said calmly.
Even if nothing about this felt calm.
"We'll be ready," the doctor replied before the call ended.
The line went dead.
I lowered the phone slowly.
For a moment, I just stood there.
Thinking.
About him.
About how long this had been building.
And about the fact that I left him alone—
No.
Not alone.
With her.
Jay.
A small breath left me.
"She'll handle it," I thought.
Because she always did.
Because she stayed.
Then—
a sound.
From upstairs.
A sharp noise.
Something hitting.
Hard.
My head snapped up instantly.
Silence followed.
Too much silence.
My chest tightened.
"…no."
I pushed myself off the wall immediately.
My steps were fast now.
Not controlled.
Not calm.
The hallway blurred slightly as I moved.
Another second of silence—
and it felt wrong.
Too wrong.
My hand tightened around the railing as I took the stairs two at a time.
"…I shouldn't have left."
That thought hit harder than anything else.
I reached the door.
Didn't knock.
Didn't think.
I pushed it open.
And stepped inside.