Nancy woke up to someone arguing loudly outside.
"I'm telling you, she is literally unconscious. Stop bringing food every twenty minutes."
"She needs nutrients."
"She needs sleep."
"She can do both."
Nancy opened one eye slowly.
Sunlight spilled across the cabin walls in warm golden streaks, and for one deeply confusing moment—
she thought the last few months had been a dream.
Then her body hurt.
Everywhere.
Okay.
Not a dream.
The voices outside continued.
"If you wake her up again, I'm throwing you into the river," Leo warned.
Kai sounded offended.
"You're acting like I'm being unreasonable."
"You tried to check if she was breathing six times."
"…Maybe seven."
Nancy snorted weakly before she could stop herself.
Silence hit instantly outside the cabin.
Then the door burst open hard enough to rattle the walls.
Kai appeared first.
"Nancy."
Relief crossed his face so fast it almost hurt to look at.
Leo appeared behind him looking exhausted beyond human comprehension.
"Oh good," Leo muttered.
"She lives. Maybe now Kai will stop staring at her like a Victorian widow."
"I don't know what that means," Kai said.
"It means you're dramatic."
Nancy pushed herself upright carefully.
"Why do I feel like I got hit by a truck?"
Nyra answered immediately inside her head.
Technically several cosmic entities.
"Helpful."
Kai was beside her in seconds anyway, helping steady her before she could wobble sideways.
"I'm fine," Nancy protested automatically.
"You almost collapsed sealing a dimensional fracture."
"I said I'm fine."
Leo rolled his eyes.
"She's definitely recovering."
Nancy looked around the cabin slowly.
It felt… peaceful.
No Veil pressure lingering in the walls.
No distant screams from the fracture.
No constant feeling that reality was about to collapse.
Just quiet.
Real quiet.
The kind she forgot existed.
And somehow—
that almost felt stranger.
Nancy frowned slightly.
"Why does this feel suspicious?"
Kai blinked.
"What?"
"The peace."
Leo pointed dramatically.
"See? Trauma. I've been saying this."
Nancy ignored him.
The bond pulsed softly beneath her skin.
Balanced.
Warm.
Still connected to everyone—but no longer overwhelming.
For the first time since awakening as Guardian, she could breathe without feeling the weight of the entire world pressing against her chest.
Emotion caught her off guard unexpectedly.
Kai noticed instantly.
"Hey."
"I'm okay," she said quickly.
"You're crying."
"…I can literally feel you worrying through the bond right now, stop making it worse."
That unfortunately made Leo laugh hard enough to choke.
Nancy grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at him.
Leo dodged easily.
Kai did not.
The pillow smacked directly into his face.
The cabin went silent.
Nancy froze.
"…That was meant for Leo."
Kai slowly lowered the pillow.
"You attack me after everything I've done for you?"
"You survived cosmic corruption. You'll survive a pillow."
"Emotionally? No."
Leo leaned against the doorway looking deeply satisfied.
"This is the healthiest either of you have ever acted."
Nancy laughed before she could stop herself.
A real laugh.
Not forced.
Not desperate.
Just… happy.
The sound startled her slightly.
Kai noticed that too.
His expression softened quietly as he looked at her.
Outside the cabin, wolves moved through the recovering settlement carrying wood, rebuilding damaged homes, arguing loudly about construction, and trying to resume normal life.
Normal.
The word still felt fragile.
But possible now.
Nancy looked toward the open window where sunlight filtered through the trees.
The sky was whole.
No fractures.
No darkness spreading through the clouds.
Just blue.
Kai followed her gaze silently.
"We won," he said softly.
Nancy looked at him for a long moment.
Then toward the forest.
Toward the pack.
Toward the peaceful world still standing outside.
Slowly—
she smiled.
"Yeah," she whispered.
This time—
they really had.