Liv doesn't pull away immediately.
The embrace doesn't feel strange, nor does it surprise her. If anything, it's too familiar — enough to make her stay there longer than she should. Her breathing hasn't fully steadied yet, and for a few seconds, she lets herself remain.
Close to Leon.
And Leon doesn't rush to let her go.
His hand stays at her back, as if making sure this is real — not a memory, not something that will disappear the moment she lets it.
"You're safe here."
The words are simple. Quiet.
But somehow, they make her chest tighten.
Safe.
A word that hasn't felt real in a long time.
Liv finally pulls back slightly. Not completely, just enough to look at him. There are too many questions in her head — so many that she doesn't even know where to begin.
So she says nothing.
—
"Ahem."
The voice cuts through the space between them.
Liv snaps back to awareness. Instinctively, she tries to step away, but Leon doesn't let go right away. His hand lingers for a fraction of a second longer, as if reluctant to break the distance.
Then, slowly, he releases her.
Liv turns.
A woman stands by the doorway — composed, neat, her gaze far too steady to be accidental. There's no surprise on her face, as if she expected exactly what she just saw.
Leon shifts slightly, almost unconsciously placing himself between Liv and the door.
"Liv," he says briefly, then looks at the woman. "Cecilia. She manages this house."
Cecilia gives a small nod, polite but measured.
"Would you like dinner, Mr. Darx?" she asks calmly, then shifts her gaze. "Miss Hart."
Liv stills for a moment. The way the woman says her name feels too precise. Too certain.
"No, thank you," Liv replies quietly.
Cecilia nods again.
"Then perhaps you'd like to rest. Your room is ready."
Liv frowns slightly.
She hasn't even been here for an hour. She barely understands anything yet. And still, a room for her is already prepared.
Her gaze shifts to Leon.
And in that moment, she realizes — nothing here is accidental.
"I can stay here," she says.
"You need rest," Leon answers calmly.
She almost argues. But doesn't.
Cecilia smiles faintly.
"Then I'll leave you to it."
And she's gone.
—
"I don't need a room," Liv says quietly.
Leon steps closer.
"I can still carry you like before… when you fell asleep on the couch."
His tone is light, but it pulls something from the past.
Liv doesn't respond.
But she doesn't refuse either.
And in the end, she follows him.
—
The hallway is long and quiet.
Warm light falls softly along the walls, while thick carpet absorbs every sound of their steps. No noise. No interruptions. Just silence — too perfect to be natural.
It feels like a hotel.
But quieter. More sealed off.
"You live here?" Liv asks.
"Since you came to this city."
The answer is concise, yet it provides sufficient explanation.
"And you never came to see me."
Leon doesn't answer right away.
"It's not that simple, Liv."
They stop in front of a door.
Leon opens it and gestures for her to go in first.
—
The room is warm.
Not just warm — alive. The fireplace flickers gently against the walls, casting soft shadows that feel almost comforting. A large bed sits at the center, layered with thick blankets that look inviting, like they hold a quiet kind of safety. Dim lights in the corners blend seamlessly into the atmosphere, making everything feel more intimate.
Nothing stands out.
And yet everything feels… intentional. Prepared. Too precise to be a coincidence.
Liv doesn't sit. She just stands there, taking it in.
This doesn't feel like a base. It feels personal.
And suddenly, she realizes — she's not sure she's ready to be left alone here.
Silence settles between them.
Leon stays where he is, keeping a distance.
"Get some rest," he says softly.
He doesn't step closer. And somehow, that makes the space between them feel even thinner.
"You're leaving?" Liv asks.
The question hangs.
"I…" she tries to speak, but her voice falters.
Leon finally steps closer. Stops just within reach.
"You want me to stay."
Not a question. A statement.
Liv doesn't step back.
And when Leon touches her face, she doesn't pull away.
The touch is light, almost hesitant. But when she doesn't move, the hesitation fades.
The distance between them disappears. No decision. No words. It just happens.
When Leon kisses her, it isn't just desire. It's everything that's been held back for too long — loss, time, something unfinished, finally finding its way back.
Liv doesn't resist. Her hand grips his shirt, as if making sure he's real. That he won't disappear again.
And for the first time — she stops fighting.
Not out of exhaustion. Not because she's giving up. But because there's nothing left to fight.
His touch shifts, from her cheek to the back of her neck, gentle but certain. Not rushed. As if the three years they lost can't be reclaimed in a single moment — but he's trying anyway.
Liv lets herself sink into it.
For once, she doesn't have to be strong. Doesn't have to be the captain. The agent. The one who's always ready.
Tonight, she's just Liv. And Leon is just Leon.
Two people who lost each other — and finally found their way back.
—
Morning comes quietly.
Liv wakes to warmth — not from the blanket, but from Leon's arm still wrapped around her waist.
She doesn't move. Just lets her breathing settle with his.
For a moment, everything stops.
No Eclipse. No Volkov. No mission.
Just this.
But she knows — it won't last.
She shifts slightly, reaching for her coat and phone. She turns it on.
No signal.
She tries again. Nothing.
"You won't get anything here."
She turns. Leon is already awake.
He leans in, pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder.
"I sent a message to Major Ranford," he murmurs. "That Captain Hart will be with me for a while."
Liv freezes.
"I need to go back, Leon."
"You're safer here."
"That's not a choice."
"I know."
"And you're still keeping me here?"
Leon meets her gaze.
"I won't let you leave."
A pause.
"I'll take you back when it's safe."
Liv looks at him.
"You know it's never going to be safe. Not while Volkov and Eclipse are still after me."
Leon pauses, then says quietly, "I'll make sure you are."
"Does Eclipse know Volkov betrayed them?"
A nod.
"They won't let me go."
"No."
"Does your father know I'm here?"
"I can't be sure."
Silence again.
"I won't hand you over," Leon says.
Liv studies him.
"You'll go against your father?"
Leon doesn't answer immediately. He just looks at her.
"Stay with me."
—
Liv says nothing.
And for the first time — she doesn't know which is worse.
Leaving. Or staying.
—
This place feels like home.
But Liv knows — places like this are never truly safe.
Especially if she returns to the base. Because this time, she wouldn't just be risking herself — but everyone who's stood beside her.
She almost turns away from the window when something catches her eye.
A flicker of light. Far beyond the perimeter. Between the dark trees. Just for a second — then gone.
Not city lights. Not a reflection.
She can't be sure. But her chest tightens.
We're not alone.
And for the first time — she's not sure if this place is a refuge. Or a trap, waiting to close.
---