Before I can press for more information, Stryker appears in the doorway. He's dressed in clean tactical pants and a black shirt that hides most of the compression wrapping, moving carefully but steady. His eyes find mine across the room, holding for a moment before Lucas spots him.
"Mr. Stryker!" Lucas abandons the pancakes and runs over, pulling up short just before collision. "You're awake! Are you feeling better? Khalid said you were really hurt and Mom was helping you. Khalid said it was okay because Moms are really good at helping people and?—"
"Lucas, breathe," I interrupt gently.
Lucas takes an exaggerated breath, then grins up at Stryker. "Are you feeling better?"
"Much better," Stryker says, his hand coming to rest on Lucas's shoulder with easy affection that makes something in my chest twist. "Thanks for asking, buddy."
"Did Mom help a lot?"
"She helped a lot," Stryker confirms, and his eyes find mine again with heat that has nothing to do with medical care.
Lucas processes this seriously, then his face brightens with realization. "Does that mean you're staying for good now? Like, not leaving anymore?"
Conversations pause mid-sentence. Tommy suddenly needs to check something on his tablet. Sarah finds her coffee fascinating. Mercer discovers an urgent need to adjust his sling.
Stryker's face cycles through several emotions too fast to track, landing on something careful and hopeful.
"I'm staying as long as your mom and you need me here," he says finally.
"But what about after?" Lucas presses with the relentless logic of six-year-olds who haven't learned that some questions don't have simple answers. "After the bad guys stop looking for us? Will you stay then too?"
I should intervene. Should save Stryker from having to answer questions I don't know how to answer myself. But part of me needs to hear what he'll say, needs to know if last night's promises survive the light of day.
Stryker crouches down to Lucas's eye level despite the obvious protest from his ribs. "Yeah, buddy. I'm staying. For as long as you and your mom need me."
Lucas considers this with the same serious expression he uses for all important decisions. Finally, he nods. "Okay. But I think you should stay forever because Mom smiles more when you're around and she doesn't smile very much usually."
Heat floods my face. Stryker's mouth quirks, fighting a smile. "I'll keep that in mind."
Willa calls that pancakes are ready, saving me from having to respond. Lucas races back to the kitchen, all questions forgotten in the face of food. The tension in the room eases as people move to get plates, conversations resuming.
Stryker rises and crosses to where I'm sitting. He doesn't touch me, doesn't do anything that would draw attention, but his presence beside me feels deliberate.
"He's not wrong," he says quietly. "You do smile more."
"Don't," I warn. "Not here. Not in front of everyone."
"Okay." But he doesn't move away, just stands there like a statement I'm not ready to interpret.
Breakfast passes in a blur of conversation and the controlled chaos of people who live and work together in close quarters. Lucas charms everyone at the table with stories about Odin's tricks and questions about the equipment he's seen around the base. Khalid fields most of the technical questions with patience while the team treats my son like he belongs here.
It's almost normal. Almost safe. Almost like we could stay here forever and nothing bad would ever touch us again.
Then Kane appears in the doorway and the illusion shatters.
"Operations center, ten minutes," he says. "Everyone."
The team moves immediately, clearing plates and heading toward their stations. I stand on instinct, but Khalid is already there.
"I've got Lucas," he says. "We'll hang out in the gym with Odin. He's been wanting to show me this new soccer trick."
Lucas looks between me and Kane, reading the tension in a way that breaks my heart. "Is it about the bad guys again?"
"It's about keeping you safe," I tell him, which is truth without being the whole truth. "I'll come find you as soon as we're done, okay?"
He nods slowly and takes Khalid's offered hand. Odin presses against his other side, and the three of them head down the corridor toward the gym. I watch until they disappear around the corner before following the team toward operations.
