"You're okay," Mom says quickly, leaning forward. "You're safe now. We're here for you."
All of them. Standing around my bed like it’s a goddamn funeral.
I try to sit up again, and my body screams in protest. Jake's hand is suddenly on my shoulder, steady and grounding.
"Caden, don't. You just came out of surgery. Listen to me—you're safe and in Germany. Just breathe."
Safe. I want to laugh. My leg's gone. My arm's fucked. And they're looking at me like I'm broken glass.
I can’t stand the thought of them seeing me like this. So, I turn away.
"Jesus," Brentley murmurs, rubbing a hand over his jaw. "You scared the hell out of us."
"I'm fine," I rasp.
Jake sighs. "You're not. But you're alive. That's what matters."
I want to shove them all out the door. I want to be alone.
But they don't leave.
They stay.
Their voices are low, almost careful.
Jake feeds me the updates in pieces. Shrapnel, burns, and surgery.
A medic who wouldn't let go of my hand. The doctors saved what they could. But it wasn't enough.
It doesn't feel like enough.
Mom brushes my hair back from my forehead like I'm five again. I flinch. She pulls back.
"I'm sorry, baby. I just... I needed to touch you."
"Don't," I rasp.
They all go quiet.
Brentley steps up, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey man, remember the time you broke your arm and still tried to race me through the woods? You're too damn stubborn to let this keep you down."
I glare at him. "It's not the same."
"No," he admits, sobering. "But you're still here. That means something."
North approaches slowly. "You'll walk again," he says confidently.
"You don't know that," I bite back.
"No," he says, standing, "but I damn sure believe it."
I want to scream at him. At all of them. Don't lie to me. Don't feed me that bullshit about what matters. I'm not whole. I'm not okay. And I'm not the man I was before.
But I don't say any of it. Instead, I let the silence stretch until they get the message.
Eventually, they leave. Jake squeezes my shoulder before he goes. North hesitates, then nods once. Mom kisses my cheek, though I don't stop her.
When the door clicks shut, I finally let myself breathe. Barely.
