I looked at him. Four years of showing up. Four years of never asking for anything in return.
"They arrested Kevin Lang," I said. "This morning. The detective just called."
Brian went still. Then the grin came. Slow. Fierce. Relief and triumph and something harder underneath.
"Ava." His voice caught. "That's incredible." He stepped closer, hands lifting toward me before he stopped himself. "How do you feel?"
"I don't know yet." I managed a small smile.
His eyes were warm, steady. "You did that. You made that happen."
"I just told the truth."
"Yeah." His voice was quieter now. "That's exactly what you did."
We stood there in the hallway, close enough to touch, the muffled sounds of the crew filtering through the door. One step. That's all it would take. I could feel the pull of it—his chest, his arms, the certainty that he'd catch me if I let myself fall.
Instead, I took a breath. Squared my shoulders.
"We should get back in there before Shane rearranges all the furniture again."
Brian laughed, and the moment passed. But as he held the door open for me, his hand brushed the small of my back—brief, barely there—and I felt it all the way to my bones.
By sunset, the apartment finally looked like a home.
The crew had worked through lunch and into the afternoon, unpacking boxes, arranging furniture, arguing about where theTV should go. Shane won. The couch faced the wall where a TV would eventually be. Rodriguez hung pictures while Maria unpacked the kitchen. Zoe's floor plan had been modified approximately seven times, but she maintained that her original vision was superior.
Captain Rodriguez was the first to start gathering his family. He gently woke Marco and Lucia, who had fallen asleep on the couch with Watson wedged between them like a gray, fluffy guardian.
"Up, mijo." Rodriguez lifted Marco when the boy reached for him, settling his son against his shoulder. "Time to go home."
Marco mumbled something unintelligible and burrowed closer. Lucia rubbed her eyes, then looked for Watson, who was stretching luxuriously on the warm spot she'd vacated.
Shane and Maya were already by the door, Maya carrying empty food containers, Shane jingling his keys. Garrett had slipped out an hour ago with a nod. Quiet and gone, the way he always was.
Maria hugged me at the door. "You call if you need anything. Anything at all."
"I will."
Rodriguez shook Brian's hand, then clapped him on the shoulder. "Take care of her."
"Cap—"
"I know, I know. She doesn't need taking care of." Rodriguez glanced at me, eyes crinkling. "Doesn't mean people can't try."
They filed out one by one, leaving their particular brand of chaos behind. Boxes still stacked in corners. Furniture was mostly in place. The kitchen was half-organized, with dishes piled on counters.
But it felt right. Lived in.Ours.
Brian shut the door behind the last of them and leaned against it, exhaling.
"Sorry about... all of that."
"Don't be."
"They're a lot. I should have warned you?—"
"Brian." I turned to face him. "Stop apologizing. They're wonderful. All of them." I glanced around the apartment. Their laughter still seemed to hang in the air.
