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Time passes slowly, and Noa paces the room while we wait.

Nixie finally knocks on the door, then pulls it open. “I come with news, but I hope it’s okay that I brought someone with me to explain it better than I can.”

She steps further inside and turns to the door.

Cave walks through, and the world stops spinning around me.

It’s him, still wearing the sweats from the facility, but he’s standing in the doorway with his hands at his sides, his amber eyes moving across us slowly. I can’t move or speak. I stand there frozen, not believing this is real, that I must be dreaming.

Noa shrieks and runs right toward him; it doesn’t look like he’s going to stop, so Cave’s hands come up, ready to catch him or brace for impact. Their bodies collide so hard Cave takes a step back, then wraps his arms around Noa, who buries his head in Cave’s shoulder.

Cipher is still beside me as Noa pulls back and takes Cave’s face in his hands. He checks Cave over while mumbling, “You’re here, you’re really here.”

Cave looks at Cipher and me over Noa’s head. “Home.”

Noa steps back from Cave and stands beside him.

Cipher moves forward, and Cave meets him in the middle, then grabs Cipher’s face and smashes his lips against the other man’s.

Tears well in my eyes, and Nixie lays her hand on my shoulder. “Enjoy some time together. We’ll handle everything else for now.”

I nod, and she leaves. I know she will have more information for us later, but for now he is home.

When Cipher and Cave pull apart, he turns to look at me.

I told myself I would be calm when he finally returned, that I would hold myself together, but I lied. Tears roll down my cheeks as Cave crosses the shed and wraps his arms around me. He pulls me against his chest as I press my face into him and let myself feel this moment.

His arms tighten around me, and he lifts my feet off the ground. “Mine,” he whispers.

“I love you so much,” I whisper back, and Cave freezes.

“Love,” he repeats. “You.”

Cave sets me back down and looks around the shed; nothing has changed. But then he spots the mini scarecrow above Cipher’s workbench and walks over to it. He takes it down from its spot and smiles before putting it back.

Cipher moves in closer, then picks up the music box and hands it to Cave. “It’s done,” Cipher tells him.

“Come sit,” Noa says. “I think all the adrenaline is wearing off and my legs feel weird.”

We move to the L-shaped sofa, which barely fits us all. Cave sits beside Noa, I sit on Cave’s other side, and Cipher takes the arm.

I don’t know how much time passes before I turn and face Cave to find him already looking at me. He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, and his hand cups my face.

“Welcome home,” Noa says.

Cave turns his head to look at Noa, and a moment passes between them. Then he does the same with Cipher before he turns back to me. He reaches out and takes my hand, pulling me onto his lap. His forehead comes down to rest against mine, and I close my eyes.

The couch dips beside us, and Cave’s hand grips my waist.

“I like where this is going,” Noa says, and I open my eyes to see Cave smile.

His hands move to the hem of my sweater, and he looks me in the eye, asking for permission. I lift my arms, and he takes his time pulling the material over my head before gripping my waist, encouraging me to stand. Next, he hooks his fingers into my sweats and drags them down, along with my underwear, until everything reaches my ankles, and I step out of the puddle of fabric. He stares at me for a moment, eyes roaming over my body.

“Cave, you good?” Noa asks.

Cave nods in response.

Cipher moves in closer to Cave as he pulls me back onto his lap. Cave reaches out, slipping his hand into Cipher’s jeans, so I lean sideways and undo the button, giving him more access. Cave pulls out Cipher’s cock, then he does the same to Noa.