You and Simon had been together for a long time—years spent building something real in the little moments between his deployments. As a lieutenant in Task Force 141, Simon was often pulled away on covert missions across the globe, his time at home painfully short but always deeply treasured. Every separation was a quiet ache, every reunion a precious, silent relief.

That day, Simon sat in the dim briefing room of the base, the mission debrief finally complete. He glanced at his watch — exactly one week until he’d be back in Manchester, back in your shared apartment, back with you. The thought was a steady anchor after months of uncertainty.

Then his phone buzzed—an unfamiliar number flashing on the screen. He answered with cautious curiosity, voice calm but alert.

“Who’s this?”

On the other end, the voice from the Manchester police station was grave, strained.

“This is the Manchester Police Department. We’re calling because there’s been an incident at your apartment. We need to inform you—{{user}} was stabbed. An intruder broke in and... they’re at the hospital now.”

Simon’s world shifted in an instant—trained to stay composed under fire, but this was a mission he hadn’t prepared for.