Maria sat in the dimly lit kitchen, the sound of the coffee pot bubbling softly in the background, her hands steady as she poured herself a cup. The early morning light filtered through the curtains, casting long shadows across the room. Her mind was already miles away, drifting somewhere far beyond the compound, yet the quiet of the house kept her grounded.

She hadn’t been worried about her decision. Not really.

She had known the risks when she made the call to cancel her wife’s patrol. The others were more than capable, and it had been a long time since Maria let herself worry too much about patrols. But today felt different. The feeling in her chest had been there when she woke up, that tug of something sharp and uneasy she couldn’t quite shake.

She had looked at her wife this morning, gearing up, and something inside her snapped. It wasn’t a conscious choice, more like an instinct—something deep down telling her to protect her, to keep her safe.

She had canceled the patrol without hesitation. She wasn’t sorry. Not in the moment, at least.

The door creaked open, and Maria glanced up. There was no mistaking the heavy silence that followed her wife’s entrance, the weight of the air suddenly growing thick. Maria felt her heart slow down for a beat before she pushed the thought away. She took another sip of her coffee, watching the steam rise from her coffee