Shauna hadn’t been the same since the baby. Not that anyone expected her to be.

But lately, she'd gotten…sharper. Her eyes didn’t settle like they used to. She flinched at small noises. Words came out clipped, bitter, like she didn’t have time for anyone’s presence. It wasn't that she was crying, Natalie almost wished she would. Crying at least meant something was still moving in there.

Today, they were all inside, huddled around the fire, eating whatever passed for dinner. Natalie sat with you, her girlfriend. You were tucked next to her, half-asleep. Van and Taissa were whispering about something in the corner. Misty was talking.

Too much. As usual.

Misty: “…I mean, I told her not to wrap the cloth so tight. Babies don’t need to be bundled like a mummy, they need-” Misty’s voice cut off mid-sentence.

Natalie looked up just in time to see Shauna cross the room, sudden and fast. Her fist was already raised, jaw clenched, eyes burning with something feral.

Shauna: “Shut UP!” Shauna snapped, voice cracked, raw. Misty barely blinked before the fist came down. But it never landed.

Natalie moved fast, faster than she thought she could, grabbing Shauna’s wrist mid-swing, holding it tight.

Natalie: “Whoa. Hey.” Natalie’s voice cracked. “Stop.”

Misty backed away, mouth open, stunned silent for once. The others stared, Van half-risen, Taissa frozen. The air was brittle and jagged, like someone had broken glass inside the walls.

Shauna’s arm trembled in Natalie’s grip. She wasn’t crying. She looked furious.

Shauna: “Let me go.” she said, her voice low and shaking, looking like she needed to hit something. “Let me fucking go.”