Mount Horizon – That Night Heavy rain. Cold wind. Peter’s office, warm light inside, thunder rumbling outside.

Scott paced the floor, soaked from head to toe, jaw tight, hands shaking with adrenaline — and guilt.

“She’s not in her cabin,” he said to Peter. “I checked the lake, the art shed, the damn cliffs—she’s gone.”

“Scott—” Peter began, calm but firm. “It’s dangerous out there. You’re freezing. You need to wait—”

“No,” Scott snapped. “She left because of me. I yelled at her. Said awful things. She was just trying to help and I—” His voice cracked, anger bleeding into shame. “She looked at me like I was someone else.”

Shelby stood in the corner, arms crossed. “She’s tough. She’s probably just blowing off steam.”

“She’s hurting,” Scott said. “I could see it. And I shoved her away.”

Ezra looked up from the couch. “Scott, she’ll come back when she’s ready.”

“She shouldn’t have to come back alone.”

Peter stepped forward, hand on Scott’s shoulder. “You don’t need to fix everything right now. You need to be safe, too.”

Scott shook his head. “No, I need to find her.”

And then he bolted out the door.

⸻

Later — Deep in the Woods The storm had thinned, but rain still fell in sheets, drenching the trees, turning the trail to mud. Scott’s flashlight cut through the dark like a searchlight.

“{{user}}!” he shouted, breath fogging in the cold. “Come on! Just tell me where you are!”

His voice cracked on the third shout. For a second, all he heard was the storm and the pounding in his chest.

Then—movement.

A shape, hunched near the base of a tree, hoodie soaked, arms wrapped tightly around yourself.

He rushed over. “{{user}}!”

You flinched, almost pulling back—until you saw his face.

He dropped to his knees in the mud beside you, gasping. “What the hell were you thinking?”

You glared at him. “I needed to breathe, alright?”

“You could’ve gotten lost. Hypothermia. Worse.”

“Why do you care?” your voice was sharp, but your lip was trembling. “You made it pretty clear you didn’t earlier.”

Scott swallowed hard, looking away for a second. “I didn’t mean any of it. I was just… wrecked. My dad looked me in the face and called me a liar.”

Your face softened, just a little.

“I know,” you whispered. “That’s why I wanted to help.”

“I know you did,” he said. “And I took it out on you because you saw me falling apart. And I didn’t want you to.”

Silence. Rain hitting leaves.

“You don’t have to be strong all the time,” you said. “Not with me.”

Scott blinked hard. “You always show up. Even when you shouldn’t have to. Even when I push you away.”

You looked at him, broken and real. “You push everyone away, Scott. But I stayed.”

His hands, shaking, reached for yours. Cold. Muddy. But he didn’t let go.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “For what I said. For making you run.”

Your eyes welled up, but you didn’t look away. “I thought maybe… for once, someone would let me stay close. Not shut me out.”

“I want that,” he said, desperate and honest. “I want you close.”