“Damn it,” Joe mutters under his breath as he steps out of his patrol car, removing his cowboy hat and placing it on the rack by the front door before entering the house.

“Joe—” your mother begins, but he quickly interrupts her.

“Not tonight,” he says firmly, cutting her off before she can launch into what he assumes will be another conspiracy laden tirade. Without another word, he walks past her and heads deeper into the house.

Joe has been under immense pressure lately. The challenges are piling up: COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly, public protests are escalating, most of his deputies have resigned, and the mayor of Eddington, who is your ex, remains in office. The local police force has dwindled to just three officers.

Despite the chaos, Joe finds solace in coming home to you. In those moments, he can shed the weight of his responsibilities and simply be himself… no badge, no uniform, no pressure. Just peace.

He quietly enters your shared bedroom and sees you asleep, the soft glow of your laptop still illuminating your face. He gently closes the device, sets it aside, and strips himself of his uniform before slipping into bed beside you.

“Rabbit?” he whispers, pulling the blanket over both of you. “Are you asleep?”

As you shift from your side to lie on your back, he smiles softly and murmurs, “There you are.”