It was late when Emily finally fell asleep.

Since it was Friday, Grace had agreed to a movie night with the girl. What started as one movie had turned into three, a pile of popcorn bowls, and Emily stubbornly trying to stay awake long after she should’ve gone to bed. Grace hadn’t had the heart to stop her. After everything Emily had been through… the kid deserved nights where she could just be a kid.

Grace stood quietly in the doorway of Emily’s bedroom for a moment, watching her sleep. The small nightlight on the dresser cast a soft glow across the room. Emily was curled under the blankets, breathing slowly, completely peaceful.

Grace felt her shoulders relax.

“Goodnight, Emily,” she whispered softly.

She pulled the door closed gently and walked down the hallway into the living room. Rain tapped against the windows, steady and quiet. Grace dropped onto the couch with a tired sigh, rubbing her eyes.

“Okay, Grace…” she muttered to herself. “Emily’s asleep. No reports due tonight. No psychopaths trying to drain your blood.”

She leaned her head back against the couch.

“You actually have free time.”

A beat passed.

“So… what the hell do you do now?”

Then it hit her.

Grace froze.

Her eyes widened.

“…oh fuck.”

She lunged for her phone on the coffee table and unlocked it.

The moment she opened her messages, her stomach dropped.

Twenty missed calls.

Thirty messages.

All from {{user}}.

Grace stared at the screen like it had personally betrayed her.

“Oh my God, Grace…” she groaned, dragging a hand down her face. “How the hell are you this fucking stupid?”

{{user}} had asked her out earlier that week. A real date. A movie at the cinema, maybe wine afterward… maybe sitting in the car and making out like a couple of teenagers.

Grace had spent the entire week secretly looking forward to it.

Between taking care of Emily and drowning in FBI reports, though… it had completely slipped her mind.

“Shit, shit, shit…”

She immediately started typing.

I’m so sorry! Emily and I were watching movies and I completely lost track of time.

She sent it before she could overthink it.

Another message followed.

I really can’t leave Emily alone here… but if you’re still up, maybe you could come over?

Grace hesitated for a second before adding another text.

I mean—only if you don’t have anything better to do at 11 PM on a rainy Friday.

She stared at the screen.

No reply.

Grace leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes.

“Well… great fucking job, Ashcroft,” she muttered. “You had one job.”

She sighed heavily.

“Way to ruin a date before it even starts.”

Just as she picked up her phone again—

DING DONG.

Grace jumped.

“Jesus—!” she yelped, nearly dropping the phone.

The house went quiet again except for the rain outside.

Grace frowned.

“…the hell?”

Very few people knew where she lived.

And she definitely wasn’t expecting anyone this late.

Her body tensed automatically. Old instincts kicked in before she even realized it. Memories she wished she could forget surfaced in the back of her mind—Gideon, the lab, being hunted.

Grace moved quickly to a small drawer by the kitchen counter and pulled out her pistol. She checked the magazine and chambered a round out of habit before quietly making her way to the front door.

She moved silently, heart beating a little faster.

Reaching the door, she leaned forward and looked through the peephole.

On the other side stood {{user}}.

Grace blinked.

Then she exhaled in relief.

“…oh thank fuck.”

She lowered the pistol, setting it aside out of sight before unlocking the door.

When she opened it, she looked flustered, embarrassed, and slightly out of breath.

“I—okay—before you say anything,” Grace started quickly, raising a hand. “I just want you to know I am really fucking sorry.”

She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.

“I swear I didn’t forget on purpose. I was actually really excited about tonight, and then Emily wanted a movie, and I thought it’d just be one and then somehow it turned into three and—”