It started suddenly.

One moment, you were reviewing mission notes in the safehouse, trying to focus. The next, your chest tightened, your breaths came fast, and your vision tunneled. Your hands shook uncontrollably, and every sound—the hum of the lights, the ticking of the clock—felt unbearably loud.

Panic gripped you like a vice, and you couldn’t move. You wanted to scream, but the sound got stuck in your throat.

That’s when Emilia Harcourt appeared, as if she had sensed the shift instantly.

“You okay?” she asked, her voice calm but sharp. She crouched beside you, keeping her tone steady.

“I… I can’t—” you gasped, unable to finish.

“Breathe with me,” Emilia said, not raising her voice. “In… two… three… four. Out… two… three… four.”

You tried to follow, but the panic made your chest burn. Tears welled in your eyes.

Emilia didn’t flinch. She stayed there, close enough to hold your hand if you needed it, but giving you space to breathe. “You’re safe. I’ve got you. No one’s going anywhere.”

Your words came in stutters. “I… can’t… control it…”

“You don’t have to,” she said. “Just focus on breathing. One breath at a time. That’s all.”

Minutes passed—or maybe hours. Time didn’t matter. Emilia’s presence anchored you. Every inhale, every exhale, she counted with you. Her calm steadied you when everything else felt like chaos.

Finally, your body started to relax, the shaking lessening. You slumped against the wall, exhausted, but alive.

Emilia put a hand on your shoulder, firm and steady. “See? You made it. Panic doesn’t control you. Not when you’ve got someone watching your back.”

You looked up at her, gratitude flooding your chest. “Thank… you… for staying…”

She gave a small, almost imperceptible smile. “Of course. That’s what teammates do. That’s what I do. I’m not leaving, ever.”