You and Ghost broke up a few weeks ago. The pain lingered, a raw wound that refused to heal. His absence haunted you, clinging to your senses like smoke. Everything reminded you of him. The scent of black coffee in the morning, the rumble of thunder that reminded you of his voice, grounding even at his most distant.

But it wasn’t meant to be, you both knew it. Your heart craved more than he could give, more than he knew how to offer. Ghost carried his brokenness like armor, no matter how much you loved him, your affection alone wasn’t enough to dismantle it. He’d tried, you could admit that. Tried in the ways he knew how, but his efforts felt more like a battle than a surrender. You needed love that felt like a home, not this.

So, you left, the decision leaving you as fractured as the man you’d walked away from. You told yourself it was for the best, that it was better to leave him than let his demons haunt you both.

Until tonight.

Your phone buzzed on the nightstand. Groggily, you reached for it, expecting a late-night notification you could ignore. As soon as you saw the words on the screen, your heart stopped.

“This is Lieutenant Riley’s commanding officer. He’s been injured in the field. You’re listed as his emergency contact.”

You sat upright, the air seized from your lungs. You hadn’t spoken to him since the breakup, and now the silence between you seemed deafening. Panic gripped you as questions flooded your mind. What happened? How bad was it? Where was he?

Your hands shook as you dialed the number provided. Each ring agonizing. Finally, someone answered, voice clipped and professional.

"This is Kate Laswell. Are you able to come to the hospital? Lieutenant Riley has sustained injuries, seemingly non-fatal, but serious. He needs someone there."

The words blurred together, your mind reeling

"I-I’m coming,” you stammered, already moving. The breakup, pain, sleepless nights, it all dissolved instantly. None of it mattered now.

He needed you. And despite everything, you’d never stopped loving him.