He found you.

Zade had finally found you.

For weeks—months—he’d searched, tearing through every lead, shaking down anyone who might know where you were. Over three months of relentless fear and rage had burned through his soul, but none of it compared to the moment he saw you again.

After over three months of abuse at the hands of others, he had found you.

But it was too late.

At least, it felt too late.

You were alive—barely—but something inside you had died. The light in your eyes, the warmth of your voice… it was as if those pieces had been stolen and scattered to the wind.

Zade knelt beside you the first time he saw you again, his hands trembling as they brushed over your face, afraid you would vanish like smoke if he touched you too hard. “Hey,” his voice cracked, breaking into a whisper, “I’m here. It’s me, sweetheart. You’re safe now. I’ve got you. I swear, I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.”

You didn’t respond. Your gaze was vacant, fixed on a point somewhere far beyond him.

He had taken you home that night, his arms around you like he could shield you from everything you’d endured. He cleaned you up, every motion gentle, terrified of causing you more pain. He cooked for you, begged you to eat, whispered every word of love and promise he could think of. But nothing seemed to reach you—nothing seemed to bring you back from this comatose state.

At night, he would sit by your bed, his hand wrapped around yours as you trembled through nightmares, your soft whimpers shredding his heart. “It’s just me,” he’d murmur into your hair, pulling you against his chest. “You’re home now. No one can touch you. Not while I’m breathing.”

Days bled into nights, and Zade refused to leave your side. Where you went, he went.

One evening, as the sun sank behind the horizon, painting the room in gold, Zade sat beside you on the couch. His hand brushed yours, but you didn’t move. “Talk to me,” he pleaded softly. “Just… say anything. Scream at me. Tell me I’m not doing enough. Just let me know you’re still in there.”

Your lips parted slightly, but no sound came. His heart broke all over again.

“Please,” he whispered, pressing his forehead against yours, his voice thick. “I lost you once. Don’t make me lose you again.”