"Are you out somewhere?" His tone was low, concerned. "You sound... off."
She took a breath that came out as a shiver. "I… just need to go home."
"I'm coming," he said before she could object. The line clicked dead.
Behind her, the bar door opened. Han stepped out, looking pale, remorse written across his face. "Noelle, wait, please— I didn't mean to—"
"Just stop," she said, turning sharply, stepping two steps back unsteadily. "You've done enough."
He reached out as if to steady her, but she stepped back. At that moment headlights swept over the street as Ren's car pulled up. He got out quickly, as his long strides ate up the distance between him and Noelle. His expression carried a mix of worry and confusion as he approached the couple.
Ren's eyes went straight to Han, then to Noelle: tear-streaked, swaying slightly, her coat slipping off one shoulder. "What happened?" he asked, voice tight but controlled.
Noelle shook her head. "I just want to go home."
Ren didn't ask again. He slipped off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, keeping his distance but ready if she stumbled. Then, to Han, quietly: "You should go."
Han looked at the ground. "She misunderstood—"
Ren's gaze was enough to cut him off. "No. I think she understood perfectly."
Han swallowed and stood silent.
Ren said softly, "Come on, Noelle. Let's get you somewhere safe."
She nodded, tears glimmering again, not for Han but for the ache of another night gone wrong.
Ren saw how unsteady Noelle was, the way her knees threatened to give out as she tried to take a step. Before she could fall, he bent and lifted her easily, one arm beneath her knees, the other cradling her back. Her bag hung from his hand.
"Hey.. put me down," she murmured, her voice small and slurred.
"You can barely stand," he said softly. "I've got you."
Noelle didn't argue. She let her head rest against his shoulder, her breath warm against his neck. He kept his eyes forward, jaw tight, focusing on getting her safely to the car.
Her quiet trust hit him harder than anger ever could. The sound of her breathing, the faint scent of champagne and perfume. All of it reminded him how fragile she was right now and how much power he had to either protect or hurt that.
He held her a little closer but not possessively, just enough to make sure she wouldn't fall.
She didn't fight him. Her head came to rest against his shoulder and her hand curled weakly into his shirt. The world spun a little but in his arms, it felt steady. Safe.
When she nuzzled her face against his neck, he froze. Not out of discomfort but out of the quiet tenderness of it. The simple trust in that small gesture made his chest ache.
"Sleep, Noelle," he whispered, his voice low and rough with emotion. "You're safe now."
Her only answer was a sigh that melted against his skin, soft as a promise he knew he didn't deserve.
By the time they reached his car, Ren's thoughts were a storm of love, regret and the fragile hope that someday she might trust him again when both of them were sober and unguarded. Sliding into the back seat, he instructed the driver to take them to the familiar address he had come to associate with her.
He had seen her slipped out into the night toward a bar. Part of him had followed her to protect her, part of him terrified that he might lose her to someone new. He knew it was wrong to spy but he couldn't stop himself. He had barely controlled the urge to walk into the bar and had spent the time sitting in his car, praying nothing untoward would happen to her. When he saw her stagger out the front door, he had called immediately.
When she shifted slightly, murmuring something half-asleep, he whispered, "It's okay. You'll be home soon." Her fingers brushed his collar in a small, unconscious motion. He caught her hand gently and placed it against her chest, a gesture both protective and final.
Noelle's eyes fluttered shut, the weight of exhaustion finally overtaking her. She leaned fully against Ren, her breathing slowing into uneven but steady rhythms. The small brush of her fingers against his shirt lingered and he kept his hand resting lightly over hers, unsure if he should move it or let it stay.
The car hummed quietly around them, the night outside a blur of streetlights and rain-slicked roads. Ren's heart ached with the raw intensity of the moment, with the trust she placed in him, the fragile surrender in her posture, the unspoken vulnerability she didn't even realise she had shown.
He wanted to speak, to tell her everything he had held back, to pour out all the fears and regrets he'd been carrying. But he stayed silent, forcing himself to respect her space, to let her rest. His thumb traced small circles over her hand, a careful, protective rhythm.
Every now and then, she murmured something half-coherent, a tiny word or sigh and he stiffened, leaning a little closer to catch it. She's here, she's safe, he told himself over and over. Yet beneath that relief, a storm of emotions of love, jealousy, guilt and longing roared.
He remembered how he had followed her earlier, the fear of losing her to someone else, the desperate hope that he could still protect her, still be there for her. And now, with her in his arms, he realised that this closeness was both a blessing and a torment.
Ren's jaw tightened as he stared out the window, the city lights reflecting in his eyes. He knew he couldn't force her feelings, couldn't undo the past but he could be here, he could hold her, he could wait.
And as Noelle finally drifted into a deeper sleep, her hand still resting against his chest, he let out a slow breath, holding her closer, silently promising himself that he would protect her in every way he could until she was ready to trust him again.
When they reached her place, Ren instructed the driver quietly, his voice low and precise. "Wait here. I'll take her upstairs."
The driver nodded, understanding and remained behind, engine running.
Cradling Noelle in his arms, Ren moved swiftly but carefully through the rain-slicked streets toward her apartment. Her head lolled against his shoulder, her body heavy and unsteady. He felt the warmth of her small frame and the lingering scent of perfume and alcohol, mixed now with a faint nausea he could sense but hoped to ignore.
Just as he reached her door, Noelle stirred violently, a sudden gag escaping her lips. Before he could react, she vomited. All over herself and onto him. The warmth and weight of it made him freeze for a heartbeat, shock and instinct mingling.
"Oh, God… Noelle," he muttered, adjusting his hold carefully to keep her from falling. Her face was pale, eyes closed, shivering slightly. He couldn't help the faint grimace but he refused to let disgust override his focus.
"I've got you," he murmured softly, steadying her in his arms despite the mess. He ignored the mess on himself, his attention entirely on keeping her upright and safe. One careful step at a time, he made it to her apartment door. His key or keycard fumbled in one hand, still clutching her securely with the other.
Finally inside, he set her gently on the couch, brushing damp hair from her face and murmuring, "It's okay… you're safe. Just breathe."
Even now, her body slumped against him as though all her defences had dissolved. Ren's mind raced. He needed towels, water, something to clean her up but most of all, he needed to make sure she was alright.
He glanced down at himself, sighing quietly. Everything was sticky and ruined but none of it mattered. All that mattered was that she was alive, that she hadn't fallen and that she was still in his arms, trembling.