Morning arrived without ceremony.
Aaliyah noticed it in the smallest ways, the hum of the refrigerator, the steady glow of sunlight slipping through the narrow gap in the curtains, the way her breathing no longer felt like something she had to manage consciously. The safe house was quiet, but not oppressive. It felt… held.
She sat at the kitchen table with both hands wrapped around a mug of tea, watching the steam rise and vanish. The world outside moved on, unaware of how carefully everything inside her was balanced.
For the first time since the hearing, her thoughts weren't racing ahead to worst-case scenarios.
They were… present.
Her phone buzzed softly against the table.
Elise.
Elise: No further anomalies overnight. Systems stable. Security clear.
Aaliyah let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
Aaliyah: Thank you.
She didn't add anything else. She didn't need to. Gratitude didn't always need explanation.
