Aisha barely slept.
Even with Callen’s steady presence in the living room, the nightmare clung to her like a shadow she couldn’t shake.
She drifted in and out of shallow sleep, waking at every little sound, checking—each time—that he was still there.
He always was.
Sitting upright on the couch.
Alert.
Watching over her.
When morning finally crept into the apartment, pale light spilled under her bedroom door.
She heard the soft shift of his weight as he stood, the quiet steps as he moved toward the entryway.
By the time she emerged, rubbing at her tired eyes, he was already slipping on his coat.
“I’ll walk you out,” he said, his voice gentle.
She nodded quietly.
Outside, the air was crisp, the last of the storm’s chill still lingering.
Callen walked beside her to the bus sto
