After arriving here and dealing with every encounter thereafter, Sleep didn’t come easy.

Even When it did—

It didn’t stay.

Nightmare's kept coming throughout the night.

“…he did not resist…”

The words echoed, distant and sharp all at once.

With Blood everywhere.

Too much of it.

Dark against pale skin.

Still. Unmoving.

I tried to move—

I Tried to reach—

But my body wouldn’t respond.

My hands—

Felt Useless.

I was either Too slow.

Or Too late.

“…and in the end—”

“No.”

The word came out strained.

Wrong.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

Not this time. Not—

I forced myself forward—

And the moment my fingers almost touched him—

~

I woke up.

~

My chest rose sharply as I pulled in a breath.

Too fast. Too tight. For a second, I didn’t move. Didn’t think.

Just… breathed.

Alive.

Again.

“…right,” I muttered, dragging a hand over my face.

Not a dream. Not anymore. The room was quiet and Dim.

Unfamiliar in a way that was starting to feel… familiar, with Mercer's memories appearing more often.

That was worse.  I pushed myself up slowly, letting my feet hit the floor.

It was Cold but also Grounding.

Good. Focus. I need to focus.

Routine. That was safer.

And easier to do at the moment.

~

Water first.

The sink creaked slightly when I turned it on.

I watched it run for a second longer than necessary.

Clear.

Steady.

Real.

Then I washed my face, letting the coolness wake me up properly. No blood.

No—

Good.

Better.

~

Food came next.

Simple.

Whatever was available.

I didn’t question it. Didn’t think too hard about taste or preference.

Just ate. Mechanical. Efficient.

Like everything else now.

Because thinking—

Thinking led back to him.

To yesterday.

To the way things had already—

Changed.

Did I develop a trauma response about his death? What brought this on?

My grip tightened slightly around the utensil in my hand.

Not yet.

Don’t go there yet.

~

By the time I stepped back into the clinic—

The air felt different. Again. But not like before, when I arrrived. 

It wasn't heavy Nor silent.

But…it was louder, with Voices.

Almost Low but Not quiet enough, since I could still hear them.

“…heard he told them to come back with a warrant—”

“…doesn’t matter who you are, he’ll talk to you like that—”

“…didn’t even flinch—”

I slowed.

Just slightly.

Not enough to draw attention.

But enough to listen.

“…new attitude,” someone muttered. “Thinks he’s untouchable now.”

“Or stupid,” another added.

A faint scoff followed.

I didn’t react.

Didn’t look at them.

Just kept walking.

Like I hadn’t heard anything.

Like it didn’t matter.

But my chest tightened anyway.

Rumors Already.

That was fast.

Too fast.

My jaw clenched slightly.

Of course it was.

This place—

These people—

They thrived on information.

On power.

On knowing who stood where.

And now—

They were looking at me differently.

Not just as a doctor.

As something else.

Something—

Worth watching.

This wasn’t good.

~

“Doctor.”

Her voice cut through the noise.

I glanced up.

She was already there.

Waiting.

Watching.

Always watching.

“You’re early,” she said.

“I didn’t sleep,” I replied simply.

Not a lie.

Not entirely.

Her gaze lingered on me for a second longer than usual.

Like she was looking for something.

A crack.

A sign.

Anything.

“…you should rest,” she said finally.

“I’m fine.”

A beat.

She didn’t argue.

Didn’t push it either.

Just nodded once.

But I saw it. The way her eyes shifted. Not convinced.

Still thinking.

Still—

Investigating. I just know I have to be weary of her.

~

I tried my best at being the doctor, especially now that some of his memories were slowly surfacing. A few days had passed, and I still didn't know the how nor the why of how I got here. But somehow, I don't mind it as much.

Later, at my office. I found it.

Not by accident. Not completely.

A file left open on the desk. Too neat to be careless, Too placed obviously to be random.

I paused.

Just for a second.

Then stepped closer.

Adrian Vale.

The name sat at the top of the page.

Clean.

Clear.

Intentional.

My fingers hovered, Then turned the page.

Information.

Sparse.

Careful.

Like someone had tried to document him without getting too close.

Affiliations. And his Movements.

The Rumors surrounding him. Yet, Nothing solid.

Nothing—

Safe. 

“…dangerous,” I muttered under my breath. He's already in so deep.

As if I didn’t already know that. A quiet step behind me.

I didn’t turn. Somehow, I could tell who did it.

“You left that there,” I said instead.

A pause.

“…maybe,” she replied.

Not denying it. Neither confirming it either.

My grip tightened slightly on the edge of the paper.

“You want me to stay away from him.”

Not a question. Her silence answered anyway.

“…people like him don’t change,” she said quietly. “And they don’t let people like us walk away.” Not everyone was the same, some people given the chance can change if they wanted too.

But the way she said it, People like us.

I almost laughed.

If only she knew.

“I’m not planning to get close,” I said flatly.

Another lie. This one heavier, yet landed Harder in my chest.

She didn’t call it out. Didn’t argue. Just watched me again. What is it with this women?!

That same look.

Curious.

Careful.

But also Concerned.

“…just be careful,” she said finally.

Soft and Honest.

And then she walked away.

I stood there a second longer.

The file still open in front of me.

His name staring back.

My chest tightened again.

Not fear. Not exactly. But Something sharper.

More focused. Because now—

It wasn’t just about surviving. It wasn’t just about figuring things out. It was about timing. About knowing when things would happen, figuring out the timeline.

And changing them—

Before they did it to him.

My fingers closed the file slowly.

“…I’ll figure it out,” I murmured.

To myself.

To the empty room. To whatever was listening. Because I didn’t have a choice. I was already in this. And I had already decided. I will be changing things.

Besides I'm Already—

Too involved.

And if I wanted to survive this story—

I’d have to stay ahead of it.

No matter what it cost me.