Focus-If I Lose You Again
The night didn't end when they walked away.
It stayed with them.
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In the silence.
In the distance between their steps.
In the way neither of them knew what to say anymore.
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Aiden could still feel it.
The fear.
The moment when everything could've gone wrong.
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The moment when he could've lost Kael.
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Or worse—
Kael could've lost him.
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"…you're quiet."
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Kael's voice broke through his thoughts.
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Aiden didn't look at him.
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"…so are you."
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"That's different."
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Aiden let out a soft breath.
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"…how?"
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Kael didn't answer immediately.
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Because the truth was—
It wasn't different.
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They were both thinking the same thing.
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They reached Aiden's place.
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The door stood between them.
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A simple barrier.
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But neither of them moved.
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"…you should go inside," Kael said quietly.
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Aiden frowned slightly.
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"…you're leaving?"
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Kael hesitated.
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"…it's safer if I'm not too close right now."
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That answer—
It irritated him.
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"Stop doing that."
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"Doing what?"
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"Deciding things alone."
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Kael looked at him.
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"…I'm trying to protect you."
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"And I'm tired of that."
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The words came out sharper than expected.
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Aiden stepped closer.
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"You think staying away is protecting me?"
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Kael didn't respond.
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Because—
He had thought that before.
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And it hadn't worked.
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"…look what happened today," Aiden continued. "You stayed away before, and it didn't stop anything."
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Silence.
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"…you don't get to push me away again."
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That wasn't anger.
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That was fear.
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Real fear.
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Kael saw it.
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And it broke something inside him.
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"…I don't know how to do this," Kael admitted quietly.
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Aiden froze.
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Because Kael—
Never said things like that.
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"I don't know how to protect you without hurting you," he continued.
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That honesty—
It hit deeper than anything else.
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Aiden's chest tightened.
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"…then stop trying to do it alone."
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A pause.
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"…let me be there."
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Kael looked at him.
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Really looked at him.
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And for the first time—
He didn't see someone fragile.
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He saw someone who chose to stay.
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Even now.
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Even after everything.
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"…why?" Kael asked quietly.
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Aiden frowned.
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"What?"
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"Why are you still here?" Kael's voice dropped. "After everything I did… after everything you went through… why didn't you walk away?"
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That question—
It wasn't simple.
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Aiden looked away.
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"…I tried."
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Kael's breath stilled.
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"I tried to forget you," Aiden continued softly. "I tried to move on. I tried to hate you."
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A pause.
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"…but I couldn't."
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Silence fell between them.
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Heavy.
Real.
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"Because no matter what I told myself…" Aiden's voice dropped slightly, "…you were still the one I wanted."
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That was it.
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The truth.
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Raw.
Unfiltered.
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Kael's chest tightened painfully.
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"…Aiden."
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But Aiden wasn't done.
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"I hate that," he added, a quiet frustration in his voice. "I hate that you still affect me like this."
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A small, broken laugh escaped him.
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"I hate that even now… I'm still choosing you."
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Those words—
They weren't soft.
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They were heavy.
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And they meant everything.
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Kael stepped closer.
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Slowly.
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Carefully.
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"…then don't hate it."
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Aiden looked at him.
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"…what?"
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"Because I'm still choosing you too."
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The words were quiet.
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But certain.
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And for the first time—
There was no hesitation.
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The space between them disappeared.
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Not suddenly.
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Not forcefully.
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Just…
Naturally.
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Aiden's heart was racing.
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His thoughts—
Messy.
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Confused.
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But one thing was clear.
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He didn't want distance anymore.
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"…this doesn't fix everything," Aiden said quietly.
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"I know."
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"I'm still angry."
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"I know."
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"I still don't trust you completely."
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"I know."
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A pause.
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"…but I don't want to walk away."
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Kael's gaze softened.
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"…then don't."
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That was it.
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No pressure.
No expectation.
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Just…
Stay.
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Aiden stepped closer.
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Closing the last bit of distance himself.
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And that—
That changed everything.
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Kael's breath caught slightly.
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Because this time—
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Aiden wasn't hesitating.
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"…are you sure?" Kael asked quietly.
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Aiden looked at him.
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His eyes steady.
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"…no."
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Honest.
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"…but I don't want to run anymore."
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That answer—
It was enough.
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Kael lifted his hand slowly.
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Not rushing.
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Not forcing.
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Just…
Reaching.
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His fingers brushed against Aiden's cheek.
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Light.
Careful.
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Like he was afraid he'd disappear.
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Aiden didn't move away.
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Didn't stop him.
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And that was all the permission Kael needed.
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He leaned in.
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Slowly.
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Giving Aiden time.
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A chance to stop him.
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To pull away.
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But Aiden didn't.
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Their breaths mixed.
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Close.
Too close.
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And then—
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Finally—
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Kael closed the distance.
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The kiss was soft.
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Not rushed.
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Not desperate.
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Just…
Real.
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Aiden froze for a second.
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Because after everything—
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After all the pain, the distance, the confusion—
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This felt…
Familiar.
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Too familiar.
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But this time—
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He didn't pull away.
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Instead—
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His hand tightened slightly against Kael's shirt.
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Holding on.
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The kiss deepened just slightly.
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Still gentle.
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Still careful.
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Like both of them were afraid—
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That if they moved too fast—
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Everything would break again.
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When they finally pulled apart—
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Neither of them moved far.
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Still close.
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Still caught in the moment.
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Aiden's breath was uneven.
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"…that was a mistake."
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But his voice didn't sound convinced.
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Kael almost smiled.
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"…then why didn't you stop me?"
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Aiden didn't answer.
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Because he couldn't.
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"…this changes things," Aiden said quietly.
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Kael nodded.
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"…I know."
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"And not in a simple way."
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"I know."
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A pause.
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"…we're still not okay."
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Kael's gaze didn't waver.
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"…but we will be."
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For the first time—
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Aiden didn't argue.
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Because maybe—
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Just maybe—
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He wanted to believe that.
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But somewhere—
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Far from them—
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Unseen.
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Watching.
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The danger hadn't disappeared.
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It had only been waiting.
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And now—
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It knew exactly what mattered most.
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[To be continued…]
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