The drive to Lillian's apartment was quiet.
Painfully quiet.
The only sounds came from the city outside the car and the occasional hum of the engine.
Sebastian sat in the passenger seat with his head resting against the window.
His eyes were half closed.
Not asleep.
Just exhausted.
Lillian glanced at him several times during the drive.
Each glance made her worry more.
His skin looked pale beneath the streetlights.
Far too pale.
The doctors had told him to rest.
Instead, he'd gone to work.
Then a bar.
Then collapsed in public.
She tightened her grip on the steering wheel.
Twenty minutes later they pulled into the parking garage beneath her apartment building.
"We're here."
Sebastian opened one eye.
Stared ahead.
Then sighed.
"Wonderful."
The sarcasm was weak.
Even by his standards.
Lillian got out of the car and walked around to help him.
The moment Sebastian stood, his balance wavered.
"I can walk."
"You can barely stand."
"I disagree."
As if to prove her point, he nearly stumbled.
Lillian immediately grabbed his arm.
Sebastian closed his eyes briefly.
"Traitor."
"What?"
"My legs."
Despite herself, Lillian almost laughed.
Almost.
Together they slowly made their way inside the building.
By the time they reached the apartment door, Sebastian looked exhausted.
Lillian unlocked it.
Then pushed it open.
The first thing she heard was Ellie's laughter.
The second thing she heard was Chloe's voice.
"That's because you put too many chocolate chips in—."
The sentence stopped abruptly.
Chloe froze.
Completely froze.
Standing in the doorway was Lillian.
Supporting Sebastian.
A clearly intoxicated Sebastian.
For several seconds nobody moved.
Then Chloe blinked.
"...What happened?"
Lillian sighed.
"I found him outside a bar."
"Of course you did."
Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
"I can hear you."
"I wasn't hiding it."
That was fair.
Lillian carefully guided Sebastian inside.
The apartment felt warm.
Comfortable.
Lived in.
Something Sebastian noticed immediately.
Then suddenly—
A drop of blood landed on the floor.
Lillian stopped.
Another followed.
Then another.
"Sebastian."
He frowned.
"What?"
Blood dripped from his nose.
Lillian's stomach dropped.
Immediately.
Because she remembered exactly what the doctors had said.
Liver damage.
Monitoring.
Recovery.
Observation.
And now this.
"Sit down."
Sebastian looked annoyed.
"Lillian—."
"Now."
For once, he listened.
Mostly because he looked too tired to argue.
Lillian guided him toward the couch.
The moment he sat down, she hurried toward the kitchen.
Chloe watched her go.
Then looked back at Sebastian.
"You look terrible."
"Thank you."
"I wasn't complimenting you."
Sebastian leaned back against the couch.
"Noted."
A minute later Lillian returned carrying a cloth.
Without hesitation she sat beside him.
Then gently pressed it against his nose.
The action felt familiar.
Far too familiar.
Three years disappeared for a moment.
Back when taking care of him had been normal.
Back when she hadn't thought twice about it.
Neither mentioned it.
The silence stretched.
Eventually Sebastian reached up.
"I can do it."
His fingers closed around the cloth.
Lillian slowly withdrew her hand.
Their eyes met briefly.
Then both looked away.
The apartment fell quiet.
Sebastian held the cloth against his nose.
Then his gaze slowly moved around the room.
And for the first time, he properly took it in.
The apartment wasn't large.
But it felt alive.
Bookshelves.
Photos.
Blankets.
Plants.
Children's drawings attached to the refrigerator.
Signs of a life being lived.
A home.
Something inside his chest tightened unexpectedly.
Then he looked toward Lillian.
"Did you find it?"
She frowned.
"Find what?"
A humorless laugh escaped him.
Then he looked away.
"Space."
The word hit her immediately.
Her breath caught.
Because she remembered.
Three years ago.
The day she'd left him.
The day she'd ended everything.
One of the last things she'd told him was that she needed space.
Sebastian stared at the floor.
"You said you needed space."
His voice remained calm.
Too calm.
"I was just wondering if you got enough of it."
The words weren't angry.
That was what made them hurt.
Because he sounded genuinely curious.
As though he'd spent three years wondering whether leaving him had made her happier.
Lillian didn't know what to say.
Because the answer wasn't simple.
She'd gained space.
But she'd also gained fear.
Responsibility.
Loneliness.
And countless nights wondering if she'd done the right thing.
Before she could answer—
Tiny footsteps approached.
The moment shattered.
"Mommy?"
Everyone looked up.
Ellie stood in the hallway.
Holding her stuffed bunny.
The little girl looked curious.
Very curious.
Then her blue eyes landed on Sebastian.
"Oh."
For a moment nobody moved.
Especially Chloe.
Who suddenly looked like she wanted to throw herself through a wall.
Ellie ignored all of them.
Instead she slowly walked closer.
Sebastian watched her approach.
The little girl stopped in front of the couch.
Then tilted her head.
Studying him.
Carefully.
"You're bleeding."
The blunt observation made Chloe cough.
Lillian rubbed her forehead.
Sebastian blinked.
Then looked down at the cloth.
"Apparently."
Ellie nodded seriously.
As if confirming important medical information.
"That looks uncomfortable."
Something unexpectedly softened in Sebastian's expression.
Just slightly.
"It is."
The little girl considered this.
Then asked:
"Are you sick?"
Lillian's heart nearly stopped.
Sebastian looked at Ellie.
Really looked at her.
For the first time.
Something about her felt strangely familiar.
He couldn't explain it.
Couldn't place it.
Yet the feeling remained.
"I'm working on it."
Ellie accepted the answer immediately.
"Mommy gives me soup when I'm sick."
Chloe looked away to hide a smile.
Sebastian stared at the little girl.
Then quietly said:
"Does she?"
Ellie nodded proudly.
"And medicine."
A pause.
"I don't like the medicine."
"Neither do I."
That seemed to earn her approval.
"Good."
The room fell silent again.
Not uncomfortable.
Not exactly.
Just strange.
Because none of them were thinking the same thing.
Lillian was terrified.
Chloe was trying not to panic.
Ellie was simply talking to a sick man.
And Sebastian—
Sebastian couldn't stop looking at the little girl standing in front of him.
Because for some reason he couldn't quite explain—
She felt important.
And he still didn't know why.