Chapter 109

Arya. As I woke up, the world around me slowly came into focus, blurred shapes and muted colors sharpening into clarity. The harsh, sterile scent of the hospital room assaulted my senses, and for a moment, panic threatened to overwhelm me. My eyes darted around the room, trying to make sense of where I was and why. And then I saw him. Tyler. Relief flooded through me, washing away the tendrils of fear that threatened to engulf me whole. "Tyler," I turned towards him, my voice trembling as I struggled to form the words that lingered unspoken on my lips. "Hey, Little One," he said as he kissed my forehead. But then, like a floodgate opening, the memories came rushing back. The chaos of the southern border, the fight with Alison, the searing pain as Robert's blade pierced through my skin. "Shit!" I cursed, my heart pounding in my chest as my hands instinctively rested on my stomach. "My baby." Tyler's grip tightened around my hand, his eyes filled with understanding. "You and the b