From the start (Joel Miller x Reader)

Chapter 4.

The minutes dragged on with excruciating slowness as I paced back and forth in the cabin, my concern for you intensifying with each passing moment. Dani had returned from the woods without her, and his panicked account of the bear encounter had left me with a gnawing sense of dread.

As Dani recounted the details of what had transpired, my mind raced, and a bitter taste of guilt crept into my mouth. I couldn't believe that you were still out there, alone and vulnerable, while I stood helpless. My responsibility for her safety weighed heavily on my conscience.

"Dani, we need to find her immediately," I said, my voice quivering with urgency as I grabbed a flashlight and headed for the door.

Dani hesitated, his face a mask of fear and indecision. "I... I don't think I can go back out there," he stammered, his own guilt and anxiety overwhelming him.

My frustration simmered beneath the surface, but I didn't have the luxury of arguing with Dani at that moment. Instead, I nodded, trying to conceal my disappointment, and rushed outside, calling out your name into the darkness. The forest seemed to swallow my voice, the night eerily quiet except for the distant rustle of leaves and the occasional hoot of an owl.

Fear clenched at my chest as I imagined all the dangers you could be facing out there—the bear, the cold, the uncertainty of the wilderness. Guilt gnawed at me, knowing that I should have been more vigilant, more protective.

Hours passed, each moment etching deeper lines of anguish on my face. The chilling realization that I might not find her before dawn began to set in, and I couldn't help but feel the weight of my helplessness. It was a feeling that tore at my heart.

Finally, just as despair threatened to overtake me, I heard a faint sound in the distance—a cry for help, a plea that cut through the stillness of the night. My heart leaped in my chest, hope surging through me like a lifeline. I followed the sound, my footsteps quickening.

And then, there she was, standing in the clearing, her face stained with tears and relief washing over her features. It was a sight that filled me with an overwhelming sense of gratitude and relief, but the anguish of the past hours still hung heavily over me.

I rushed to her side, my arms trembling as I scooped her up into my embrace. She was safe, and that was all that mattered. But the weight of the past hours, the fear, the guilt, and the despair, still clung to me, refusing to let go.

I couldn't help but hold her close, my arms offering comfort and reassurance. "Thank goodness I found you," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion.

***

Morning light filtered through the cabin's windows, gently rousing you from your fitful sleep on the couch. It had been an exhausting and emotionally tumultuous night, and you couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that it was finally morning.

As you stirred, you couldn't help but notice Joel, who had slept uncomfortably in an armchair nearby. His face bore the traces of a sleepless night, and you couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for him.

With quiet steps, you made your way to the kitchen, preparing a pot of coffee to help shake off the remnants of exhaustion and tension. The aroma filled the cabin, offering a sense of comfort and normalcy in the midst of the chaos that had unfolded.

Seeing Joel still sleeping uncomfortably in the armchair, you decided to wake him gently. You approached him and gave his shoulder a light shake.

"Joel," you whispered, "it's morning. I made some coffee."

He stirred, blinking sleep from his eyes, and offered you a grateful but tired smile. "Coffee sounds like a lifesaver right now," he admitted, pushing himself up from the armchair with a yawn.