Tidal | Neuvillette

XXII

    - if only you knew... -

As she stirred from her slumber, her surroundings slowly came into focus in the dim light of the room, a wave of disorientation washing over her. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, she sat up slowly, her mind struggling to make sense of her surroundings.

And then it hit her—like a bolt of lightning illuminating the darkness—she wasn't in her own bed. She wasn't in her own room. She wasn't even in her own house. Panic threatened to bubble up within her as she realized where she was. It seems the previous loss of blood had left her unaware of her surroundings.

With a sharp inhale, she scanned the unfamiliar surroundings, her heart pounding in her chest. The room was dimly lit by the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the curtains, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Every creak of the floorboards seemed amplified in the stillness of the night, heightening her sense of unease...

But as she forced herself to take slow, steadying breaths, a sense of calm began to settle over her. She may not have known how she had gotten here, but she was determined to find out. With a newfound resolve, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and rose to her feet.

As she scanned the room, her heart pounding in her chest, she noticed the Chief slumbering peacefully in the armchair. Despite the urge to seek reassurance from him, she decided against waking him, not wanting to disturb his rest. Instead, she tiptoed around the room, her movements careful and deliberate, as she tried to piece together the events of the night. The soft glow of moonlight illuminated his face, aswell as casting elongated shadows across the floor as she moved.

With each passing moment, her sense of disorientation deepened, her mind racing with unanswered questions. But... she had previously lost a lot of blood, so maybe believing he took her into his care wasn't a bold suggestion...

...

"Y/n..." A velvety deep voice emerged from beside her, the chief, stirring from his dreamless sleep.

"You're awake,"

She turned to find him blinking sleepily, his gaze fixed on her. "I didn't mean to disturb you," she apologized softly.

He shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You didn't," he reassured her. "But what's keeping you up?"

She hesitated, grappling with her thoughts before finally admitting, "I'm not sure where I am. Everything feels... off. Did something... happen?"

"Don't you remember...?" His expression softened with understanding. "You're in my home," he explained gently. "You needed a safe place to rest. You... got injured and lost a lot of blood so... I'm assuming you forgot that you're here..."

A mix of relief and gratitude washed over her. "Thank you," she murmured, meeting his gaze with a sense of trust. "I did... slightly forget.."

"...but thank you."

He nodded, with a chuckle, his eyes reflecting the moonlight streaming through the window. "Anytime," he replied softly. "Now, get some rest. We can figure things out in the morning."

She settled back onto the bed, the covers enveloping her in a cocoon of warmth. Despite her fatigue, her mind buzzed with questions and doubts, and she found herself unable to silence the whirlwind of thoughts racing through her head. The Chief remained seated in the armchair, his eyes fixed on her with a mixture of concern and understanding.