SOUL

recovery road

four weeks later

Leo kept glancing at Mary as he drove, making sure she was comfortable in the passenger seat. It had been a long, grueling four weeks, and seeing her finally released from the hospital filled him with relief, but also with a deeper, quieter kind of fear. He had almost lost her, and the thought of that was something he couldn't shake. As he pulled up to her house, he turned off the engine and shifted to face her, his expression soft but serious.

"are you ready to go back inside?" he said, his voice low but filled with emotion.

"I guess I won't know till I try" she responds, unbuckling her seatbelt.

He jogs over to her door and opens it before grabbing her waist and helping her stand. She leans her weight on him, and she follows him inside. Her home welcomed her instantly and she felt as though she could finally breathe.

"I had everything cleaned, and I had someone perform a cleansing ritual to get rid of the bad energy, hoped it would make it easier to readjust," he says

"you did that for me?" she asks, knowing that he didn't necessarily belive in that stuff, but he knew that she did.

"of course"

"it worked" she smiles "I don't feel anything negative"

"I promise. I'm never going to let you be in danger again. You'd be lucky if I ever let you out of my sight."

Mary rolled her eyes, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "How am I supposed to go back to working at the store when crime-fighting is so much more interesting?" she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Leo blinked in surprise, then narrowed his eyes playfully. "You're kidding, right?"

She raised her hands in mock surrender. "I'm kidding... unless you need some extra medium-type help. Then maybe I'd consider offering my services... for a price."

He arched an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. "Oh yeah? And what price would that be?"

Mary chuckled, but there was a softness in her eyes. "Don't worry. I'm good. I never wanted to be a part of that life, not really."

Leo let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Thank God," he said, shaking his head. "I don't think I'd survive another partnership between us. My heart couldn't take the stress."

She nudged him with her elbow, pretending to be offended. "We made a pretty good team, you have to admit."

He shook his head slowly, his eyes darkening. "Teams work together, Mary. They don't disappear in the middle of the night to go confront a serial killer alone."

Mary's playful demeanor faded, and she swallowed hard, looking down at her hands. The memory of that night, the cold terror washed over her. She could still see the glint of the knife, hear the chilling words, and feel the suffocating darkness closing in. Her breathing hitched, and before she could stop herself, tears began to spill down her cheeks. She hadn't cried like this, not since waking up from the coma. She had been trying so hard to be strong, to keep it all together, but now, in the safety of Leo's presence, standing in her home for the first time since Jerry had broken in, it all broke apart.

She sat down heavily on the couch, burying her face in her hands. "I'm not okay," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I... I'm not."

"baby" he says, his voice cracking. "you don't have to be okay"

Leo's heart shattered at the sight of her breaking down. Without a word, he knelt beside her, wrapping his arms around her trembling form and pulling her close. He leaned back against the couch, holding her against his chest as she cried, her sobs muffled against his shirt. He rested his chin on top of her head, his own tears sliding down his cheeks as he whispered, "I'm so sorry, Mary. I'm so, so sorry. I should have been there. I should have gotten to you sooner."

She shook her head, her hands clutching his shirt tightly. "I wanted it that way," she managed to say through her sobs. "I needed to make sure you were safe. I couldn't... I couldn't let him hurt you."

"what do you mean hurt me?"

"you would've died if you went, I saw it" she whispers

"why didn't you tell me before?" he asks

"I didn't know how to" she responds "I didn't want you to look at me the way you are right now"

Leo's arms tightened around her, as if trying to shield her from the very memories that haunted her. "There's nothing I wouldn't do to take away your pain, Mary. If I could, I'd carry it all for you. And I wish you never had to go through that just for me" he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

"But I can't thank you enough for what you did. You saved me, and I will never forget that."

Mary slowly pulled back, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her oversized sweater. "Your mom... she told me. She told me I was always meant to go to that barn, that I was supposed to stop him from... from killing you." Her voice faltered, and she looked up at him, her eyes wide and vulnerable. "I think... I think I always knew. Somehow, I just knew I had to be there."

Leo's breath hitched, and he closed his eyes, trying to steady himself. When he opened them again, they were glistening with tears. "I've known since the moment I met you that we were meant to be," he said softly, cupping her cheek in his hand. "I didn't understand it at first, but I felt it. That's why... that's why we could always sense when the other was in danger."

Mary's lips quivered into a small smile, and she nodded. "Yeah... I felt it too."

Leo leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to her lips, one that tasted of salt and tears but carried a promise of comfort and love. "I'm going to spend the rest of my life loving you, Mary. The way you deserve to be loved. I'm going to make sure you never have to feel alone or afraid again."

She looked at him, her eyes filled with a mix of hope and fear. "But I'm... I'm broken, Leo. I'm scared. I'm scarred."

He gently tugged at the hem of her sweater, lifting it slightly to reveal the healing scars on her torso and arms. His eyes softened as he traced each one with his fingers, then bent down to place gentle kisses on each scar, as if to erase the pain they represented. "These don't make you broken, Mary. They make you strong. And you are the most beautiful person I have ever seen. Every scar, every mark... they're a testament to how brave you are."

Mary's tears returned, but this time they were different—softer, more cathartic. She felt like she was finally letting go of the weight she had been carrying. "I don't know if I can get through this on my own," she whispered.

"You don't have to," Leo said, his voice firm but tender. "I'm here. I'm ready to be there for you, to help you through this, however long it takes. Whatever you want or need, it's yours. You're not alone, and you never will be."

Mary nodded tearfully, leaning into him as he pulled her close once more. She rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady, reassuring beat of his heart. Leo wrapped his arms around her tightly, as if afraid she might slip away, and he began to whisper, over and over, "I love you, Mary. I love you so much."

The gentle repetition of his words, the warmth of his embrace, and the safety she felt in his arms finally allowed her to relax. Her tears slowed, and her breathing evened out. Exhausted from everything she had been through, she slowly drifted off to sleep, cradled against him.

Leo stayed like that, holding her close, his own tears still slipping down his cheeks as he continued to whisper his love. He didn't move, even after she had fallen asleep, afraid to break the fragile peace she had finally found. He pressed his lips to the top of her head, breathing in her scent, and made a silent vow to himself that no matter what the future held, he would be there for her.

As the room grew quiet, with only the faint sound of her breathing and the gentle hum of the night outside, Leo realized that this was what love truly was—being there, through the fear, the pain, and the scars. And he would spend every moment he had making sure she knew that.