Where the Sun meets the Star

8. Heart break on the battlefield

Chapter 8: Heartbreak on the Battlefield

Dr. Amara Velasco’s POV

The silence between us was heavy, but it was also… comfortable. The kind of quiet you don’t find often, especially in a place like this. I glanced over at Kalix, who was gazing out into the darkness, his face set in its usual stoic expression. But tonight, there was something softer about him, something I hadn’t noticed before. Maybe it was the way his shoulders had dropped, or how his gaze seemed distant yet focused at the same time. The scent of pine and salt from the nearby ocean mingled with the sterile smell of antiseptic, a stark reminder of the reality we were living in.

“Do you ever think about what you’d be doing if you weren’t here?” I asked, almost without realizing the words had left my mouth.

Kalix turned his head slightly, his brow furrowing as if I’d surprised him. “Sometimes,” he said, his voice low and rough. “But I try not to dwell on it. Regrets don’t serve much purpose out here.”

I nodded slowly, understanding. “I used to think I’d be working in some big hospital, saving lives in an air-conditioned room, probably a little too concerned about whether my coffee was lukewarm,” I said with a small laugh. “Funny how life takes us in directions we don’t expect.”

He smirked. “Bet you didn’t expect to be arguing with a soldier in the middle of a quarantine zone, either.”

“No,” I admitted, smiling. “That was definitely not in the career plan.”

There was a pause, and then he shifted, looking at me more intently. “Why did you become a doctor?”

I took a breath, surprised by the question but also glad he’d asked. “My dad was a doctor,” I said, feeling the familiar warmth and ache of the memory. “He used to tell me that saving one life was like saving the world. I wanted to be like him… to make a difference.”

He nodded, his gaze softening. “Sounds like he was a good man.”

“He was,” I said quietly. “He passed away a few years ago, but… I think he’d be proud.”

We fell into silence again, the weight of our words hanging between us. I felt a strange connection to him, something that went beyond shared duty or circumstance. It was as if, in that quiet moment, we understood each other’s struggles in a way that didn’t need to be spoken.

“Kalix,” I began, hesitating as I turned to face him. “This life you’ve chosen… it’s dangerous. I’ve seen how it affects you. Don’t you ever wonder if it’s worth it?”

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Every time I lose someone, I question it. But then… there are moments where it feels like there’s no other path for me.” He looked down, his expression conflicted. “You learn to live with it.”

Something tightened in my chest. I wanted to tell him to take care of himself, to not take such reckless risks, but I knew that was selfish. Kalix had his own battles to fight, and I couldn’t ask him to abandon them.

 
Captain Kalix Santiago’s POV

The words sat heavy between us, our shared vulnerabilities hanging in the cool night air. I could feel the pull between us, the silent understanding that neither of us could really express. And for the first time in a long time, I felt that maybe, just maybe, someone out there could truly see me—not the soldier, not the captain, but the man underneath.

But the dangers of this life lingered too close. I couldn’t let my guard down, couldn’t afford the weakness of attachment, not when I knew how quickly it could all be taken away. Still, something about her quiet courage, her passion for what she did, it pulled me in despite every wall I tried to build.