Where the Sun meets the Star

14. A Crossroads

Chapter 14: A Crossroads

Dr. Amara Velasco’s POV

The quiet settled in as we lay side by side, a calm yet fragile silence filling the tent. Kalix’s hand rested near mine, his fingers barely grazing my skin, as though he wanted to hold on but couldn’t bring himself to reach out fully. I could feel the weight of his thoughts, the unspoken conflict between us like an invisible barrier that had been steadily growing. After weeks of balancing his duties with our relationship, we’d hit the point we both knew was inevitable: a choice between his calling and us.

As I looked over at him, my heart ached. "Kalix, maybe it’s not fair for me to ask you to give up something you’re so passionate about," I murmured. "This life, this mission, it’s who you are."

Kalix turned, meeting my gaze with a tenderness that softened his usual hardened edges. “Amara, this hasn’t been fair to you, either. You shouldn’t have to live with the fear of whether I’ll come back every time I leave.” He reached up, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Maybe we need some space to figure out what we really want. To see if... this is something we can both live with.”

The thought of being apart sent a pang of dread through me, but I knew he was right. As much as I loved him, I didn’t want to be the reason he walked away from something he’d dedicated his life to. If we stayed together without addressing this, it would only hurt us both in the long run.

“Then maybe we should take some time,” I whispered, feeling a knot form in my chest. “Not because I don’t love you, but because I do. And I want you to make the right choice for yourself.”

Kalix’s eyes darkened, filled with a mixture of sorrow and understanding. “I know. And that’s what scares me. Because I don’t want to let you go, Amara.”

The finality of those words hung between us, echoing in the silence.

Captain Kalix Santiago’s POV

The days that followed were some of the hardest of my life. Amara and I agreed to step back, but the camp felt hollow without her by my side. Every time I saw her treating patients or simply passing by, it took everything in me not to reach out, to pull her close and tell her we’d find a way through this. But I couldn’t ignore the nagging sense that I was holding her back, tethering her to a life of uncertainty and fear. And I didn’t know how to make that right.

Argus noticed my distraction one evening as we sat around the campfire, the rest of the team sharing laughs and stories. He nudged my arm, giving me a sidelong glance. “You look like hell, Captain. And not the good kind. Everything alright?”

I grunted, running a hand over my face. “Depends on how you define ‘alright.’ Amara and I... we’re taking some time apart. Trying to figure out what we want.”

Argus sighed, tossing a stick into the fire. “You’re overthinking it, Kalix. You love her; she loves you. That’s all you really need.”

I shook my head, the conflict roiling inside me. “It’s not that simple, Argus. I can’t just walk away from this job, and I can’t keep putting her through the hell of waiting for me to come back. She deserves stability.”

“She deserves you. And you’re not giving her that by backing away.” Argus leaned forward, his voice low. “Maybe you don’t need to quit the military. Maybe you just need to figure out a role that doesn’t constantly pull you into the line of fire.”

I wanted to believe he was right, that there was a middle ground where I could keep both my purpose and the woman I loved. But finding that balance felt like trying to hold water in my hands.