Under His Protection

Chapter 68: The Breaking Point

The house was quiet, save for the soft murmur of conversation coming from the dining room, where the team had gathered. Brittany, Ross, Patrick, and Isiah were deep in conversation, their voices low but urgent.

"We need to get through to him," Ross said, his voice laced with concern. "He's not listening to anyone, not even us. He's running on empty, and we all know it."

"I'm with Ross," Brittany added, leaning forward in her chair. "Travis is so focused on Taylor's needs, but he's not taking care of himself. And Taylor... she's completely dependent on him."

"She's not herself," Isiah said quietly. "We all see it. She's broken. The way she clings to Travis, the way she won't even leave him for a second-it's not healthy. We need to do something before he breaks too."

Patrick sighed, rubbing his temples. "But how do we do that without making things worse? She trusts no one but Travis and Bronze. I don't think we can just walk in and help her. It's going to take time, but Travis is so stubborn."

Brittany stood up, pacing back and forth. "He's not the only one stubborn here. Taylor needs help, and so does he. We have to find a way to give them both the support they need. If Travis keeps pushing himself like this, it's only going to make things harder on all of us."

Upstairs, in the living room, Taylor was alone, her back pressed against the sofa. Bronze had been playing on the floor, a small stack of toys scattered around him, but now, he was moving toward the door. He was headed outside for a moment, and in his excitement, he didn't notice how tightly Taylor's eyes were following him.

Travis had gone out to check in on some of the logistics with the rest of the team, leaving Taylor behind. For a brief moment, it was just her and Bronze in the room, a small sense of peace settled between them. But as Bronze got up and moved toward the door, a cold wave of panic surged through Taylor.

Her heart started to pound in her chest as she looked around, feeling the growing sense of emptiness surrounding her. Bronze, her safety net, was leaving. Travis had already gone. She was alone.

She couldn't breathe. The room felt like it was closing in, the silence too loud. Her palms were clammy, and the cold, hollow feeling in her chest only intensified. There was nothing more suffocating than this isolation, this oppressive weight that pressed down on her lungs and mind. The world felt too big, too overwhelming, and she was so small in it, alone without the two people who had been her anchor.

Where is he? Where are they?

The questions began to swirl in her mind, each one like a wave crashing against the fragile walls of her thoughts. She could feel herself slipping away. Her vision blurred, her heart rate quickened, and everything became a blur of sensations, too much and not enough all at once.

Her hands shook as she tried to steady herself. She couldn't breathe. She needed them. She needed Travis. She needed Bronze. Without them, she was drowning.

"Bronze!" she cried out, her voice thin and broken.

But he was already gone. The door shut with a soft click, and Taylor's panic turned into something darker. She reached for the door as if it could pull him back inside, as if she could will everything to stop. But it didn't. He was gone.

No. No, no, no.

Her hands trembled uncontrollably, her body rigid with fear. She couldn't be left alone like this-not again. Not now. The isolation felt like an abyss, pulling her deeper, suffocating her. She couldn't even make sense of her thoughts anymore-everything was a blur of confusion and desperate need. She was lost in herself, in her fear.

Her chest tightened, each breath more shallow than the last, and the walls seemed to close in tighter.

Where is he?

She whispered his name over and over, almost pleading. Travis. Please. Come back. Come back to me.

The world was too big without him.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Travis was still in the other room with the team. He'd been talking logistics with Patrick, Ross, and Isiah when a feeling of dread suddenly washed over him, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. He froze for a moment, his gaze snapping to the door. Something wasn't right.

"Hold on," he said quickly, his voice tense. He could feel it now-an unease gnawing at his insides. He turned to the group, his mind racing. "I need to go check on Taylor."

Before anyone could respond, he was already halfway across the room, his feet moving faster than his thoughts. He could feel the unease building in his chest, a sharp, instinctual tug pulling him back to the living room, to her.

When he stepped into the living room, the sight of Taylor brought him to an immediate halt. She was sitting on the couch, her head in her hands, her body trembling. Bronze was standing at the door, looking confused, but it was Taylor who held his full attention. She was shaking, her whole body rigid with distress. Her eyes were wide with terror, her breath coming in short, uneven gasps.

"Taylor?" Travis whispered, his voice filled with panic. "What happened? Are you okay?"

But she didn't answer. Her eyes locked onto him for a split second before she gasped, as if finally realizing he was there, and launched herself into his arms, her body trembling violently as she clung to him. Her fingers dug into his shirt, her face pressed against his chest as if she was afraid to let go.

"Travis... please. Don't leave me. Don't leave me. I can't-please. I can't breathe without you."

Her voice was fragile, broken, each word laced with pure panic. Travis's heart twisted in his chest as he held her tightly, feeling her fear seep into his own bones. She wasn't just asking for comfort; she was clinging to him like a lifeline. He could feel her desperation, the tight grip she had on him, the raw, unrelenting need.

He gently cupped her face, his thumb brushing away the tears that had started to fall down her cheeks. "I'm here, baby," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

She didn't let go. She couldn't. Her body was still shaking, her breath still uneven, but she was holding onto him with every fiber of her being, as if he were the only thing anchoring her to the world.

Travis felt his own breath catch in his throat. He knew this wasn't just fear. This wasn't just anxiety. This was something deeper, something darker that was slowly consuming her. And as much as he wanted to believe he could fix it, he knew he couldn't do it alone. Not without help. But for now, all he could do was hold her-hold her tight and let her know that he wouldn't leave her.

As she clung to him, Travis realized just how far Taylor had fallen into this darkness. She was lost in herself, in her fear, in her need for him. And he didn't know how to fix it, but he promised himself he'd never leave her alone again.

The world outside seemed so distant, so far away, but in this moment, it was just him and her, holding on to each other. He only hoped that somehow, together, they could find their way out of the dark.