Shattered Asylum

Chapter 100

Aven's POV

The first thing I notice is the silence. Not heavy, not suffocating, but soft... like the world has finally exhaled.

No pain. No weight pressing me down. My lungs fill, easy and full, like they were always meant to.

I blink, and the darkness pulls back. The air is golden here, washed in light that feels warm against my skin. Ahead, there's a figure waiting. Familiar in a way that makes my chest ache, even though nothing hurts anymore.

"Daddy?" My voice doesn't crack, it's steady, clear, alive.

He's standing just a few steps away, hands tucked in his pockets, wearing that same crooked smile I used to dream about. His eyes shine the way I remembered, kind, steady, home.

"Hey, bug," he says.

My heart leaps. My feet are already moving, and before I know it, I'm flying into his arms. He catches me, strong and sure, lifting me just like he used to when I was little.

"I've got you," he whispers into my hair, holding me tighter than I thought possible. "I've got you now. You don't have to fight anymore."

The tears that come now don't sting. They're light, cleansing, joy tangled with relief. For the first time in forever, I'm not afraid.

I pull back just enough to see him, my hands fisting in his shirt like I'll never let go again. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," he says, brushing his thumb across my cheek like he used to when I was little. "But you were so strong, Avanie. Stronger than anyone should've had to be."

The ache I've carried for so long finally dissolves. Here, with him, I'm whole.

I glance past his shoulder. There's more light in the distance, stretching wide, endless, and welcoming.

"Ready to go home?" He asks gently.

And for the first time, I really am.

I take his hand. "Yeah, I'm ready."

Together, we walk into the light.

The End.

First off, thank you. If you've made it here, to the very end of Aven's story, I don't even have words big enough to express how much that means to me. This book was heavy, heartbreaking, and at times really hard to write. But it was also filled with love, resilience, and the hope that even in the darkest places, light can still be found.

Aven's journey was never an easy one, and choosing her ending broke my heart. But I knew from the beginning that she deserved peace. She deserved to finally be safe, loved, and free... and that's what she found in this last chapter with her dad.

To those of you who cried, screamed, cursed me out, or just sat in silence after finishing... I see you, and I felt it too while writing every single word.

If this book touched you, please let me know. Your comments, your support, your tears (Happy and sad) are what keeps me going as a writer.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being here.<3

-Milxlover3