Nightfall ✓

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[FRN] rising to pointe.

THREE DAYS LATER, they were going back home. Clo knew calling it 'home' wasn't exactly the right word. Home wasn't a place where one constantly felt suffocated and scared. But whatever life had thrown her way were the consequences of her own actions. She couldn't blame places... or even people for that matter.

I don't want you to do anything. Focus on getting better so you can restart ballet.

That was what he'd said — tone clipped. As if he was gritting his teeth. Clo had been too drained to look at him. It was the first time in months she'd spoken so much and the first time in life she'd spoken so much about herself — about how she felt. She reckoned she ought to be embarrassed for spewing the emotional bullshit. But she was too exhausted to even do that.

Alec wanted her to spend more time at the hospital. It confused her when she agreed to his request and he kept sitting in the arm chair he'd been occupying 24/7 since she'd been brought here.

Wasn't he going to leave?

He probably felt obliged.

I'm fine now. Let's go back, Alec. I'm okay.

Are you really?

His tired tone indicated he didn't want an answer. And she wasn't sure how to give one as her throat constricted, making her look down at her lap. What did one even say after that? Perhaps she could have lied, smiled like everything was okay as she did with Theo but Alec knew everything. 

Hell, he knew what she'd been through better than she did.

A woman sat in the corner of her bedroom as they boarded the private jet. It wasn't really her bedroom. Alec had been kind enough to lend it to her while he sat outside with Varjot members. There were more than a hundred, including her and the doctor. She wondered why he brought so many before a familiar face distracted her.

"I'm glad you're okay, Miss Clo." 

Elliot Nicholson.

She paused and stared. It had been a long time since someone had smiled at her with such sincerity. 

"I'm very grateful to you, Elliot. Thank you." It was a lie. She still wished William killed her like he'd promised. But the lie was worth the smile that broadened on the young man's face. 

She flinched now as the door shut behind her, making her look up at the woman who was writing something in a journal. 

Clo bit her bottom lip nervously. Had Elliot guided her to the wrong room? She didn't want to go out and pretend people weren't aware of her presence. 

"I – I think I'm in the wrong room – sorry –"

The woman stood up abruptly, shutting her journal before a huge smile lit her face. 

"Sorry, I didn't even hear you come in. You're in the right room," the woman came forward and gently took her arm, "I get distracted when I'm journaling–"