𝑼𝑵𝑬𝑿𝑷𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑬𝑫 | 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡

𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐹𝐼𝑁𝐴𝐿 𝐵𝐴𝑇𝑇𝐿𝐸 𝑃𝑇. 𝐼

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　　 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐄𝐖 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊𝐒 have been painfully dull. We caught Roman, Riker, and Reese, so that headache is finally gone—but Krane... he hasn't shown his face since he escaped a couple of weeks ago. My stomach knots every time I think about him. Something tells me he's plotting something big, something devastating, and I don't want to see what it is. My pulse quickens at the thought, even though we're supposed to be "back to normal."

Normal. What a funny word. Everything feels normal now—the city is safe, the team is intact—but my mind still buzzes with fragments of memory. Slowly, I've been regaining most of it, piece by piece. Chase has been helping me, of course. He tells me story after story, and I listen. Or at least, I try to.

There was that one about Principal Perry and the robot Davenport made. Somehow, Douglas knew it too and recounted it. Funny, I remembered none of it the first time. But then Chase told it again—his voice steady, almost reverent—and suddenly I remembered. I remembered the panic of facing that monstrous robot, and I remembered Chase swooping in like he was supposed to be my protector. I felt that mix of fear and relief all over again, my chest tightening just thinking about it.

He's told me so many stories—the good, the bad, the stupidly ridiculous. And the mistakes. Both mine and his. The sheer volume of our shared chaos is overwhelming, but strangely grounding.

Adam, Bree, and Leo have added their own memories too. Adam... he seems obsessed with food. Honestly, he can recount every meal we ever had as if it was a life-or-death adventure. Bree, on the other hand, loves to relive our shopping escapades. 'You were the best bestie ever,' she said once, grinning, 'at least you could keep up with my shopping needs.' I remember rolling my eyes at the time, but it made me feel... warm, in a quiet, satisfying way.

I'm pulled out of the memory fog by a persistent, nagging voice from my left. 'Addilynn,' Leo says, just loud enough to pierce through my thoughts. 'Are you even listening to me?'

I turn my head toward him, feigning focus. I'm sure my expression gives me away. He narrows his eyes, that mix of curiosity and exasperation he always wears when he knows I'm spacing out. 'I... sort of zoned out,' I admit, shrugging sheepishly.

Leo groans, exasperation written all over him. 'Addilynn. I was talking about my date with Janelle. I need ideas—fun things to do next time. Anything.'

I tilt my head, thinking carefully. 'You see, Chase and I don't usually go on dates,' I begin, trying to sound measured, like I'm offering sage advice instead of advice born from personal chaos. 'But... dinner works. It's calm, laid-back. You can actually eat—which is amazing—and there's time to connect.'

Leo frowns. 'Isn't dinner boring?'

I stare at him, incredulous. 'Are you crazy? Janelle is tired of all your adventures, your chaos. She doesn't want another obstacle course. She wants... quiet. A meal. Conversation. Connection.'

Bree chimes in, leaning casually against the couch, always the voice of reason in her own snarky way. 'Dinner is always a good idea. They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Same works for girls.'

I nod, smug. 'Food is always greatly appreciated.'

Chase, not one to be left out, grins and adds, 'There was that one time Addilynn was grumpy—couldn't do anything right—and I got her chicken nuggets. Before I knew it, she was smiling, chatting, back to herself.'

I can't resist a teasing smirk. 'Never underestimate the power of food, my man,' I say, before catching myself. 'My boy,' I correct, because Leo deserves the clarification.