sapphiredragon8
Haunted by the echoes of war, Kaia-a battle-scarred, no-nonsense military veteran from New Zealand-returns home carrying more than just physical scars. Beneath her stoic exterior lies a woman unraveling, numbing her trauma with alcohol and pills, drifting through days without purpose or peace. Hardened by years of combat and loss, Kaia keeps everyone at arm's length... until she meets Schneider.
Played by Todd Grinnell, Schneider is a charming, eccentric, and recovering addict with a heart of gold and a history of pain he rarely lets show. When Kaia stumbles into his world-broken, guarded, and bristling with unresolved rage-he recognizes the darkness behind her eyes. It's a darkness he's seen in the mirror.
What begins as a wary friendship slowly evolves into something deeper, more tender. Through late-night conversations, shared silences, and hard-fought moments of vulnerability, Schneider becomes Kaia's lifeline-and she becomes his. Together, they confront the ghosts of their pasts, discovering that healing isn't linear, love isn't easy, and sometimes the strongest soldiers are the ones who finally let themselves fall apart... and be held through it.
A raw, redemptive story of trauma, tenderness, and the kind of love that saves you when you've stopped believing you're worth saving.