Chapter Text
They ran.
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There was no plan.
No direction.
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Just forward.
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The world behind them twisted—
walls bending—
doors stretching into places they shouldn’t lead.
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The signal pulsed through everything.
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Loud.
Relentless.
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Mono didn’t look back.
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He didn’t need to.
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He could feel it.
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Feel it getting closer.
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His hand tightened around hers.
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Six didn’t pull away.
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She never did.
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They had run like this before.
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Through corridors that didn’t make sense.
Through rooms that wanted to keep them.
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Always forward.
Always together.
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That part hadn’t changed.
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But something else had.
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Mono felt it before he understood it.
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The space between their steps—
slightly off.
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Her grip—
tight—
but not steady.
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He glanced at her.
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Six was looking ahead.
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Not at him.
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Her expression was set—
focused—
but something underneath it—
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Something wrong.
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Fear.
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Not new.
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Not surprising.
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But different.
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It wasn’t just fear of what chased them.
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It was—
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Uncertainty.
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Mono’s chest tightened.
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“Keep going,” he said.
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She nodded.
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Didn’t speak.
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Didn’t look at him.
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The path ahead broke apart.
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Not crumbling.
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Separating.
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A gap stretched open between them and the other side.
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Too far to step.
Too far to jump alone.
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Mono didn’t hesitate.
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He pulled her forward—
together—
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And they jumped.
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For a moment—
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They were weightless.
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Then—
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Impact.
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His hand slipped.
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Not fully.
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Just enough.
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Six grabbed tighter.
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Both of them dangling now—
fingers locked—
arms straining.
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The drop beneath them was endless.
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Dark.
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Wrong.
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Mono didn’t look down.
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He looked at her.
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Six met his gaze.
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And for a second—
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Everything else disappeared.
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No signal.
No world.
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Just that moment.
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Her hand in his.
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Holding.
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But not certain.
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He saw it.
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That flicker.
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That hesitation.
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Small.
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Barely there.
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But real.
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Her grip tightened again—
like she was correcting it—
like she hadn’t meant it—
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But it was already too late.
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Because Mono had seen it.
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Felt it.
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And something in his chest—
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shifted.
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A thought—
quick—
sharp—
unwelcome—
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*She’s not sure.*
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His fingers tightened instinctively.
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Trying to hold on harder.
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But the idea didn’t go away.
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It grew.
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*She’s going to let go.*
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“No,” he said.
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He didn’t realize he’d spoken.
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Six’s grip faltered—
just slightly—
not loosening—
just—
reacting.
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Her eyes widened.
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Not with doubt.
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With fear.
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Of him.
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Of losing him.
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Of something she couldn’t stop.
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But Mono didn’t see it that way.
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He saw the hesitation again.
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Felt it this time.
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And the thought twisted into something worse.
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*She’s already letting go.*
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His breath caught.
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The world narrowed.
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Just her hand.
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Just that moment.
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And the certainty—
growing—
solidifying—
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*She won’t hold on.*
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Mono’s grip loosened.
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Not by accident.
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Not because he slipped.
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Because he chose to.
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Slowly.
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Deliberately.
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Six felt it immediately.
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Her eyes snapped fully to his.
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Confusion—
shock—
fear—
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“No—”
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She tried to pull him back.
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Her grip tightening—
desperate now—
real—
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But it was too late.
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Mono let go.
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Their hands separated.
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Not slipping.
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Not breaking.
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Let go.
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Six reached for him—
too slow—
too far—
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And he fell.
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The world disappeared.
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Sound vanished.
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Everything stretched—
warped—
collapsed—
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Until there was nothing.
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No ground.
No sky.
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Just falling.
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Mono didn’t scream.
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He didn’t move.
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He just—
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fell.
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And as he did—
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That thought stayed.
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Clear.
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Sharp.
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Unshaken.
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*She let me go.*
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The darkness caught him.
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But it wasn’t empty.
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It didn’t feel cold.
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It felt—
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Still.
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Like something had been waiting.
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The fall slowed.
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Not physically.
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But around him.
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Like time itself had stretched to hold him there.
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Mono’s breath steadied.
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His thoughts quieted.
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And then—
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A voice.
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Soft.
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Close.
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Not echoing.
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Not distant.
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Right there.
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You held on.
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Mono stilled.
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The words wrapped around him—
gentle—
calm—
understanding.
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You tried.
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His chest tightened slightly.
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I saw the voice continued.
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Warm.
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Certain.
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You didn’t let go.
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Mono’s fingers twitched.
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The memory flickered—
her hand—
that hesitation—
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The voice softened further.
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You were let go.
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Something settled in his chest.
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Heavy.
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But steady.
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Like a piece falling into place.
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It made sense.
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It felt right.
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Easier than the alternative.
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You did everything you could.
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Mono closed his eyes.
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The fall didn’t feel like falling anymore.
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It felt like—
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being held.
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Supported.
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Understood.
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You’re safe now.
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The words sank deep.
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Rooting themselves.
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Because no one had said that before.
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Not like this.
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Not and meant it.
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Mono exhaled slowly.
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The tension in his body eased.
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Just slightly.
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Just enough.
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You don’t have to hold on anymore.
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The voice lingered.
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Quiet.
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Patient.
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Waiting for him to accept it.
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And he did.
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Because it made sense.
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Because it felt true.
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Because it was easier than questioning it.
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The darkness shifted.
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Not empty anymore.
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Full.
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Alive.
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Watching.
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And for the first time—
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Mono didn’t feel alone in it.
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Above—
far above—
Six still clung to the edge.
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Her hand outstretched into empty space.
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Breath shaking.
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Eyes wide.
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“No…”
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The word broke.
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Because she had felt it.
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Felt his hand loosen.
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Felt him let go.
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Not slip.
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Not fall.
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Choose.
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Her fingers curled into nothing.
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Still reaching.
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Still trying.
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But he was already gone.
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Her chest tightened painfully.
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“Why?”
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The question tore out of her—
raw—
unanswered.
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Because she didn’t understand.
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Didn’t know what she had done—
or what she hadn’t done.
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Only that he had looked at her—
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Seen something—
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And decided to leave.
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Six pulled herself up—
barely—
her arms shaking—
her breath uneven.
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But she didn’t feel strong.
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Didn’t feel relieved.
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Didn’t feel safe.
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Because something had been left behind.
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Something important.
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Something she couldn’t get back.
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She stared down into the darkness—
long after he disappeared.
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As if looking long enough would bring him back.
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It didn’t.
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Nothing did.
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And somewhere deep below—
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Mono fell—
no longer afraid—
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Because something had caught him.
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Something that told him—
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He hadn’t been the one to let go.
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And somewhere above—
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Six stood alone—
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Certain of one thing—
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He had.