Page 34 of Rescuing Ally: Part 1

But I’m not okay.

My body goes rigid, and my knuckles turn white where I grip the railing. The sound transforms into a different roar in my mind, the wind becoming the downdraft of a different helicopter in a different place. The world around me begins to shimmer at the edges, reality thinning as the past bleeds through.

“Hey.” Hank’s voice seems far away. “Stay with us, luv. You’re safe.”

But I’m already spiraling, my arms wrapping around myself as memories take hold. “I’m sorry?—”

“Breathe, sweetheart.” Gabe’s voice tries to break through the fog.

My breath comes in sharp, painful gasps. “I’m sorry—I’m so sorry—” The words tumble out between ragged inhales. I back away from them, hands shaking as they cover my face. “God, I want this, I want—” My voice breaks. “But the memories just—they just?—”

My legs give out. Hank moves instantly, catching me before I hit the deck. I struggle against his hold, lost in the horrors I’m reliving.

“I can’t—I can’t breathe—” My fingers claw at my throat, fighting an invisible restraint. Tears stream down my face as I choke on memories. “Make it stop, please make it stop?—”

“Easy, luv.” Hank’s voice seems steadier now, penetrating the fog. “You’re safe. No one’s holding you down. Feel the wind on your skin. Listen to those waves.”

But I’m too far gone, trembling violently in his arms.

“I’m sorry, I’m ruining everything.” A sob tears from my throat. “Why can’t I be normal?”

“Shh.” Gabe crouches in front of us, careful not to box me in. “You survived hell… twice. There’s no timeline for healing from that.”

I shake my head frantically. “But I want you both so much.” My breathing becomes more erratic, edging toward hyperventilation. “I don’t want to ruin this.”

“Look at me.” Hank turns my face toward his, and concern fills his eyes. “You’renotruining anything. We’re not going anywhere. Tonight is about making you feel safe.”

“But—”

“No buts.” He brushes away my tears with his thumb. “We protect what’s ours. You’re ours now, whether we’re fucking or not.”

“Breathe, sweetheart.” Gabe’s voice is comforting rather than commanding. “Tonight, you rest. We protect. Nothing more.”

The wind picks up, carrying a deeper chill, and I shiver against Hank as he sets me on my feet. Gabe moves first, sliding the door open while Hank guides me inside. My steps aresteadier now, but exhaustion radiates from my body. A bone-deep weariness settles in, the kind that only comes after an adrenaline crash.

A bedroom door stands open at the end of the hall, and warm light spills into the corridor. The California king bed explains itself immediately.

“You’re sleeping in the middle,” Gabe says, gesturing toward the bed.

I blink, then nod, letting them guide me. They undress me with care, and I shiver under their hands. Not from fear but desire.

Hank gives me his shirt, the fabric draping loosely around my petite frame. Gabe pulls back the covers.

“Scoot to the middle, luv.” Hank gently lowers me onto the mattress. They strip down to their skivvies—a necessary barrier after everything that’s happened.

I shuffle to the center of the bed, and they settle in on either side of me, a protective formation that makes me safer than I’ve felt in years.

I settle between them like I belong there, as if this configuration has always been inevitable. My body recognizes its rightness, even as my mind catalogs the complexities ahead.

But that’s for later.

Right now, I need something simple.

Hank’s fingers trail lightly along my cheek, tracing the delicate curve of my jaw, my skin still damp from tears. “Do you have flashbacks often, luv?” His voice comes quiet, coaxing rather than pressing.

I stiffen slightly, my breath hitching, but I don’t pull away.

Gabe shifts beside me, his presence a steady weight, his warmth soaking into my skin. He doesn’t say anything; he just watches, waiting, giving me space.

---