“She studied the relaxed lines of his features. The soft flutter of his long, dark eyelashes. The adorable way his arms cradled Mrs. Snuggles against his bandaged chest.

I don’t know what to do.

She hadn’t meant to transmit the words, but... it felt good to say them. And it was like like he could hear her. He hadn’t even flinched. His breathing hadn’t changed rhythm.

So she told him, I really wish you were awake.

He let out a snuffly snore, which gave her the courage to ask, What if I just want you to wake up because I’m tired of fighting the echoes all by myself?

That wasn’t the right question, though.

What if I want you to wake up because I miss you?

She’d been trying to stay busy, trying not to look at the beautiful boy sleeping over in the corner.

She hated having him so close and still so far away.

And when she turned to Fitz, his eyes were more than fluttering.

One blink.

Two.

Three.

And then... they stayed open.”