When Kaito and Izabel first got together—even though it felt like the world was ending, even though one version of the world did end—she slept the best she’d ever slept. Cramped in a hospital bed. In a room filled with hospital beds. It felt impossible.

She wasn’t sure when that feeling stopped, but maybe it was in the domes.

Izabel wrapped her arms around Cami and pulled her in. She didn’t worry if it would wake her, the way she did when Cami was younger. She listened to her breathe. She listened to her intently, carefully. Not for comfort. She listened as if Cami’s breathing would give something away. She wanted to know whether tomorrow Cami would wake up how she had every morning of her life, or if she wouldn’t, again.

But maybe she’d been breathing just the same at the hospital. Already Izabel couldn’t remember.

Izabel woke up the next morning to Kaito screaming. She propped herself up on her elbows and saw him on his knees at the door to Cami’s room. He wasn’t crying but maybe only because his eyes hadn’t had a chance to make the tears yet. His face was red and his mouth was wide like a doll’s.

Half-asleep, she said, “You’re going to wake her.”

Kaito started to regain his composure. “You’re covered in blood,” he said.

“What?” She looked down and she was, and so was Cami. She started grabbing at all of Cami’s limbs. She was warm. Izabel couldn’t find a cut anywhere. Cami’s chest was still rising and falling.

“It’s all over your face,” Kaito said.

She touched her chin. “Shit,” she said. She jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. She’d had a nosebleed. Seeing her mouth covered in blood she instinctively licked her lips and tasted it, salty and metallic. She pulled her shirt off over her head and started to run the hot water.

Kaito followed her in. “What can I do?”

“Nothing. I’ll do it.”

“Do you want me to strip the bed?”

“No, I said I’ll do it.”

“Are you mad at me?” Kaito said.

“No, I’m not mad at you.” She was mad at her nose and her allergies and the air.

“Don’t you think Cami might be scared if she wakes up surrounded by blood?”

She hadn’t thought about it like that. “Okay,” she said. “Do whatever you can in there, and keep bringing it to me. The blood’ll stain.”

He disappeared again and she ran the hot water over her shirt, got a little hand soap, ran it over the blood, grabbed the cloth up in each hand and rubbed it together. Kaito came back with the sheets and her clothes and little Cami behind his legs, covered in blood.

“You woke up, honey?” Izabel asked.

She nodded.