No one is up when we get home. I kept Ruby and Ryder in the loop on her progress, so they know she’s coming back today. It’s still early though, the clock on the wall is just about to chime at 7:00am.

“Don’t you want to rest?” I ask her as I take her to my room. I didn’t sleep much at the hospital last night. It seemed like there was a nurse coming in every fifteen minutes to change a bandage or take her vitals, but I fought most of them off so they would let her sleep. Still I expect her to be exhausted. Instead, she hops down from my arms.

“I can walk, Murph,” she says with a short laugh. “And I don’t want to rest.”

A heavy breath comes out of my mouth as I watch her walk toward the bathroom.

“I think I need help in the shower though.”

I busy myself with getting her a towel, some clean clothes—mine because hers went up with the car, and bring them to her. Just as I open the bathroom door, she’s standing by the open shower, not an inch of clothing on her body, and I freeze as I watch her unravel her hair from the elastic band.

She catches me watching and sends me a soft look, and I’m afraid for a moment she might crumble. Like everything is about to come crashing down. Her fingers move up to her scalp where they had to shave a section to stitch up the gash.

“I can’t look in the mirror.” Her voice shakes, and I’m stepping toward her, kissing the side of her forehead.

I feel like I should say something, but what? I could tell her she’s never looked more beautiful because now when I look at her, I see her as mine. She’s not a glimpse on my timeline. She’s the beginning of it.

But words don’t come because old habits die hard. Instead, I pull her toward me, twisting her so that her back is pressed against my chest. Then, I move her toward the large mirror so she can stare at her reflection in my arms. It’s like we’re back in the tattoo shop again on the day I put that ink in her skin. I can look at our reflection now. It doesn’t scare me anymore.

Her arms tighten around mine as she leans back to my hold. My lips are on her head again, and I hope she sees what my words couldn’t say. She closes her eyes as her lips find mine.

Turning back toward me, she pulls my jacket off and touches my shoulders, sliding her hands down my arms. My shirt comes off next so that her bare chest touches mine, and I kiss the side of her head, inhaling her scent: shampoo, sweat, blood, all of it.