Chapter 30

San Francisco, CA - 2022

Halona sat alone in her living room, her fingers trembling slightly as they hovered over the Spotify controls. The familiar knot of anxiety twisted in her stomach, but she took a deep breath and pressed play. The soft, ethereal piano melody washed over her, the haunting vocals immediately pulling her in. She held her breath, anticipation tightening her chest.

"In the heavens, she soared so high, a beacon of hope, against the sky. But I, a mortal, lost in the night, descended into darkness…"

The lyrics seemed to echo her own thoughts, resonating in a way she hadn't expected. The haunting melody and gentle guitar accompaniment transported her back in time, stirring memories of laughter, love, and the heartbreak that followed. Nick's voice, raw and emotional, seemed almost unrecognizable - a reflection of a man she didn't know anymore. For his sake, she was glad.

As the chorus hit, the powerful guitar riffs sent a shiver down her spine. "She was a star, shining so bright, a Halo guiding my path, through the darkest night. A wrong step, a wrong path, chose the wrong way, and strayed from the light."

Each word struck her with the force of realization. She wasn't the same person she had been three years ago. Had she stayed in 2019, what would her life be like now? The thought paralyzed her. Would she have become one of those vapid Hollywood elites, a zombie moving through life without purpose? She had worked so hard to follow the so-called rules of time travel she'd seen in movies - lay low, don't mess with the natural events of the past, or you risk altering the future beyond repair. But had she altered her own future? How much had she affected Buck and the children? Their lives had never been the same after she appeared in their world.

Her mind spiraled, imagining the ripples of her actions spreading like waves in a pond, each one affecting another. Did it matter at all? Was she just a speck of sand in the universe, insignificant in the grand scheme of things? Yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that everything had been changed, irrevocably.

She thought of Nick again. He wasn't the wreck of a man she once knew. She had seen potential in him, and, like always, she had tried to fix him. But they were like gasoline and fire, never meant to last. She had been independent, strong, raised with every advantage. She hadn't squandered her time, priding herself on her education, her career. Like many of her generation, she had run from tradition, from domestic life, thinking that a man wasn't necessary, that it would be giving up her freedom.

But as she listened to the song, memories of her time with Buck flooded back. He had been so different from anyone she'd ever known. Their relationship was passionate, more intense than anything she'd ever experienced, yet grounded in a way that made her feel secure. Submitting to a man like Buck wasn't subservient; it was liberating. He respected her mind, her thoughts, and encouraged her to thrive. He grounded her when she lost focus, something she had come to appreciate more and more.

She remembered the day he'd tossed her belongings into the fire. Back then, she was livid, unable to grasp why he did it. But now, she understood - everything Buck did was for the kids and for her benefit and protection. Deep down, she realized there would never be another person she could connect with so deeply.

The second verse of the song intensified, the rhythmic guitar work and dramatic vocals adding to the emotional depth. "I've traded grace for sinful desire, a prisoner of darkness, consumed by fire. Haunted by memories, of her radiant light, lost in the shadows…"

Halona felt a pang of sorrow as the song faded. Nick had changed, and for that, she was genuinely happy. He had found his way, freed from the demons that once haunted him. But in his evolution, she realized how much she had also changed, how far she had come from the woman she once was.

She knew now that if she had stayed in 2019, she would have continued to search for something she didn't even know she was missing. It wasn't more freedom or money she needed. It was the connection, the deep, unbreakable bond she had found with Buck and the children. They had given her a purpose, a sense of belonging that she had never felt before.

As the last notes of the song faded into silence, Halona sat back, her heart heavy yet full of clarity. She was no longer the woman who had left 2019. She had found something far more valuable than anything Hollywood could offer - she had found herself.