Between Black And White

Normandy, 2185, November 1st 9:08 AM

The door to the armoury opens, and I step inside, glancing around. The room is quiet and lucky for me, Jacob isn't here right now. Explaining why I'm getting my armour without a mission isn't something I want to deal with. Still, I keep my movements quick and deliberate, like I'm not doing anything wrong.

Sliding open the armour case, I grab my gear. I pause for a moment, catching my reflection in the glass of the door. My expression is determined, but there's a hint of unease I can't quite shake.

As I snap the last piece of armour into place, I look up at the small camera in the corner of the room. I know EDI's watching, but I'll deal with that problem if it comes up.

Letting out a breath, I head for the elevator. The captain's quarters are my next stop.

Once inside, I move fast, collecting my sniper and pistol. I quickly double-check them. All set. I make my way back to the elevator, trying to not seem as nervous as I feel.

The door slides open on the crew deck, and I activate my cloak. The mess hall has a few people. Familiar faces chatting, laughing, oblivious to me slipping past. I keep my steps light and steady, not wanting to draw attention.

When I reach Archangel's little spot on the ship, I let out a sigh of relief. The room is as quiet as I expected, with only one terminal off to the side. Why he picked the main battery room to stay in is a mystery to me.

Pulling up my omni-tool, I stand by the terminal and start scanning. Let's see if you've synced up to the terminal. The system pings, lighting up with a few messages. Zakera Ward, level 26, meeting someone named Fade. Got it.

I exit the program and glance over my shoulder, half-expecting someone to appear and demand what I'm doing. But… nothing. So far, so good.

Opening the door, I step out of the room. Carefully, I rush through the mess hall, glancing toward the elevator. I stand there, waiting patiently for it to arrive.

Just as it does, EDI's voice chimes in my earpiece. "Commander Shepard has not authorised you for a mission."

I grit my teeth. "Thanks for the update."

There's a slight pause. "Shall I notify Commander Shepard of your activities?"

"No." I enter the elevator, knowing full well she'll do it anyway.

There's no response this time, and I hit the button for the CIC. If I'm lucky, Riley won't find out until it's too late.

The Citadel, 2185, November 1st 9:37 AM

My cloak stays on as I slip through the security corridor, keeping close to the walls. If I remember correctly from the last time I was here, the 26th floor is below this one. The stairs are just ahead, so I move quickly, barely making a sound.

Heading down the stairs, I cross the floor, passing by the spot where I met Lia. I force the memory aside. Focus. I glance around before seeing the warehouse and making my way toward it.

Reaching the door, I activate the datapad beside it. Unlocked. Perfect. The door slides open, revealing a room filled with crates and scattered tools. A volus stands in the middle of it all, muttering to himself as he fiddles with something. The door closes behind me, and he turns, startled.

"Are you Fade?" I ask as I deactivate the cloak, stepping into view with my pistol raised.

The volus lets out an exasperated sigh. "Again? For the last time, I'm not Fade! I just work for him."

"Okay." I take a step forward. "Then how about you tell me where Fade is?"

He backs up, his breathing heavy. "The old prefab foundry in the factory district."

I lower my pistol slightly. "Great. Now you're going to give me directions."

He tilts his head. "Seriously?"

I take another deliberate step toward him. "Suit yourself-"

He flinches. "Okay, okay!" His words come out in a panicked rush. "I'll tell you."

I stay silent, watching as he fumbles with a datapad. When he finally passes it to me, I can't help but smirk. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Scanning the directions, I commit them to memory. The factory district isn't far. It won't take long to get there.

Satisfied, I turn away, holstering my pistol. The volus doesn't say another word, and I don't give him a second glance as I step out of the warehouse.

Activating my cloak, I head off towards the prefab foundry.

The Citadel, 2185, November 1st 10:02 AM

08 Shipping. This is the place.

I stop just outside, seeing two dead Blue Suns near the entrance. With the holes in their armour, I'd say they didn't play nice. Though, I can't help but wonder how they're mixed up in all of this. I probably should've gotten a little more information out of that volus.

Stepping inside, the factory feels like a maze with crates scattered around the room and shipping containers lining the walls. It smells faintly of burnt circuits, probably from the broken LOKI mechs littering the path ahead.

I move further in, spotting more Blue Suns bodies. Some are slumped against crates, others lying in the open. These ones went down fast. How much of a head start did Riley and Archangel have? Long enough to tear through all of them, apparently.

After a few minutes of walking, I come across a small, trashed office. Datapads are thrown across the floor and furniture overturned as if someone had been searching for something, or more likely, fighting. The room is empty now, though, so it doesn't really matter.

Then, a burst of gunfire echoes through the foundry. My head snaps toward the noise. It sounds pretty close.

I sprint through the maze, weaving around crates and broken machinery. The gunfire grows louder, and what also sounds like something heavy. A YMIR mech maybe.

Rounding a corner, I come to a sudden stop. Riley and Archangel are pinned down behind cover, trading shots with some Blue Suns. A YMIR mech stands nearby, its minigun spinning as it locks onto them. At least I was right about the mech.

I duck into cover and scan the area. A merc is creeping up on their position, his rifle raised. I draw my mantis, line up the shot, and squeeze the trigger. He drops instantly, his weapon falling beside Archangel.

He immediately looks down at the merc and then at me. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving your ass, apparently!" I shout back, reloading. "You're welcome!"

Riley groans, peeking over her cover to take a few shots at the mech. "Not the time, you two! Focus! And Vex, patch in!"

Rolling my eyes, I activate my comms.

Together, the three of us take out the Blue Suns, and then focus on the mech. It takes more bullets than I care to count, but eventually, the YMIR mech collapses.

Archangel turns to me as the smoke clears. "You had no right to follow us."

"Maybe not," I say, holstering my weapon and stepping closer. "But I did just save your lives."

He stares me down, and for a moment, I think he's going to argue, but instead, he exhales and steps away. "Just don't screw this up."

"That was reckless," Riley cuts in, her arms crossed. "EDI told me you took your gear. There will be consequences."

"Yeah, I figured," I mutter, trailing behind her as she follows Archangel.

He's already standing by a door, tapping impatiently on the datapad. After a moment, he huffs in frustration and glances back at me. "Can you unlock this?"

I smirk, stepping forward and pulling up my omni-tool. "No problem." Good thing I showed up. How would they manage this without me?

The door opens to reveal a small office. Archangel walks past me, heading straight into the room. "What the hell is Harkin up to?"

Riley follows, making her way to a console on the far wall by a window. She glances at him over her shoulder. "No idea. Got any guesses?"

I step in behind them. "Who the fuck is Harkin?"

Both of them pause and turn toward me, exchanging a quick look. Riley shrugs and goes back to working on the console, leaving Archangel to explain.

"Harkin was a C-Sec officer." He looks down, shaking his head. "He's a real piece of work"

The console beeps, opening the window shades, and Riley leans back against it, crossing her arms. "And now it looks like he's gone completely bad."

Archangel scoffs, his eyes narrowing. "He was always a pain in the ass." He turns fully toward Riley. "But I'm in no mood for his games. If he doesn't cooperate, I'll beat him within an inch of his life."

I fold my arms, watching him closely. His tone has an edge I don't like. He's starting to sound like Zaeed, and that's not a good thing. "You good?" I ask.

Riley gives him a concerned look. "She's right. You seem… tense."

Archangel exhales. "Harkin may know why Sidonis wanted to disappear." He moves toward the window overlooking the next room. "If so, he knows why we're here and I don't want him tipping Sidonis off."

I step up beside him, peering through the glass. The warehouse is filled with more stacks of crates. Something shifts in the distance, a flicker of movement. "Did you see that?"

Riley straightens, already looking out the window. "Yeah, something's there."

Archangel pulls his sniper off his back, checking the sights. "He's getting ready for us."

Riley unslings her rifle. "What happens when we find him?"

He doesn't look at her. "He's a real criminal now. Working for the Blue Suns. I should just shoot him on sight."

Riley frowns, stepping closer. "Garrus-"

"I know." He cuts her off, his tone softening slightly. "I need him alive, so I won't do any permanent damage. Just enough to loosen his tongue."

"You don't have to hurt him," Riley presses.

Archangel starts heading for the door. "Don't worry. Harkin's a coward. He'll talk long before I can really hurt him."

"And Sidonis?" Riley steps in front of him, blocking his path. "You still plan on killing him?"

"That's the plan." Archangel walks past her, stopping at the door. "It'll be quick and painless. Unlike everyone he betrayed, he'll be spared the agony of a slow death. It's more than he deserves, but as long as he's dead, I'll be satisfied."

I step forward, my curiosity getting the best of me. "So what exactly did Sidonis do to deserve all this?"

Archangel turns to me, a pained look on his face. "It's personal. I'll pull the trigger and deal with the consequences. All I need from you two is to help me find him."

Well, I don't like it… but I've already come this far. "Let's do it."

Approaching the door, I grip my mantis tightly and nod to Archangel. He opens it, and the three of us move into the next room. It's bigger than I expected, but still filled with a bunch of crates and terminals, and what appears to be an office building further back.

EDI's voice comes over the comms. "Shepard, I have patched into the warehouse scanners. The crates in the transport carriers overhead are rigged to explode when dropped."

"Noted," Riley replies, already moving behind nearby cover as a group of Blue Suns emerge.

An unfamiliar voice appears over some speakers. "Why don't you just turn around?" That must be Harkin.

Gunfire comes from the far end of the room, and I duck behind a stack of crates as bullets land around me. Riley darts forward, drawing their fire, while Archangel takes position behind cover, already taking out targets.

I peek around the corner and spot a few LOKI mechs moving toward us. Activating my cloak, I sprint to the side, positioning myself for a clear shot. It lines up perfectly, and I squeeze the trigger. The shot goes through a mech's head, sending it crashing to the floor.

"Two more coming in from the left!" Riley calls, pressing against cover as bullets pelt into it.

"I'll get them," Archangel replies, firing twice. One mech drops, but the other jerks aside, narrowly avoiding his shot.

"That one's mine." I steady my aim and take down the last mech.

The remaining Blue Suns regroup behind some crates, returning fire. One of them tosses a grenade in our direction.

I throw myself down, landing hard on my shoulder just as the grenade detonates. I scramble to my feet, sliding into new cover. That fucking hurt, but I shove the pain aside, zeroing in on the merc who threw the grenade. One shot, and he's down.

The rest try to retreat, but Archangel is quick, picking them off. One by one, they drop, leaving the room quiet.

"Clear," Riley says, rising from her cover and lowering her rifle.

Harkin's voice returns. "I'm not running from you, Shepard."

Archangel growls under his breath. "Harkin's going to regret this!" He starts heading for the office building.

Harkin laughs over the speakers. "Do you really think you can take me down?"

Overhead, transport carriers slide into view, and two YMIR mechs drop into the centre of the room, shaking the floor. Dust and debris rain down as they straighten, raising their weapons.

"Oh, crap." Archangel backs up, raising his rifle.

"Spread out!" Riley shouts, diving for cover as the first mech opens fire.

I rush to the side, a barrage of rounds laying into the crates I duck behind. My heart pounds as I reload, planning my next move. We've dealt with these before, but two at once? Fuck, this isn't good.

Activating my cloak, I dart out, circling the nearest mech. Its attention shifts to Riley, giving me an opening. Behind cover, I ready my sniper and aim. It lands, staggering the mech.

Riley and Archangel take the opportunity, firing into it. The mech jerks violently before collapsing.

One down.

The second mech targets Archangel. Its cannon charging up, but Riley distracts it with a concussive shot. I load another disrupter round, levelling my mantis. The bullet hits, and it stumbles.

Archangel fires at one of the transport carriers hovering above the mech. The shot lands, dropping a crate that crashes onto the mech with an explosion, sending pieces flying.

The room falls silent, besides the crackle of circuits. Smoke curls around, filling the air with the smell of burned metal. I rise from cover, brushing debris off my armour. My shoulder throbs, but we're alive.

I hate YMIR mechs.

Archangel nods toward the office building. "I'll flank him. You two keep going."

"Got it." Riley gestures for me to follow, and we head for the office door, pistols drawn.

We navigate through the building quickly. Eventually, we reach the control room, leaning against the outside wall before we swing in, pistols up.

Inside, a balding man at a terminal freezes, his hand hovering over the console. His eyes dart between us before he begins backing toward a side door.

"You were close," the man sneers. "But not close enough."

Before he can take another step, he backs straight into Archangel. Who smacks the man in the face with the butt of his rifle.

"So, Fade," Archangel says, his voice cold, "couldn't make yourself disappear, huh?"

Harkin stumbles, clutching his face as Archangel drags him forward and slams him against the wall.

"Come on, Garrus," Harkin grunts, hands raised defensively. "We can work this out. Whaddaya need?"

Archangel narrows his eyes, releasing him. "I'm looking for someone."

Harkin straightens slightly, a smirk on his lips. "Well, I guess we both have something the other one wants."

The smirk vanishes as Archangel delivers a swift kick to Harkin's balls. He collapses, his groan of pain echoing through the room.

Riley steps closer. "We're not negotiating, Harkin."

Harkin rolls onto his side, coughing. "You don't say."

"You helped a friend of mine disappear." Archangel grabs Harkin's collar, pulling him to his feet. "I need to find him."

Harkin leans against the wall, barely standing. "I might need a little more information than that."

"His name was Sidonis." Archangel crosses his arms. "Turian, came from the-"

"I know who he is," Harkin interrupts. "And I'm not telling you squat."

Archangel shoves him back hard, and Harkin crashes against the wall.

"Screw you," Harkin growls, bracing himself. "I don't give out client information. It's bad for business."

Archangel grabs his shoulder, driving a knee into his stomach. Harkin falls to the floor again, gasping for air.

"You know what else is bad for business?" Archangel says, pressing a boot to his throat. "A broken neck."

"All right! All right!" Harkin chokes out, flailing. "Get off me!"

Riley moves forward, placing a firm hand on Archangel's arm. "Garrus, enough."

After a tense pause, he steps back, letting Harkin sputter and roll to his knees.

Harkin wipes his mouth. "Terminus really changed you, huh, Garrus?"

"No," Archangel steps back. "But Sidonis… opened my eyes. Now arrange a meeting."

Harkin groans as he pulls himself upright, limping toward the console. "Fine. Just… give me a minute."

I keep my pistol trained on him. There's something about Harkin that sets me on edge. As he mutters into the comms, I catch Archangel out of the corner of my eye, his hand moving to his pistol. What is he doing?

Harkin turns back to us. "It's all good. He wants to meet you in front of Orbital Lounge. Middle of the day." He takes a cautious step back. "So, if our business is done, I'll be going-"

Archangel grabs him again, slamming him against the console. "I don't think so. You're a criminal now, Harkin."

Harkin glares at him. "So what… you're just going to kill me? That's not your style, Garrus."

Archangel tilts his head. "Kill you? No. But I don't mind slowing you down a little."

Before I can react, he aims his pistol for Harkin's leg.

"Wait." Riley lunges forward, grabbing his wrist and pushing the barrel upward. The shot hits the ceiling, raining down debris. "He can't hide from C-Sec now. There's no reason to shoot him."

Archangel lets out a frustrated sigh, lowering his pistol. "I guess it's your lucky day."

"Yeah," Harkin murmurs, rubbing his neck. "I hope we can do this again real soon."

Archangel headbutts Harkin, sending him to the ground again. He turns to Riley. "I didn't shoot him."

Riley shakes her head and gestures toward the exit. "Let's go."

As we head out, Archangel glances back one final time. "Sidonis better be there, or I'm coming back to finish the job."

The Citadel, 2185, November 1st 12:46 PM

"Harkin's a bloody menace," Archangel says, gripping the controls of the skycar as he weaves through the traffic. "We shouldn't have just let him go. He deserved to be punished."

Riley turns to him. "I'm worried about you. You were too rough back there."

He spares her a glance. "You don't think he deserved it?"

From the back seat, I keep my eyes on the passing skyline, pretending I'm not listening. I want to know everything.

Riley exhales, crossing her arms. "It's just not like you."

Archangel's hands tighten on the wheel. "What do you want from me, Shepard? What would you do if someone betrayed you?"

"I don't know," she admits, her tone quieter now. "But I wouldn't let it change me."

He nods. "I would have said the same thing before it happened to me."

I glance at his reflection in the side window, catching the look on his face. I wonder what happened to him.

"You don't have to do this," Riley presses. "It's not too late."

His grip on the controls don't loosen. "Who's going to bring Sidonis to justice if I don't? Nobody else knows what he's done. Nobody else cares." The last word comes out sounding bitter. "I don't see any other options."

The word "justice" makes me scoff before I can stop myself.

Archangel's eyes flicker toward me in the mirror. "Something you want to say, Vex?"

I shrug, still watching the skyline. "Justice. Revenge. Sometimes they look the same to people."

"That's not what this is," he snaps.

"Isn't it?" I ask, turning my head to meet his gaze. "You don't even want to hear his side."

"Vex, that's enough," Riley cuts in, her tone harsh.

Archangel lets out a low, humourless laugh. "You think he deserves a side? Ten good people are dead because of him. Do you think he thought about their side?"

When I don't reply, Riley speaks again. "Are you sure you want to kill him?"

Archangel exhales in frustration. "I appreciate your concern, Shepard… but I'm not you."

"And this isn't you, either," she counters gently, leaning back.

"Really? I've always hated injustice. The thought that Sidonis could get away with this…" He shakes his head, laughing bitterly. "Why should he go on living while ten good men lie in unmarked graves?"

Now I get it. This isn't just about Sidonis.

The conversation dies after that and we sit in silence. When Archangel finally lands, he's already unbuckling his harness before the vehicle even powers down.

"I'm sorry, Shepard," he says, stepping out. "Words aren't going to solve this. I need to set up." He gestures toward a nearby balcony. "I can get a clear shot from over there."

Riley shifts into the driver's seat, her tone all business now. "What do you need me to do?"

"Keep him talking and don't get in my way. I'll let you know when he's in my sights." He steps away but pauses to glance back at us. "Give me a signal so I know you're ready, and I'll take the shot."

"Got it." Riley gives him a short nod. "Good luck."

"Thanks." Archangel flashes a brief, sad smile. "You better go, he'll be here soon."

As he starts toward the balcony, I unclip my harness and push the door open.

"Vex?" Riley looks at me, confused. "What are you doing?"

I step out, waving her off without looking back. "Just go."

Her eyes narrow suspiciously, but she pulls the skycar away, leaving me standing there, watching Archangel walk away.

I hurry after him. "You're really doing this?"

He doesn't even look back. "Not now. I need to focus."

"No." I quicken my pace, catching up to him. "You need to listen to me. This isn't justice. This is revenge."

He halts mid-step, slowly turning to face me. "Sidonis deserves to die."

"Does he?" I close some of the distance between us. "Or is that just what you're telling yourself?"

His jaw tightens, glaring. "He betrayed us. Got my entire team killed. He doesn't get to walk away from that."

I cross my arms, meeting his glare with one of my own. "You think killing him will bring them back? They'll still be dead."

His voice rises. "You don't get it!" The words echo, and for a moment, neither of us speaks. Then his tone softens. "I have to honour them."

"I know exactly what it's like to lose someone." My gaze drops for a moment before I look him in the eye. "Nulan was my best friend, and you killed him."

He scoffs. "Is that why you're here? Looking for some kind of closure?"

I shake my head slowly. "For months, all I wanted was to put a bullet in your head. I hated you." I take a deep breath. "But, do you know what revenge does? Just look at Zaeed, he wanted to let innocent people die just to get it."

"This isn't the same," he argues, though he doesn't sound convinced.

"Isn't it?" I step closer. "This isn't about Sidonis. This is about you. You can't stand the fact that you couldn't save them. And killing him won't change that."

For a moment, he looks away, going quiet. Then he turns back to me. "Why are you really here, Vex? Hoping this will prove I'm as bad as you always thought?"

"No," I reply, glaring at him. "You don't get to make this about me. This is your choice." I take a step back. "But don't pretend this is about honour."

He shakes his head and, without another word, steps onto the balcony, kneeling to set up his sniper.

"Shepard? Can you hear me?" he asks over the comms, ignoring me completely now.

"Yeah, I hear you," Riley replies.

From the edge of the balcony, I glance down and spot her approaching a small seating area near a railing. A turian sits there alone, hunched over. That must be Sidonis.

"All right. There he is." Archangel steadies his sniper. "Wave him over and keep him talking."

Riley sighs but complies anyway. "Sidonis?"

The name freezes him. His eyes dart nervously around, his mandibles twitching. "Don't ever say that name aloud."

"You're in my shot," Archangel says. "Move to the side."

"Look, I'm a friend of Garrus," she says, ignoring him and crossing her arms. "But lucky for you, I'm here to help."

Sidonis stiffens. "Garrus? Is this some kind of joke…?"

Archangel scoffs. "Damn it, Shepard. If he moves, I'm taking the shot!"

"You're not kidding, are you?" Sidonis whispers. "Screw this. I'm not sticking around here to find out. Tell Garrus I had my own problems…"

"Hey." Riley grabs his shoulder, keeping him in place.

"Get off me!" He brushes her hand away, but she doesn't let up.

She steps closer. "I'm the only thing standing between you and a bullet."

"Fuck." Sidonis stares at her, dropping his head a moment later. "Look… I didn't want to do it… I didn't have a choice."

Archangel briefly glances at me. "Everyone has a choice."

"They got to me," Sidonis pleads. "Said they'd kill me if I didn't help. What was I supposed to do?"

Archangel shakes his head and adjusts his aim. "Let me take the shot, Shepard. He's a damn coward."

Sidonis moves to the railing, gripping it with trembling hands. Riley stays close, mirroring his movements.

She leans against the railing. "You wanted to save yourself?"

"I know what I did," he says, staring out over the edge. "I know they died because of me, and I have to live with that. I wake up every night… sick… and sweating. Each of their faces staring at me… accusing me. I'm already a dead man. I don't sleep. Food has no taste. Some days I just want it to be over."

Archangel sneers. "Just give me the chance."

"Is that what you really want, Garrus?" Riley asks softly. "Look at him. He's barely alive."

His fingers tighten on the sniper. "My men… they deserved better."

"Tell Garrus…" Sidonis turns to her. "I guess there's nothing I can say to make it right…"

There's silence as Archangel stares down the scope, his finger hovering over the trigger. Then, with a slow exhale, he lowers the rifle. "Just… go," he murmurs. "Tell him to go…"

Riley steps back and nods to Sidonis. "You've been given a second chance. Don't waste it."

Sidonis hesitates, looking around. "I'll try, Garrus. I'll make it up to you, somehow."

Archangel rises to his feet, his expression unreadable. He slings the sniper onto his back and glances at me.

I fold my arms, meeting his gaze. "You let him go."

He nods. "I did."

"Why?" I need to know.

He looks down at Sidonis. "Because there's still good in him… and you were right. It won't bring them back, but letting him live might mean something."

I take a step closer. "And Nulan? What about him?"

"I know you want revenge, Vex." He looks at me. "I get it, you're angry."

Tears sting my eyes as my voice trembles. "I've blamed you for so long… I didn't want to see that it wasn't all your fault."

He's silent for a moment. "We both did what we thought was right."

I shake my head, looking down as Sidonis disappears into the crowd. "Do you think forgiving him will fix everything?"

"No," he says quietly. "But it's a start."

I look at him again. "Do you think I can forgive you?"

He studies me for a long moment. "I'm not asking for forgive-"

"Just humour me," I interrupt.

"I think you're already starting to." His gaze turns serious. "But maybe you should start by forgiving yourself."

I blink, stunned into silence as he brushes past me.

He pauses, looking back. "Let's get out of here."

Normandy, 2185, November 1st 3:05 PM

We step back onto the ship, entering the CIC. Archangel walks off without a word, probably still thinking about whatever battle he fought with himself out there. Riley lingers beside me for a moment, probably wondering if she should ask me what happened.

"You can go on ahead," she says quietly. "I just need to talk to Joker before we leave."

"Yeah." I give her a half-hearted smile. "See you."

Her nod is barely there before she turns away and heads towards Joker. I stand still for a moment, letting it all sink in. The ride back was silent. Archangel and I didn't feel like talking about it.

I try to push it out of my head as I walk further into the CIC. I guess I have a lot to think about after today.

Then, everything freezes.

By the elevator, talking to Chambers, I see her. Miranda.

For a split second, it feels like the entire world stops. I don't know if it's the aftermath of everything that happened or if it's just her, but the space around us warps, the noises of the ship fading into the background. Her eyes catch mine over Chamber's shoulder, and the way she looks at me… it's like nothing's changed, and yet everything has.

I swallow, forcing my feet to move, but it's like they've turned to lead. My chest tightens as I tell myself to just keep going, to not let it overwhelm me.

Get a hold of yourself. I take a steadying breath, the kind that's supposed to calm you. But all it's doing right now is making my heart beat faster.

I force myself to take one step, then another, until I pass her. Without a glance back, I press the button for the elevator.

The door slides open, and I rush inside, hitting the close button without a second thought.

The moment the doors shut, I exhale. I'm starting to feel better, but there's a dull ache that's setting in my chest.

I lean against the wall, letting the sound of the elevator fill the silence. Fuck my life.

Thank you for reading.