The night was silent, the kind of silence that presses heavy on the chest. The house was asleep, and I could hear nothing but the faint ticking of a clock and the soft rhythm of Natasha’s breathing. She was curled up in sleep, innocent, peaceful… while my mind was wide awake, restless.

I slipped quietly off the couch, careful not to disturb her. I needed air. Sleep was far away from me, stolen by the thought that in just a few days, I would be leaving her. Six whole months. Six months away from the girl who was just starting to feel like home.