Chapter Fourteen #3
I shook my head once, reflex more than disagreement. “I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t.”
“But I do,” he said simply. “You’ve been carrying all of us longer than you should’ve had to.
” He leaned forward again, forearms on his thighs, hands clasped loosely.
“You did what you did because you knew if you did nothing, not only would you still catch the blame, but we’d all lose her forever.
And for what it’s worth”—he paused, searching for the right way to put his thoughts together—“Olive’s alive.
Falyn’s alive. We’re all still here. If it were left to any of the rest of us, I’m not sure that would be the case, all because you made the call none of us would’ve or could’ve made. ”
His gaze held steady on mine, and I offered a small grin.
“Thank you, Tommy. For raising us, for doing everything you did, and for protecting Olive even though you knew we’d all hate you for it. It’s not enough but thank you.”
In that moment, something changed within me. A release I hadn’t given myself permission to have, maybe even forgiveness. I looked away for a second, focusing on a fixed point on the wall, letting the moment pass without trying to control it or break down.
Travis didn’t fill the silence.
“It wasn’t easy to watch you all mourn her,” I said finally, the words coming out lower than I intended. “If that’s what any of you think. I hated myself for it, if you want to know the truth. But every other option I ran ended the same way.”
“I believe you,” he said.
“I still do,” I added, quieter. “Run it. Different angles. Different timing. If I’d somehow gotten authorization to bring more people with her into hiding. It doesn’t change the outcome.”
“There were no good options. That’s kind of how it goes with us, isn’t it?
We always end up having to pick what hurts the least. We were left behind, and yeah, some of them resent it.
We were grieving, but Olive is alive, and she’s alive because of you.
That’s what it all comes down to in the end.
I just wanted you to hear it from me, that it was an impossible call, yet you made it.
And I’m… I’m glad you did, big brother. I’m glad we have you to make those kinds of choices, and that we’re all here, together, tonight.
I love you, Tommy. They love you, too, even if they don’t want to say it yet. ” His voice grew strained at the end.
I let out a faltered breath and looked away, blinking once, then again, until the sting in my eyes eased.
“I wish… I wish there had been another way,” I said.
“Don’t we all,” he answered.
We sat there for a while after that, the conversation easing into something less direct.
He asked about what it took to get her out, her life in Falls Church, about the household dynamics.
After I gave him enough details that he seemed satisfied, he wanted to know what my plan was if the shit hit the fan.
I walked him through it without overexplaining.
Travis’s time in the Bureau came back to him with ease.
He listened, asked the right questions, didn’t push where it wasn’t needed.
By the time we stood, the bunker had gone quiet in a way that only happened when everyone had finally settled. The last of the whispers had faded. The babies had stopped fighting sleep. Even the vents seemed softer.
Travis stood, gesturing for us to go back to our rooms. We strolled toward the living quarters at the same pace, neither of us in a hurry. The few lights left on cast long, low shadows along the floor, stretching ahead of us, growing smaller as we walked.
When we reached my door, he stopped. I turned to face him, expecting a nod, maybe a quick word before we called it.
Instead, he stepped in and pulled me into a hug, holding me tighter and longer than usual.
It caught me off guard, but I held on.
His voice came low, close enough that it didn’t carry past the door. “No matter what happens in the next few days,” he said, “I’ll know you saved us for as long as you could.”
My throat tightened. All I could manage was a nod. “Love you, Trav.”
He pulled back just enough to meet my eyes, pressed his lips together in a hard line, then nodded once, patting me on the shoulder before walking away.
“Get some sleep,” he called back, barely above a whisper.
“You too.”
He headed down the hall, his footsteps quiet against the floor until he disappeared around the corner.
I stood there a second longer, mulling over his words. A moment later, I took a few steps back then turned, stepping into our quarters. Liis looked up from the bed, her expression neutral but waiting, already reading what she could from what I hadn’t yet said.
“It went well?” she asked.
“Yeah,” I replied, closing the door behind me. “I think so.”
She offered a soft, reassuring grin, and I hated myself for changing it. “We need to talk about something difficult.”
She swallowed, then nodded. “Stella.”
“Yes,” I said, unable to hide the sadness in my voice.
She nodded, her expression falling. “I’ve thought about it too. I’ll get a pen and paper.”