Chapter 28 - Flora
The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the park where Flora and Stephan had spread out their picnic blanket.
The air was thick with the scent of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass, while a gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, weaving a soothing soundtrack around them.
It was the kind of day made for moments like this — peaceful, slow, perfect.
Yet beneath the surface of Flora’s calm, turmoil churned.
As she leaned back on her elbows, letting the sunlight brush her skin, Stephan settled beside her.
His presence was steady, grounding. He had laid out a small feast: sandwiches stacked with care, bright fruit bursting with color, and a container of homemade cookies.
When he caught her studying the spread, a soft joy flickered in his eyes that warmed her from the inside out.
“Isn’t it perfect?” he asked quietly, his voice carrying a reverence not just for the day but for her.
Flora’s gaze drifted to the wispy clouds drifting overhead. “It really is.” But even as she breathed in the serenity, a heavy weight settled in her chest, shadows lingering just beneath her skin.
Stephan noticed the shift immediately. He turned to her, his expression gentle but serious. “Hey… you okay? You seem a little distant.”
Her fingers twisted nervously in her lap, and she glanced down briefly before meeting his gaze again. She bit her lip and took a steadying breath. “I’ve been thinking… a lot,” she admitted, voice trembling ever so slightly. “About everything that’s happened. The attack, the threats… all of it.”
Without hesitation, Stephan reached for her hand, his touch soft and reassuring. “You know you can tell me anything, right? What’s on your mind?”
She swallowed hard, eyes flicking away momentarily before returning to meet his. “I… I thought if I divorced you, maybe it would keep you safe. Like, if I put space between us, the danger wouldn’t follow.”
His brow furrowed as he absorbed her words. “Why did you think distance was the answer?”
Her shoulders tightened involuntarily, and she lowered her gaze, shame and doubt washing over her features. “I thought if I wasn’t there… if I stepped away, they’d stop targeting you. It felt like the only way I could protect you.”
Stephan squeezed her hand with quiet pain.
“Flora… that hurt. I had no idea why you were pulling away, and not knowing—wondering—made it even worse. It felt like you were giving up on us, like you didn’t want to fight alongside me.
I get that you were scared, but that confusion tore me up more than you realize. ”
She bit her lip harder, tears threatening to spill. “I didn’t want to hurt you. I thought I was protecting you, but I only made everything worse between us.”
His voice softened but remained steady. He pulled her hand closer. “Fear makes us do crazy things sometimes. But we promised to face everything together. When you pulled away, it felt like I was fighting alone — and that was the hardest part.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat, voice barely above a whisper. “I’m sorry. I was drowning in panic and uncertainty. I thought maybe letting go would save you. But it only made me feel more alone.”
He leaned in, his eyes steady and unwavering. “You’re not alone. You didn’t drown, Flora. You’re still here. Still fighting. That’s what matters. We’ll get through this — together.”
Tears slipped down her cheeks as she finally leaned into his steadying presence. “I wish I could go back and change everything. I hate that I hurt you.”
Stephan brushed his thumb over her cheek, soft and soothing. “The past is the past. We can’t change it. But you’re here now, healing. That’s what counts.”
Her voice cracked beneath the weight of it all. “I keep thinking about the panic, the choices I made... I wish I could take it all back.”
He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “We’re messy. Both of us. But we’re still here. Still trying. That’s what really counts.”
She met his tired but kind eyes, and a small spark of hope ignited inside her. “Thank you… for sticking with me. For still listening.”
A soft smile tugged at Stephan’s lips. “Always. I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
As the sun began its slow descent, casting long shadows across the grass, Stephan picked at the last of the fruit, a playful grin flickering across his face. Flora met his gaze and smiled, the tightness inside her loosening just a bit.
Stephan caught the smile and raised an eyebrow. “What’s got you smiling?”
Flora smirked, a wry lightness returning to her eyes. “Just thinking about that self-defense training you pushed me through. Funny thing — I completely flunked when it counted. More frozen chicken than ninja.”
An amused eyebrow rose. “Frozen chicken, huh?”
“Yep. World champ at running in the opposite direction while pretending to defend myself. Too busy imagining all the ways I could fail to actually fight back.”
Stephan’s thumb brushed her knuckles, grounding her once more. Then he drew a breath and said, “You know, on my very first mission as a SEAL, I froze too. Completely stopped moving. Hawk was my team leader, and I thought for sure he was going to have my head.”
Flora blinked in surprise. “What happened?”
He chuckled dryly. “Well, after the mission, Hawk tore me a new one — like only a real drill sergeant can. Then he made me do what felt like a thousand sit-ups and push-ups — right there, military style, no mercy. I thought I was going to die. My muscles still cringe whenever Hawk gets mad.”
Flora laughed softly, shaking her head. “Don’t tell Hawk I said this or he’ll make me do push-ups too. I’m not sure I could survive that.”
Stephan grinned. “That man lives for push-ups. Consider yourself warned.”
She rolled her eyes playfully. “Duly noted.”
He shook his head with a grin. “But seriously, that’s how I learned. Fear’s natural, but you can’t let it control you. You have to push through it, no matter how stupid you feel.”
He squeezed her hand gently. “You are strong, Flora. It’s not just about the moves — it’s your spirit, your determination to keep going, no matter what.”
His words wrapped around her like a warm embrace, and for the first time that day, hope pushed through the weight of her guilt.
“Let’s make a promise,” she said, voice steadying and firm. “I’ll keep working on my self-defense. I won’t let fear drive me anymore.”
Stephan’s eyes sparkled with pride. “That’s the spirit. And if fear ever tries to take the wheel again, you owe me a thousand push-ups — military style.”
She laughed softly, the tension easing from her shoulders. “Military style. No mercy.”
As the afternoon wore on and Flora and Stephan enjoyed their picnic, a nagging sensation crawled up Flora’s spine, sending chills through her.
It was subtle at first—a flicker of movement in her peripheral vision, a rustle of leaves that seemed too deliberate.
But as the sun dipped lower in the sky, the feeling intensified, like an itch she couldn’t scratch.
Bear was talking about the BBQ and how much fun they would have, plus the pranks the guys always played on each other, his laughter ringing out like music in the open air, but Flora’s attention drifted.
She found herself scanning the woods, trying to see beyond the trees.
It was as if an unseen presence lurked just beyond her line of sight, watching, waiting.
Flora shifted uneasily, her eyes scanning the trees beyond the clearing. Stephan could see the tension in her jaw, the way her fingers twitched at her side.
“Flora?” Stephan’s voice was gentle, pulling her back to the moment. He was watching her closely, concern written all over his face. “You really don’t look okay. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, we can head back.”
She shook her head slowly. “No, it’s not that. Yeah, I’m tired—but that’s not the problem.”
Stephan noticed the way her gaze flicked nervously toward the shadows at the edge of the woods. “Something feels off out here,” she said quietly. “Like… like we’re not alone. I keep getting this feeling that something is out here.”
The sun was dipping low, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch and twist with every passing second. The usual sounds of the forest—the rustling leaves, distant birdsong—felt sharper, almost like warnings.
Stephan’s expression tightened, his body shifting into alert mode. “Watching us?” he repeated, his voice pitched soft and low.
Flora nodded, swallowing hard. “Yeah. I don’t know why, but I can’t shake it. It’s like the woods are holding their breath, waiting for something.”
Knowing better than to ignore those spidey senses, he pulled out his phone, the screen illuminating his features in the fading light. His fingers moved swiftly over the screen, sending a group text before dialing Hank with a sense of urgency. “I’m calling the team. Just to be safe.”
Flora felt a mix of gratitude and fear. She appreciated his instinct to protect her, but the reminder that there was still a threat out there—the knowledge that Charlotte hadn’t been found—made her stomach churn.
“Stephan, maybe I’m just overreacting. It’s probably nothing,” she tried to say, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her.
“I know,” Stephan said quietly, turning back to her with a look that mixed determination and worry. “But we can’t just brush off our gut feelings. If something feels wrong, we have to face it.”
Stephan’s whole demeanor snapping into SEAL mode—focused, efficient, ready for whatever came next.
They quickly packed up the picnic, the bright colors of the blanket and food standing out against the heavy tension that had settled between them.
The thought of Charlotte still out there somewhere lingered in the back of his mind, a shadow he couldn’t shake.
By the time they had everything packed, a familiar figure appeared—Moose, his presence a comforting anchor in the chaos. “Link took the kids home, and I came straight here,” he said.
Together, Stephan and Moose flanked Flora, their protective energy wrapping around her as they hurried to the car. The world around her felt distorted, the laughter and joy of the park now a distant echo, as if she were moving through a dream.
As they reached the car, Flora’s heart raced—not just from the fear that had gripped her, but also from the unshakeable feeling that something was about to change. The shadows lengthened, and with them, the weight of uncertainty loomed larger than ever.