Dr. Niall Renton:
Niall stepped through the front door of his family apartment. The walk home had taken far longer than it should have. Cars had stalled out all over the city, their drivers stranded and shouting at each other in the gridlock. The air outside felt heavy, filled with smoke, chaos and sirens.

He didn't feel like he could relax after coming home, he only felt the weight of Valeria's threat pressing hard on his chest.

His hands trembled slightly as he reached for the light switch, but when he flicked it... nothing happened.

He sighed as the realisation set in.

The power was out.

Again.

"Lemons!" he muttered under his breath, letting the door close on its own behind him.

The small white hallway felt empty and cold, he had never really liked the way it looked. Yet he never had the energy, or money, to change it.

"Daddy!" Finn's voice rang out, cheerful and innocent. The seven-year-old came running towards him, his arms stretched out.

Niall scooped his son up, with a fake smile that didn't quite reach his ears. "How was your day, bud?" he asked, ruffing the boy's hair.

"Mommy let us have popcorn for dinner!" Finn whispered conspiratorially, giggling.

Niall glanced toward the living room, where Lena sat on the couch. He could hear faint voices coming from the battery-charged tv, Lena had been charging it religiously for moments like this.

He moved into the modern yet messy living room, eyes fixed on the screen. The footage was amateur, the camera jerking wildly as the operator fled. Cars littered the street like abandoned toys, their drivers shouting and gesturing helplessly. Smoke poured from the wreckage of a collapsed building, and the sound of distant screaming filled the audio.

Niall's stomach twisted. "Go play with your brother, okay?" Niall said, putting down his youngest child.

Finn darted off without complaint, and Niall moved toward Lena. "What's going on?" he asked, already speculating on the answer.

She didn't look at him, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. "The news has been on all evening. Cities are going dark, Niall. Not just here—everywhere. London, Tokyo, Berlin, Paris. They're saying it's a cyberattack, but I can see it on their faces. They're lying."

He sank in the chair across from her, rubbing his face. "Maybe they're just trying to avoid global panic?"

"Do not defend them." Her gaze was sharp and accusing. "You've seen what's been happening, the tremors, the power outages, ... everything. Niall, this is no simple cyberattack, and you know it.'

His throat tightened. She was right, of course. The disappearance of the files, valeria Kain's threat, the cars in the city malfunctioning - they all pointed to something bigger than cyberattacks. And yet, he had chosen to stay silent. For them. For Lena. For his boys. His family. All he wanted was to protect them.

Niall watched Lena's tense profile as she stared at the flickering screen, the scenes of chaos playing out like a prophecy he didn't want to believe. The weight of Valeria's words pressed even harder now. His decision—it wasn't just about survival. It was about Lena. About Noah. About Finn.

The memory of Valeria's voice haunted him: "If her stubbornness costs you your boys, would you still call her a friend?"

Lena stood, brushing past him to grab a candle from the kitchen counter. She lit it with practiced ease, the warm glow throwing soft shadows on the walls. "You've been quiet since you got home," she said softly.

"I'm just... tired," he lied, rubbing the back of his neck.

Her eyes narrowed. "Tired?" she repeated, her voice tinged with disbelief. "Niall, you don't think I've noticed? You've been distracted. Something is wrong, and you're not telling me."

"I—" He hesitated, caught between the truth and the unbearable need to protect her.

"Niall," she pressed, stepping closer. Her tone softened, but the intensity remained. "We're a team, remember? Whatever this is, we face it together."

He wanted to believe that. God, he wanted to. But Valeria's threat hung like a guillotine over their family. If he told Lena the truth—about Elara, the tremors, the data wipes, the aliens—he could lose her trust. And if he told her about Valeria's deal...

Would she ever forgive him?

"Things at work have been crazy," he then said, trying to buy time to come up with a better lie. "Sprouty is still standing. Elara didn't believe he would make it, But I never doubted the little guy."

"Sprouty?" Lena looked at him confused, he wasn't able to tell her about the tiny plant yesterday cause had already fallen asleep when he got home.

"Oh yeah, the first sprout came out yesterday, a wonderful little guy."

"Did you let Noah name it or something?" She laughed.

He didn't care that she and Elara agreed on his naming skills. He liked the name. And right now, he was just happy he successfully changed the subject.

Niall watched as Lena carefully set the candle down on the kitchen counter. The flickering light illuminated her face, casting soft shadows under her eyes, but there was no mistaking the worry etched in her features.

Lena turned back to him, her eyes searching his, as if she could see right through the carefully constructed walls he'd built. He wanted to speak, to tell her everything. To share the truth about the tremors, the aliens, and the towers collapsing in the distance. But every word he thought to say tasted like ash in his mouth.

Instead, he stood up, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'll check on the boys."

Lena gave him a silent nod, though her gaze never left him, and she didn't move.

He crossed the room, stepping over the scattered toys. When he reached the door to the boys' room, he paused for a long moment, letting the silence of the apartment settle over him.

He thought of Finn's innocent smile, of Noah's quiet intensity. Of Lena's trust. And Valeria's cold voice "If you keep this between us, I'll make sure your family is prioritized"

Niall's heart thudded in his chest. His decisions, the lies, the secrets—everything was leading to this moment.

He pushed the door open and found his sons curled up together on the bed, Finn's head resting on Noah's shoulder. They looked so peaceful, so safe in the quiet chaos of their room. For the first time all day, Niall felt his breath catch in his throat.

This was it. This was everything.

He would protect them—no matter what.

But deep down, he knew that the world outside, the one that was falling apart piece by piece, was a threat he couldn't shield them from forever.

Chapter word count: 1087
Novella word count: 4967