The morning sunlight filtered through the hospital blinds, casting soft stripes across Ayla’s bed. Propped up against the pillows, she appeared worn down, with dark circles under her eyes.

The breakfast tray sat untouched beside her: cold scrambled eggs, stiff toast, and orange juice sweating in its glass.

Liam was sitting in a chair close to her bedside, elbows on his knees, watching her with worry written all over his face.

He hadn’t gotten much sleep, choosing instead to stay close—making sure she was safe, breathing, right there with him.

"Ayla, you really need to eat something," Liam said gently, grabbing the tray and moving it closer to her. "Just a few bites. Please."

Ayla shook her head, her fingers fidgeting with the thin hospital blanket. "I’m not hungry, Liam. I just want to go home."

"I get it, baby. I do." He picked up the fork and poked at a piece of scrambled egg. "But you heard the doctor yesterday. You need to get your strength back first."

"I’ll eat when I’m home," she said stubbornly, her voice weak but determined. "Hospital food tastes like cardboard anyway. I want real food. I want to be in my own bed, in my own space."

Liam couldn’t help but smile a little. Even after everything she’d been through, Ayla’s spirit was still strong. "The food does kind of suck," he admitted, putting the fork down. "But it’s food, and you need it."

"Liam—"

"Ayla." His voice was soft but firm. He took her hand in his, rubbing circles on her skin to comfort her. "I promise we’ll get out of here today. Okay? Just eat something. Even if it’s just the toast."

She looked at him closely, noticing the worry lines on his forehead, the tension in his jaw, and how his eyes were pleading with her even while he tried to stay calm.

"You keep saying ’today,’" she murmured, a hint of accusation in her voice. "You said that yesterday, too."

"I really mean it this time."

"You meant it yesterday, too."

Liam sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair. "Alright, you caught me. But today is different. I’ll talk to the doctor again, and if you eat something and show him you’re improving, he’ll have no choice but to let you go."

Ayla’s eyes narrowed a bit. "So you’re trying to bribe me with my freedom?"

"Is it working?"

Even though she was super frustrated and completely worn out, Ayla felt a smile trying to sneak out. "You’re impossible."

"And you’re so stubborn." Liam picked up a piece of toast and tore off a small bit. "Come on. Just for me?"

She looked at the toast in his hand, then back at his face.

He looked like he hadn’t eaten a decent meal in days, with dark stubble on his jaw and his shirt all wrinkled from sleeping in that chair.

He’d stuck by her through everything, only leaving when the nurses made him.

With a sigh of defeat, Ayla opened her mouth, letting him feed her the tiny piece of toast. It was dry and tasteless, but she chewed and swallowed, watching his face light up with relief.

"There you go," Liam encouraged, tearing off another piece. "See? Not so bad."

"It’s terrible," Ayla said back, but she took the next piece anyway. "When we get home, I want pancakes. The ones you make with blueberries and way too much syrup."

"Deal," Liam replied right away, his grin getting bigger. "I’ll make you a whole stack. You can have pancakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if you want."

"Don’t tempt me," she said, managing a weak laugh that made his heart feel light. "I might actually take you up on that."

They found a comfortable rhythm, with him feeding her small pieces of toast and egg while she joked about the taste but kept eating. It was such a simple moment, yet it felt precious after everything they had endured.

"Liam?" Ayla asked, her voice getting softer, a bit more serious.

"Yeah?"

"How much longer do you think they’ll keep me here? I’m really serious about wanting to go home. I feel fine. Well, mostly fine. Okay, I’m tired, but I can handle being tired at home."

Liam set the fork down, his face getting more serious. "The doctor was pretty clear yesterday, Ayla. Your body’s been through a lot. The tiredness, the blood loss, and the stress are all linked. He just wants to make sure you’re stable before they let you go."

"I am stable," she argued, but she knew it wasn’t completely true. She still felt dizzy trying to stand, as though gravity had doubled its hold on her.

"You can barely walk to the bathroom without needing to take a break," Liam gently pointed out. "You almost fainted when the nurse tried to help you yesterday."

Ayla clenched her jaw. "I hate this. I hate feeling weak. I hate being stuck in this room."

"I know," Liam said, moving to sit on the edge of the bed, his hand gently touching her cheek.

"But getting you better is the most important thing right now. I need you strong, Ayla. I need you to be safe. If that means sticking around here a few more days, then that’s just how it has to be.

"A few more days?" Her eyes went wide. "Liam, you said—"

"I know what I said," he cut in, gently brushing her cheek. "And I’ll fight to get you home today. I promise I will. But if the doctor says no, we need to trust that he knows what’s best for you right now."

Frustration made tears well up in Ayla’s eyes. "I just want to go home. I want to feel like myself again. I want to sleep in our bed, wear my own clothes, and not have nurses waking me up every couple of hours to check my vitals."

"Soon," Liam promised, kissing her forehead. "Really soon, babe. I swear it. Now, finish your breakfast, and when the doctor comes by, we’ll chat with him together. Sound good?"

Ayla nodded, though reluctantly, as she took another bite of eggs.