Chapter 41: Peace

The sun was warmer than Archie remembered.

It pressed against his skin like a gentle hand as he stepped out of the hospital's front doors, a navy hoodie hanging loosely from his shoulders and a small duffel bag slung over one side. His gait was slow, still stiff from the wound, but every breath of fresh air felt like a victory.

William stood waiting at the curb, hands buried in the pockets of his coat, eyes soft and shining the moment they met Archie's.

"No wheelchair?" William asked, teasing gently.

"I told them I'd rather crawl out than roll out," Archie smirked. "I've had enough of hospitals to last me three lifetimes."

William stepped forward, slipping an arm carefully around him, mindful of the injury. "Then let's go home."

Archie leaned into him. "Still figuring out where that is, but... yeah. Let's."

They got into the car—Amanda's old, slightly beat-up sedan, the backseat cluttered with books and a few changes of clothes she'd dropped off for him. Anne sat in the passenger seat, twisting around with a grin.

"You look better already," she said.

"I look like someone who survived a soap opera," Archie replied. "Got any sunglasses? I'm ready for my close-up."

Anne laughed. "You haven't changed a bit."

But he had—they all had.

The days since the Connor estate incident had blurred together like a fever dream.

After Archie collapsed in William's arms, sirens had pierced the night. Local authorities and federal agents stormed the mansion just minutes after the gunshot echoed through the halls. It was Amanda's final move—sending the files she'd gathered to watchdog groups, journalists, and the DA's office all at once.

By the time the dust settled, Mildred and Gregory Connor were in handcuffs.

The charges were staggering: unlawful imprisonment, medical conspiracy, attempted abduction, illegal sedation of a minor, and obstruction of justice. There were even whispers of deeper investigations into the financial and political webs the Connor family had spun over the years.

Amanda had been rescued—shaken but alive. She testified the next day.

The world was finally seeing the truth.

And though the headlines were damning, no article or report could truly capture the damage wrought behind those closed mansion doors—the stolen memories, the fractured hearts, the years lost to silence.

-

Now, the city moved around them like nothing had changed. Cars honked, students rushed between cafés and dorms, a man in a pigeon costume handed out coupons on the corner.

But inside Archie, everything was new.

They returned not to campus, not yet, but to Anne's small apartment, where Amanda had set up a quiet space for Archie to rest.

There were sunflowers in a vase on the table.

A folded blanket on the couch.

A tray of tea, cookies, and a note from Amber: "Come home when you're ready. You're not alone. I love you. – A."

Archie stared at it for a long time before finally sitting down, the weight of it all crashing gently over him.

William stood nearby, uncertain. "Do you want me to go?"

Archie looked up, eyes wide. "No. I want you here. I need you here."

William exhaled, a shaky, relieved smile crossing his face.

They sat together for a long time, the kind of silence that spoke louder than words. William eventually curled beside him, careful not to touch the bandages. He simply held Archie's hand.

Outside the window, life went on.

Inside, a new life was just beginning.

Archie closed his eyes and whispered, "We're still here."

William nodded. "And we're not running anymore."