Seeing her startled, he quickly patted her back to help her steady her breath. Their faces were so close that Natalie finally snapped fully awake. Memories of last night rushed back, and her cheeks flushed red. She averted her eyes and asked, pretending to be calm, "When did you wake up?" Cassian, looking refreshed, replied, "I didn't sleep." Natalie blinked in surprise. "Huh? What do you mean you didn't sleep?" She, on the other hand, had slept deeply and peacefully—it was the best rest she had had since the disasters began. Cassian curved his lips. "I didn't feel like sleeping." Natalie frowned, confused. "Why? Aren't you ... " She hesitated, then asked in a softer voice, embarrassed, "Aren't you tired?" He had kept her up plenty last night, after all. Cassian pulled her into his arms, mood clearly light. "I just liked watching you sleep." Natalie rolled her eyes. Instead of feeling touched or sweet, her first reaction was to quickly check her face. Good, no eye gunk. Then her mouth. Good, no drool. She let out a quiet sigh of relief, but still glared at him fiercely. "From now on, you'd better sleep properly! Don't just sit there staring at me!" Cassian was still wrapped up in tenderness, but her sudden temper made him frown. "Nattie, you weren't like this last night."Natalie raised an eyebrow. "And what was I like?" Cassian thought for a moment. "Very enthusiastic." Natalie glared at him. Her silence and reddening ears made him chuckle softly. He kissed her, murmuring, "Alright, whatever you say." Blushing to the tips of her ears, Natalie muttered, "I should get up. You go back to sleep for a bit." Cassian tugged her back. "I can't fall asleep by myself." Natalie gave him a sideways glance. "What are you, a child? Need someone to keep you company to sleep?" He only smiled, his long fingers starting to wander again. Natalie instantly froze. "I just woke up, and you ... " She stopped mid-sentence. Last night, they had been in such a hurry that they had not even drawn the curtains. She happened to glance out the window and froze. "Fog?" she blurted, sitting straight up. Cassian thought she was changing the subject, but still turned to look. "What's the big deal about fog ... " His words cut off as he frowned. "That's a lot." Natalie scrambled to pull on clothes, eyes fixed on the window. The fog had already rolled in thick and heavy. She did not know how Olivia and the others were doing—she needed to check. "When did it start?" she asked while dressing.Cassian shook his head. "No idea, I didn't notice." Natalie gaped. "How could you not know? Didn't you stay up all night?" Cassian shrugged. "I wasn't looking outside." So he really had spent the whole night just watching her. Natalie shot him a look and kept getting dressed. Seeing how urgent she looked, Cassian finally understood. "This fog isn't normal?" Natalie nodded. "Yeah. It messes with people's minds, makes them lose control." Fog was the perfect cover for thugs and killers, but it also drove people into confusion and violence. It might not look as destructive as floods or heat waves, but in truth, it was deadly. It tore apart not just individuals, but the fragile balance of society itself. And this time, the fog had come too soon. The government base had only just been completed yesterday, and now, today, this. Survivors were still shaken from the massive earthquake; many were homeless, their minds unstable. This fog could not have come at a worse time. Natalie had a bad feeling this round of fog would be harder than in her previous lifetime. Back then, most of the chaos had targeted the base. But now? Most people were not even inside yet. Add the quake on top, and the city would already be in shambles. Even here at Hillside Villa, things would not stay calm. After hearing her explanation, Cassian's face grew serious. "You're going to find Olivia and the others? I'll go with you." Natalie shook her head. "It's fine, their new place isn't far. I'll just pop over and come back."But Cassian was firm. "I'm coming with you." He got up to dress too. Natalie had no choice but to nod. Once ready, Cassian grabbed a walkie-talkie and gave Roderick a few quick instructions. Seeing the device, Natalie's eyes lit up. She pulled two police-issue walkie-talkies from her space, ones she'd collected earlier. "These are good. Even if we're apart, we can stay in touch." Cassian examined one and nodded. "Nice, latest model. It'll cover the whole villa area." They finished packing up. Cassian handed her some bread. "Eat something before we go." Natalie shook her head quickly. "No time." Cassian did not move his hand. "You burned too much energy last night. If you head out like this, your legs won't hold up."