AARON Dom sat across from me in the dinette, her presence pulling my attention away from Elena and Lucas. They were asleep in the recliners behind her, small bodies curled in on themselves, blankets tucked up to their chins. Lucas had one fist pressed against his mouth, Elena’s head tilted at an awkward angle that somehow still looked comfortable. Their breathing was slow and even, the kind that only comes with real exhaustion. The soft hum of the engine and the gentle sway of the hauler seemed to cradle them, a constant, low lullaby that made it easier to pretend, just for a moment, that we were safe. “Thanks for the extra food,” she said quietly, her voice careful not to carry. I smiled and nodded, shifting just enough to keep my wife and son in view. The movement was unconscious, instinctive. I needed to see them. To know they were still there. It wasn’t a logical worry. We were all packed inside a moving mobile hauler, surrounded by people who, for the most part, meant no harm. Still, instinct overruled reason. It always had. I didn’t fully trust Nathan. Our shared trouble with the machines hadn’t changed that. I wouldn’t turn my back on him, not for long. Not ever. His eyes never quite seemed to focus, even when he was talking to you. Like part of his mind was always elsewhere, calculating, measuring angles and outcomes. As if he was always figuring out what he could do if things went wrong. Dom, on the other hand, had a smile that put you at ease almost immediately. Warm. Open. The kind that made you forget, briefly, how fragile everything was. “I don’t know how you’re doing it,” she said. “Doing what?”“Holding it all together,” she replied, gesturing vaguely toward my family. “With a kid that small to worry about.” “Aren’t you worried about your kids?” She nodded without hesitation, like the answer had never been in doubt. “Of course. But they left the nest decades ago. They stopped needing my protection not long after.” Her mouth curved in a rueful smile, one that carried equal parts pride and loss. “I don’t think I could keep it as under control as you are.” I shrugged, the motion stiff, and glanced toward the front of the hauler. The wrap-around couch offered a clear view of the road stretching endlessly ahead, the world outside reduced to broken pavement and passing shadows. Nathan lay sprawled across it, one arm thrown over his chest, his face tense even in sleep, like he was bracing for something that hadn’t happened yet.Above him, the bed that was usually stored near the ceiling had been lowered. Elliot lay on it with his back to the rest of us, turned inward, shoulders slightly hunched. As distant asleep as he was awake. “Don’t you have to keep an eye on those two?” I joked, nodding in their direction. She smirked, rolling her eyes just a little. “Not going to lie, sometimes it feels like I’m their mother.” She leaned closer, lowering her voice as if the walls themselves might listen. “I swear, I married Marcus, but if I’d known what came with him, I might have changed my mind.” Her eyes softened immediately after, the words losing their edge. “They’re great. They really are. But they’re always with us. I’d just like some alone time with my husband.” Until now, I’d just been making pleasant conversation. Small talk to pass the miles. Something to keep my mind occupied so it wouldn’t spiral. But it felt good, for a moment, to let my guard down. To not be wrapped tight in anxiety, watching for the next threat. I let myself sink into the quiet drama of this family I’d been dropped into by circumstance. Their history, their bonds, brushing against mine. “Why is that?” I asked. “Why are they always with us?” she repeated, not waiting for my answer. “Probably because they lost their folks when they were all pretty young.” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “Marcus is the oldest. He became a kind of surrogate parent.” She folded her hands together, fingers interlacing.“Mix that kind of bond with a fear of loss, and it makes sense they’d stick together.” She sighed, then shook her head slightly, like she was clearing away the thought. “I don’t know why I’m complaining.” “I always knew they were a package deal, even if no one ever said it out loud.” A small smile returned, softer this time. “And on the bright side, we’ve always had help.” “I think I’m the only mother of twins who got a full night’s sleep the moment her kids were born.” I smirked despite myself. “Not going to lie, the idea of Nathan taking care of a baby doesn’t fit in my mind.” She laughed softly, tilting her head back, careful not to make noise. “Grizzly bears are pretty scary on their own.”“But it all melts away when they’re taking care of their cubs.” Her gaze drifted toward her husband’s brothers, lingering there. “I guess it wasn’t so bad.” “I got a lot of extra hands.” She paused, her voice quieter now. “My kids got three dads out of it.” My phone began to vibrate. A sharp alert tone pulsed against my leg, abrupt and wrong in the calm. I reached into my pocket just as I saw Dom doing the same. Around us, other phones lit up, chiming in rapid succession, screens glowing, alarms overlapping. The noise filled the hauler, stacking higher and higher, before cutting out all at once. The sudden silence was worse.Then a mechanical voice spoke. “This is the emergency broadcast system. For all citizens currently receiving this notification, Westhaven Unity Dome is now a relief location. Medical, food, water, and security services are available. All residents in need should make their way to this location. This message includes directions.”