er and shielding her satchel from the rain. Her shoes were soaked within minutes, but she barely noticed. She had more pressing worries. Her mother's condition had worsened overnight.

know why he looked twice. She wasn't dressed to impress. She wasn't standing out in any way. But something about her-maybe the quiet resolve in the way she stood, unmoved by the weather-stuck with him. "Who's that?" he asked suddenly. Nico, riding up front, turned in his seat. "At the bus stop?" Edward nodded. "No idea. Just a civilian." Edward's jaw twitched. "Looks like she's headed to Saint Mercy." Nico shrugged. "Probably a nurse. Or a med tech. Why?" "No reason," Edward said, leaning back. But his gaze lingered a few seconds longer, just until the SUV turned the corner and the woman disappeared from view. ⸻ Joan arrived at Saint Mercy for a short shift in the outpatient clinic. The air inside was warmer, but it carried the same sense of urgency she was used to. It didn't matter what department she worked in-there was always someone waiting for help, someone she had to keep alive. She barely had time to grab a coffee before her first patient, a construction worker with a fractured wrist. Then came a pregnant woman with a panic attack, a young boy with a persistent cough, and an elderly man with chest pain who refused to call it a "heart issue." The hours flew. At noon, she got five minutes of rest in the staff lounge. She sat beside the vending machine, sipping from a paper cup, her back aching. One of the nurses, Lisa, dropped into the chair across from her. "You look like hell," Lisa said kindly. "Thanks," Joan muttered with a tired smile. "It's my new look." "You still taking care of your mom full-time?" Joan nodded. "Yeah. She had another spell last night. I'm trying to get her in with a neurologist." Lisa gave her a sympathetic look. "If you ever need someone to