Dreams
The weight of the day settled into Judd’s body as he stretched out across the bed, the sheets cool against his skin. The soft hum of the night surrounded him, the rhythmic breath of the house—distant waves lapping against the shore, the rustling leaves outside the window, the occasional sigh of the old wood settling. He let out a slow exhale, feeling that familiar pull, that gentle slide between wakefulness and sleep.
His mind, ever restless, wandered before it would surrender.
He thought of Cindy first. Of her laughter, sharp and full of life, her unwavering resolve, and the way she could make the impossible seem effortless. She had been at his side through it all—the missions, the risks, the nights spent planning, chasing shadows and unraveling secrets. But beyond the work, there was their life together. The stolen moments, the dinners by candlelight in places too beautiful to be real, the quiet mornings wrapped in nothing but each other’s warmth. Love forged in fire, tested in battle, and strengthened with every passing day.
Then there was Ava. Brilliant, sharp as a razor, far too young to carry the weight she did but doing it all the same. He was proud of her—not just for her mind, though it astounded him daily, but for her heart. She was kind to those who deserved it, merciless to those who didn’t, and carried herself with the kind of grace that only the truly exceptional ever learned. She had a life ahead of her filled with possibility, and Judd looked forward to every step she would take.
And then, Nala. Their dog, their constant. Loyal, patient, ever watchful, and always knowing when to nudge against a hand that needed comforting. A quiet guardian of their little world.
He let his mind drift further. To the holidays they had taken. The crisp mountain air in the Alps, the salt-stung breezes of the Mediterranean, the winding streets of cities steeped in history. To the long road trips, the laughter-filled meals, the simple, perfect moments that made the chaos worth it. For all the responsibility they carried with The Order, they had never let it steal the joy from their lives.
There was so much more to come.
Judd felt his breathing slow, his body sink deeper. His thoughts meandered now, slipping past the edges of reality, dissolving into dreams.
And with a quiet smile, he let them take him.
