Serena opened her eyes slowly. She was still too weak to move. Her body ached; her mind was still in a state of fugue.

She kept drifting in and out of consciousness.

Her mind was in a fog. Thoughts drifted in and out of reach. Where was she? What had happened? Her body refused to move, her arms numb, her legs unresponsive. Panic rose in her chest until a soft hand found hers — warm, trembling, real.

“It's okay,” the voice said again, closer now. He was crying. ...