#countdownedits

Mark shakes his head, like if he just resets hard enough this will all make sense again. “Hey—no, this isn’t—this isn’t real, okay? He’s gotten in your head, we can fix—”

“He didn’t, Meachum,” you cut in. Your hand finds Borys’s again. “I chose this. I lived with the man for more than a year. If you think I wouldn't catch feelings for him, or vice versa, that's your mistake. Not mine. I love him.” That lands harder than anything else.

Nathan exhales slowly. Decision made. “Last warning.”

You step closer to Borys. Shielding him. Choosing him again.

It happens fast. Too fast.

Mark reaches out to you. “Wait—”

Nathan fires. The sound cracks through the room like lightning. You don’t even register it at first.

Just the force of Borys’s body jerking behind you. A sharp inhale. Your name—half-formed, barely there. And then, his hand slips from yours.

“No—”You turn just in time to catch him as he drops. The world narrows instantly. Sound dulls. Everything except him disappears. “Borys—Borys, look at me, look at me—”

Borys’s breathing is already uneven. Too shallow. Too fast.

Your hands press against his chest, trying to stop something you can’t even see. “Stay with me,” you whisper, voice breaking. “Stay—please—Baby, please”

He looks at you. Really looks. And there’s no anger there. No betrayal. Only you. “…you stayed,” he murmurs. The words are soft. Almost surprised.

Your vision blurs. “Of course I did—of course I did—just don’t—don’t do this—”

A faint, broken smile touches his mouth. “Didn’t think… you would.”

“Stop,” you choke. “Stop talking like that—” Your hands are shaking now. You can’t stop them. “I’m right here,” you say desperately. “I’m right here, I’m not going anywhere—”

His hand lifts. Barely. You grab it instantly, pressing it to your face. “Don’t leave me,” you whisper.

And that— That’s what undoes something in him. His thumb brushes weakly against your cheek. “You already chose,” he says quietly.

“I chose you,” you sob.

A breath. Shallow. Fading. “…I know.”

Your chest caves in. “Then stay,” you beg. “Stay with me—”

But his eyes are already slipping. Losing focus. His grip loosens in your hand.

“Borys—” You shake him slightly. Panic rising. “Borys, no—no, no, no—stay—”

Nothing. No response. No breath. No—

“Hey—hey—”

Hands grab your shoulders. You fight them instantly. “No—no, let me go—he’s—he’s fine, he just—he just needs—”

“He’s gone.”

The words hit like a physical blow.

You freeze. Slowly— You look down. And for the first time— You see it clearly. The stillness. The absence. The way Borys isn’t looking at you anymore.

Something inside you breaks. Completely.

You don’t remember leaving. Not really. Just fragments — Mark’s voice in your ear, wrecked and desperate: “I’m sorry—God, I’m so sorry—”

Nathan, quieter now. Controlled, but not untouched: “We had no choice.”

Lucas hovering, unsure, like he doesn’t know if he’s allowed to touch you.

And you—Silent. Unresponsive. Because the only thing playing over and over in your head is— You stayed. And it still wasn’t enough.

Back at headquarters hours later, everything feels wrong. Too bright. Too loud. Too clean.

Mark tries. God, he tries. Sits across from you, voice soft, careful. “You did what you had to do,” he says. “He was dangerous. This was always how it was going to end.”

You don’t answer. Because that’s not true. You saw another ending. You chose another ending. And it died anyway.

Nathan keeps his distance. But sometimes you catch him watching you; Not suspicious. Just… heavy. Like he knows exactly what it cost you.

Lucas leaves coffee by your side without saying anything.

You don’t drink it.

And at night, when everything is quiet—

You still feel it. The ghost of his hand in yours. The sound of his voice, soft and certain: You don’t get to take that back.

Silence starts filling the gaps.

Mark stands in the middle of your apartment—your apartment, even though it doesn’t feel like yours anymore—and stares at the same four walls like they might finally give him an answer. “They don’t just vanish,” he mutters. “People don’t just—vanish.”

Nathan doesn’t respond right away. He’s at the window, arms crossed, jaw tight, eyes scanning a city that has already swallowed you whole.

“She didn’t vanish,” he says finally. “He took her.”

Lucas exhales slowly, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah. We know that. The question is—why haven’t we found a trace?”

No calls. No financial movement. No sightings. No bodies. Nothing.

Nathan turns, something sharper creeping into his expression. “Because he doesn’t make mistakes.”

That lands. Heavy. Uncomfortable.

Mark shakes his head immediately. “No. No, we’re missing something. She would’ve left us something.”

Lucas glances at him. “Unless she couldn’t.”

Or worse— Unless she didn’t. Unless she chose to go willingly with Volchek. The thought hangs there, unspoken. No one wants to be the one to say it.

The safehouse doesn’t feel like a prison anymore. That’s the problem. You move through it like you belong there now—barefoot across the floor, fingers brushing the edge of the counter, like you’ve memorized every inch. Like you’ve settled.

And Borys notices. Of course he does.

“You’re adapting,” he says one evening, watching you from across the room.

You glance up from where you’re sitting, legs tucked beneath you. “I don’t have much choice, Borys.”

A pause.

“There’s always a choice.”

Your lips press together slightly. “Is there?”

His gaze lingers on you a second longer than necessary. “Yes,” he says quietly. “There is.”

You don’t answer. Because the truth is— You stopped trying to leave days ago. You wanted it to be like it was before. Where the pair of you was happy to be around each other. Like you were in love again. Like you were excited to be in his arms.

It happens gradually. That’s what makes it dangerous. It’s not force. Not anymore. It’s… proximity. Routine. The way he starts handing you a cup of coffee without asking how you take it—because he already knows.

The way he watches you when you’re not looking. Not like a guard. Like something softer. Something that makes your chest tighten.

“You’re thinking too much again,” he says one night.

You’re sitting on the couch, staring at nothing. “Am I?”

“Yes.”

You huff a quiet breath. “You always say that.”

“Because it’s always true.”

You glance at him, something almost amused flickering in your expression. “Maybe I just have a lot to think about.”

He steps closer. Slow. Measured.

“About the team?” he asks.

The words should hit harder than they do. They don’t. That’s what scares you. “I don’t know if they’re still looking,” you admit quietly.

A lie. You know they are. You just don’t know how long that will last.

“They are,” he says, like it’s obvious. “People like them don’t stop.”

Your gaze drops slightly. “People like me did.”

Silence. That one lingers. His expression shifts—subtle, but there. “Did you?” he asks.

You don’t answer right away. Because this is the line. The one you’ve been circling for days. Weeks. The one you’re not supposed to cross. “I don’t think about leaving anymore,” you say finally.

His eyes sharpen just a fraction. “Why?”

Your heart beats a little faster. Because here’s the truth: There are still things you haven’t told him. Still pieces of you held back. Still a quiet, buried thread connecting you to the life you were supposed to return to. But it’s thinner now. Fading.

“I told you why,” you say softly.

His jaw tightens. "Say it again.”

You hesitate. Not because it isn’t true. But because saying it again makes it feel… permanent. “I love you.” The words come easier this time. That’s the most dangerous part of all.

He watches you closely—searching, dissecting, trying to find the lie. But there’s nothing to catch anymore. Not in that moment. Not in your voice. His hand lifts, brushing lightly along your jaw, thumb resting just beneath your lip. “Careful,” he murmurs.

“With what?”

“With making me believe you.”

Your breath catches slightly. “Maybe I want you to.”

Something dark and soft flickers in his eyes at that. “Why?”

You hold his gaze. And for a moment— You almost tell him everything. About the team. About the mission. About the fact that somewhere, deep down, a part of you is still waiting for a door to be kicked in. Still waiting to be found. But instead you go with, “I don’t want to lose you,” you say. And that? That’s the most honest lie you’ve ever told.

Because somewhere out there— Mark is still tearing the city apart. Nathan is starting to suspect something isn’t right. Lucas is connecting dots that don’t want to be connected.

And you? You’re falling in love with the man you were supposed to destroy. While still holding just enough truth back… To destroy him anyway.

It doesn’t happen all at once. There’s no moment where Borys suddenly decides you’re safe. It’s smaller than that. More dangerous. A door left unlocked. A knife no longer hidden out of your reach. His phone—face down on the counter instead of tucked into his jacket.

“You’re not going to run,” he says one morning, like it’s a simple fact.

You glance up from where you’re pouring coffee. “No.” And the worst part? You mean it.

He starts talking more. Not everything. Never everything. But pieces. Fragments of a man who was never supposed to be seen this way. “You think people are born loyal?” he asks one night, leaning back in his chair, watching you like you’re the only thing in the room worth focusing on.

You shrug slightly. “I think people choose who they’re loyal to.”

A faint smirk tugs at his mouth. “And you’ve chosen?”

Your heart stutters. You hold his gaze. “Yes.”

He studies you for a long moment.Like he’s trying to decide if that answer is going to ruin him.

The break comes at 2:17 AM. Nathan doesn’t even realize what he’s looking at at first. Just numbers. Movement logs. Old routes tied to Borys Volchek’s past operations. But then— He sees it. A pattern. Subtle. Repeated.

“Meachum,” he calls, voice tight. “Get in here.”

Mark’s there in seconds. Lucas right behind him. “What?” Mark demands.

Nathan points. “Look at the timestamps. The gaps. He’s rotating locations—but not randomly.”

Lucas leans in, frowning. “He’s circling something.”

Nathan nods slowly. “Yeah,” he says. “A safehouse.”

Mark’s pulse spikes. “You sure?”

“No,” Nathan admits. “But it’s the first thing we’ve had in weeks.”

Silence.

“That’s enough,” Mark says.

And just like that—They move.

You wait until he leaves. You hate how easily you know his schedule now. Hate how natural it feels to move through his space. Hate—How part of you doesn’t hate it at all.

The device is still where you hid it. Small. Simple. Insurance. Your hands shake as you pull it out. “This is it,” you whisper to yourself.

One message. That’s all it takes. Coordinates—partial. Scrambled. Delayed. Just enough. Just enough for them to know you’re alive. Just enough to bring them here. Your thumb hovers.

And for a second, you see his face. The way he looks at you now. Not suspicious. Not calculating. Something softer. Something that should not exist between you.

You swallow hard. “Don’t think,” you mutter. And you send it.

The moment it’s done you can feel it. The shift. Like something irreversible has just snapped into place. There’s no taking it back now. No undoing it. You tuck the device away. Breathe. Wait.

The door opens. Your heart jumps straight into your throat. You turn just as Borys steps inside.

And immediately—You know. Something is off. He doesn’t say anything at first. Just closes the door. Locks it. The sound echoes louder than it should. “You’re back early,” you say, forcing your voice to stay even.

He hums softly. “Plans changed.”

His eyes are already on you. Too focused. Too aware.

Your pulse spikes. “Everything okay?” you ask.

A pause.

“Tell me something.”

Your stomach drops. You nod slowly. “Okay…”

He steps closer. Not fast. Not threatening. But deliberate. “If they found you,” he says quietly, “would you go back to them?”

There it is. The question. Your breath catches. “Borys—”

“Answer me.” Not loud. But absolute.

Your mind races. The message is already sent. They’re already coming. This is it.

“Yes” means losing him. “No” means betraying them. Hesitation means—

You hesitate. Just for a second. But it’s enough.

His expression changes. Not dramatically. That’s what makes it worse. Something in him just… closes. “I see,” he says softly.

Your chest tightens. “It’s not that simple—”

“It is,” he cuts in, voice calm. Too calm. “You just made it complicated.”

He turns slightly, like he’s already thinking three steps ahead. Planning. Calculating.

You step toward him. “Borys—listen to me—”

He looks back at you. And this time— There’s distance there. Not anger. Not yet. Something colder.“Did you send something?” he asks.

Your heart stops. “No.” A lie. Clean. Immediate.

His gaze lingers. Searching. Weighing. And then He nods once. Like he’s accepted it. But you know better now. Borys doesn’t accept things. He waits.

You’re half-asleep when it happens. A shift in the air. A sound outside. Your eyes snap open. Borys is already awake. Already standing. Gun in hand. His gaze flicks to you.

And for a split second— You see it. Not anger. Not betrayal. Something almost like disappointment.

“They’re here,” he says quietly.

Your heart lurches. Footsteps outside. Voices. Familiar. Mark. Nathan. Lucas. Relief floods your chest until Borys looks at you again. And everything crashes into something else entirely.

“You should decide,” he murmurs, stepping closer, voice low enough that only you can hear, “which side you’re on.”

Your breath shakes. “Borys—”

“No more lies,” he says.

Outside—

“Clear the perimeter!” Mark’s voice cuts through the night.

You can hear Nathan. “She’s in there—I know it.”

And then Lucas. “We move on your mark!”

Inside, it’s just you and Borys. Seconds stretching into something unbearable. His hand brushes yours. Not restraining. Not forcing. Just there. Warm. Real. “Stay,” he says quietly. Not a command. Not quite a plea. Something in between.

Your chest feels like it’s going to cave in. The door starts to give under force from the outside. Your team. Your life. Everything you were supposed to go back to was just beyond the door. Right there. Borys right next to you. Watching your reaction. Watching your expressions. Waiting for you to react. Either trusting you to chose him. Or testing you to see what you do.

You don’t even know anymore.

The door cracks. Splinters. One more hit and it’s gone. And you have to choose.

Wood cracks under the force of it—once, twice—

“On me!” Mark’s voice, sharp, urgent.

You flinch instinctively. Your body knows that voice. Knows what it means. Safety. Home. Everything you were supposed to go back to. Your chest tightens so hard it almost hurts.

And then you feel it. Borys's hand brushing yours. Not grabbing. Not forcing. Just… there. Waiting. “Stay,” he says again, softer this time. Not a demand. A choice.

The door caves in. The team floods the room—guns up, eyes scanning—

“Clear—!”

And then they see you. Everything stops.

“—oh my God,” Lucas breathes.

Mark lowers his weapon just slightly, disbelief crashing across his face. “Hey—hey, it’s okay,” he says quickly, stepping forward. “We got you. You’re good. Come here.”

Nathan doesn’t lower his gun. His eyes are locked on Borys Volchek. Calculating. Tracking. Waiting for the wrong move. “We need to move,” Nathan says sharply. “Now.”

Mark reaches for you. “C’mon, let’s go—”

You don’t move.

His hand stops inches from your arm. “…hey,” he says, softer now. “It’s okay. You’re safe.” Safe. The word echoes strangely in your head.

Because for a second, you don’t know what it means anymore. Your fingers curl slightly.

And instead of stepping forward, you find yuorself stepping away. Stepping back into Volchek. Silence detonates in the room.

Mark freezes. “…what are you doing?” he asks, voice cracking just slightly.

You don’t look at him. You can’t. Your hand finds Borys’s. Clings. Not subtle. Not accidental. A choice.

Nathan’s expression goes cold instantly. “Step away from him,” he orders.

You shake your head. “No.” The word is quiet. But it lands like a gunshot.

Lucas looks like he’s been hit. “What—what do you mean no?”

Mark stares at you, something frantic creeping in now. “Hey—no, this is—this is shock, okay? That’s normal. You’ve been through something—just come here, we’ll fix it—”

“I’m not coming,” you say. Your voice is steadier this time.

That makes it worse.

“Don’t do this,” Mark whispers.

Finally, you meet their gazes. Really look. At the people who searched for you. Who didn’t give up. Who came back for you. And your chest aches.

“I’m sorry,” you say.

Lucas shakes his head immediately. “No. No, you don’t mean that—”

“I do.”

Nathan’s grip tightens on his weapon. “Did he do something to you?” he demands. “Because we can fix that. Whatever he—”

“He didn’t,” you cut in. Your fingers tighten around Borys’s hand. “He didn’t do anything.”

Mark’s voice breaks. “Then why?”

That’s the question. The one that matters. The one that ruins everything. You swallow hard. Because this is it. The point of no return.

“I’m not who you think I am anymore,” you say quietly.

“That’s not true,” Mark says immediately.

“It is.”

A beat.

“I love him.”

Silence. Complete. Total.

Lucas looks like he might be sick. Mark just stares at you. Like if he looks long enough, you’ll take it back. Nathan is the only one who doesn’t look surprised. Just… disappointed.

“Move,” Nathan says, voice flat now. Controlled. “Last chance.”

You don’t.

Instead, you step fully in front of Borys. Shielding him. Choosing him. There’s no misunderstanding that. Not anymore.

Mark exhales shakily. “You’re really doing this…”

You don’t answer. Because there’s nothing left to say.

Behind you, Borys is very still. He hasn’t spoken. Hasn’t interfered. Hasn’t needed to. Because you’ve done something far more powerful than anything he could’ve forced. You chose him. Freely. And he felt it. His hand tightens around yours. Not possessive. Not controlling. Something quieter. Something almost… reverent. Like he understands exactly what it cost you.

Nathan lowers his weapon first. Not because he wants to. Because he has to. “…we’re leaving,” he says.

Mark doesn’t move.

“Meachum,” Nathan snaps.

A beat. Then another. Finally—Mark steps back. But his eyes never leave you. “This isn’t over,” he says, voice rough. “We’re not done.”

You don’t doubt that for a second.

Lucas lingers the longest. “…if he hurts you,” he says quietly, “you call us. I don’t care what you said tonight. You call.”

Your throat tightens. You nod. You don’t know if you mean it.

And then— They’re gone. Just like that. The room falls silent again. Empty. Except for you. And him.

For a long moment, neither of you speaks. You can still hear your heartbeat. Still feel the ghost of everything you just lost. Slowly, You turn. Borys is already looking at you. Not suspicious. Not doubtful. Just… focused.

“You understand,” he says quietly, “what you just did.”

It’s not a question.

You nod. “Yes.” Your voice trembles slightly. “I do.”

A pause.

“Say it again.”

Your breath catches. “You already heard me—”

“Say it,” he repeats, softer now.

Your chest rises and falls.

And this time there's no hesitation. No mission. No lying. “I love you.”

Silence stretches between you. He steps closer. Slowly. Like he’s still not entirely sure this is real. His hand lifts. Cups your face. Warm. Steady. “You don’t get to take that back,” he murmurs.

“I won’t.”

His eyes search yours one last time. For doubt. For deception. For anything that might undo this. He doesn’t find it. And something in him unravels.

Not violently. Not loudly. But completely. He pulls you into him, one arm wrapping tight around your waist, the other pressing you close like he needs to feel that you’re real. That you’re still here. That you chose him.

His voice drops against your hair quiet. Certain. “Then you’re mine.” And this time— You don’t pull away.