Riley sat cross-legged on the couch, clutching a bowl of popcorn as she and Julie watched The Bachelorette. The cheesy drama on screen was just what she needed to forget the last week. Her therapist had told her to find something mindless to unwind, and this show was definitely it.

Julie let out a dramatic groan. "No way she picks Jacob! He's such a player."

Riley laughed, tossing a piece of popcorn at her. "You'd be surprised. The bad boys always get picked."

"Please, she's smarter than that," Julie shot back, though she didn't sound convinced.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Riley set the bowl down and opened the door to find Tim standing there, holding a six-pack of beer and looking out of place as ever.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked with a raised brow, glancing past her at the TV.

"You are, actually," Riley teased, stepping aside to let him in. "We're deep into The Bachelorette, so you can either get on board or get out."

Tim grinned, shaking his head as he kicked off his shoes and joined them in the living room. "Guess I'm getting on board. Don't blame me if I start making fun of this, though."

Julie shrieked and threw popcorn at the TV as the bachelorette gave the final rose to none other than Jacob, the bad boy.

Tim chuckled at her, eyebrows raised.

Julie tossed him a pillow. "No one invited your opinions. Just sit and watch."

Riley smiled as Tim settled in, grateful for the distraction they both brought. It had been a week since the incident, and her days had been filled with therapy sessions, long runs, and trying not to think too much. The nightmares still came, vivid and brutal, but her therapist had given her techniques to work through them. Deep breathing, visualization, grounding exercises—tools to help her calm down and get back to sleep when the images of that night woke her in a cold sweat.

Her bruises had nearly faded, and the physical aches were gone, but mentally, she wasn't all the way there yet. Despite everything, she felt ready to go back to work. The time off had helped her process what had happened, but it also made her restless. Sitting still wasn't her strong suit. And as much as she hated to admit it, she missed the job.

More than anything, though, she missed Luke.

A week had passed since Riley last saw Luke, and the weight of his absence was gnawing at her. Every night felt longer, her apartment too quiet without the adrenaline of the case to fill the silence. She missed him more than she'd ever admit—his steady presence, the way he could read her without her saying a word. But it was the worry that consumed her most. Knowing he was still undercover, surrounded by dangerous men, and that she had no way of knowing if he was okay, kept her on edge. She hated feeling so helpless, waiting for a call that might never come.

"You okay, Riles?" Julie's voice cut through her thoughts, bringing her back to the present.

Riley blinked, realizing she'd zoned out. She gave her a quick smile. "Yeah, sorry. Just spaced for a second."

Julie didn't look convinced but didn't push. "You sure? I can turn this off if you're not feeling it."

"No, I'm good," Riley insisted. "Actually, I'm more than good. I feel ready to get back to work."

Julie raised an eyebrow. "You really think they're going to let you back so soon? I mean, with all the mandated therapy and everything."

Riley shrugged. "My therapist said I'm doing great. I'm sleeping better, and the nightmares aren't as intense. I just... I need to be out there, you know? Being off the job is driving me crazy."

Tim chuckled from the other end of the couch, opening one of the beers. "I can imagine. You're not exactly the type to enjoy sitting around watching reality TV every night."

"Don't knock The Bachelorette," Julie quipped. "It's a guilty pleasure."

They watched another episode in comfortable silence, but it did little to ease the question burning inside her.

"So, have you guys heard anything about Luke?" Riley asked, trying to sound casual, but the concern slipped through.

Julie glanced over, exchanging a knowing look with Tim before answering. "All I know is he's still undercover. Hasn't missed a check-in, so... no news is good news, I guess."

Riley tried to hide her relief, but Julie wasn't letting her off that easily. She smirked, tilting her head. "You've got it bad for him, huh?"

Riley rolled her eyes, brushing it off with a half-laugh. "No, it's not like that."

"Sure it's not," Julie teased, tossing a throw pillow in Riley's direction. "You've been asking about him non-stop."

Riley shot her a dry look. "I've asked about him twice."

Tim handed her a beer, shaking his head with a grin. "Don't worry, Riley. If something was wrong, we'd know by now. Luke's tough."

"Yeah, yeah," Riley muttered, taking a sip. But deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't just about missing him—it was the fear of the unknown, and how much she hated that there was nothing she could do about it.

At least for tonight, she had Julie and Tim to make her forget, if only for a little while.

___________________________________________________

Riley walked slowly through the quiet, tree-lined cemetery, the crisp leaves crunching beneath her boots. She held a small box of Froot Loops in her hand—the same sugary cereal she used to swipe for her little brother, Josh. Her grip on it tightened as she approached his grave, her heart heavy with the weight of her last few months on the force.

When she finally reached his headstone, she knelt down, brushing away a few stray leaves. Carefully, she placed the box of Froot Loops right at the base, almost like she was giving him a little gift.

"Hey, kid," she murmured, feeling the knot in her throat start to tighten.

For a moment, Riley just sat there in silence, letting the breeze carry the quiet whispers of the past. She ran her fingers over the worn letters of his name, tracing them slowly.

"It's been a while since I came to visit," she admitted softly. "Been... busy, I guess."

She swallowed hard, her gaze dropping to the small box of Froot Loops, colorful and bright, just like Josh had been. She remembered how he used to beg her to steal a box from the neighbor's house when they had nothing at home. How they'd huddle together, hiding in their shared room, giggling between bites. It felt like a different lifetime.

"I did it, Josh," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I got out. Just like I told you we would some day." A shaky laugh escaped her. "Only... it's not exactly how I pictured it."

Riley glanced around as if someone might be listening, though she knew she was alone. "I thought I'd be making a difference, you know? Thought I'd be out here saving kids like you—keeping them from getting wrapped up in all the crap that... that took you away."

Her throat tightened painfully, and she forced herself to look back at his grave, the image of his bright eyes clear in her memory. "But all I seem to be doing... is making things worse. I mean, I try, but..." She clenched her fists, hating how weak she felt saying it out loud. "Every time I get close to helping, it feels like I just end up hurting someone instead."

Her voice broke. "I lost you because I wasn't there, Josh. And now I'm here, and I'm trying so hard, but it's like... I can't even keep myself from messing things up."

The stillness around her grew heavier, as if even the air was weighing down her words. She reached out, touching the cold stone. "I wish you were here," she whispered, tears finally slipping free. "I wish I could just tell you all of this, hear you say something silly to make me laugh and forget it all, even if just for a second."

Riley wiped at her eyes, a bitter smile forming on her lips. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm even doing the right thing. If I even belong on the force."

A faint breeze rustled the trees, the soft rustling sounds strangely comforting. Riley took a deep breath, the memories of their drive-in nights and stolen cereal somehow grounding her.

"I just... I miss you so much, Josh. And I'm trying—I'm really trying to make it worth it. To make sure it all means something. But I don't know if I'm strong enough for this."

She sat there in silence for a long while, just letting the quiet fill the spaces between her thoughts. Finally, with a sigh, she touched the box of Froot Loops once more, as if leaving a piece of herself with him.

"I'm gonna keep trying, okay?" she whispered, her voice steadying. "For you."

With that promise lingering in the air, Riley slowly rose, casting one last look at his grave before turning away, letting the wind carry her quiet goodbye.