Page 124 of Zorro

“How is he?” Bear asked. “Zorro. Javi. The team. Civilians?”

She rose without answering immediately, adjusting the pillow behind his head, smoothing the blanket over his chest in a way that reminded him of mothers he didn’t grow up with. Not really. Not consistently.

“Javi’s wound wasn’t critical, thank God. He’s resting comfortably. Zorro made it through surgery,” she said at last. “Stable. You did too. Barely. The rest of your team is whole, bruised, bandaged, but intact. The civilians…” She paused, met his gaze. “Many were saved because of what you all did.”

He exhaled, tension leaking out of his shoulders, but his body still hummed with unease. “Why aren’t you with him?”

“My husband needed to be with him,” she said, her voice catching. “He’s a very sensitive soul, my Gabriel. But you needed someone to be with you.”

Bear swallowed hard. The words hit somewhere he didn’t know he’d left open.

Maybe he wasn’t as stoic as he thought.

Maybe she saw right through it, through the quiet, the discipline, the silence he wore like armor. Maybe she saw the starving boy inside the soldier.

Maybe…he was okay with that.

He looked away, toward the window, and watched sunlight streak across the far wall. His mom had done her best. He didn’t doubt that. But most of the time, she was working, tired, barely treading water. His father? The memory of him was more shadow than substance.

He envied Zorro. Not just for the family he had but for the ease with which they showed up.

Claire’s voice was gentle now. “Would you be up for a short visit? Dani’s outside. She brought the girls. They’ve been waiting.”

Bear blinked.

“Fifi and Cami?” he asked, voice still ragged.

She smiled, soft and real. “Yes. They insisted on seeing you. They’re worried.”

Flint lifted his head slightly at the names, ears perked.

Bear’s chest tightened. He felt like hell. He probably looked worse. But somehow, that made it matter more.

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “I’d like that.”

Claire moved to the door, leaned out, and whispered something.

Moments later, two small figures raced into the room. Fifi climbed up onto the chair with the practiced grace of a kid who didn’t see lines she wasn’t allowed to cross. Cami ran straight for the bed, skidding to a halt beside Flint and leaning to rub his ears.

“Uncle Bear!” Fifi announced. “You look like a mummy.”

“I feel like one,” he said, lips twitching.

“You scared everybody,” Cami said solemnly, not looking up from Flint. “Even Mommy cried a little.”

Bear swallowed around the lump in his throat, meeting Dani’s soft eyes, holding them for a moment, absorbing her thank you embedded there. He reached out and ruffled Fifi’s curls. “I’m sorry about that.”

“You better be,” Fifi said primly. “Next time, wear better armor.”

“Fifi,” Dani scolded. “So bossy.”

Bear chuckled. It hurt, but it felt so good. “I’ll do that.”

Cami finally looked up, eyes bright. “Flint’s okay, too. He’s very brave.”

“He is,” Bear agreed. “He always is.”

Claire watched from the corner, hands folded gently, and Bear caught the way her eyes shimmered just before she looked away.