The late afternoon sun bathed the office in a warm, golden light as Beatrice and River made their way out together. It was one of those perfect autumn evenings, the kind where the air was crisp, and the sky slowly turned from brilliant orange to a deep, endless blue. Beatrice glanced up, catching the sunset reflection in the glass doors as they stepped outside. The world felt still, like time had slowed down just for them.

"You ready?" she asked.

He gave her a nod, his usual confident smirk in place, though there was a softness behind his eyes that hadn't been there before. "Hope it wasn't too long of a wait, was caught up finishing a caseload. Lead the way."

Beatrice had something special planned for tonight. She was going to take him to her favorite spot in town-a high point that overlooked the entire city, where the skyline met the stars. It was where she always went when she needed to clear her head, to breathe a little deeper. Tonight, though, it wasn't just about finding peace. She wanted to share this place with him, to let him into a part of her life she kept hidden.

She always felt drawn to show him every part of her. She was aware of the risk factor, as many people have warned her before not to give too much away to someone so soon. She thought that was utterly pointless.

Before they left, Beatrice slowed her pace just enough to let River get a few steps ahead. Her fingers curled around the small yellow Volkswagen van in her pocket, the one that had been her lucky charm for so long. She'd decided earlier that day that it was time to pass it on. Quietly, she slipped over to his desk and placed it there, right on top of his papers, making sure it would be the first thing he saw in the morning. A small token of gratitude, of trust. He didn't need to know about it yet.

River didn't notice as she returned to his side, and together they headed out into the evening, leaving the office behind.

The drive through town was filled by songs both of them took turns playing. Rivers music wasn't quite her taste but she was happy to see him share a part of him nonetheless. There was one song in particular that he played, although, that Beatrice was familiar with. They sang it together while the last slivers of sunlight disappeared.
She could feel River watching her from the driver seat, but he didn't say anything, just rested his hand casually on her thigh. His presence was calm, grounding, and she found comfort in it.

Finally, they arrived at the spot-a hill just on the edge of town that was hidden, tucked in between a suburban neighborhood. The city stretched out below them, twinkling lights starting to dot the skyline, and above, the first stars of the evening blinked into view. He parked the car, and they made their way up the small grassy incline, where they could lay under the open sky and take in the view.

River stood for a moment, hands in his pockets, surveying the scene. "I see why you like it here," he said, his voice quieter than usual. "It's peaceful."

Beatrice nodded, settling down on the cool grass. "It's where I come when I need to think. Or when things feel too heavy." She looked up at him, her heart softening at the way the fading light played across his features. "Thought maybe you'd like it too."

River lowered himself beside her, close enough that their arms brushed, and they both lay back, staring up at the deepening night sky. For a few minutes, neither of them spoke, just sat in a comfortable silence that made it feel special.

Beatrice shifted slightly, turning her head to look at him. "Can I ask you something?"

He looked down at her as if waiting for her to continue.

"What's your biggest fear?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

River turned his head to face her. He exhaled slowly, his expression hardening for a brief second before softening again. "Losing control," he finally said. "Of everything. My life. My work. My... relationships. I guess I've spent so much time trying to stay on top of things that the idea of losing grip terrifies me."

Beatrice's chest tightened at the vulnerability in his voice. She hadn't expected him to be so open, so raw. "You don't have to carry everything on your own, you know," she said softly. "It's okay to let people in."

He gave a small nod, but she could tell it wasn't something he easily accepted. "After my engagement ended I kind of shut everyone out. I guess I have some people in my life that I can talk to when I need them, but there are very few. What about you?" he asked, his voice quieter now, gentler. "What's your biggest fear?"

Beatrice swallowed hard, hesitating for a moment. It was something she rarely talked about, something that always felt irrational even though it terrified her. "I've always had a fear of giving birth."

She could feel River's eyes on her. "It probably sounds silly," she continued, her fingers nervously plucking at the grass beneath her, "but I've never been able to shake the feeling that I wouldn't survive it. I know, millions of women do it all the time, but... it's always been this fear, deep down, like I wouldn't be so lucky."

River didn't laugh or brush off her fear as she half-expected. Instead he said, "That's not silly."

Beatrice turned her head, meeting his gaze, surprised by the way the blue in his eyes stood out from the skyline behind him.

He exhaled slowly. "That's always been one of my fears too," he admitted. "I've always wanted a family, but... I've had this fear that my wife-whoever she is-wouldn't survive giving birth. Like, that's how it would happen. It's always been in the back of my mind, like this looming thing I can't get rid of."

Beatrice blinked, caught off guard by how closely their fears mirrored each other. She hadn't expected him to understand, not like this. "Really?"

"Yeah," he nodded, turning to face her fully now. "I've never told anyone that before. I didn't think anyone would get it. But it's always been there. That fear. And it's not silly. It's real."

Beatrice felt her heart swell, a mix of relief and connection filling the spaces between them. She hadn't realized how much she needed to hear those words from someone else, especially from him. There was something deeply comforting and silly in the fact that River, of all people, understood her fear in a way that no one else ever had.

For a moment, they just lay there, the quiet night sky above them and the city lights twinkling below. Beatrice shifted closer to him, her head resting on his chest as his arm wrapped around her, pulling her into the warmth of his embrace.

"I guess we're not so different," she whispered, her voice soft against the fabric of his shirt.

River's fingers traced gentle patterns on her arm, his touch soothing. "No, we're not," he murmured, moving his hands to hold her face and bring her closer.
He places his other hand on the back of her neck and kisses her deeply. A kiss she would know not to forget.
They lay there for a while longer.

The night air was cool, but with River beside her, Beatrice felt warm, safe. And as they lay together, wrapped up in each other's quiet company, the world around them seemed to fade, leaving just the two of them under the stars.

"Do you ever look for constellations?" she asked softly, her voice barely more than a whisper, not wanting to disturb the quiet peace that had settled there.

River shifted slightly beneath her, his arm tightening around her waist as he followed her gaze toward the stars. "Not really. I've never been able to find them. But I'm guessing you can?"

A small smile tugged at Beatrice's lips. "I try," she admitted. "The Big Dipper's the easiest for me. It's like, the one constellation everyone knows." She lifted her hand, pointing up toward the sky, searching for the familiar shape. "There," she murmured, her finger tracing the pattern of stars. "See? It's right there."

River squinted, leaning closer to follow where she pointed. "Yeah... I think I see it."

Beatrice smiled, pleased that he was indulging her in something so small. The night felt intimate, not just because of their closeness, but because of the way they seemed to be discovering little pieces of each other. She shifted slightly, tilting her head up so she could look at him.

"Do you know your zodiac sign?" she asked, curious.

River raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a playful smirk. "I'm not really into all that," he said, but there was no judgment in his tone. "But yeah, I'm a Taurus. What about you?"

Beatrice grinned. "Virgo," she replied, her fingers absentmindedly tracing little circles on his chest. "So... I guess that makes us kind of compatible in the zodiac world."

River gave a low chuckle, the sound vibrating through his chest where her head was resting. "How compatible?"

She bit her lip, thinking. "Well, we're both earth signs, which means we share a grounded, practical approach to life and relationships."

"I can see that," he replied, glancing down at her, his expression softening. "We seem pretty compatible, anyway." His blue eyes blended in with the dark sky now.

Beatrice felt a strange warmth bloom in her chest at the realization. There was something about that closeness that felt almost poetic, like the stars had aligned in their favor, bringing them together at just the right time.

She reached up, her fingers threading through his hair, gently tugging and playing with the strands. It was soft beneath her fingertips, and she smiled, feeling a little more at ease with each passing moment. River closed his eyes briefly, leaning into her touch, a small, content sigh escaping him.

She began to think of him, the man sitting in front of her, as someone she would find more attractive than she ever imagined.
"You're pretty," she said suddenly, her voice soft and unfiltered, the words slipping out before she could think twice.

River's eyes opened, surprise flickering in them for a brief moment. His brow arched, and a slow, lazy smile spread across his lips. "Pretty?"

She realized now that this may not come across as a compliment.

Beatrice blushed but didn't pull back. She kept her fingers tangled in his hair, her thumb lightly brushing his temple. "Yeah," her gaze flicking between his face and the stars above them. "Pretty like the night sky."

River stared at her, something deeper passing behind his eyes as her words seemed to sink in. For a moment, he didn't respond, just let her words hang in the air between them. Then, with a soft chuckle, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead, the touch so gentle.

"You're something else, you know that?" he murmured, his voice low.

Beatrice laughed softly, feeling a little giddy and not caring if she sounded silly. There was something about being with him, lying under the stars, that made everything feel more... real. Like they were peeling back the layers between them, revealing parts of themselves they hadn't shown anyone else.

"You never told me if you believed in all that astrology stuff," River said after a pause, his voice teasing but curious.

Beatrice shrugged, playing with a strand of his hair again, twirling it around her finger. "I don't know. I think it's fun to believe in sometimes. Like, maybe the stars have a plan for us or something. Or maybe they don't. But it's nice to think they do."

River hummed in agreement, his hand gently rubbing up and down her arm. "Maybe they do." he said softly, his gaze drifting back up to the sky.

Beatrice smiled, her heart swelling at the quiet wisdom in his words. She leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder, and for a moment, they both just stared up at the sky together. The world felt big, but not overwhelming.

The stars continued to twinkle above them, and as they lay there, side by side, Beatrice felt a warmth spread through her that had nothing to do with the night air. It was a warmth that came from knowing, in that moment, she was seen.