S A R A H

I'm sitting on the couch, staring out the window, the weight of everything pressing down on me. The fear, the shame, the anger. I never asked for any of this.

I just wanted a peaceful life, away from the chaos of Noah's world. But that's not how things work, is it?

Once you're in, it's hard to escape.

There's a knock on the door, and before I can get up, I hear Leelo's voice calling through the wood. "Sarah, it's me."

I hesitate for a moment, my pulse quickening. I don't want to see him. I don't want to deal with any of it. But something in me knows I can't avoid it forever.

He's part of the world I'm trying to escape, but here he is, standing at my doorstep again. I open the door, and his face is serious, almost too serious.

"Leelo," I say quietly, my voice betraying the anxiety building in my chest.

He steps inside without waiting for an invitation, his presence filling the room in a way that feels both familiar and unsettling.

"Sarah, we need to talk," he says, his voice low.

I instinctively pull myself into a defensive stance. "About what? What more do you have to say?"

He looks around, his eyes scanning the room before he walks over to the window, closing the blinds with a swift movement. "It's about the video. Ryza... she's not going to stop unless we do something."

I feel a chill run through me at the mention of Ryza's name. I thought I'd gotten away from her manipulations, but I was wrong. So wrong.

"What are you going to do? What video?" I ask, my voice barely a whisper.

Leelo glances at me, his expression softening, but there's an intensity behind his eyes.

"I've already arranged for some men to come here. They'll clean your house, make sure all the cameras are destroyed. They won't be able to track you anymore."

I freeze. "Cameras? What are you talking about?" I take a step back, my heart starting to race. "Leelo, this is insane. I don't want any part of this."

"I know," he says, taking a deep breath. "But it's the only way. If Ryza knows, she'll use it against you. So, we have to get rid of everything. You need to trust me, Sarah."

I look at him, my hands trembling slightly. "I don't know if I can trust anyone anymore, Leelo."

Before he can respond, the door swings open, and Ryan steps in. His eyes land on Leelo first, then move to me. I see the concern in his eyes, quickly turning to a dark anger as he notices the tension in the room.

"What the hell is going on?" Ryan's voice is hard, controlled. But I can hear the fury underneath. "What is all this about?"

Leelo steps forward, trying to calm Ryan down, but Ryan doesn't budge. "Ryza's been messing with Sarah. She set up cameras in her apartment. We're taking care of it."

Ryan's jaw tightens, his fists clenched at his sides. "You're telling me there are cameras in her room? Watching her?!" His voice rises, his anger barely contained.

Leelo nods. "Yes. That's why I'm here. To clean everything up. She'll come after Sarah even harder."

Ryan's eyes flash with something dangerous. "I'm going to kill her."

I can feel the coldness settle in my chest at his words. It's not the anger I'm scared of it's the violence behind it. I don't want Ryan to become a part of this.

I don't want him to lose himself in this mess, in Ryza's games.

"Ryan, no," I say quickly, my voice pleading. "You can't-"

"Tell me where she is," Ryan demands, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. "Tell me where Ryza is, Leelo. I'll handle it. I'll make sure she never hurts Sarah again."

Leelo hesitates for a moment, then sighs. "I'll give you the address. But you can't bring Noah or Sarah's name into this. Understand?"

Ryan acknowledges Leelo's warning, but I can see the determination in his eyes. He's not backing down. And I can't stop him.

Not now, not with the fear that's gripped me so tightly.

"You don't have to do this," I say quietly, my voice cracking. "I don't want anyone to get hurt over this. Please, Ryan."

Ryan turns to me then, his expression softening for a brief moment before the hardness returns. "Sarah, I won't let her get away with it. I won't let anyone hurt you, not like this."

He looks back at Leelo, his voice cold. "Give me the address."

Leelo nods, pulling out his phone and typing something quickly. He hands the phone to Ryan, who glances at it for a moment before giving it back.

"Thank you," Ryan mutters.

As Ryan walks closer, I feel my chest tighten. The tension between all of us is unbearable. I don't want any of this.

I don't want to be tangled up in this web of lies and threats, but here I am, caught in the middle. I look back at Leelo, who watches me with an unreadable expression.

"This isn't over, is it?" I whisper.

He shakes his head, his face hard. "No. But we'll fix it. You have my word."

I don't know if I should believe him. I wish I could.

I turn to see a few men entering, their presence imposing. They move quickly, no words exchanged, just determined expressions. One of them holds a toolkit, while the others spread out, scanning the room as if they know exactly what they're looking for.

My heart pounds in my chest as I watch them work.

Leelo, standing off to the side, watches them with quiet intensity, his hands in his pocket. His face is impassive, but I can see the tension in his posture.

This is his mess. And I can't help but feel like I'm just another thing for him to fix.

"Leelo..." I say softly, feeling my throat tighten as I watch the men dismantle everything. "This is really happening, isn't it?"

He glances at me, his expression softening. "I'm sorry, Sarah. I didn't want you to be dragged into all of this. But I'm fixing it. I promise."

His words do little to ease the panic building inside me. I feel trapped in a nightmare that keeps spiraling out of control. The men move efficiently, taking down hidden cameras from various corners of the room, unscrewing the small devices with care.

The sound of tools clicking against metal fills the air, but to me, it feels like a countdown.

Then, as if on cue, the door opens again. Nayla bursts through the doorway, her eyes wide with panic. She takes one look at the men and freezes, her breath catching in her throat.

"What the hell is going on?" Nayla's voice shakes, and she rushes into the room, eyes darting around at the men working.

Leelo steps forward, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "Nayla, calm down. It's not what you think. Everything's under control."

But Nayla doesn't seem to calm down. Her eyes flash with confusion and concern as she looks between me, Leelo, and the men. "I-I don't understand. What is all this? Why are they-"

"They're taking care of the cameras," Leelo interrupts, his voice low and reassuring, but there's a certain tension in the way he speaks.

Nayla stands there for a moment, her body still, her eyes darting from one face to another, trying to piece everything together. "Cameras? Are you telling me someone's been spying on who? Sarah?"

I can't bring myself to answer. The words are lodged in my throat, heavy and suffocating. I don't want to relive it. I don't want to remember the feeling of being watched, knowing that someone I can't even see has been observing me in my most private moments.

Leelo sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I should have told you earlier, Nayla. But I couldn't. This whole thing is bigger than I thought, and I didn't want you to get dragged into it."

Nayla's face falls.

I nod, swallowing hard as my emotions threaten to spill over. "I never wanted any of this. But now it's too late."

Leelo steps closer to me, his face full of regret. "I'm sorry, Sarah. I should have protected you from this."

The men finish their work quickly, each one leaving without a word, as though they're merely part of a job that doesn't involve them. I watch them leave, feeling a sick sense of relief and dread all at once.

The cameras are gone, but the damage has been done. I can't undo what's already happened.

As the last man leaves, Leelo turns to me.

Nayla's eyes are filled with concern, but there's something else, something softer. "Are you okay?" she asks quietly, stepping closer. "You've been through a lot."

I want to break down in her arms, but I don't. Instead, I nod stiffly, not trusting my voice. "I don't know if I'm okay. I don't know how to be okay anymore."

Ryan, who's been standing by the door, watching the whole situation unfold, takes a step forward. His eyes are dark with frustration and protectiveness, and I can see the anger brewing in him.

"You should've told me," he says, his voice steady but laced with fury. "You shouldn't have kept me out of this, Leelo."

Leelo meets Ryan's gaze, unflinching. "I wasn't trying to hide anything from you. I was just trying to fix the problem without dragging you into it."

Ryan steps closer to me, his gaze softening. "You should've let me handle this. I would've protected you."

Leelo watches the exchange, his eyes narrowing slightly, but he says nothing. The atmosphere between them is tense, as if they're both on edge, trying to navigate the unspoken tension between them.

It's not about cameras anymore. It's about something deeper, something more personal.

Nayla finally breaks the silence, her voice shaky but trying to be light. "Well, now that the cameras are gone... can we just breathe for a second? No more secrets, no more lies."

She looks between us, trying to lighten the mood. "Right?"

But it's not that simple. I want to believe that things can go back to normal, but I know that nothing will ever be the same. Not after this.

As the room settles into a strange quiet, I feel the weight of everything pressing on my chest. The men are gone, but the fear is still here, heavy in the air.

And I don't know how to escape it.

What was in that video?

Why Leelo doesn't want to show me?