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Ella stood still, her fingers gripping the edge of the rooftop, her breath caught in her chest as Kaz's words echoed in her mind. The night air felt heavier now, colder somehow. His words hadn't been a declaration. They hadn't been a confession. But they were something. Something more than she had ever expected him to say.

"I don't do this for anyone but you."

She let the silence wrap around her, letting the weight of it settle deep into her bones. She had never allowed herself to believe that Kaz could feel anything for anyone. Not like this. He was the mastermind, the cold strategist, the man who saw everyone as a tool, a means to an end. He didn't get attached. He didn't care.

But maybe, just maybe, she had misjudged him.

No. She couldn't think like that. She couldn't allow herself to go down that road. It was too dangerous. There were no happy endings for people like them-people shaped by pain, by betrayal. Kaz and she both knew that. So why had he said it? Why had he let those words slip, as if they were nothing? As if they didn't mean anything?

The question gnawed at her, but she pushed it away. There were more important things to focus on now. The plan. Pekka Rollins. The fate of the Crows.

But even as she tried to redirect her thoughts, she couldn't help but feel that small spark of hope-no matter how much she tried to extinguish it-that maybe, just maybe, things could be different. Maybe the future they were fighting for wasn't just about revenge. Maybe it could be about something else.

She shook her head, clearing her mind. This wasn't the time for such thoughts. The plan needed her focus. The Crows needed her.

⸻

Kaz couldn't get the image of Ella out of his head. She had always been a mystery to him-an enigma that he couldn't solve, a puzzle that refused to be pieced together. But that didn't mean he wasn't trying. That didn't mean he hadn't spent countless nights wondering what she thought, what she felt, what she might be hiding behind that carefully constructed mask of hers.

She had a way of keeping him at arm's length, of shielding herself from him, but Kaz knew. He could feel the subtle shifts in her. He had always been perceptive, always able to read people better than they could read themselves. And Ella-Ella was no different. He could see the cracks in her composure, the way her eyes softened when she looked at him for just a moment too long. The way her voice faltered when they spoke of the future, of what might come after all of this.

He wasn't stupid. He could see the way she struggled with it. She fought it, just as he fought it. But they couldn't ignore it forever.

No. He couldn't think like that. He couldn't allow himself to go down that road. It was too dangerous. He had built his life around control. He couldn't afford to lose it. Couldn't afford to feel anything.

But Ella had changed that, whether he liked it or not.

And now, as they prepared for the final confrontation with Pekka Rollins, Kaz found himself wondering if there was more at stake than just vengeance. Could he allow himself to hope for something more? To want something more? Was it even possible?

Kaz clenched his fists, frustration building inside him. He had never been good with emotions-never been able to understand them. They were a weakness, a distraction. And yet, in the presence of Ella, those weaknesses seemed to multiply, overwhelming him, challenging everything he thought he knew about himself.

His mind raced, but no answers came. He couldn't afford to dwell on this. Not now. Not when they were so close to the end. The plan had to be executed. Pekka had to be taken down.

But he couldn't stop the thoughts that lingered in the back of his mind, no matter how hard he tried. The thought of losing her. The thought of her slipping away, of never seeing her smile again, of never hearing her laugh.

No, he couldn't let himself think like that.

⸻

The days passed in a blur of preparation and tension. The plan was set, the pieces were in place, and all that was left was to execute it. Ella felt the weight of it-the anticipation, the pressure. The thought of going up against Pekka Rollins, of taking him down once and for all, was almost too much to bear. But she had no choice. There was no turning back now.

She kept her focus on the task at hand, pushing aside any stray thoughts or emotions. She couldn't afford to be distracted. Not now. Not when so many lives depended on their success.

And yet, despite her resolve, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. There was an undercurrent of unease that seemed to grow with each passing day, an intangible sense of impending disaster. She didn't know what it was, but it gnawed at her, pulling at the edges of her mind.

Kaz had noticed it too, she could tell. He was more distant than usual, more focused, more detached. As if he was preparing himself for something-something he wasn't ready to face. He was a master at hiding his emotions, but Ella knew him better than anyone else. She could see the tension in his posture, the way his eyes flickered when he thought no one was looking. She could feel the weight of his thoughts, even if he wasn't saying a word.

And that, more than anything, scared her.

⸻

The night before the final strike, Ella found herself alone in the attic of the Crow Club. The familiar scent of old wood and leather filled the air, mingling with the faint sound of rain tapping against the windows. She had always found solace here, in this small, quiet space. It was a place where she could think, where she could reflect on everything that had led her to this point.

And yet, tonight, it felt different. The silence was oppressive, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath, waiting for something to happen. Ella sat on the floor, her legs crossed, her eyes closed as she tried to center herself. She couldn't afford to let her mind wander. Not now. Not when everything was on the line.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't escape the feeling that something was about to change. Something was coming.

And she couldn't stop it.

⸻

Kaz stood in the doorway, watching her. He had known she would be here-knew she always came to this place when she needed to think. He hadn't meant to disturb her, but something in him couldn't stay away. He had to see her, to make sure she was still... herself.

Ella's head snapped up, her eyes locking with his. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The tension between them was thick, palpable, as if the very air crackled with unspoken words, with emotions neither of them were willing to acknowledge.

"What's going on, Kaz?" Ella finally asked, her voice low but steady. "What's really happening here?"

Kaz hesitated, stepping into the room. "What do you mean?"

Ella stood up, her eyes searching his face. "You've been distant. More than usual. What aren't you telling me?"

Kaz didn't answer right away. He couldn't. There were things he wasn't ready to say-things he would never be ready to say. But in this moment, he couldn't lie to her. He couldn't hide the truth from her, not when it felt like the world was closing in around them.

"I don't know how to do this," he admitted quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know how to let myself... feel."

Ella took a step toward him, her eyes softening, but she didn't reach out. She didn't press him. She just stood there, waiting.

And in that silence, Kaz realized something he hadn't allowed himself to admit: he didn't want to lose her. Not now. Not when he had finally found something worth fighting for.

⸻