A crackle of branches drew his eyes to the side. Through the fog, a small figure approached slowly—hunched over, wearing a light coat, steps unsteady.
“Lauren…” Nathan breathed. “Lauren.”
The figure stopped, then took two more steps forward. His flashlight beam cut through the fog and found her face: thinner, tired, carved by fear and time—but impossible to mistake.
It was her.
Nathan stumbled out of the car and ran to her, nearly falling over the uneven ground. When he reached her, he wrapped her in his arms like she might disappear if he let go.
“My God…” he said, voice breaking. “It’s really you. It’s really you.”
Lauren gave a weak smile and cupped his cheek.
“I told you I’d make it back to you… if you were still alive,” she said with a shaky attempt at a joke.
Aiden woke to the sound of voices and scrambled out of the car. He froze, staring at the scene, as Ranger bolted past him toward Lauren—tail wagging, barking, crying all at once.
“Ranger…” she whispered, kneeling to hug him. “You did it, kid,” she added to Aiden, eyes shining with gratitude.
After a long, quiet moment, Nathan stepped back just enough to really look at her.