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  In the garden of his house, Nero lounged fortably by the pool, with Maria led sideways on his p. The evening air was warm, and the gentle ripple of water added a soothing backdrop to their versation. They sat close, their arms loosely ed around each other, enjoying the moment of peace.

  Nero grinned as he traced zy circles on Maria's back. "You know, yetting a little too fortable in my spot. I might start chargi."

  Maria rolled her eyes, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "Please, like you could mahout me here to keep you in line. I’m the one doing you a favor."

  He chuckled, tightening his hold on her just a bit. "Is that what you tell yourself? I’m pretty sure you just like the view."

  "Oh, absolutely," she shot back, gng around the garden pyfully. "The flowers are lovely this time of year."

  Nero smirked, knowing full well she was defleg. "Sure, the flowers. Just admit it, you’re here for me."

  Maria leaned in, her voice dropping to a mock whisper. "Well, don’t get a big head, but you’re not the worst pany."

  "Not the worst? I think that’s the hing you’ve ever said to me," Nero replied, his tone ced with pyful sarcasm.

  She tapped his chest lightly, feigning exasperation. "Don’t push it, Nero. I’m still deg if you’re worth the trouble."

  He ughed, the sound rid full, pulling her closer. "Yeah, well, I think you’ve already made up your mind. I’m too charming to resist."

  Maria raised an eyebrow, her lips twitg into a smile. "Charming? I was thinking more along the lines of ‘tolerable.’"

  Nero’s grin widened. "Careful, or I might start thinking you actually like me."

  "Don’t get ahead of yourself," she teased, her voice light. "I’m just here for the perks."

  "Oh? And erks would those be?" Nero asked, leaning back slightly to look at her.

  Maria preteo ponder for a moment. "Hmm… the pool, the garden… the pany’s alright, I guess."

  "Just alright?" He raised a brow, feigning offense.

  She ughed softly, resting her head against his shoulder. "Alright, maybe better than alright."

  As they sat there, the versation drifted naturally. Maria brought up a small project she’d been w on in the garden, and Nero listened with geerest, occasionally throwing in a light-hearted ent to keep her ughing. He ehe way her eyes lit up whealked about something she assionate about, and tonight, it was all about the new flowers she’d pnted he pool.

  Nero's pyful grin faltered, his eyes narrowing as his attention shifted abruptly. Maria, still resting against him, noticed the ge immediately. She lifted her head, her fingers gently toug his cheek. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her toinged with .

  Nero’s expression softened, and he gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s L,” he said, his voice calm but carrying an undercurrent of seriousness. “He’s asking for backup.”

  Maria’s brow furrowed in surprise. “Just like that? I didn’t see you accept a call or even a pigeon flying in with a message.”

  Nero chuckled, appreciating her quick wit even in moments like this. “It’s o me too, but it seems my summons have developed a way to send signals when they’re in trouble. I’m not sure of the full situation, but I’ve got his location.”

  Maria’s deepened. “Should I call the team?”

  Nero leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. “No need for the whole team. The Good and Omen are here. We ha.”

  Maria rolled her eyes at his fide couldn’t help feeling a sense of fondness. “Alright, Mr. Ome’s go.”

  With a smile, Nero helped her to her feet. “Very well, Ms. Good.”

  They moved swiftly. Within moments, they doheir outfits—dark, streamlined clothes that allowed for both movement and stealth. Nero’s cloak settled around his shoulders, the hood casting a shadow over his eyes as he pulled it up. Maria’s cloak followed, the fabric swishing softly as it draped over her form.

  As their masks slipped into pce, the air around them seemed to ge, charged with the energy that came with stepping into their roles. Maria’s eye sockets gleamed with a soft indigo light, while Nero’s glowed a deep e. The colors pulsed faintly, a visual representation of the power each of them wielded.

  “Ready?” Nero asked, his voiow carrying the edge of Boss, the persona that only surfaced in these moments.

  Maria nodded, her indigo gaze meeting his. “Always.”

  They soared into the night sky, propelled by indigo Mist fmes that flickered faintly in the darkness. Nero had switched from his usual e Sky fmes to the subtler indigo, blending in more easily with the night. The cityscape below melted into a blur of lights as they asded.

  They followed the signal to the outskirts of the city, where the dense urban ndscape gave way to a quiet suburb. As they he area, somethi off. The silence alpable, a stark trast to the usual hum of life that even the quietest neighborhoods carried. No distant sounds of television, no murmured versations—just an eerie stillness.

  Nero and Maria nded softly on the empty street, their cloaks settling around them like shadows. They exged a gnce, both sensing the unnatural atmosphere that hung in the air. Without a word, they moved toward the house, the indigo fmes extinguishing as their feet touched the ground.

  The house looked perfectly normal from the outside—well-kept wn, a swi in the yard, lights glowing warmly from within. But as they peered through the windows, the se inside was anything but normal.

  A family sat around the diable, each member perfectly still, their movements synized like mariohe father lifted a fork, the mother smiled, the children chewed—all in unison, their eyes bnk and lifeless. The eerie precision with which they moved sent a chill down Nero’s spine.

  Maria leaned in closer, her indigo eyes narrowing as she took in the se. "What the hell is this?" she murmured, her voice low but ced with unease.

  Nero didn’t answer immediately, his mind rag as he took in the unnatural stillness, the robotients. It wasn’t just this house. The same se pyed out in the neighb homes—a disturbing uniformity that defied any logical expnation.

  They moved to the house, finding the same sario: families engaged in muivities, yet every a was too perfect, too synized. Nero’s chest tightened as he realized what they were dealing with.

  “Killgrave.” The name surfaced from the depths of Prince's memories. The Purple Man. A man whose very presence could the wills of others, bend them to his and with a mere suggestion.

  Maria, still sing the area with a cautious gaze, g Nero when she heard the name. “Killgrave? Who is that?”

  Nero’s expression darkened, his voice steady but grave. “A man who trol people’s minds with just his words. If this is his doing, we’re dealing with more than just a few mindless drohese people... they’re not themselves. He’s taken their free will.”

  Maria’s eyes widened slightly, the weight of Nero’s words sinking in. “ he trol us too?”

  Nero sidered this for a moment, weighing their options. “Possibly. His power is dangerous, but it’s not absolute. Our Will fmes should provide some resistance. But we ’t uimate him.”

  Nero paused, eyes narrowing as he thought it through. "Wait," he murmured, almost to himself. "If L mao send a signal, he shouldn’t be under Killgrave’s trol. That means he’s here voluntarily, following a lead. But if he’s asking for backup, it’s not Killgrave’s trol that’s the issue. It must be something—or someone—else holding him back."

  Maria, standing close and vigint, looked at him with a questioning gnce. "So, what’s the real threat?"

  Nero’s mind raced as he pieced it together. "Killgrave isn’t physically strong. His power is in his trol over others. If L is in trouble, it’s likely because of someone Killgrave has under his influence. A strong someone."

  Maria caught on quickly. "You think he’s using someone as muscle?"

  Nero nodded, his tone decisive. "It could be Jessica Jones."

  "Jessica Jones?" Maria repeated, unfamiliar with the name.

  "She’s a young girl with superhuman strength," Nero expined. "Just a kid caught in Killgrave’s web. If she’s under his trol, she could be the one keeping L pinned down."

  Maria’s eyes darkened with . "If she’s that strong and under his trol, we o approach this carefully."

  Nero’s lips twitched in a brief smile, though his tone was serious. “Strong for L, who’s just getting the hang of Haki. But for you and me? She’s not a threat. My real is whether L’s resisting Killgrave because of his willpower or because of the system. Sorel’s proteg our minds, but is it enough to keep Killgrave out?”

  At that moment, Sorel’s voice chimed in their minds, [Big Brother, you shouldn’t worry. Your minds ot be trolled by such a lesser power.]

  Maria let out a small breath of relief but stayed focused. "Good to know. But let’s not take ces. We o get in, assess the situation, a L out of there."

  They moved silently toward the house from which L’s signal had ihe house was identical to the others—quiet, well-kept, with an air of uling calm. Nero and Maria approached the back, avoiding any potential surveilnce, and found an unlocked window.

  Nero g Maria, who nodded, and they slipped inside, nding softly on the plush carpet of a dimly lit hallway. They could hear faint voices ing from the dining room. Moving like shadows, they crept closer, careful not to make a sound.

  As they reached the doorway, they peered inside. Seated at the table was a man with striking purple skin, dressed impeccably in a tailored suit. His presence exuded a twisted charisma, a power that was both alluring and repulsive. Across from him sat a young girl, her posture stiff, her eyes dull with forced pliance. She was strikingly beautiful, but her expression was hollow, as if all life had been drained from her.

  Standing beside the table was L, dressed in a butler’s uniform, his movements precise and servile as he served them food. Nero’s sharp eyes caught the slight tension in L’s shoulders, the subtle flicker of awareness in his eyes. He wasn’t under trol—he was faking it, pying along to avoid drawing attention.

  Killgrave’s voice was smooth, almost affeate, as he spoke to the girl. “Jessica, darling, isn’t this just perfect? A lovely dinner in our lovely home. Don’t you think so?”

  Jessica’s response was automatic, her voice ft and lifeless. “Yes, dear. It’s perfect.”

  Killgrave’s smile widened, but there was something sinister in it. He reached across the table to touch her hand, his grip possessive. “I knew you’d see it my way, my love. We are made for each other.”

  Jessica’s eyes flickered with a brief fsh of resistance, but it was quickly suppressed. She nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. “Yes, we are.”

  Maria’s grip on Nero’s arm tightened, her indigo eyes fring with a barely tained fury. The sight of Jessica, hollowed out and broken under Killgrave’s influence, ignited something dark within her. She leaned closer to Nero, her voice a low, trolled whisper. "He’s mine."

  Nero nodded, his voice equally quiet, yet firm. "Break him like he breaks people." He could see the cruel iy burning in her gaze, the promise of what she was about to unleash. There would be no mercy.

  As Maria’s indigo Mist fmes began to flicker more intensely, urned his focus to Jessica. He o hold her down, to keep her from causing any chaos while Maria handled Killgrave. He moved with a swift, fluid motion, stepping into the room like a shadow.

  Jessica reacted immediately, her heightened senses deteg the intrusion. She shot up from her chair, her eyes widening with a brief fsh of relief as she took in Nero’s presehen it dimmed and she moved to stop Nero. But before she could act, his e Sky fmes fred up, ing around her in a tight, invisible grip. Her body froze, muscles log in pce as the fmes suppressed her movements.

  "Easy," Nero murmured, his voice calm but firm. He didn’t want to hurt her—she was just a victim in this twisted game—but he couldn’t let her interfere.

  Jessica’s eyes flickered with frustration, a silent battle raging within her as she struggled against the invisible hold. But Nero’s fmes held steady, keeping her firmly in pce.

  Meanwhile, Maria approached Killgrave, her steps slow but promising bad times. The air around her crackled with the energy of her Mist fmes, the indigo light casting eerie shadows on the walls. Killgrave’s smirk faltered slightly as he looked up at her, sensing the danger she exuded.

  "Who the hell are you?" he demanded, his toill arrogant, though there was an undercurrent of uainty. Maria didn’t answer, her indigo eyes locked on Killgrave with a cold, unyielding iy. The air seemed to thi around her as she stepped forward, her Mist fmes crag with barely restrained power.

  "STOP!" Killgrave barked, his voice sharp and anding. For a brief moment, Maria halted iracks, and a twisted smile began to curl on Killgrave’s lips. He believed he had succeeded, that his trol was absolute.

  But then, slowly, deliberately, Maria began to move again. The brief pause had been nothing more than a cruel joke, a flicker of hope she had allowed him to g to, only to rip it away. The twisted smile on Killgrave's face faltered, repced by fusion and fear as he realized his and had failed.

  Maria’s advance was uing, her eyes glowing with a fierce determination. Killgrave stumbled back, his fidence shattering as he frantically barked out another order, his voice trembling. "I said STOP!"

  Maria didn’t even flinch this time. Her eyes were locked on Killgrave with a cold fury that spoke louder than any words could. The man’s fidence crumbled as he realized the full extent of his powerlessness in the face of her relentless advance.

  Desperation fred in Killgrave’s eyes. He turo L, his voice ced with panic, "Stop her! Use your powers!"

  But L’s response was far from what Killgrave expected. With a calm, almost leisurely motion, L began unbuttoning his butler uniform, a small, sardonic smile pying on his lips. "Sorry," he said, his voice steady, "I quit."

  Killgrave's expression twisted into one of shod disbelief as L tossed the butler uniform to the floor, standing tall and free of the charade he’d been forced to py. Before Killgrave could react, Maria was on him.

  Her Mist fmes fred violently as she closed the distaween them. Killgrave’s mouth opened in a final, futile attempt to and her, but the words never came. Maria’s hand shot out, gripping his throat with a force that sent him crashing against the wall. The air crackled with the raw power she unleashed, her indigo fmes seeping into Killgrave’s skin, their ethereal light casting sinister shadows around the room.

  "You like trolling people?" Maria hissed, her voice low and deadly. "Let’s see how much you enjoy being the one who’s powerless."

  Killgrave choked, his hands g desperately at Maria’s grip, but it was no use. The indigo fmes peed deeper, their energy ing and twisting inside him, turning his insidious gift against him. His eyes, once so filled with arrogant fidenow brimmed with fear as he felt his own mind slipping away, overwhelmed by the force Maria was exerting.

  Nero watched with a cold detat, his attention shifting only briefly to ensure Jessica remained under trol. Her struggles had ceased, the exhaustion and trauma of the past days evident in the way she slumped against the invisible restraints. Nero’s grip on her remained firm, but his focus returo Maria, who was methodically dismantling the man who had caused so much suffering.

  Maria’s hold tightened as she leaned in, her voice dripping with venom. "You took away their freedom, their will, for your sick pleasure. Now it’s your turn to feel what that’s like."

  Killgrave's mind began tment as Maria’s indigo Mist fmes surged deeper, ing his perception of reality. His vision blurred, the room around him dissolving into a new se, vibrant and alive. He found himself standing in a sunlit meadoce of serey, where wildflowers swayed gently in the breeze. The st of fresh earth and blooming roses filled the air, and he felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over him—a feeling sn it nearly brought him to his knees.

  He turo see a figure approag—a woman, her face radiant with love and warmth. Her golden hair caught the light as she moved closer, her smile widening when their eyes met. She was everything he had ever wanted, everything he had believed he could never have. As she reached him, she took his hand in hers, her touch sending a shiver of fort down his spine.

  "I’ve been waiting for you," she said softly, her voice like a melody. "This is where we belong."

  Killgrave’s heart swelled with joy, a deep, genuine happihat he had hought possible. For once, he wasn’t trolling, wasn’t maniputing—he was simply being loved. He leaned in, pressing his lips to hers in a tender kiss, feeling the e, the intimacy he had longed for.

  But as their lips met, her expression shifted, the warmth in her eyes repced by a cold, cruel glint. Without warning, she drove a ko his abdomen. The shock of the betrayal hit him like a freight train, pain ripping through him as she twisted the bde, her once-loving eyes now filled with malice.

  "You really thought you could have this?" she hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "Pathetic."

  Killgrave gasped, choking on his own blood as he stumbled back, his vision dimming. The warmth of the sun vanished, repced by a chilling darkhat swallowed him whole.

  But the cycle didn’t end.

  He was thrust into a new reality, finding himself seated at a diable, the warm glow of a firepce casting flickering shadows on the walls. Across from him sat his mother, her face lined with age but softened with a kind smile. The sight of her filled him with a sense of safety, of trust—emotions he hadn’t felt in years.

  "You’ve e home, my boy," she said gently, reag out to csp his hand. "I’ve missed you."

  Tears welled up in his eyes as he squeezed her hand, feeling the familiar fort of her presence. He had always wahis, always his—his mother, his safe haven, holding him close. He leaned iing his head on her shoulder, letting himself be vulnerable, allowing himself to believe that he was finally safe.

  But then, her grip tighteoo tight. The warmth of her embrace turned suffog as her hands closed around his throat, her fingers digging into his flesh with terrifying strength. His eyes flew open in horror, but her face remained serene, her smile never faltering as she squeezed harder, cutting off his air.

  "I’m doing this for your own good," she whispered, her tone almost soothing. "You’re too dangerous to live."

  Panic surged through him as he struggled, his hands g at her arms, but she was relentless, her grip unbreakable. The world around him darkened as his vision began to fade, her smiling face the st thing he saw before everythi bce again.

  And still, it tinued.

  He awoke in a vish bed, the st of jasmine and vanil filling the air. The sheets were soft against his skin, and as he blirying to clear the remnants of the nightmare, he felt the f weight of another body beside him. He turned his head to see Jessica lyio him, her face peaceful in sleep. Relief flooded through him—this was real, this was his life now. Jessica, his perfect puppet, lying beside him, just as it should be.

  She stirred, her eyes fluttering open, and she smiled at him. "Good m," she murmured, her voice soft, free of the usual tension that ced her words.

  He smiled back, feeling the rush of power, of trol, that he always felt when he was with her. She was his—pletely, utterly his. He reached out to stroke her hair, relishing the feel of her under his trol.

  But then, in an instant, everything ged. Jessica’s smile twisted into a snarl, her eyes fshing with hatred. Before he could react, she was on top of him, her hands ed around his neck as she smmed his head against the headboard with a siing crack.

  "You think you keep me like this forever?" she spat, her grip tightening as she crushed his windpipe. "You’re nothing without your power. And now, yoing to die like the patheti you are."

  Killgrave struggled, the reality of the situation crashing down on him. This wasn’t Jessiot his Jessica—this was a nightmare, another sick twist in the cycle. But it felt so real, the pain so intehe fear so overwhelming.

  He died again, and again, each time waking up to a new horror.

  In one life, he was a beloved husband, adored by his wife—until she poisoned his drink with a sweet smile, watg as he vulsed on the floor, the poison burning through his veins.

  In another, he was a respected leader, loved and followed by many—until his most trusted lieutenarayed him, stabbing him in the back during a victory celebration, the cheers of the crowd turning to jeers as he bled out oage.

  Over and over, the cycle repeated. Each time, he was given a taste of the life he had always craved—love, respect, trol—only to have it torn away in the most brutal, heart-wreng manner. Betrayed by those he trusted, killed by those he loved. Every death mruesome, more painful, more despairing tha.

  Maria’s Mist fmes fed the cycle, growing stronger with each iteration, p more and more of her power into his mind. She wasn’t just breaking him—she was erasing him, destroying the very essence of who he was, until all that was left was a hollow shell, a man shattered beyond repair.

  Killgrave’s body vulsed violently, his screams trapped in his throat, his mind caught in the endless loop of nightmares. His once-fident demeanor, his arrogance, his power—everything was goripped away by Maria’s relentless assault.

  Nero watched in silence, his expression impassive as Maria did her work. He didn’t flinch at the brutality, didn’t waver as Killgrave was reduced to a quivering, broken man. This was justiot the kind that could be found in a courtroom, but the kind that was meted out by those who had suffered uhe hands of monsters like Killgrave.

  When Maria finally stepped back, her fmes reg, Killgrave slumped to the floor, twitg and gasping for air, his eyes wide with terror. He was still caught in the loop, still reliving his deaths, eaore horrific tha. But now, there was nothi of the man he had been—just a broken, hollow shell, tormented by his own twisted mind.

  Maria’s eyes, still glowing faintly with indigo light, met Nero’s. There was no need for words. They both khat the man at their feet was beyond saving, beyond redemption. He would spend the rest of his days lost in his own nightmares, a fitting end for a man who had destroyed so many lives.

  Nero stepped closer to the quivering form of Killgrave, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the broken man. Leaning in slightly, he spoke with a calm, trolled tone, "Sorel, remove any remnant of his power. I don’t want anythihat could be researched or replicated."

  The system's response rompt and precise. [Done, Big Brother.]

  Satisfied, uro Maria, atg Killgrave with a cold, unyielding gaze. With a slight nod, he sighat it was time to leave. As they moved to the door, Nero’s attention shifted to L, who was standing off to the side, his expression unreadable.

  "L," Nero called out, his voice steady. "tact Erwin and make sure you take full credit for this. You need a reputation. And take care of Jessica. In another life, she’d make a great private iigator. You could teach her."

  L g Nero, his eyes betraying a moment of surprise before he nodded. "Uood," was all he said, his tone as calm as ever. Nero offered no further instrus, trusting L to hahe situation from here.

  As Nero and Maria made their way back through the neighborhood, the once eerie silence was shattered by the anguished cries of families. People who had been under Killgrave’s trol, some for days, others for much longer, were suddenly freed from their mental prisons. The fusion and relief were palpable as they g to their loved ones, sobbing as the weight of their lost time and autonomy hit them all at once.

  Nero and Maria moved quietly through the chaos, their steps unhurried. They had done what they came to do, and now it was time to leave the people to recim their lives. Maria observed the raw emotions spilling out around them—grief, joy, despair, all mingling in the night air. For many, it was the first time they had truly been themselves in what felt like ay.

  "Killgrave’s influence was deeper than I thought," Maria said, her voice low as they passed a family huddled together on a front wn, their tears falling freely. "These people… they’ve been through hell."

  Nero nodded, his eyes sing the surroundings. "He e," he replied, his to. "That’s what made him dangerous—he wasn’t just trolling them; he was breaking them, piece by piece."

  Maria’s jaw tightened. "I hope he enjoys his eternity in that loop. He deserves worse."

  He held her hand tightly,. If it were possible, Nero knew he would have inflicted even more pain on Killgrave. The monster deserved far worse for the torment he had caused. Without another word, the duo lifted off the ground, propelled by the indigo fmes as they made their way bae, leaving the chaos and fusion of the freed neighborhood behind them.

  Jessica sat on the floor, her body trembling as memories flooded her mind. The realization of what had happehe lost time, the things she had been forced to do under Killgrave’s trol—it all crashed down o once. She sobbed quietly, the sound barely audible in the now-silent room. Her fingers dug into the carpet as if trying to anchor herself to something real, something solid, after the nightmare she had lived through.

  L stood nearby, watg her with a blend of detat and awkward . He wasn’t equipped to handle emotions like this, not in himself aainly not in others. But he couldn’t just leave her like this either. After a moment of hesitation, he crouched beside her, his movements stiff and unsure. Gently, he reached out and patted her back, the gesture awkward but sincere.

  Jessica flinched slightly at the touch, her breath hitg as she turo look at him. Her eyes were red, swollen fr, but there was a flicker nition in them. She hadn’t been pletely lost—she remembered bits and pieces of what had happened, and she khat L had been there, a presen the nightmare.

  L cleared his throat, his voice ft but not unkind. “You’re safe now. He ’t hurt you anymore.”

  Jessiodded slowly, her hands still gripping the carpet. She wao believe him, o believe him, but the trauma was too fresh, the memories too raw. She didn’t trust herself to speak, didn’t trust her voiot to break if she tried.

  L remained crouched beside her, unsure of what to do . His hand hovered awkwardly over her shoulder, not quite knowing if he should keep f her or step back. He wasn’t good at this—at dealing with people when they were like this, broken and fragile. But he knew she needed something, and for now, all he could offer was his presence.

  Jessica finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper. “Why… why did he do this?”

  L didn’t answer right away. He didn’t have a f expnation, no words that would make sense of the horror she had endured. So he settled for the truth, as blunt as it was. “Because he could. Because he e.”

  She closed her eyes, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. It wasn’t the answer she wanted, but she hadn’t expected aer. The truth was bitter, cruel, and it settled in her chest like a stone. She could still feel the echoes of Killgrave’s trol in her mind, the phantom whispers that told her she would ruly be free.

  L could see the despair in her eyes, the fear that it wasn’t over, that she was still trapped in some twisted game. He didn’t know how to fix that, didn’t know how to offer her the fort she needed. But he did know how to act, how to take steps to ensure Killgrave’s reach didend any further.

  L began speaking, his tone even and calm. "Before I came here, I met someone. Another victim of his," he said, gesturing subtly to the still-twitg form of Killgrave on the floor. "He struggled to vince himself he was still in trol. The only way he could ma was by inflig pain on himself. He’d cut his skin, hoping the pain would remind him he was still in charge."

  As he spoke, L reached for Jessica’s hand, which was now bleeding from where she’d cwed the carpet in desperation. He held her haly, not fling at the sight of blood. "Have you heard of solipsism?" he asked, his voice carrying a steady calm.

  Jessica looked at him with tired, hollow eyes, the question seeming almost absurd iermath of what she had endured.

  L tinued without waiting for a response. "Solipsism suggests that the only thing you be sure of is your owence. Everything else, everyone else, could be an illusion. Even if you hurt me, see my pain, you might still wonder if it’s real. But here’s the thing," L said, his tone softening as he focused on her, "ye to hurt yourself, to prove that you’re in trol, isn’t what defines your strength. It’s a rea, a way to feel something whehing else feels out of your trol. But you don’t o harm yourself to find your reality, Jessica. You’re strohan that."

  Jessica’s gaze dropped to where L held her hand, his touch firm yet gentle, as if grounding her in the present. The tension in her fingers began to ease, and the tremors that had wracked her body slowed.

  "You don’t have to let him take any more from you," L said quietly. "You’ve already taken the first step by surviving. The is to rebuild, to recim yourself."

  Jessica’s breathing steadied, her eyes slowly lifting to meet L’s. For the first time, there was a flicker of something beyond despair in her gaze—perhaps the beginning of uanding or the fai hope that what he was saying might be true.

  "You’ve been through hell," L aowledged, his voiever wavering. "And I won’t pretend it’s going to be easy from here. But you’re here, and that means you fight. Not by tearing yourself apart, but by choosing to live, to recim your life, no matter how broken it feels right now."

  There was a long silence as Jessica absorbed his words, her mind still reeling from everything that had happened. But she didn’t pull her hand away, didn’t retreat bato herself. It was a small step, but it was enough for now.

  L slowly released her hand, standing up with a sense of finality. "You don’t have to do this alone," he said, looking down at her. "When you’re ready, I help. Teach you how to fight back, how to make sure no one ever has that kind of trol over you again."

  Jessica didn’t reply, but there was a faint nod, a silent aowledgment that she had heard him. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

  "Let's go," L said, his tone unhurried as the sound of police sirens reverberated through the neighborhood. He found a b and ed it around Jessica’s shoulders, her a small measure of fort and prote against the cool night air. Without another word, he guided her toward the door.

  As they stepped outside, the once eerily quiet neighborhood was now filled with the sounds of chaos and fusion. People were emerging from their homes, many of them dazed, some weeping as they g to each other, trying to make sense of what had happehe weight of what Killgrave had doo these people hung heavy in the air. They moved slowly, carefully, blending in with the sea of people who were also rec from the horrors they had endured. Jessica kept her head down, her gaze fixed on the ground as they walked.

  Ahead, he saw a blonde man direg the police, his posture andi calm amid the chaos. It was Erwin, and even in the dim light, L could see the sharp focus in his eyes as he assessed the situation. Erwin’s presence here was no ce—he was already w to take trol of the aftermath, ensuring that Killgrave’s influence would be tained.

  As they drew closer, Erwin’s gaze locked onto L. Without hesitation, he made his way toward them. Erwin’s eyes shifted to Jessica, taking in her disheveled appearand the exhaustion that g to her like a shadow.

  "Is she alright?" Erwin asked, his voice low enough that only L could hear.

  "She will be," L replied, keeping his tone measured. "But she’s been through a lot. I’ll take care of her."

  Erwin nodded, his gaze returning to the chaotic se around them. "We’ve got the area secured. It’s going to be a mess, but we’ll mahere was a brief pause before he added, "I’m ting on you to keep her safe."

  L didn’t respond with words, just a slight ination of his head. He knew what o be done, and he didn’t require further instrus. Without waiting for Erwin to say more, he gently guided Jessica past him, leadioward the edge of the crowd.

  As they walked, Jessica’s steps grew steadier, the bill ed tightly around her. She didn’t look up, didn’t aowledge the people around her, but there was a subtle shift in her posture, a slight straightening of her back. L noticed it, but he didn’t ent. She was beginning to recim something of herself, and that was enough for now.

  --

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