"I was going to give it to you for our anniversary but I'm a few years too late." The world around them is in pieces. Their son is missing. But the ring is still hidden in the one place no one seems to have touched. The crib. Nate slides his hand around the warped plastic bars, fingertips pushing off chips of the blue paint. Underneath the now-filthy baby mattress, he pulls out a flat envelope that has a tiny bump in the middle. "The box it came in was broken so I just … shoved it in an envelope to hide it." He wipes a tear away and gets down on one knee.
During the last few weeks, he'd forgotten her gift was even there. Hunting Kellogg, finding Shaun.. a firm still hand holds up a gold ring with a small emerald still somehow trapped inside its casing. "Baby… I love you. I don't think I know what year it is, but at least I know I have you."
THIS WHOLE ENTIRE THING IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT BROUGHT NORA BACK FROM THE BRINK OF INSANITY . the kindness of it all , the reasons she loved to work alongside people , the affection that came with being a mother , the love that came with being a wife -- ALL OF THAT FOR LITTLE REASONS LIKE THIS . not just nate or the ring itself , but the fact her baby's crib hasn't been touched and she's almost certain it's because the sanctuary survivors know it was nate's.
... and that's it. THAT'S ALL IT TOOK FOR THEM TO HAVE KINDNESS AND EMPATHY . and leave this one house alone. because now nora has to to come to terms with a crib that's old and decaying or that shaun will never sleep in it.
THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW TIMES IN THE PAST WEEKS SHE'S REALLY SHOWN EMOTION . the other being when she joined nate again. she's not even hiding that her eyes are getting watery. SHE CAN'T . she's immobilized by the moment. a few second of green-blue eyes just flicking from nate to the ring and back again before she takes a deep breath in. AND THEN SHE REACHES OUT HER HANDS TO CLASP AROUND HIS . give her a second , she'll say something. / @acidcaught .









