INT. JO AND LINK’S APARTMENT – LATE MORNING

The apartment is quiet in a way it usually isn’t.
It’s the weekend.

Luna and Scout sit on the floor, coloring.

Maureen is with them, patient, attentive.

Eric stands by the window, phone in hand, pretending not to watch the door.

The lock turns.

Link steps inside.

Maureen looks up immediately — reads his face in half a second.

MAUREEN
Hey.

Link nods, drops his keys into the bowl.
He doesn’t take his jacket off.

LUNA & SCOUT
Daddy!

LINK
Hi, kiddos.

Maureen crosses the room, lowering her voice instinctively.

MAUREEN
How is she?

LINK
Stable.
They’re keeping her for observation.

Not dramatic.
Just fact.

A pause.

MAUREEN
And the babies?

LINK
Everything's okay.
For now.

That’s all he can manage.

Luna looks up from her drawing.

LUNA
Where’s Mommy?

Link crouches in front of her, slow, careful.

LINK
Mommy’s at the hospital.
She’s really tired, so the doctors want her to rest.

SCOUT
Is she sick?

A fraction of hesitation.

LINK
No.
Just tired.
She is sleeping right now.

Scout accepts that. Goes back to coloring.

Luna watches him a beat longer.

LUNA
Can we call her?

Link swallows.

LINK
Soon.

Maureen clocks the tension — the way his jaw tightens, the way his hands won’t quite settle.

MAUREEN
Why don’t you sit for a second?

LINK
I need to bring her some things.

He moves through the apartment, purposeful — collecting Jo’s charger, a sweatshirt — then heads upstairs.

INT. BEDROOM – CONTINUOUS

Link opens a drawer and packs Jo’s clothes.
Then adds his own things: a t-shirt, fresh underwear, his phone charger.
He grabs her toiletry bag from the bathroom, places it on top.

Maureen follows, quiet.

LINK
I’ll stay there tonight. 
Can you take care of the kids?

MAUREEN
Of course.
That’s not even a question. 

Link lets out a short breath.

LINK
I am scared, Mom.

The words are low. Contained.

Maureen steps closer, grounding without touching.

MAUREEN
I know you are.

A beat.

MAUREEN (CONT’D)
But you said everything looks okay for now.

Link nods.

LINK
For now. Yeah.
But she’s only seven months along.

Maureen nods — no argument.

MAUREEN
Go.
We’ve got them.

Link looks at her.

LINK
Thank you. 

It’s not gratitude.
It’s relief mixed with fear.

INT. LIVING ROOM – MOMENTS LATER

Link kneels in front of Luna and Scout again.

LINK
I’m going back to the hospital for a bit, okay?

LUNA
Are you sleeping there?

LINK
Yeah.

SCOUT
Like when you were hurt?

The question lands harder than intended.

LINK
Not like a patient.
I’m just staying with Jo.

Link offers a smile he hopes is convincing.

He kisses both of them — longer than usual.
Stands.

At the door, Maureen hands him the bag.

Their eyes meet.

MAUREEN
Call if anything changes.

LINK
I will.

He opens the door — pauses.
Looks back at the room.

The kids.
His parents.
The life that’s holding while he’s gone.
Then he leaves.

EXT. APARTMENT HALLWAY – CONTINUOUS

Link steps into the hallway, phone already in his hand.
No messages.
He exhales — slow, controlled.
Pockets the phone.
Flags a taxi.
Heads back toward the hospital.

FADE OUT.