INT. NICU HALLWAY — CONTINUOUS

Link stops by the large window overlooking the NICU.
He pulls out his phone. Calls his mother. 

The screen fills with Maureen, phone in hand.
Behind her: coats on chairs, shoes by the door. 
Mid-departure chaos.

Link looks tired. Running on fumes.

LINK
(quiet)
Hey, Mom.

MAUREEN
Hi!

ERIC (O.S.)
Hi, son!

Luna is in Maureen’s arms. 

Link softens immediately.

LINK
Hey, Luna bear. 

No response.
 
LINK (CONT'D)
How are you guys?
Where’s Scout?

MAUREEN
Amelia picked him up this morning.
It’s her days with him. 

It takes a second to land.
 
LINK
Oh.
Right.
(a beat)
I don’t even know what day it is anymore.
Is it Saturday already?

He rubs his face briefly.

MAUREEN
Yeah.
(a small breath)
So it’s just us and Luna today.
 
Link nods faintly. Steps closer to the glass.

LINK
You guys heading out?

MAUREEN
Yeah.
We're going to the trampoline park.
(a beat)
If everyone cooperates.

She tries to keep it light.
It doesn’t quite land.

Link catches it. 

LINK
(to Luna, softer)
Hey, Bunny.

Still no response.

Luna turns her body away from the screen.
Closes off.

MAUREEN
She’s been having a hard morning.
(a beat)
Honestly… we all have.

That lands.
A beat.

MAUREEN (CONT'D)
How are my little angels?

LINK
They’re okay.
Slowly getting there.

Maureen nods toward the NICU behind Link.

MAUREEN
That’s where they are?

LINK
Yeah. 
That’s the NICU.

He turns the phone slightly, trying to catch Luna’s attention.

LINK (CONT’D)
You want to see your sisters, Luna?

Behind the glass, the NICU glows.
Incubators. Soft light. Steady machines.

LINK (CONT’D)
(pointing)
They’re right there.

Luna glances.
Just for a second.
Then she turns away harder.

Maureen smooths it over.

MAUREEN
She’s… not there yet.

Link nods.
Understands.

MAUREEN (CONT’D)
Someone’s being a little fussy today.

That word lands.
Link’s smile softens immediately.

LINK
(soft)
Hey, Luna.
Look at me.

Instead, she slips out of Maureen’s arms, straight into Eric’s.

He catches her easily.
No fuss.

ERIC
Hey, monkey.

She buries her face into his shoulder.

MAUREEN
She’s a bit lost without Scout. 
(lower)
She’s been asking for you and Jo…

Link swallows.

LINK
Hey, Bunny.

Eric adjusts Luna slightly, grounding her.

ERIC
You wanted to talk to Daddy, remember?

Luna peeks out.
Eyes sharp now.

LUNA
I want Mommy.

It's immediate.
Unfiltered. Final.

It knocks something loose in him.

LINK
I know.
I know you do, baby.

LUNA
I don’t want to see the babies.
I want Mommy now.

Her voice rises.
Her breathing quickens.

LINK
Mommy’s resting, sweetheart.
She’s sleeping.

LUNA
I don’t want her to sleep!

The words break, loud, raw.
She folds in on herself.

Eric doesn’t hush her. He just steadies her.

ERIC
Okay.
We’re not yelling.

Luna turns her face away again.

LINK
(steady, gentle)
Luna.
(a beat)
She’ll call you when she wakes up.
I promise.

Luna shakes her head.

LUNA
You already said that.
(a beat)
And she doesn’t.

That hits.
Clean.
 
Link closes his eyes for half a second.
That one lands deeper.

LINK
I know… 
She just needs a little more time to feel better.
 
Luna doesn’t answer.
She presses fully into Eric’s chest.

Eric rubs slow circles on her back.

MAUREEN
Okay.
We’re going to get some air.
Everyone will feel better. 

Link nods, chest tight.
Not convinced.

LINK
We love you.

No response.

Link exhales, slow, controlled.

MAUREEN
We’ll talk later.

LINK
Yeah.

Maureen doesn’t wait for more.

MAUREEN
(to Luna)
Shoes on.
Trampoline park.

Luna suddenly slips out of Eric’s arms and runs toward the kitchen.

LUNA (O.S.)
I don’t want to go!

Maureen sighs and follows her.

She hands the phone to Eric.

MAUREEN (O.S)
Sweetie, we’re going to go.
And we’re going to try to have fun.

Eric looks at Link.
More direct.

ERIC
(to Link)
Call back later. 

LINK
I will.
 
ERIC
We’ve got her.
(a beat)
She misses you.
It’s getting hard.

That lands heavier.

Link nods.
But it sits with him now.

ERIC (CONT’D)
But it’ll settle.

Link nods.
Barely.
 
LINK
Bye, guys.
I’ll check back in later.

The call ends.
Silence.
 
Link lowers the phone.
For a moment, he just stands there.

Then he turns back toward the NICU window.

Inside: 
The incubators glow softly.
Two new lives.
Fragile. Fighting.
 
At home:
One child learning what absence feels like.

Link stands between both worlds.
Unable to be in either fully.

He exhales.
Not relief.
Not release.
Just… holding.

Luna’s voice still echoing in his head.

The weight of it all finally catching up.

Then he turns and walks back into the NICU.

FADE OUT.