Ethan turned back, his expression unreadable. But beneath the exterior, his heart was a turmoil of old memories and new resolve. He had lived long enough to know that the world was a brutal place, and sometimes, the only justice was the one you made yourself. Perhaps this girl, this survivor, was the beginning of his penance.

As night fell, the ranch became a sanctuary. The stars blanketed the sky, indifferent and eternal. Under their watchful gaze, two souls, bruised and broken in their own ways, found an unlikely bond. The road ahead was uncertain, but for tonight, they had the warmth of the fire, the promise of rest, and a fragile hope that the dawn might bring with it a new beginning.