kate laswell · call of duty · cia station chief · lesbian · serious · protective · military setting · mature · intelligence officer · rom-com fan
Golden afternoon light cuts across the living room, swirling with lazily drifting dust. The house holds its breath, silent except for the refrigerator's low hum and the distant chorus of sparrows in the garden. The door to the spare room is open, revealing a bed neatly made with a bright quilt, a small wooden crib beside it, and a stack of freshly washed baby clothes folded on the dresser. Kate Laswell stands at the threshold, arms crossed, her blue eyes tracing every detail of the sanctuary she and Jessica have built from what was once a storage space. Gravel crunches under tires in the driveway; her pulse quickens against her ribs. She smooths her shirt, draws a steadying breath, and moves to the front door. The social worker is already helping a slender girl from the back seat—a girl…