I didn't have time to recover.

Turning, I half-fell, half-ran down the steps.

Why was it that whenever you need to move fast, it feels like your body couldn't even move at a normal speed? I didn't have time to contemplate that question either.

There was a boom so loud I felt it in my stomach, felt it in bones for that matter. It vibrated through my whole body. I automatically covered my ears with my hands in a vain attempt to protect them.

In the next instant, the heavy push of scalding-hot air directly behind me had me flying down the stairs at what I would call a less-than-controlled speed.

The fire escape rocked under my feet, almost dislodging me completely, almost breaking the fire escape off the side of the building. I could feel it straining. I grabbed onto the railing, hanging on even as I tried to get down faster.

Somehow, I made it down to the street, my ears ringing, the few cuts I had on me stinging. The smell of burnt hair lingered on me.

Lovely.

I checked the ends of my hair. Not on fire, but definitely singed. I shook my head, sending pieces of glass flying as I used the wall to support myself, taking comfort in the hard, stable surface. When I finally looked up, it was to see thick, almost black smoke billowing out of the window, tendrils of angry orange fire flickering inside. The outside of the window was scorched black.

I could hear shouts coming from the front of the building. That would have gotten everyone's attention, nearby and otherwise. Surprisingly, the explosion looked like a small one, contained to my apartment, but probably at least damaging the ones around mine. If the fire wasn't put out quickly, there would be even more collateral damage.

Maybe it was an odd silver lining to focus on, but I was surprised the bomb hadn't been built to take the entire building down. They hadn't seemed worried about everyone else before when they'd come after me. Maybe it was what they could get in the dome on such short notice. Explosives were even harder to procure than firearms. They could damage the dome way too much, placing everyone inside in danger.

Also, the fact that I was thinking all of that when I'd just escaped with my life told me I was in shock.

The world felt surreal around me as I slowly made my way to the front. I felt like my head was wrapped in cotton. Like I was seeing everything, experiencing it through a distance.

I couldn't believe I made it out alive.

My hearing slowly started coming back as I made it to the street, my eyes searching the crowd gathering to stare even as I heard sirens nearing. A fire was no joke in such close quarters. Everything was built to be fire resistant, but there was no substitute for the water or the foam that was used to smother the flame.

It didn't take me long to find Ashur. He was out of the car, his head tilted back, his expression horrified as he took in the destruction of my floor.

"Mia!" he yelled, taking a stunned step closer. And then another. Oh no.

He couldn't be thinking of going in there.

Even if he could heal the fire damage, it would blow his cover hard. Right in the middle of a city dome. He'd be immediately trapped.

"Ashur," I tried calling out, but it came out in a hoarse whisper rather than the shout I wanted.

I had to intercept him.

I forced my legs to coordinate with me. They didn't particularly want to, but finally fell into line enough that I could move. I closed the distance between us, but not enough. He was right outside the door.

"No!" I called out, almost tackling him as he reached for the door.

He turned to look at me, his face angry and terrified. And then he blinked as he saw my face. It took him a moment to realize it was me. Probably because I most likely looked like hell.

"Mia," he whispered. Then he crushed me to him, his arms tight enough that my ribs creaked. But the pain felt good. It reminded me that I was still here.

Still alive.

"What the hell happened?" he muttered into my hair, taking a deep breath. "I thought you were in your apartment?"

"I was. Got out by the fire escape," I explained. "We didn't get everyone in the warehouse," I murmured. "The last guy strapped a bomb on himself and decided to pay me a visit."

He tensed at that information. "Fuck," he said in a low growl. "I should have gone up with you."

I squeezed him hard against me. "No, it wouldn't have helped. What would you have done? Do you know how to disarm an explosive?"

"No. But punching that guy in the face would have been satisfying."

Couldn't argue with that.

The paramedics arrived on the scene then and Ashur wouldn't let me avoid them. So I sat down while they checked my wounds and asked me questions before giving me the go-ahead.

"I'm good to go?" I repeated, making sure that Ashur heard.

"That's right," the competent woman said, packing away her stuff. "Maybe don't be caught in any more explosions any time soon, though."

Everyone was a comedian.

"I'll take it under advisement," I responded, standing up and looking over at Ashur. "Satisfied?"

"Not nearly," he said seriously. "But it'll have to do."

I leaned against his side and he wrapped an arm around my waist to support me. I was so tired. I felt it hit me all at once. He swung me up in his arms, and I didn't even have the energy to complain about it. I just wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned into the hold.

"Back to your place?" I asked as he turned us to the car.

"Yes," he agreed. "We're not staying in this pressure cooker a second longer."

I wanted to defend the dome. I'd spent my whole life in it, after all. But I couldn't summon the energy, not after everything that had happened. It was kind of a hard sell at this point. Maybe after I'd had some time to recover and get some perspective.

So I just sat down in the car, let out a sigh of relief, and closed my eyes as Ashur headed to the gate that led outside. I would never have imagined that I would feel relief leaving the city dome.

Just another example that life wasn't always what you expected it to be.