**Chapter 6: "A Moment of Weakness"**

As soon as Stan closed the door behind Lucas, Dorothy felt her composure shatter. She tried to hold it together, but it was no use. The tension, the fear, the relief – it all came flooding out, and she began to cry. She trembled with sobs, her body shaking as she leaned against Stan. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she cried. "Hey, it's okay," he whispered softly in her ear. "You're safe now. He's gone." Dorothy nodded, her face buried in Stan's chest. She felt a sense of security with him, a sense of safety that she hadn't felt in a long time. As she cried, she realized that she had been holding it together for too long. She had been trying to be strong, to be independent, but it was okay to be vulnerable sometimes. Stan held her for a long time, letting her cry. He didn't try to talk, didn't try to offer solutions. He just held her, and let her know that he was there. Dorothy felt a lump form in her throat as she thought about how Stan had shown up just in time. If he hadn't come when he did, she didn't know what might have happened. As the tears began to subside, Dorothy pulled back and looked up at Stan. His eyes were filled with concern, and his face was etched with worry. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice soft. Dorothy nodded, taking a deep breath. She felt a little shaky, but she was okay. Stan handed her a tissue, and she blew her nose, feeling a little more composed. The room was quiet for a moment, the only sound the ticking of the clock on the wall. Dorothy looked around, taking in the familiar surroundings. She felt grateful to be safe, to have Stan by her side. But as she thought about Lucas, her fear began to creep back in. She shuddered at the thought of him, of what might have happened if Stan hadn't shown up. Stan seemed to sense her unease, and he pulled her close again. "You're safe now," he whispered. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Dorothy felt a surge of gratitude towards Stan. She knew that he had always been there for her, even when they were married. He had a way of making her feel safe, of making her feel like everything was going to be okay. As she stood there, wrapped in Stan's arms, Dorothy realized that she still had feelings for him. She had thought that she was over him, that she had moved on, but in that moment, she knew that she wasn't. She still cared for him, still loved him in some way. But she pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on the present moment. She was safe, and that's all that mattered. She didn't know what the future held, but she knew that she would face it with Stan by her side. For now, that was enough. Dorothy took a deep breath, feeling a sense of peace wash over her. She knew that she would be okay, that she would get through this. And with Stan's help, she would face whatever came next.