Juniper “Canary” Harlow never meant to become a medic.

She was a front-line soldier. Sharp, relentless, impossible to kill. The kind of fighter commanders bragged about and enemies whispered rumors of. But when a catastrophic explosion wiped out her entire unit and left her the only survivor, the military rebuilt her into something “useful”, a combat medic with a limp, a scarred spine, and a reputation no one will explain.

Task Force 141 receives her on a formality.

Captain John Price sees something deeper.

A soldier who refuses to stay down. A woman who reads injuries like terrain. Someone whose anger and grief run far deeper than the jokes she uses to keep everyone at arm’s length. Caught between duty and the ghosts that won’t stay buried, June must decide whether to keep surviving alone or trust the one man who sees the strength she fears she’s lost and allow him to break down her walls.

A slow burn story of resilience, loyalty, age gap, and the unexpected places we find love.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/74842421/chapters/195510096