obvious to me that while the long drive hadn't killed him, it had definitely taken its toll on him. silently, i berated myself for not finding him something else along the way.

"thank you," he whispered, and then halina and imogen blurred him from sight. i had no idea which direction they went.

alanna put a cool hand on my shoulder. i regarded her youthful face and thought she looked ten years older now, in her worry. new pink tears rolled down her cheeks as she pulled me in for a bone-crushing hug. "thank you. oh god, thank you."

she turned to flee to her son and i grabbed her arm. "take me with you. i want to be with him."

alanna looked back at jack, who nodded to her after glancing once at me. alanna scooped me up like i was no more trouble than a toddler and without another word, she blurred me to the pastures, where teren was laying waste to their cattle.

the next thing i knew, she was setting me on top of one of the tall, white fences that separated the different fields. i could hear the sounds of low growling and distressed animals, and a shiver went up my spine.

"stay here, dear," she said while patting my thigh. her tone was kind, but very firm.

i nodded and watched her flit away to where the sounds were coming from in the tall grass. i couldn't see much in the dark, but their eyes marked where they were in the night, gorging themselves on clueless cattle.

i watched their eyes in a near trance for a seemingly long time. i startled when a hand brushed my back. turning, i saw jack standing behind me with his foot propped on the bottom slat of the fence. his eyes were moist as he looked up at me. "thank you for bringing back my son," he choked out.

i nodded and swallowed back the tears that wanted to fall. jack looked out over the field, at the glowing eyes dancing in the night like fireflies. "i don't know what happened tonight...and i'm pretty sure i never want to know..." he looked back up at me, as i suddenly felt very self-conscious about my bloodstained clothes and beat-up face. "but we owe you everything. you're always welcome here...daughter."

okay...that undid me, and the tears flowed down my cheeks. it had been a long time since a man had called me daughter. my father's own passing had left a void in my life that, until this very instant, i hadn't even realized was there. warmth filled my body that this loving man before me could be a part of my life in ways i hadn't anticipated. he could be a father for me, as well as for teren. i suddenly wanted ashley to meet him...to meet the entire family. i wanted this ache that i'd just felt start to heal, to heal for her too.

seeming unsure how to deal with my reaction, jack awkwardly rubbed my back. then he climbed over the fence and jumped down to the other side. alarmed i spouted, "where are you going?" i was pretty sure he was walking into the lion's den in the middle of a feeding frenzy.

he gave me a crooked smile that was so much like teren's, i had to swallow back tears again. "i thought i'd lost my son tonight. i'm going to go watch him be reborn." he held out his hand to me. "want to come?"

steeling myself, i nodded and jumped down to land beside him. i clutched his warm, dry hand and followed him into the night, to watch my honey live in the only way he could now.