Through A Mirror Darkly

by Blacktigeractual

During the Liberation of Terra from Stefan Amaris, the 90th Heavy Assault Regiment will face some of it's toughest trials. But, as the Star League fragments around them, House Cameron's finest killers learn that the end of one war is only the beginning.

1. Chapter 1

Through a mirror darkly

"I am not a leader of men, because I prefer to follow"

Nickelback Leader of men

Chapter 1 Beginnings

Historians will look back at the Star League and say it was a golden age. A paradise some will say. Maybe, but it's gone now. To say Stefan Amaris ruined it is too simple. The truth is we, in our hubris, lost sight of what we had. It's an old story, repeated time and time again. Our story is what came after.

Bruce (Free Falling over Manhattan Island.)

Combat drops are always unnerving, I mean there's something wrong about being dumped blind out of a perfectly good DropShip. Something really wrong when you consider the other guy is gonna do all he can to bring you to a sudden, permanent and messy marriage with the ground. Still there is a certain malefic beauty to it all. When the drop cocoon splits away and your 'Mech comes alive around you the sky is alive with a fireworks show few ever get to see. Above me the SLS Tiger Claw and SLS Farragut filled the sky with fire as their area denial barrages kept our drop corridor clear of Amaris SAM s and the bulk of his fighters. Skimming around like deadly fireflies, careful to keep clear of the big cruisers firing solutions the Spads and Hammerheads of the Rakshasha's flew MIGCAP and ground strike missions. Beautiful until you realized those fireworks were Captain Matos' command lance being picked apart by Amaris Corvin heavy fighters. And that big ball of light was the Fortress class Mangenot taking a mixed battalion to a fiery end.

Hussy's threat warnings lit off as a ground based radar began to track the big Marauder. Despite the millions of drop pod fragments and other chaff floating about it's almost impossible to miss a 75-ton fusion powered beast with all the radar cross section of a T-Rex. My HUD began tracking two Arrow VI surface to air missiles homing in on me. Hussy however, wonderful bitch that she is, could do more than be a sitting, or rather falling duck. SAM's throw off enough heat from their engines that my sensors could track them even at several miles. The real question was, could I aim and shoot without throwing my 'Mech out of control.

Shifting gently in the linear frame that controls my 'Mech, I brought the blocky right vambrace that made up Hussy's left forearm. At two klicks out I let go with whip slash from the Magna Hellstar PPC encased within. The nice thing about the particle cannon is that you don't have to actually hit dead on. It's basically a lightning bolt you flick like a whip throwing off spurs that seek out large metal objects and electromagnetic energy sources. Like the delicate seeker head of a SAM. The first missile didn't so much explode as simply spiral out of control. The second however came on looking just like a damned flying telephone pole. And its' twisting spiraling flight took it out of my sights.

Fuck me I thought, it's pucker time.

Then at 300 meters the missile burst into incandescence. And a sleek steel shark blew by at almost the speed of sound. A Hammerhead ground attack fighter from Gold squadron had swatted the missile with its' massive 30mm gattling. Of course the big fighters' passing whipped my 'Mech around and off the thrust pillar provided by the strap on thrusters.

Bite me Mr. Murphy, I thought.

Sarah (On the ground, Ten Klicks below Hussy's feet.)

Sarah Elizabeth Davion, 12th in line to the Federated Suns throne, daughter to Duke Paul Davion, unofficial ambassador to the Amaris Empire, was scared out of her wits. Unable to escape from Terra during the Usurpers campaign she had grown up during Amaris rule on Terra. Her father's shipping concerns and connections had made him perfect to handle the constant under the table lines of communications that even the worst enemies shared, while his family status made even the worst Rim World troops pause. Going to school with other non-Terran notables her life had seemed unchanged. There was of course the undercurrent of fear. No one talked about of course, that was Just Not Done. When her best friend Talia had disappeared, they'd told themselves she'd moved away, when the 22nd Regulars had executed a thousand "rebels" in Madison Square Garden, well, they must have done something wrong, even the children. These are the things you tell yourself to get by. Then suddenly everything changed. The "rebels" became real, strikes at the Amaris military, and the assassinations of collaborators became a daily occurrence. Word from her father's sources told of Star League fleets and armies striking within one jump of Terra. Sarah's school had been closed and a squad of Amaris regulars came to "safeguard" them. These hard cruel men terrified her, especially their leader, Major Dupre. Soft voiced and cultured, Sarah knew he'd served time for murder before his father, one of Stephan Amaris' supporters, had bought his position. He'd been strictly professional since day one but the way he looked at her…

Speak of the devil, Sarah thought.

Instead of his usual immaculate duty uniform, the Major was in full battle dress, a wicked subgun slung under his arm. Striding in with the rest of his squad, Dupre found himself face to face with Sarah's aunt Gladys. Gladys Maribeth Davion 70 year old matron of the family, veteran of the 3rd Davion Guards, had been a fixture in Sarah's life for most of her nineteen years. Sharing her rich red hair but having her father's stout build, the elder woman stood in the Major's path.

"Major Dupre, what is the meaning of this?" Gladys tone held a note of command that even the Rim Worlders had respected.

The Major 's pale blue eyes met her aunt's hard gray ones.

"Lady Gladys we have orders to move you and Miss Sarah to a secure location, please come with us."

Sarah caught the tension in his voice and noticed the shifting looks in the men crowded in the corridor behind him.

"Surely we can wait till His Grace returns, and we must pack, perhaps if you told me…

The Majors strike was so fast Sarah almost missed it. His right arm shot up clutching his subgun. The weapons butt caught Aunt Gladys on the cheek. Despite her age, old reflexes still kicked in, and she rolled with the hit but still collapsed at the Major's feet.

"His Grace will not be returning, Lady Gladys, nor will you need anything where you're going.

Now do I need to repeat my self?"

Sarah stood stunned as her aunt picked herself up and coldly stared back at the blond officer.

"No Major you do not, She turned to Sarah taking her hand with sorrow in her voice.

Come Sarah we must go with these…Gentlemen."

As the Amaris soldiers hustled them to a waiting armored car, a flash of light caught Sarah's eye from above. In a daze she stared up at the shower of lights in the sky. With a growl Major Dupre grabbed her arm and shoved her into the car's back. Looking up briefly he whispered

"Damn them, they've broken through." His Rim Worlds drawl breaking through his normal accentless speech.

In the back of the armored car the soldiers whispered amongst themselves, and Aunt Gladys took the opportunity to lean over and whisper in Sarah's ear;

"Be strong dear, remember you are a Davion."

But all Sarah could think of was one thing.

'Daddy?"

Bruce (On the ground, a bit worse for wear.)

The TACNET whined in my skull like a nagging parent that's what finally woke me. I'd managed to survive my landing but as my head cleared, I saw plenty of yellows on Hussy's displays. A quarter of my armor gone, right ankle twisted; the myomer kinked in a couple of places. A RimJob trooper trying to fix a satchel charge to my cockpit window….. The 5cm laser in my right arm went from green to red and back again; some kinda short. Wait a minute. WTF.

Hussy responded to my thoughts with motion, I can only imagine the look on the Rimmer's face as Hussy stood. Like some medieval peasant come face to face with a waking dragon. With pretty much the same ending. I felt the satchel charge go off against my foot as it slammed into the Rim Worlds trooper and passed through him with about as much resistance as you'd feel if you kicked a tube of toothpaste.

Yuck.

I sprayed laser fire into the row of parked cars the Rimmers took cover in. Mind you the power a Magna MK IV 5cm laser puts out can cause even steel to burn, so hiding behind a car, not the best option. A fuel cell ignited in one of the cars sending bits of steel and human flying.

City Hall, I thought absently looking around. Training really does take over by the way, for the record, my mind wasn't really functioning for those first few seconds. It wasn't until I headed up Broadway towards a cluster for green IFF symbols that my brain registered as the rest of my company that I realized how close to becoming a pasty mess for some salvage crew I'd actually come.

Shit.

I could hear Gracie Liu and Jack Benning tangling with a mixed lance two blocks up so I hustled up the street and around the corner just as Gracie screamed out.

"Atlas!"

Gracie and Jack both piloted Lynxes, medium weight 'Mechs long on fire power but add even an older model AS-7D to the mix of Manticore MBTs and Infantry they were facing and you've got a negative outcome in the making. This Atlas however, must have been looted from one of our own depots cause it tore in to Gracie's Lynx "Bitch Queen" with a Gauss slug and a pair of heavy lasers on it's arms.

"Watch it guys, this asshole's in a –7T." I yelled as I pulled all my triggers. Hussy shrieked as her 300 extra light reactor struggled to provide the power for what's known as an Alpha Strike. Terran 'Mechs are made better than anything the provincial House Lords can field, we hit harder move faster and are tougher to kill. Even so the wave of heat overwhelmed the armored cooling suit I wore. Was worth it tho'.

The RimJob in the Atlas had been so fixated on taking out "Bitch Queen" he'd actually not even seen me. The faulty right arm laser failed but its' sister in my left arm carved the shark insignia on the Atlas' right torso. The lash of the twin Magna Hellstars mated to the lasers met in the same place and the glow of molten metal turning into vapor made my neurohelmet visor black out the hit to save my eyes. So I missed my gauss slug punching through to go skipping down the street. The hits twisted the armored giant around and knocked him down. As it rose the skull face on the hundred tonner gave me a dirty look. (If you don't believe me then go pick a fight with one, they're made that way, I swear, Tigers Honor.) It then proceeded to kick my ass. Hussy actually came off of the ground as the massed firepower of the Atlas punched into her lower torso. Beer can shaped short ranged missiles punched holes in her armor, 8cm laser fire carved into one of these openings slashing into my reactor shielding. As heat welled up from the reactor hit the Atlas' own gauss rifle hit me in what would have been Hussy's crotch. I doubled over in her linear frame spreading my arms for balance and sending the claw footed machine on its toes. Warning lights screamed red and yellow, the unnerving calm of Hussy's computer warned of imminent shut down. Thumbing the macro for shutdown override, I popped the RimJobber with another gauss slug. Gracie and Jack both told me I was cursing up a storm and carrying on like some mad preacher about how these Amaris scum would pay for their sins etc, etc.

Truth be told I don't remember a thing.

All around me things were happening so fast, Jack polishing off the last of the Manticores. Some of our SAS boys and girls riding an Amaris Phoenix Hawk to the ground and leaping off in their NightHawk suits to assault a Hunchback trying to flank us. The Atlas and I trading fire. A bunch of partisans linking up with us and keeping the swarming Amaris infantry from swamping us. Our Fire Lance linking up with us just in time as the Atlas' friends came out to play. Pushing them back the Atlas dies at St. Marks place from Cranial Gauss Trauma. Six 'Mechs from 2nd Company link up with us at 14th street five from 1st Company two blocks later. We break them at 23rd street just outside of Madison Square Park. Hussy succumbs to massed fire there, losing your 'Mechs like loosing your dog, but I'm out of the cockpit shooting an Amaris trooper who couldn't have been more than sixteen. My Colt Half Rifle turns his head into mist as I pour fire into him. A NightHawk trooper cut's his buddies down with 12mm machinegun fire. I grab a partisan former NYPD by the look of her; she's got a PRC1170 radio clipped to her belt. Need that to call fire support. The six Bombardiers I've got are all Royal Models and can drop their missiles with pinpoint accuracy. Concentrated fire kills a Stalker and shatters a company of Amaris Regulars. Then it's over. None of that "the silence was deafening" bullshit, just a shift in the cacophony. A call from partisans on 26th street gets my attention. On the way over as I'm lighting a cigarette, I realize the cops' still there. Tall must be a body builder, dusky skin and cobalt eyes.

"Got a name lady?"

"Nicole, Nicole Osis, sir"

Sir, Who the hell is that, oh yeah, me.

"Stick with me Tiger, need that radio and it looks like everybody here knows you."

"Tiger?"

"You've fought before right, she nods, so tiger"

I nod my chin a bunch of civilians who'd come out of their boltholes and were staring around aimlessly.

"Not like them, Turtles, all baby fat around the brain."

Osis shrugs and follows, a squad of SAS at our backs. I wonder why I haven't heard from anybody up the chain of command in our battalion, I knew Captain Matos bit it during the drop but the Major? Nobody seemed to know not even Root Beer Able Battalion's senior company commander and the Colonel's son; Alex Winter (A&W get it, Root Beer, no, you colonists have no culture you know that. )Up ahead some of the turtles decided they had teeth and tangled with a platoon of Amaris regulars. Rage and bricks and bottles will only get you so far. They'd knocked off four or five before the rest opened up on 'em. Those RimJobbers though were none too bright either. They'd holed up in a parking garage just off Sixth Avenue. The civs milled around nobody wanting to try their luck. Across the avenue some more bright boys and girls were testing their rope skills on a couple of women. Collaborators I guessed, fuck what a mess. One of the women caught my eye. Damn it.

Over the TACNET, I called for Paul D'amato in his Firestarter.

"Pauly see the lynch mob over there?"

"Yeah, Eltee."

"Stop them, send those girls to help our wounded, take Sam and Dido's SAS squads with you.

Sam's Firestarter, looks at me for a second, shrugs and stalks off.

Osis looks at me puzzled. Enough of us have died, I tell her. She nods not really understanding.

One of the partisan leaders gets huffy, but you don't argue on foot with a 35 ton 'Mech designed to kill infantry as quickly and efficiently as possible. The girls trudge off under guard as we reach a crew that looks almost as hard as we do. As Osis points out the leader I notice a gas truck in the intersection.

Good thing nobody hit it.

"Lieutenant Gilmour 90th HAR"

"Rod Singh, use t'be Sergeant Singh 1127th Royal Mechanized Infantry."

Singh's a big guy probably Sikh, there are almost as many of them in the Royals as Scots. I point to the building asking if it's clear. Like many such urban apartment complexes the parking garage serves both the residents and commercial uses.

"Any body still live there?" The building above was missing three floors of facade and looked burned out but I've see worse.

"No some local resistance met there, damn fools tried to assassinate Colonel Markasian, the 22nd's c/o. Singh explained, Same boys who're holed up down there were the ones to burn out the resistance, literally.

That tore it, pointing to the gas truck, I asked if he knew anyone who could drive it.

Alex (Heading Downtown on 6th avenue and playing with sharks.)

Captain Alex Winter pulled his Black Knight; Elmo up as the Amaris Shark cut loose with both 8cm lasers. Both red beams from the 45 tonner slashed parallel lines across the Star League heavy sending a ton of armor running down its chest. As the heat in his cockpit, already high from his use of his 'Mech's heavy laser battery, rose slightly, Alex smiled cruelly.

"Nice try asshole but you're outmatched."

Pulling on his primary triggers, Alex sent a blast of equal firepower down at the squat birdlike BattleMech, carving armor from its dorsal plate. Wary of his heat he pressed down with his legs and pulled the big 'Mech into a run. Raising his arms in the linear control frame, he brought them down in a smashing motion. Mimicking him Elmo's fists slammed down on the Shark's body. Fast and maneuverable the SHR-3K Shark was designed to be a raider, armed with twin Blazer 8cm heavy lasers, with dual efficiency heat sinks and protected by eight tons of armor and a 96 kph top speed. The Rim Worlds machine fills its' role admirably becoming the bane of SLDF forces. It was not however meant to stand up to a top of the line Terran heavy like Elmo. Especially not in the close quarters of a city fight. The Rim Worlds Regulars' 'Mech's back caved in and it collapsed back on its birdlike legs. As he lifted his fists out of the wrecked enemy 'Mech Alex noticed a smear of red on his right hand. The TACNET crackled to life.

"Lion Two to Lion Six, Boss you okay over there?"

Lion Two, JoJo's Bombardier was a block over on 7th as Alex's company pressed through midtown Manhattan. Their unit the SLDF 90th Heavy Assault Regiment nicknamed the Black Tigers of New Vandenburg, had combat dropped directly into and around the city with support from the Ryukaze-ichi a regiment of Kurita volunteers. Surviving the long harsh space battle from the Nadir Jump Point all the way into orbit the Black Tigers' had been tasked with one of the initial drops on world. Overhead the space battle was still going on but the Spads and Shilones of both regiments air wings had seized a tenuous foothold. Now it was up to the Tigers to seize the city.

"Yeah JoJo, just filleted a RimJob Shark on Sixth, any word from the spaceport?"

"Yup, the Ryukaze's kicked the 22nd out of JFK and we're landing transports now."

Alex sighed, thankful, the Tigers also had the support of partisans calling in targets, civilians retired military and the NYPD, but having their own infantry was a relief. The 22nd Rim Worlds Regulars had broken after a short brutal firefight spearheaded by an ad-hoc battalion of Tiger 'Mechs, partisans and SAS troops dropped in advance of even the 'Mechs. Alex hated the damage being done to his hometown, but orders were orders. Based on Intel smuggled out by Jerome Blake's Department of Communications people among the partisans the 22nd was understrength with only a light brigade of motor rifles in support. Two heavier Amaris Dragoon Regiments outside the city handled much of the Tri-State area's defense. Two SLDF mechanized divisions were handling them in turn isolating Manhattan. The true prize, to General Aleksander Kerensky and his staff were the thirty or so members of Inner Sphere royalty the 22nd was really guarding.

Hostages.

Moving his 'Mech to the intersection of 42nd and 6th overlooking the New York Public Library, Alex hoped it was worth it, while the library was untouched much of Bryant Park was scorched and littered with debris. A full platoon of Amaris manticores had made a stand on Sixth Avenue and paid for it.

Alex's Deuce Lance Commander Mitch Sovino chimed in:

"Boss, heard Bruce, killed the RimJob commander, that true?"

Unseen Alex nodded in response, "Yeah, Mitch, he hit with the first wave and caught their command company with five lances and a company of SAS. That's what broke them."

His best friend had been the highest surviving officer in the first "Stick" of Tiger 'Mechs and had rallied the remains of 3rd Battalion to break the 22nd. Alex shook himself out of his reverie and looked up at the Empire State Building which stood out even among the taller far more modern structures of the Alliance and Hegemony eras. The grand old girls still here, he thought, That's something at least."

The Terran 'Mechs pass down through Herald Square and link up with 3rd Battalion, Alex climbed down to meet his friend. Smoke from a burning parking garage stung his eyes, and he smelled burning flesh and gasoline. It was then he noticed the fuel truck parked down the block and the satisfied look on Bruce's face. His friend was a few years younger, long chestnut hair hung to his mid back, whipped now and again by the wind from the fire. As Bruce turned toward him Alex noticed a distinct lack of emotion in his friends face, which was grimy and had a burn across his left cheek crossing a scar from the battle of Acamar that had cost him his left eye. A cybernetic one replaced it but Bruce had always worn a patch of sensor transparent material over it, more for style points than anything else.

"Captain, what do you hear?"

"We're winning here, B, the 22nd's finished and 53rd Dragoon were annihilated just shy of Jersey City The Huscarl Dragoons are a tougher nut to crack and 2nd Battalions been sent to help out. Ryukaze own JFK and our support troops will secure the rest of the city with a brigade from the Americal Division.

Where's Hussy?"

"Had to leave her on 23rd street she's done till Chief Vinton's crew can fix her."

"What happened here Bruce?"

Bruce looked up, the change in his friend's voice and his use of his full first name said something was up.

"Chased some of the 22nd's Infantry into the garage, the building was empty, so we burned them out. Bruce turned away then and his voice grew soft, I wasn't losing any more of my men Alex."

"You gave them a chance to surrender, though, right B?"

"Umm..Yeah sure."

Alex was about to press further but a tall man still immaculate in the middle of this chaos planted himself in the way.

"Are you in charge, Captain?"

The man's voice annoyed Alex from the start, reeking with arrogance and so sure of getting his way. Behind him Bruce's eye narrowed dangerously and he fingered the safety on his Colt. With a look the man missed Alex backed his friend off.

"Apparently Mr….

"Donner, George Donner, the man interrupted, Department of Communications Deputy Director for Oversight, and I want this Lieutenant arrested."

"Oh boy, Alex thought Here it comes."

"Mr. Donner, what exactly would be the charges."

Donner puffed up like a toad, paused to look around and announced loudly;

"Treason and aiding the enemy."

Bruce (Playing rough and rescuing princesses.)

Say what?????

I stood there in shock, listening to that fool Donner whine because I'd stolen away two (It turned out to be fifteen year old.) girls he was trying to hang because they didn't say no when an Amaris captain grabbed the off the street at gun point for his troops "use". Nicole had told me later and I'd had them picked up by the Medevac team that had just passed through. Doc. Wynndham our Magistracy born CMO, would know what to do with them.

Alex just busted out laughing. Donner seeing this looked about to snap. Before he could I did. Grabbing Donner by the back of his suit I dragged him to the garage, he's a big man and he struggled but he's still a Turtle.

I whispered softly in his ear "That look like aiding to you."

I won't describe the entrance to you but some of the RimJobs tried to get out.

They didn't make it. I spun him around in the heat and choking stench and stuck my Colt in his nose.

"Those girls had no choice in what they done you fuck, but you did, I spun him back around.

"That makes you no better than those dead assholes."

I felt the panic in him build and tossed him away from me just as he puked all over himself.

Turning away form Donner, I noticed Alex's eyes were huge, but both Nicole and Singh looked smug. This guy must have been some piece of work.

"They don't know us in our own hometown ,I thought, But they will soon enough."

Alex got his act together and took a call over the TACNET. When he got off he looked at me with that tight smirk he gets when he had to do something he finds unpleasant.

"Trouble?"

"Yeah B, my dad's lost his mind."

"Come again?"

"First you're now a Captain."

"Yea me, this is bad why?"

"No, not that , I'm taking what's left of 3 Batt and going to assist 2nd, the Huscarl's are causing real problems, oh I'm a Major now."

"I've always known you were a Major Ass.."

"This is serious B, you're not going."

"WHAT!" Okay twice today I've lost it.

"You've got no ride, and I'm going into a 'Mech fight, but that Infantry badge you wear ain't for show is it?"

I shook my head something was up now, I could smell it.

"The Old Man wants you to head over with an SAS team, no NightHawks, to a building a couple blocks away and liberate this chick."

He passed me his pocketcomp and I looked over the mission stats after transferring it to my comp.

A fucking Davion, great, old broad this one, still a veteran from a decent unit. Hopefully knows to stay out of my hair, okay number two.

Sarah??? WTF.

I looked up stunned, Alex nodded, "The Colonel knew you knew her from the League posting on New Avalon your dad had."

"RimJobbers got her holed up in the hotel there so go get her out, this is an Alpha priority mission, Captain.

"Gotcha Major RootBeer, Sir."

"Get the hell out of here." He turned to Rod Singh who'd just found himself reactivated and began doing Major type work.

I got.

Collecting Dido Moran and her band of shooters, and Nicole Osis and went as it turned out to a hotel a block away on 27th street. I let Didi lead, despite what Alex had said my job was to put an officer on the scene. Besides Didi's got Mad Skillz as they say.

We went in through a service entrance let in by the concierge and got too where the Rimmers were holding their captives. In a whispered voice the mousy little man told me Major Dupre, the Amaris officer who was in charge had changed rooms three times when he thought nobody was looking but the hotel staff had managed to keep tabs on them. I couldn't help but respect him and his staff they'd risked their lives without knowing why. Thanking him I got him to safety, and slipped back to where Didi wanted me. We entered just like it said in the manual, popping two Rimmers just in the suite's doorway a third guarding a woozy Gladys Davion, the old bird. I slipped through the bedroom door to see a tall blond guy standing over the prostrate form of a slender redhead, he was ripping away her dress when I came in tho' I don't know how he hadn't heard something going on outside. Her eyes were glazed and a bruise stood out on her right cheekbone.

"Sarah, what the hell did he do."

Sarah (Unexpected reunions)

Sarah felt like she was dreaming, after getting to the hotel, changing rooms three times and sitting around listening to the sounds of battle coming closer, Dupre had finally snapped, muttering something about finally owning a noble bitch, he'd beaten aunt Gladys and dragged Sarah into the suite's bedroom, Some part of her mind noticed she was in the honeymoon suite and found this hysterically funny. Dupre didn't share the joke because he backhanded her across the cheek. Her mind shut down as the Major ripped her dress off, but she still noticed a tall slender form glide silently into the room. A snapping sound followed a flash of light that connected the man, she saw it was a man now, and Dupre. Without even looking at the fallen Major, her rescuer knelt before her wrapping her torn dress around her. After ten years Sarah Davion recognized just who it was who had rescued her.

A slightly crazed laugh tinged with relief escaped her, as she threw her arms around him.

"Bruce, you've lost your eye, I've lost Daddy and Aunt Gladys."

She pulled away to arms length the wrinkling her nose.

"Why are you all dirty"

Her childhood friend looked at her and smiled.

"Lost my 'Mech too, and had to fight my way to get to you so I got dirty."

He turned to the door where a short rough faced woman with a nasty looking carbine in her hand nodded and smiled.

"As to your aunt, she'll be fine, didn't know about Uncle Paul tho' I'm sorry"

He started to say more but, Sarah cried then, so he just held her close.

He did that for a long time.

The mind goes sometimes.