It is days like today that I question everything. Why I do this job. Why I make the decisions that I do. Why I left everyone and everything I have ever known behind. But the answer is simple and it comes to me so quickly and easily that it eases every other question from my mind. Her. I do it for her. Every choice I question, every decision I struggle with is for her benefit, her betterment, for the hope that all of these things I struggle with now will somehow make it easier on her in the end.

When the world spins out of control and there's nothing I can do to stop it, I think of her face. Big Seam eyes in a pale face, long, dark hair that falls down her back, and suddenly it doesn't matter anymore. The world may still be spinning but my gravity, the thing that holds me right in my place, is right here in front of me.

I cannot wait to get back home to her. Today has been hell. I need her to hug me with the enthusiasm only she can show for me, kiss my cheek, and make everything better like only she can. There's just a small matter of all the work I have to do before I can get home to that moment I'm longing for.

A knock sounds on my office door and I mutter a quick, very unenthusiastic, "Come in."

Paylor's face peeks around the corner with a sheepish smile. "I'm in need of a second of your time, Commander Hawthorne."

I grin at her, deciding to play along with her formalities. "Of course, President."

She smiles back, a big, open mouthed grin, and shuts the door behind her, settling herself into the chair opposite my desk. "How's the new recruitment coming along?"

As Commander of The Armed Forces of District 2, recruitment of new soldiers is just one of the many lengthy descriptions that come under my job title. "Slowly," I reply.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she says. "I've just come from a meeting with my District Statistics Manager; he had some interesting numbers for me to contemplate."

"Is that so?"

"Is it!" She says with a smile. "He tells me that District morale is quite high right now. It's been almost six years since the end of the rebellion. People are starting to flourish again. The population is on the rise, even in the outlying districts."

"You're thinking that we should try and recruit from outside of the district?" I guess where she's going.

"Exactly. The districts aren't as segregated as they once were. There's more of a feeling of unity amongst them. The new soldiers are living great lives, it's a life more people might consider if offered the opportunity."

I contemplate her reasoning and can easily see the benefits. "I think it's a great idea. I'll get started on setting up a meeting with the media relations team and see what they can come up with."

Paylor smiles. "Excellent. But not today. Go home, Gale. I know the past couple weeks have been hard on you. Take the afternoon off and go spend it with your girl."

A genuine grin lights up my face. Paylor knows me well enough to know just how much this means to mean. "Thank you, really."

"Of course. Now get out of here! I'll see you Monday, Hawthorne."

I don't need any more encouragement than that. I pack up the last of my documents and head out my office door.

HGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG

It's late October so the walk home is chilly but refreshing. The cool air helps cleanse me of the stress of work and anxiety and by the time I reach my front walk I'm feeling much more relaxed. I crunch over the fallen leaves to my front door and open it wide. It's warm inside. The fire has recently been turned off but the remnants of heat still cling to the walls and hang heavy in the air. Something smells faintly like pumpkin, cinnamon and sweet wafting through the thick air from the kitchen. This is home. This is where I am happiest.

It is suspiciously quiet. I walk through the house until I find her, crouched on the floor of her room. It takes her a minute to realise that I'm there, but when her eyes meet mine her face lights up in explicit joy. She doesn't say a word, just jumps from her spot on the ground and into my arms. This is the moment I have been waiting all day for since the moment I kissed her goodbye this morning.

"I missed you," I whisper into her hair. The scent of pumpkin clings to her.

"I missed you too." She clings onto me tighter.

I pull away from our embrace to look into her face. She has the Seam look but softer, more gentle. Less hardened by the world, thankfully. Her grey Seam eyes have a hint of blue that sparkles in the light like a beacon of hope. I press a kiss to her forehead.

"Someone smells suspiciously like cookies," I say with a grin.

Her laugh lights up the room, a deliciously innocent giggle. She says nothing.

"Caia!" I tease, digging a finger into the ticklish spot in between two of her ribs. She recoils and laughs harder, squirming to get away from my attack. "You made cookies without me?"

She laughs again and throws herself into my arms, nuzzling her face into my shoulder. "No, no Daddy. We saved you some!" Her enthusiasm is infectious.

"I can have some, too?"

She nods and some of her dark ringlettes bounce against her shoulder. I scoop her up into my arms and stand. "Now where exactly is Zinnia?"

"She's in the kitchen," Caia replies.

I carry my daughter back downstairs and into the kitchen where Zinnia, our nanny, is cleaning the last of their baking escapades.

"Gale!" She exclaims. "I didn't hear you come in. You're home early."

"Yeah Paylor told me to take the afternoon off, " I reply.

"Well that was generous of her."

I nod in agreement.

"Did you need me to stay, or..." Zinnia's sentence trails off.

"No, no, by all means, head home," I tell her. "I think Caia and I can handle the afternoon to ourselves." I look to Caia who's giving me a sweet smile. She cuddles back into my chest and I savour it. My four year old loves hugs, but isn't generally this cuddly.

"Okay, thanks. I think Caia might be coming down with something. She's a bit more mellow than usual and she had a bit of a temperature earlier. We've just been taking it easy today."

Concern immediately rushes over me. I place a palm to her forehead. She feels a bit warm but nothing to be too concerned about for the moment. "Okay, I'll keep an eye on her. Thanks so much, Zinnia. We will see you on Monday."

"Bye Gale, bye Caia." She hugs my daughter and heads out the door, leaving the two of us alone.

"What do you say my little pumpkin monster, should we go put on a movie?"

She smiles wide. "Yes please!"

As we walk to the living room I hear the phone ringing from my office. "Caia go pick a movie, Daddy will be right there."

She nods and runs off while I backtrack and answer the phone.

"Hello?"

The voice that answers is familiar but burdened. "Hi, Gale."

"Hi, Mom," I reply. "Is everything okay?"

Her silence tells me all I need to know. "Gale, there's something we need to talk about. I think you should come home."