It's quiet in the critical care ward. All of the beds are filled and the only sound is the occasional moan of the injured. The healing staff has been completely overwhelmed. To help with the care, the warriors with only minor injuries keep an eye on the seriously injured. Today, there are a couple of mages looking in on the ward. One of them is a Lord from Pandemonium. His name is Vallyon.

When they brought the pregnant woman in, he was in the ward. He gasped. He recognized her at once. She and he had had a meeting not too long ago. It didn't go well. You see, she is his cousin-in-law. He had tried to pay her money to leave her husband Herrel. She refused. It was actually quite impressive. And now she's here.

The clerics are working over her. The tones of their voices don't sound reassuring. Then the lead cleric picks up a knife and makes an incision on Jaisea's belly. She delivers Jaisea's baby. It doesn't cry. The cleric lays it on the cot next to Jaisea and covers it with a blanket. He drifts closer. The cleric closes her up then they proceed to splint her broken limbs and patch up her other injuries.

He touches one of the clerics on the arm. She turns to him impatiently. "What!" she snaps. "I'm sorry, but I know her." "Her name is Jaisea, Jaisea Redsgarth." "She's my cousin by marriage." "What's your point!" the cleric snaps. "Her baby…um is it…." He stumbles over his words. She turns to him. "Look, I'm sorry, the baby is dead." "I can't take time to answer your questions right now!" "We have to work fast to save her." She turns back to her patient.

Vallyon turns back to the baby. He lifts the blanket up. It's a girl. He lays the blanket back down over her. Grabbing a chair, he sits down next to the cot and waits.

One Week Later

The teleport stations have started to work again. Men and supplies are moving to where they are needed. Many of the wounded in the clinic are discharged and the healers finally catch a break. In the critical care ward Jaisea is still unconscious. Her husband, Herrel has been sitting by her side for two days. He hasn't eaten or slept the entire time. He just sits there holding his wife's hand.

His cousin Vallyon sits behind him. They haven't spoken at all. One of the clerics comes in to check on Jaisea. She then checks on Herrel. He ignores her. He has eyes only for Jaisea. She looks to Vallyon, but he just shakes his head. "You must get him to eat something and rest." "He won't be of any use to her if he passes out from hunger." Vallyon shrugs. "I'll try."

"Herrel." "Herrel!" "Herrel you need to get some rest." Vallyon reaches out to clasp Herrel's shoulder. He slowly turns to look at his cousin. His eyes are puffy and bloodshot. He looks terrible. "Herrel, you need to rest." "Man, you are not doing her any good like this."

Herrel just turns back to Jaisea. Vallyon grabs him by the shoulders. "Herrel!" he snaps. Herrel slowly turns around again to look at Vallyon. "What do you want Vallyon?" he asks. "I want you to get on that cot next to Jaisea and sleep." "I'll keep watch."

"And why would you do that?" Herrel asks. "You've never cared about her before, and I know you tried to get rid of her." Vallyon sighs. "That's neither here nor there." "You're family and family means something to me." "If it makes you feel any better, you can think that I'm doing it for you." Herrel turns back to Jaisea. He whispers, "She's family too."

"Come on man, get on the cot." Grabbing Herrel's arm, he pulls him up and leads him over to the cot. Herrel woodenly climbs on. He's asleep in seconds. Vallyon takes up the chair Herrel vacated and resumes the watch. He gave his word after all.

Several hours later the transport team arrives to move Jaisea from Eltnen back to Pandemonium. All of the remaining injured are being returned to their home lands to recover. The war is turning in the Daeva's favor. They have managed to bring down several of the Balaur ships, which seems to be the main way they move men and supplies around. It shouldn't be much longer before the Elyos reclaim their lands from the Balaur. And they are eager to have the Asmodians gone.

There are 7 injured returning on this trip, including Jaisea. It has been determined by the Clerics that they are stable enough to tolerate the trip through the gate to the abyss, and then back through their home gate. Jaisea will be admitted to the top clinic in Pandemonium. There, she will receive the very best of care that kinah can buy. Vallyon has seen to this.

What Vallyon has also taken care of unbeknownst to Herrel, is the burial of their daughter. With Jaisea unable to make any decisions and Herrel's whereabouts unknown at the time, Vallyon decided that as her closest available relative it was up to him to take care of it. He knew that at some point Jaisea would want to visit her daughter. Most of the dead were being buried in plain graves, but Vallyon arranged for 'baby girl' Redsgarth to be buried in the family crypt. If Herrel and Jaisea wanted to move her later, they would be able to very easily.

One Month Later

The Balaur have been routed from Atreia. The remaining warriors are returning home to begin to rebuild all that was lost. No one on the planet escaped some sort of loss. For most people, it was their homes or families that perished. The homes can be rebuilt, but the lives lost are gone forever. But the Asmodian people are strong, and they have overcome adversity before. They will survive this and come out the stronger for it.

Jaisea is being discharged from the clinic today. Herrel has brought her parents over to their home and they will be staying to take care of Jaisea while Herrel participates in the rebuilding. She hasn't said a word about what happened to her or how she got injured. The healers assure Herrel that she just needs some time. They told him that stress can cause memory loss and surviving a fall like she did when others did not can cause survivor's guilt. Whatever it is, they caution, he is not to push her. She'll talk about it when she's ready.

Herrel turns to look at them. "What fall!" he demands. "What others?" "How is it possible that she could fall from anywhere?" "She wasn't in the battle, she was staying at Eva's clinic!" he roared. "Please calm down Herrel," the healer replied. "What I was told was that she and a male Daeva suddenly appeared above the Eltnen hearthstone platform." "It appeared that they had fallen from a great height based on the damage to the male and to Jaisea." Herrel feels a chill crawl up his back. "What…what happened to the other Daeva?" "I don't really know, but I assume he probably died." "He had massive trauma to his rib cage, his back was broken, and as you know the kisks were non-functional." "He couldn't resurrect."

Herrel turns pale. The healer says, "Not to worry though, the kisks are functioning again, and we rebound Jaisea to the one in Pandemonium." "She's out of danger now, and she just needs to go home and be cared for." "Just take your wife home and try to go on with your life." The healer turns to go back into the clinic, just as Jaisea comes out. She still looks very pale and fragile, but to him, she is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen.

He gathers her up in his arms and just holds her. Her hair smells like antiseptic and her body is much too thin. She slowly puts her arms around his waist and leans into him. She can't use her arms or legs very well yet and will need therapy to get back into shape. He very carefully picks her up in his arms. It's a short walk to the teleporter and then another quick jump from Pernon to their home.

Jaisea's mom bursts into tears when she sees her daughter. Herrel says, "She's going to be okay, she just needs to rest." He takes her into their bedroom. Her mother follows them in. "Please," she says, "let me take care of her for now." "Of course," Herrel replies, giving his mother-in-law a gentle hug. He goes back out into the living room where he collapses on the couch. Jaisea father joins him a few minutes later. The men don't speak, just sit in uncomfortable silence.

Herrel is exhausted and soon his head falls back on the couch and he falls asleep. In the meantime Jaisea's mother has fixed her a bath and the two are quietly talking about how her mom used to make funny hair shapes when she was a little girl. They finish the bath and Jaisea gets into her nightclothes with help from her mother. Jaisea's mother offers to make her daughter some food, but Jaisea is too tired. She climbs into bed and she and her mother talk quietly until Jaisea falls asleep.

The following day Vallyon pays a visit to the Redsgarths. Herrel opens the door but doesn't say anything. "Are you going to let me in cousin?" Vallyon asks. Herrel steps aside to allow Vallyon in. "Oh, I didn't know you had company." Vallyon lifts an eyebrow. "These are Jaisea's parents," Herrel replies. "Mr. and Mrs. Elensar, this is my cousin Vallyon." Vallyon sweeps off his cape and bows. "It's a pleasure to meet you at last." The men shake hands and Vallyon kisses the top of Mrs. Elensar's hand.

"What do you want Vallyon?" Herrel asks curtly. Vallyon quirks an eyebrow at him. "Why, to see how Jaisea is doing of course." "She's resting and isn't receiving any visitors right now," Herrel replies curtly. "So you can go!" The Elensars look startled and surprised at how rude Herrel is. "Well then," Vallyon replies, "I'll talk to you." "We have some family business to attend to." "Shall we step outside for some privacy?"

Herrel yanks open the door and waves Vallyon out then follows. He pulls the door shut behind him and the Elensar's are left to wonder what is going on. They can hear a murmur of voices outside and then silence. After a few minutes, Mr. Elensar goes outside to see what is going on. He finds Herrel standing there, looking at a piece of paper. His eyes are blank and his face is expressionless. Mr. Elensar takes the papers and begins to read them himself. After a moment his eyes tear up. The first paper is information on the burial arrangements for his granddaughter. The second was the note from Madrion, the one he had written before taking off to rescue Jaisea.

"Oh son, I'm so sorry," he says to Herrel in a whisper. He gently places a hand on Herrel's arm. "Come back inside son, please." He pulls gently on Herrel's arm and they both head back inside. Mrs. Elensar rushes over to her husband and asks what is wrong. He hands her the papers and she reads them. Her eyes tear up as well and she starts to cry. She reaches out to pull Herrel to her. He stands there, tears running down his cheeks in a silent grief.

He gently disengages himself from his mother-in-law. He goes into his bedroom and climbs in bed. He gently wraps his arms around his sleeping wife. The anguish, and sorrow and fear finally come out in a torrent. He lays there and cries until he is exhausted. And then he sleeps.