"Aurora, sister of Helios always announced his coming, leading the way across the heavens in her very own chariot, which she rode bravely across the vast horizon, both morning and night, before and after the sun-god. She was not just known for the rosy morn but also the twilight, for which she is often depicted as dwelling in the west. "

"Her abode was a magnificent structure, surrounded by flowery meadows and lush green lawns, where nymphs and other immortal beings frolicked, dancing as one, in and out, back and forth, whilst a sweet melody accompanied their graceful, gliding movements."

"Aurora was described by poets and bards as a beautiful maiden, with rosy cheeks and large wings, whose plumage displayed an ever-changing hue of colours. She wore a star on her forehead, carried a torch in her hand and was covered by the rich folds of her violet-tinged robes."

"She left her bed before the break of day, and harnessed her two beautiful horses, Lampetus and Phaethon, to her glorious chariot."

"With never ending cheerfulness she opens the gates of the heavens in order to herald the approach of her brother, the god of the day, whilst tender plants and flowers, nourished by the morning dew, lift their heads in welcome as she passes."

"Aurora first married the Titan, Astreaus, and their children were Heosphorus, the evening star and the four winds."

"Her second union was with Tithonus, son of Laomedon, the king of Troy. Tithonus wine her affection with his unrivalled beauty. Aurora, unhappy with the thought that they would be parted once he did as all humans do and died, begged Zeus to bestow upon her love the gift of immortality. Unfortunately, Zeus is a tricky god, one who often thinks only of himself and acts first, thinking second. You see, Aurora had neglected to add eternal youth to her request."

"The consequences of this were of course, only apparent in time when, inevitably, Tithonus grew old and decrepit, losing all his beauty that she had once admired. Aurora, unable to stand the sight of him, knowing what he had once been and why he had become thus, acted impulsively and locked him away in a chamber where he continued to waste away, until little was left of him but a voice weak and feeble, but an echo."

"It's told that, when he begged for release, begged to die, Aurora took pity on him and exerted her divine powers, changing him into a grasshopper, allowing him his freedom to continue his ceaseless chirpings all over the world. "

"Aurora, the goddess of the dawn, known to many as Eos, lived on and on, keeping constant watch, leading her brother and bringing with her the knowledge of each and every day. She is a constant presence, nothing is as sure as the fact that the sun will rise."

"Day after day, year after year, she is there. She is the dawn."

Selene reached up to place the book on the shelf above the little fold out bed that she and John were squashed up on, and turned to look at the mechanical eye that hung above her.

"I liked that story," EOS's little girl voice was soft, quiet so as not to disturb her creator, who had fallen asleep two stories before, his head pillowed on Selene's chest.

"I did too, stories are important, it's how we learn, it's how we pass down knowledge from one generation to the next. It's how we teach morals and how to be a good person, it's how we learn history and understand how the world works."

"Is that why you started reading us stories at night?"

Selene nodded. "That and it's the only way to get this one to actually stay still long enough to rest. Plus I thought you needed another side to your learning, John can bring the logic and the order, I will bring the chaos and the things you probably wouldn't think to ask."

Selene tightened her arm around her love and smiled at the little gold star she had stuck to the top of EOS's lense.

"Is the story why you gave me my star? Because that Eos wears one?"

Selene nodded. "Yep, that and you're special enough to deserve it."

"She is very like me, for I will continue to outlive those I believe I love, I will watch everyone grow old too."

Selene sighed, her fingers absently combing through John's hair as she thought about the AI's words.

"That's true in some ways, but not in others."

"Why is that?" the camera extended from her hub, like a child leaning forward to listen.

"Well, being able to care about someone isn't limited, you won't only care about a set number of people," she absently kissed the top of his head as she chose her words in the best way that EOS would understand. "Think of it this way, when they bring Jeff home, something I have absolutely no doubt in, then there will be another person in the family, and you and I being the newest ones will care about him too. Do you understand that?"

"I do, yes. At first I only cared about John, but then I watched his brothers, Kayo, Grandma and others and saw that he cared about them. I saw when he worried about them and over time I learnt to care about them too."

"Exactly right, baby girl. Families tend to be an ever growing thing, eventually, somewhere in time, there will be other partners coming and likely children being born and we'll all love them too."

"Statistically that is very likely, your logic is sound."

Selene smiled, wondering if EOS knew just how much like John she sometimes sounded, and if it was a conscious thought or purely accidental.

"Well that's where you come in, sweetie."

"It is?" her lights flickered, a sure sign, Selene had come to realise, that she was confused and struggling to understand a concept.

"It is. Because, as you just said, you won't age, not the way we do, so you have a very important job."

"Which is?"

"You have to watch over them all. You have to be there to help them, to guide them, to teach them. Just as you help John, you'll be there to help them. Watching over them just as Aurora watched over her family and the human race. Just as sure as the sun will always rise, you will be a constant in our lives and theirs. I think that's quite an important job, don't you?"

EOS paused, her lights cycling through two rotations before she answered.

"Yes. I believe it is important."

"Good."

They lapsed into silence for a little while, EOS probably off somewhere in the heart of Five checking on the monitoring station, while Selene took the time to really look at her love now that he was finally still and relaxed.

He looked tired, slightly slimmer and had dark circles under his eyes along with probably a day or two's worth of stubble on his usual smooth chin. She knew he'd been worried about their upcoming rescue mission, the biggest, most dangerous yet, but ultimately the most important one they had ever had to face, and the stress had obviously been taking its toll.

To say that she hadn't spent time worrying just as much would be a lie, she knew she would be a complete wreck the entire time they were gone too. There was never any guarantee that things would go as they should, there was always the threat of the Chaos Crew and the Hood hanging over their heads and this time would likely be no different.

The thought of losing any one of the boys, Kayo or Brains filled her with utter dread, but the idea of having to live even a single day without the man in her arms was too horrific to consider.

Her mind would be in overdrive imagining all the possible and impossible ways that things could fuck up and go wrong, especially as she would be stuck on earth and so far away.

Selene wouldn't be there, they had already discussed it. She had been asked to step in to help with a GDF enquiry after her work with Kayo. She had gone through a few months of training, extra background checks which, after Kayo's, barely scratched the surface, and had gone on a couple of jobs with Penelope to get a little more experience. Strangely, it seemed that when you were dressed as a crazy hippy people would either ignore you or they would spill their guts and tell you everything. Either way, it seemed to be a combination that worked. Honestly she was glad that she would be kept busy, it would give her less time to worry.

"EOS?" she kept her words almost a whisper, not wanting to wake him.

"Yes?" she was there instantly.

"Look after him for me? Look after them all. Monitor them the whole time, keep in constant contact and let me know everything that happens. I need to know."

"I will."

"Promise?"

"I promise, Selene. Even if you hadn't asked, I would do it. He is my creator, I'd never leave him alone."