WANDA'S POV

Luce was halfway through a rowdy rendition of All My Exes Live In Texas when Jared and Mel walked in. A wave rolled through the room as people slowly began to notice the late arrivals. Living in a community as small as ours meant that there was very little room for secrets, so the gravity of Jared and Melanie attending Luce's concert was not lost on anyone in attendance. I felt Ian's hand tighten around my own and a small hopeful smile emerged on his face as we both looked over to where Jamie and Anthony were sitting near the front of the room.

Over these past few weeks Jamie and Anthony had been spending a lot more time together. Though the boys hadn't said anything about the change in their relationship, the sly smiles and covert touches when they thought no one was looking confirmed our suspicions of a budding romance. While it was heartening to see the beginnings of a new love in the cave and all the joy that came with it, it was equally disheartening to see the way Jamie would pull away from Anthony whenever Mel or Jared entered a room. That night Jamie was sitting next to Anthony, his arm tossed casually over Anthony's shoulder as they were singing along together. As the song ended and Luce's eyes lingered on the new guests hovering towards the back of the room Jamie noticed his sister. I felt a terrible tug on my heart as Jamie immediately removed his arm and shifted his body away from the boy next to him.

Evie had been having her 'baby time' with Ray and Aubrie, but ever the diplomat, she walked over to us and asked us to watch the young ones so she could greet the new guests.

"I will go with you!" I had Evie place Ray in Ians arms. He gave me a supportive look and I grabbed Evie's hand giving it a squeeze as we turned toward Mel and Jared.

"Thanks!" Evie leaned in to whisper in my ear. Grateful for an ally as we approached.

Mel saw us and smiled tightly, not wanting to let the tension hanging over us have any more power than it already did. I reached out to pull Mel into a hug.

"It's good to see you guys," Evie smiled, "You picked a good night, I have it on good authority she will be taking requests!"

"I think we will just be listening tonight." Jared said. His shoulders were tense but I could tell he was trying. Mel's eyes were locked on Jamie who hadn't gotten up to see them, and was staring ahead intently as Luce began on Gentle On My Mind.

"Well," Evie's tone became much softer and more sincere, "We really appreciate you coming. It really means a lot to us that you have come around, to hear Luce sing I mean."

The couple settled themselves down against the wall and Evie flashed them one last hopeful smile before returning to Aubrey. Melanie motioned to the space next to her and I took the invitation to take my place next to her.

"I'm glad you came." I leaned in to whisper in Mel's ear.

She squeezed my hand flashing me a tentative smile. We sat together and as the concert went on Mel and Jared slowly loosened up and I saw Jared's foot begin to tap along to some of the more upbeat songs. However; the tension that entered Jamie's shoulders when his sister arrived never eased and the hesitant way that he approached them after the concert reminded me of a small deer unsure of its own legs. Anthony stood by his side and Jamie's eyes would look over to Anthony like he was a life preserver, but as they got closer I couldn't help but notice how carefully Jamie was avoiding any physical contact with him.

"So did you like the show?" Jamie asked after Mel pulled him into a quick hug.

"Yeah," Mel smiled, tucking herself back into Jared, making it clear that she was speaking for both of them, "Luce is really talented, we will have to come back again sometime."

"That would be great," Anthony said and the hope that was building behind Jamie's eyes wasn't lost on Jared. As hard headed as Jared could be, his love for Jamie was unconditional and I could see in the way he looked between Jamie and Anthony he was trying.

"You guys looked like you had a good time, maybe you could teach us some of the songs. I guess Luce is a bigger country fan than you guys are." The peace offering behind Jared's words unfolded between the two couples like an olive branch and Jamie shifted so that his shoulder was brushing against Anthony's like two magnets snapping into place.

"That would be really great!" The smile on Jamie's face was blinding and I felt suddenly like I was watching an intensely private moment take place silently between the small huddle of humans. However, the beauty of the moment kept me in my place watching as Mel pulled Anthony into a shy hug and they said their goodbyes.

The next day I found myself sitting in the nursery with Jamie while the younger kids napped. So I took the opportunity to ask him about the night before.

"Did you know that Mel was going to come to the concert last night?"

"No," Jamie started, "It was a surprise. A surprise, but I was happy to see them."

"I think it meant a lot to Evie and Luce that they were there. It was good of them to show support for them."

"It meant a lot to me too." Jamie mumbled, his eyes shifting down to the floor. You could see how he seemed less comfortable in his skin whenever the conversation edged towards his relationship with Anthony.

"Have you told them about your relationship with Anthony?" I asked gently. As soon as the words left my mouth I saw his whole body freeze as if he completely retreated inside of himself. I reached out and touched his hand trying to coax him back to me with a reassuring smile.

"I'm not even sure it's a relationship" Jamie smiled and leaned into me a little the wall that he had built up around him and Anthony.

"What would you call it?" I pushed back into his shoulder playfully.

"Well we have, ya know, kissed" Jamie's cheeks turn a bright red at his words "But, we haven't really talked about it really, we just are."

"Well I am an alien, but from what I understand humans don't typically do that with people who are just friends." I made sure to catch his eyes to keep the shame from pulling him back in, "For what it's worth I don't know if Ian and I ever really talked about our relationship either."

"Well then how did you know what you were?" Jamie's eyes met mine with a real curiosity that was smothering some of his earlier discomfort.

"It just sort of developed, when you meet someone that makes you feel safe and loved, you sort of find yourself spending more and more time with them, sometimes you even kiss them," I looked towards Ray who was sleeping in her makeshift crib across the room, "Then one day you realize that you have built this whole beautiful life together."

"Well I don't think Anthony and I are going to be having a baby anytime soon." Jamie laughed and I saw the last bit of tension fade out of his shoulders.

"Yeah, I don't think you will end up with a baby. I do think that you should trust yourself, just let yourself be happy for a while. You seem really happy with Anthony and I think you could be even happier if you just let yourself enjoy it."

"The other night I laughed the hardest I have in a while." I felt my spirit lighten as Jamie started in on the story of the misadventures of Jamie and Anthony's late night snack run. Jamie was like a younger brother to me, I remember seeing him grow up through Mel's eyes and seeing him in that moment, alive with the passions of new love, I felt as if he was becoming a young man. Growing up in a world that was taken over, a world I had a part in taking over, hadn't dulled the spark of life in him and I knew that humanity truly would overcome. After he finished speaking I told him how happy for him I was and I meant every word.

Later that night Ian was rocking Ray in his arms humming a lullaby as our baby struggled to keep her eyes open. Seeing the way that our daughter looked at her father, her round eyes finding singular focus on Ian as she drifted slowly into sleep. They had become my gravity in these past months and as much as I loved when we all got together as a community it was moments like this alone with my family that truly filled my heart.

When I first came to this planet I could have never imagined my life coming to this point, but seeing my family. Seeing this child we made and this life we have built that was truly ours has taught me more about what it truly means to be happy and alive than anything else. Having a family that I loved, that loved me, touched my deepest parts and finally provided me with the true sense of purpose I had been looking for all those lifetimes across all those planets.

AUTHORS NOTE: I think I am ending this here? I had about three goals for this chapter and I accomplished two of them. That means I think that it will actually be two more chapters after this one. Like I have in my brain how I want to end it but working my way to that ending seemed like it would be too much for this chapter once I started writing it. For those of you keeping track at home I finished this chapter May 1st! Bets on when this will be done? I could do it by the end of the month if I work hard but knowing me the true over under is the Fourth of July.