"- and the guy said it took all twelve of them to get her in there!" Jack recalled Adrian telling him the evening after he'd found Emogene holed up at the old Charles View Amphitheater with the kook from the so-called Pillars of the Community. "I get the feelin' she coulda' broke outta' there whenever she damn well pleased, huh?"

The vault dweller was quite correct in his assumptions.

There was a good reason neither Jack nor Edward fussed a whole lot when Emogene went out on her own for a while; they both knew she was plenty capable of taking care of herself. Even without the serum, she was socially intelligent, resourceful, and cunning when the need arose. Her foremost shortfall was that she could be a bit more loose-lipped than was ideal for their predicament, but Jack supposed he had little room to criticize her for something he was hardly any better at himself. When all else failed, the serum gave her the option of just muscling her way out of a nasty situation, though it was hardly ever necessary.

Which is why it was so very tiresome when Wilhelmina decided to cause a commotion whenever the girl took off. Tiresome as it was, though, Edward always seemed a bit more understanding than Jack. Though that wasn't terribly out of the ordinary. ' Immortal or not, and capable as Emogene is,' the ghoul had said, '- I guess it all boils down to the fact that she's still her baby.'

Simply put, though Jack's gut told him to send her home, as not to further worry their mother, rather than to have her tag along with them back to Parsons, he'd have been an absolute fool to turn down another pair of capable hands, especially considering Edward's condition.

However, they quickly found during their commute that her capable hands weren't of necessity this time around; the path was still fairly clear from the previous day's trip, and for that much, Jack was thankful.

"Can't remember the last time I was even here…" Emogene mused, taking it all in as the eastern gate of the old asylum came into view, now crumbling stone and rusted wrought iron, buried in long-dead ivy and other dry, shriveled foliage. It was only after that she took notice of the bodies strewn about, and she felt a pang in her stomach. As if it weren't eerie enough in its prime, she scoffed.

"Sorry it couldn't be under better circumstances..." Jack mouthed quietly, stepping over one of the raider's corpses and making his way closer to the entrance. "- and for the, ah… mess ."

"We're just lucky we're gettin' back here before the place starts to stink up ." Edward grumbled; there was a slight venom in his voice as what was left of his nose crinkled at the scent of blood. His eyes skimmed a bit further, over to the line of bodies covered in makeshift veils. It was the least he could do for their hired hands, at least in his current state, and with the time they had, though he wished he could have done more. His gnarled digits reached into the confines of his pocket, reassured when he felt the metallic ball chain he was seeking there. "More than it already has, anyway."

He spoke not just for the obvious reasons, but about the entire aura of the place. He'd realized all too late he wasn't actually enthused at the notion of another trip to Parsons, and he'd have been lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to the day he knew they'd be able to put this place far, far behind them. Ever since the bombs had fallen, the place had felt more and more like death with each passing visit. It was strange, though; it felt different that day, even with plenty of evidence to the contrary scattered about the place.

'Sometimes, it feels like death just… follows him.' He had recalled Jack saying, more than once. Perhaps now that he was gone , the place would finally stand a chance at life . Not that he wanted to stick around long enough to find out.

Jack fumbled with the corroded old locks on the front door until they released with a reluctant, grinding click. Finally, the old doors creaked and coughed open, granting them entry to the old haunt. He and Edward wasted no time in their strides down the hall, towards Jack's old office, but Emogene found herself taken aback; she'd experienced this feeling so many times before, in other all-too-familiar places that had fallen into ruin after the bombs had fallen, and after the world went crazy, but that had been so long ago.

The last time she'd been here, it was still pristine, with bright, clinical, fluorescent lights, a bustling staff, patients scattered about. Alive . But now, it was dingy, dark, and ominous, and the only light inside seemed to be whatever managed to spill in from the holes in the ceiling and the walls and the boarded, busted old windows. The scents of dust and decay were off putting enough on their own, but the sharp scent of blood and looming death proved too much. Suddenly, she began to feel sick to her stomach. She knew this feeling well, but it was one she hadn't felt in at least a century, and one she never expected to or wanted to feel again.

"Emogene?" her brother's gentle voice broke her train of thought. She glanced over to find a soft, if not sympathetic expression beamed back at her. "Do you… need a moment?"

"… no, I think I've seen plenty." She scoffs, and shakes her head ever so slightly. "Actually, could we maybe hurry this up? It's really uncomfortable in here."

"Fine by me." Edward chimes. Jack nods in approval, and gestures for her to follow.

As they crossed the threshold into his office, and made their way to the elevator, Emogene couldn't help but be reminded of more than one argument they'd had in that very room in years passed. She wondered for a moment, as they stepped into the stuffy old lift, if he was thinking back on them, too. As the doors rumbled shut, she was herself shoulder-to-shoulder with her brother, her hand grasping clumsily for his own, as her pinky found his and wrapped around it. A silent apology, she supposed, even if he didn't catch on.

The contact gave Jack a start, even though it was as short-lived as their ride to the basement, his look of bewilderment faded to a small smile.

As the elevator doors opened, they were overwhelmed by the scent of ozone.

"Better make this quick. Breathing too much of this stuff probably ain't good for us." Edward made hasty, confident strides towards the corridor, leading them to the holding cell.

Emogene followed Jack and Edward into Lorenzo's quarters - she was glad that, in spite of everything, Jack had made an effort to keep it inhabitable for him; but to think that her own family home had felt like a prison in contrast to this, she sighed. Her attention was soon diverted, however, when her eyes stumbled across the corpse on the floor.

Seeing Lorenzo lying there the way he was didn't impact Emogene nearly as much as she thought it might have; on the contrary, she was glad to see him finally released from his torture. But who was to say he was suffering? she thought. Maybe he revelled in it. Took joy in it. In causing others pain. In seeing Jack waste so much time and effort. Maybe it gave him some sort of sick satisfaction.

Because where Jack had held onto the hopes that the real Lorenzo was still somewhere in that familiar shell, waiting to be unearthed again, to be liberated from the grips of that gods-forsaken crown - Emogene had begun to suspect centuries ago that rather than being taken over by some nameless, malevolent entity, the crown had rather warped and twisted and broken the man they knew into what he had become. Come to think of it, that's what most of the bickering in Jack's office had been about. Though it hardly mattered now, she supposed. At the very least, she found comfort in the fact that, after four long centuries, he'd finally been freed from this mortal coil.

She turned away, attempting to occupy her attention with something else. Her eyes and her fingers skimmed over the books in one of the old shelves, some of which she hadn't seen since… well, since before all of this . She breathed deep, and turned on her heel as her tired eyes took in the rest of the room, only half-hearing the rattling of keys being handed off, some minor bickering about Jack being damned if Edward was going to do the lifting in his condition , and Edward explaining something to her brother about a Fireman's Carry .

"You sure you got this?"

"Don't forget, Edward, the serum has other benefits, after all." Jack fussed gently. "Don't worry ."

Emogene couldn't help but crack a bittersweet smile. God, you two are such an old married couple .

"Is there anything else we need while we're here?" her brother continued. "Because I… have no intentions of coming back."

There was a meaningful look on his face as he met Edward's gaze, and then Emogene's. It seemed the question was more for her than for anyone else. She turned to offer her full attention and was taken aback, for just a moment, at how resolute he looked. Standing there, bracing the weight of their father across his shoulders, brow knit in determination, hair mussed, wearing that familiar old military jacket - she hadn't seen him looking so driven since after the bombs had fallen, when he was making trips between their home and Parsons to try to take care of both the family and of Edward's radiation sickness - and she took a sort of comfort in it that made her wonder whether or not it was in poor taste or misplaced. It reminded her of her renewed sense of purpose way back then, however fleeting it may have been.

"Emogene?"

"No," she pulled herself from her train of thought, and offered a somber smile. "- no , I think I'm good."

"Guess that's that." Jack mouthed, not even finishing his sentence before Edward turned on his heel and started back towards the elevator. Seemed he couldn't get out of there quickly enough. Not that Jack could blame him, after everything. He and Emogene followed suit, the latter with one final glance back.

Not a single word was spoken on the way out - not on the lift, not in the corridor, not through the lobby on their way back out the front door, not until they'd finally exited the building, and turned to face the entryway.

"Care to do the honors?" Jack sighed thoughtfully before he gave Edward a significant look.

" My pleasure ." The ghoul rasped, fetching the keys from his pocket. The doors certainly closed with more ease than they opened; almost in a metaphorical manner. The trip home was always easier than the journey to, both physically and mentally, Jack mused in silence. The sound of the bolt locking firmly back into place pulled him from his thoughts quickly and effectively enough, though.

"This is really it then?" Emogene mouthed to herself, softly, casting her gaze down from the old doorknobs to the busted old pavement beneath her feet. She made haste to catch up with her brother's and Edward's strides, grumbling at them as she did so, but in a characteristically playful manner. "Heading on without me?"

"Forgive me if I'm a little too eager to put this whole mess behind us." Edward teased back.

She breathed a small laugh and slowed her pace as she closed in on them. But damn it all if she wasn't compelled to pause again; she turned to take it all in one last time. Tidbits of a conversation in the distance make their way to her ears; Jack muttering something about whether or not the vault dweller could find a use for something, and Edward reminding him that he should be checking in with them soon. She was more preoccupied with the way the dead vines had wrapped and entangled themselves around the lettering, more preoccupied with her recollections of everything she'd seen transpire in that place.

But those preoccupations suddenly took a back seat to the stale-smelling gust of wind that pushed through, kicking up the dead leaves and other small debris, sweeping her hair with it, and creating sound that was more reminiscent of moans and howls than she cared to admit. She wasn't sure if it was on account of the creepy atmosphere, if it was just her imagination, or both, and she didn't care to stick around to find out.

"Emogene?" Jack called back to her.

She looked up and nodded at him, making haste to catch up once more, this time, the dead leaves crunching beneath her feet. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."

Edward opened the front door and they entered the house. There was a short exchange near the doorway - about where Jack would keep him until everything was ready, about whether or not he was ready to break the news to Wilhelmina, about whether or not they had the resources to execute Jack's plan - but there was a lack of foresight to it all in the rush of things. No one walked ahead to make sure the coast was clear, no one called out to see if they were alone in the house. The three of them shuffled towards the basement, but suddenly froze solid as a shaky voice rang out from the parlor, and shook any of their inklings of any sort of plan or route of action right along with it.

"What's all this?"

The three of them turned to stone as the sound reached their ears, but where Edward and Emogene shifted their gazes to meet hers, Jack couldn't muster the same courage. It was mere seconds before she shuffled her way over to meet them, but it felt like a short eternity to Jack as his thoughts were drowned out by the pulsing heartbeat in his ears, and the heavy breaths he pulled in and exhaled. Instead, he ambled towards the couch, about as slowly as his thoughts seemed to be willing to process, away from all of them. He maneuvered Lorenzo into a lying position there as the throbbing in his ears started to mingle with a ringing noise, and started to escalate in a headache. He sunk down into the armchair in defeat, in a tired silence, just taking in the sight of the man. A bittersweet smile tugged at his lips as he tried desperately to fumble through his brain fog.

Wilhelmina was just a few steps behind him, Emogene hot on her trail, anticipating an inevitable outburst - and an understandable one. Her tired eyes skimmed over her husband's corpse there on the soda, and shifted further yet, to meet her son's. Her brow narrowed, and she clenched her shaking fists and pinned them near her sides, face contorting and blanching as she waited for some explanation, unable to find her words.

"What is the meaning of this, Jack?!" Her voice shuddered. "What have you done to him?!"

Almost out of nowhere, his thoughts seemed clear. Jack offered her a sad smile as he finally looked up to meet her gaze. He dared not break it as he spoke up a bit - "Edward?"

The ghoul hardly expected to hear his name at such a seemingly pressing moment. "Yeah, Jack?"

"Could I possibly bother you to procure the supplies we'll need while I talk this over with mother?"

"Uh… yeah , no problem." He was taken aback. He was so used to being there for Jack at times so vital - so used to Jack wanting him there, even if only for the support. He wondered what brought this on all of the sudden. "But… I… are you sure ?"

Jack looked back at him, flashing a meaningful look. "I am. Thank you."

His voice was resolute, and Edward offered a solemn, understanding nod in response. Jack knew he hated standing there listening when there was family drama - this move was not only practical, as they would be all that much closer to being prepared to send Lorenzo off, but it also spared the ghoul the mental anguish of having to deal with the chaos, or at least the brunt of it. He'd sooner face the raiders and the mongrels in the area in his weakened state than he would stay and listen to another family scuffle that was sure to get blown out of proportion.

The ghoul took the foyer stairs up to Jack's lab to retrieve the two large bins full of old journals and literature Jack deemed no longer necessary - kindling for the sendoff, they had decided. His trip with the first crate was fairly quiet as the mutterings of both of the Cabot siblings attempting to console their mother barely met his ruined ears. His trip with the second bin, however, was not so quiet or peaceful - as he reached the landing with the heavy metal box and sat it down, voices began to boom from the parlor - most notably an exasperated Wilhelmina, lamenting the loss of their precious fountain of youth, and an angry Emogene scolding her about priorities -

Somehow he wasn't surprised by her shift of focus - and decided it was as good a time as any to take his leave of the house and to go search for a suitable boat.

"No shortage of old boats floatin' around out here, but I might just have to be a little particular today." He sighed, closing the door to Cabot House behind him, still hearing the muffled yells coming from inside.

After the dust had settled, and Edward had returned, Emogene agreed to keep their mother company until preparations were finished. The first trip, Jack and Edward each carried one of the crates full of time, blood, sweat, and tears that had been transferred into the scientist's numerus journals from the last four centuries. They trekked to the shore where Edward had salvaged a plenty suitable rowboat and a sturdy piece of board to bridge the seats, and tethered it to an old post with a battered old rope. Jack only hoped it wouldn't sink under the weight of the papers and the added load of his father.

Jack bent down to place his crate down in the sand, alongside the boat, and surprise dawned on him as he straightened his back and looked around. "Wait a second - this is…"

" Yeah ." Edward offered a small, somber smile. They'd visited this place more than a few times, both before and after the war, to reminisce about simpler times, and take trips down memory lane. Jack had told him how he'd come to this very spot with Lorenzo when he was younger, how it was their spot. "Seemed most appropriate."

"It's perfect." A most bittersweet sensation churned in Jack's chest as a pained smile crossed his face. "Thank you… for remembering."

"Of course." Edward followed suit, sitting his crate atop Jack's and extending a hand to help steady the smaller man as he stepped into the boat, who instinctively took it and hoisted himself into the wobbly thing.

The ghoul handed the first crate off, and then the second, and the scientist quickly busied himself piling the literature inside into stacks, creating an oblong shape around the piece of plyboard, his movements slowing as he neared completion. As if the reality was sinking in - the closer they got to heading back home, the closer they were to officially sending him off. It filled him with a vague emotion that he couldn't help but reflect in his features.

"You okay?" Edward rasped.

"This is real." There was a tremble in Jack's voice as it was driven home. "This is… really happening. We're really here at the beach, prepping a pyre, to send him off."

"You wanna put it off a bit longer?" The ghoul's voice was sincere.

"Thank you, Edward, but… I… don't think so. If we're being completely honest, I'm not sure it would even help." Jack sighed tiredly, closing his eyes for a brief pause. "Who knows how long this will take to truly sink in, anyway? After all this time? Besides, it's almost sundown, and the weather is still good for it. We don't have much daylight left to burn. I'm sure mother won't want to be out after dark, either."

They were buried deep enough in the storage closet, but Emogene was glad she'd found the old souvenirs she was looking for. She heard a small commotion downstairs - incentive enough for her to cram them into the bag she found to wear down to the beach, along with a few other little sentimental objects.

"Emogene? Did you hear that?" Wilhelmina' voice came from the bedroom across the hall. "Do you think they're back?"

She closed the closet door behind her and met the woman a few paces away - now with a familiar old quilt draped over her folded arms - it was a wonder the thing hadn't turned to dust by now. A small gasp escaped her lips, but she looked up at her mother and flashed a sad smile. Before she could reply, though, they heard Jack call out from downstairs.

They swapped glances and Emogene nodded. "Guess it's time."

She linked her arm through her mother's and walked with her down the stairs, through Jack's lab, and down into the foyer, where her brother and their bodyguard awaited, Lorenzo's body strewn over Jack's shoulders once again. Her eyes skimmed the empty crates placed down near the door with little thought, and reality set in a little further.

Everyone in the room exchanged silent, solemn looks of understanding - it was time to go.

They all shuffled somberly out of the house, and Edward shut and locked the door behind.

As they made their way to the beach, the skyline began to shift in hue - bathing everything around them in a warm pink glow. It felt like a small, raggedy little funeral procession - Jack in front, Emogene and Wilhelmina behind him, arms linked, and Edward behind them, keeping his eyes peeled, and matching their pace.

It somehow felt like an eternity and not long enough before they reached their destination. It wasn't terribly far from their home, and the commute wasn't even bad, if one knew what routes to take to avoid debris or roadblocks or unwanted attention. Jack led them a short distance down the beach and to the stake where the boat was tied and the boat was waiting for them.

"Don't lay him down yet, I-" Wilhelmina stammered. "I want him to have this to lie on."

Jack looked back at her, a little surprised, but he nodded and stepped back a pace as she withdrew her arm from Emogene's and approached the vessel. Edward offered a hand for her, much like he did for her son just a bit earlier.

"Careful, Missus Cabot. Mind your step."

"Thank you, Edward."

She nodded back at him as she grabbed hold of his sturdy hand and maneuvered herself into the boat, careful not to disturb the papers inside. The three on the shore watched her with sympathy and great interest as she spread the old family quilt out diagonally; almost a makeshift burial shroud of sorts, if they had to guess. She was meticulous as she spread it across the plyboard, making sure it was symmetrical and laying even before she motioned for Jack.

The ghoul helped him to maneuver into the vessel, keeping a watchful eye to make sure they weren't overloading the thing. Once Jack was inside, he carefully laid Lorenzo onto the old fabric and helped his mother to adjust the man's final pose, before the two tightly wrapped the quilt around him and tucked it tidily. It left his face, and part of his chest and his folded arms, exposed in a diamond shaped opening.

"It's so strange, seeing him this way after so long." Wilhelmina sighed, taking a seat on the edge of the boat and reaching in to stroke her husband's hair and his pallid cheeks as her eyes rimmed with tears.

Jack stepped out of the boat to give her some breathing room, and he joined Emogene on the shore, both of them watching their mother in silent contemplation.

"You know… it surprised me after some of her remarks, but… she actually sat with him most of the time you guys were gone." Emogene spoke softly, nudging gently at her brother's arm.

Jack's expression softened a bit and his lips parted in a slight awe gesture, as he found himself surprised by the tenderness she was expressing as well. She'd acted so blissfully unaware of - well, everything , really - for the last couple of centuries. He wondered if this somehow pulled her back to reality, even if only for a little while. It was strange - Jack couldn't recall the last time he'd seen her act so caring and tender.

"Didn't know she still had it in her." Emogene scoffed. "But… I'd be lying if I said it wasn't nice to see."

"If only it were under better circumstances…" Jack sighed.

"God, yeah." Emogene heaved a tired breath and turned her gaze up to the darkening sky, and the specks of light that were starting to peek out from behind the curtain. There was no masking the mist in her eyes and she knew it - when Jack wasn't wrapped up in his work, he was actually pretty astute, at least with his family and those close to him. He didn't need to ask if she was okay - but he also knew she wouldn't accept a hug right now, so he mimicked her gesture from earlier that day and nudged at her hand, intertwining their pinkies and enticing a small laugh from her. He smiled warmly at her; that sort of dopey smile he used to flash her when things felt hopeless, as if to say better days are ahead, even when it seemed like he was unsure and bullshitting himself too. Maybe that's the only reason he kept it together as well as he usually did. But she appreciated it nonetheless, and she wiped at her wet eyes. "Thanks, Jack."

A cool breeze carried in from behind them, drawing their attention back to the ocean before them.

Edward was helping their mother back out of the boat. Jack nudged her gently, and released his barely-there grip on her finger so she could take her turn saying her goodbyes. She switched places with their mother, who took a spot next to Jack and stood close - seeking refuge under his right arm and against his chest as they watched their trusted bodyguard help Emogene into the boat. He couldn't resist a small chuckle as she scolded Edward for the umpteenth time for addressing her so formally.

She took a seat on the edge of the boat and sat next to the man for just a few moments - and from her bag, she produced a seemingly ancient storybook. Jack quickly recognized it as one they would all read to her when she was little, and felt a pang in his chest. She stroked at his hair, and thumbed across his forehead as she made a passive joke at their father about how ashamed he'd be of her for burning a book as her tears started to spill of their own accord again. She spoke to him for a couple more minutes before she rose to her feet, bowed down to kiss his forehead, and made her way back to the shore.

"Your turn." The blonde breathed tiredly, sniffling and wiping at her eyes once more as she gently nudged at Jack's elbow. After a small exchange with Wilhelmina to make sure she was alright, the siblings swapped places.

The ghoul stood waiting for him, a reassuring look on his face, and a hand ever-so-slightly extended, gesturing for him to come forward.

After drawing a long, deep breath, Jack obliged.

Hoisted into the boat once more by Edward's sturdy hand, they exchanged a brief look before Jack settled down next to his father for what he was becoming all too aware would be the last time. He studied the man's features with pity etched onto his own. He'd never wanted it to come to this, but a part of him had come to anticipate it as a very realistic outcome - however, that certainly did nothing to make it easier to cope with.

"If it weren't for that gaudy old portrait in the parlor, I think I might've forgotten what you looked like without that wretched thing attached to your skull." He sighed, tucking away a few of the wispy gray tufts of hair that the wind had disturbed. "But I guess in a way I was always thankful for the reminder… of what you were like before this whole mess. I'm just sorry it came to this."

Jack felt his eyes and his nostrils starting to burn as his emotions swelled.

"But maybe you're finally at peace now. In fact, I… I hope you are . I hope you don't hold any ill will towards me after everything, but I wouldn't blame you if you did. I realize that's an answer I'll never get, and that's alright. It's just something I'll have to live with."

He felt the cold wind caressing at the back of his neck and a shiver ran down his spine, and he wondered, for a fleeting moment, if it wasn't Lorenzo.

"I know you were angry with me for not showing up to see you off the day you left. Angry with me for doubting you so fervently as I did back then. And I can't tell you how many times I've felt the fool after you came back. How many times I've wished I could go back and do it all over again. Even to go with you. To maybe.. have prevented this from ever happening in the first place." He paused for a breath, and to contemplate his words a bit more. "You can live lifetimes , but you can never go back . So I can sit and lament that day over and over, but it will never fix this. But I suppose, neither will sitting here harping on it."

A familiar, warm hand gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze, and he glanced back at Edward, who gave a solemn nod.

"And maybe I wasn't there to see you off that day, but I hope I can make it up to you in some way by seeing you off now." He smiled sadly as he cupped his father's cheek one last time. "We'll miss you, you old codger."

He rose to his feet, and folded the last corner of the quilt to cover the man's ashen face, tucking a hubflower he'd hidden away into the shroud before stepping back into the shore and untying the rope that had tethered the boat there. The wind had picked up - blowing eastwards, and stinging the wetness on Jack's cheeks. He and Edward looked back at Emogene and Wilhelmina, who nodded understandingly and closed the distance between them.

Edward slinked back a few feet to keep the family matron company and to shield her from the cold winds, as the siblings each approached one side of the vessel. Emogene fished from her pocket a book of matches and looked to Jack, as if to seek his permission. After a solemn nod that Emogene returned, before she removed one and lit it, carefully dropping it into the small pile of kindling and watching for the ancient papers to start to singe.

A telltale pillar of smoke began to rise from the wood and from the papers, and the two braced against the boat's frame, waiting for a good moment to push him off as a reassuring orange glow finally erupted. The two shared an unspoken countdown between glances, and shoved in unison, breaking the boat free from the sands beneath their feet, and casting it forth into the calm waters, and hoping that the eastbound winds would make his journey into the sunset an easier one.

Now seemed as good a time as any, Emogene mused as she rummaged through the bag she'd brought along. Jack watched her with great interest as she produced a few wire frames, adorned in thin, decorative fabric

"I got these… god only knows when, honestly. I had a pen pal in China, and we'd occasionally send each other little souvenirs and care packages. She sent me these lanterns once, but I've always kept them for a special occasion." Emogene explained, handing one off to Jack, and another to their mother. "When you light them at a funeral, she told me that they're supposed to symbolize the departed's soul moving on to the next realm. Now seemed as good a time as any to finally use them."

She turned to Edward and extended another.

"She sent me four of them - " She shrugged noncommittally, but Edward smiled and took the offering readily. "and I figure, you've already dedicated 200-some years to this mess, so… if you want-"

"I'd be honored. Thank you."

"This is very thoughtful of you, Emogene." Jack cooed, a soft smile on his face as he studied the ornate thing.

"Yeah, now we just have to hope they still light for us." She chuckled a bit as she tried lighting Wilhelmina's first. "But they're from not that long before the war, and most everything pre-war lasts forever , so…"

Wilhelmina's features lit up in awe as hers roared to life. And Emogene, trying as she may to keep her cool façade and failing miserably, made Jack smile at the slightest shift in her expression that indicated she was, indeed, excited to see it light.

"Now keep hold of the frame while the balloon fills up," she instructed, watching as Edward lit his and Jack's, and then extended his lighter to start hers as well. They stood, watching the skyline as the boat began to glow a bright orange on the water, as their balloons filled with the hot air, and another chilly, easterly wind licked at their backs; it seemed almost eager to carry them out with the current.

And after just a couple of minutes, it did; it swept their four glowing balloons up into the air, and carried them out to sea, where they slowly trailed after the blazing boat. They stood in awe and silence for a while, as the sky grew darker, and the boat's glow grew further away, until the chill began to set into Wilhelmina's bones.

Emogene took notice and rubbed at her shoulders, exchanging a few short whispers before gesturing at her brother. "Mother's getting cold. Are you two okay if we head back?"

"Of course." Jack smiled weakly at the two of them, and nodded. "And thank you for the help today, Emogene. I'll be home shortly."

"We'll be fine, if you wanted to stay a bit longer, Edward." Emogene flashed the ghoul a knowing smile as she turned to lead the way back home. "We'll see you guys in a bit, okay?"

"Be careful." Edward called after them, though he knew Emogene was capable enough to get them back with little trouble, should any arise. He watched them until they were out of sight before he turned his attention back to Jack, whose gaze was transfixed on the fading glow on the darkening horizon.

Without a word, he closed the gap between them, pressing his chest to Jack's back and resting his chin atop the man's mess of hair. He was met with a contented sigh as the scientist melted into the gesture; it was quite welcome as the air around them grew colder.

"I'm gonna' take up some real estate in your coat for a few." The ghoul rasped quietly, enticing a small chuckle from Jack as he plunged his cold hands into the pockets of the old field jacket the smaller man wore, half-embracing him. They settled quickly and easily into their new positions, both readily feeding off the bit of heat, and the bit of comfort, the other provided. Edward heaved a tired sigh, that came out as a barely-there puff of vapor, proof of just how fast the chill was rolling in over Boston. They should probably take a cue from Emogene and head home soon - but he was content to stay here with Jack a while longer. "You okay?"

"Taking it better than I thought I would, actually." Jack spoke quietly. "Just… worrying I didn't say enough, or said too much."

"You always have been a bit of a perfectionist." Edward joked gently. "Worryin' about another thing you can't go back and redo won't do you much good right now, though. But I promise… you did just fine, Jack."

"You really think so?"

"I do. And I dunno about you, but I've always been of the belief, if there really is some kinda' afterlife, they just sorta know ." He shrugged a bit. "I dunno, like if you're there when they're sent off, and if their spirit really is there, it just sorta' picks up on everything. Maybe I'm just superstitious-"

"After the things we've both seen in our lifetimes, you're most certainly allowed to be a bit superstitious." Jack chuckled a bit. "But… yes . That does actually make me feel a bit better."

"Glad to hear it."

They stood a little longer, taking it all in and enjoying the solitude, until a small tremble set into Edward's limbs. It failed to escape Jack's notice.

"If you're cold, we can go."

"Nah, it's fine." The ghoul smiled. "I'll stay with ya' 'til you're ready."

"Just a few more minutes, then we'll head back."

"Sounds good to me."

"... Edward?"

"Hm?"

"... thank you ."