Two days had passed since Aelius set off to find Gael and his mother and he could sense that he was gaining on them. Less than a few hours ago he came across a spot where Gael and his mother had taken shelter, an outcropping in the ground. He found imprints in the soft soil of what could only be that of a small child and a woman. Only once did he almost lose track of their footprints but that was due to previous night's winds that obscured them. He kept a steady walking pace, conserving his energy for more immediate needs and stopping only for short meals when he was able to catch small prey or came across some edible plants and fruits. One thing that his training in the Legion had taught him well was how to anticipate being stalked by wildlife and how to deal with an attack.

Every Legionary soldier went through brutal survival training for several months; it wasn't unusual for at least 10% of the starting group to perish within the first month's course. The biggest and most dangerous predator in these parts were radscorpions. Measuring at over ten feet in length and as tall as Aelius, the adult radscorpions were the biggest threat; smaller ones tended to stay away from people. A radscorpion used its powerful stinger to incapacitate its prey and its claws for dismembering its victims. Aelius recalled one of the first gruesome images he'd seen when the Legion put him into survival training; an image that would haunt him for the rest of his life. One of the new recruits, a boy no older than 11, was lagging behind the group and attacked by an adult radscorpion. The Legionary soldiers forced them all to watch as the beast ate the poor boy while he was still alive... all the while listening to the soldiers lecture them in a condescending tone about the mistakes the boy had made, while he screamed in agony, begging for help that never came. Adult radscorpions normally burrowed in the ground during the day and wandered at night for easy prey to catch and eat; Aelius hoped that wherever the two of them were that they were able to find a safe place for the nights and weren't ambushed as they slept.

As Aelius tracked the footprints, he came across another larger set that concerned him. He knelt next to the tracks to examine them closer. From their shape and direction, there was no doubt that it was another human being following the first set of footprints. From the tread, Aelius could tell it was a man, but he didn't know whether it was made by a Legionary, cannibal, or someone else...

He picked up the pace, keeping his attention on the tracks and hoping that if he did find them that they would be alive and all in one piece.


Water. All Ash could think about was how much she needed it. The way her dry tongue scraped at the roof of her mouth felt like fingernails on chalkboard. After surviving the first night when they broke free from the Legionary soldiers, Ash and Gael were barely surviving in the desert. Catching some early morning dew off of rocks and pinyon nut leaves helped somewhat but didn't do much to satisfy their thirst, and the last meal they had was a helping of some unripe banana yucca about two days ago. If they didn't find a steady supply of water and food, they weren't going to make it.

'Maybe I should have stayed with the Legionary soldier', Ash thought dispiritedly. A frantic thought crossed her mind as she looked at Gael sleeping in her arms whether it was too late to turn back. He had developed a slight fever overnight and it wasn't going away. She needed to find a source of water soon. She didn't care about what happened to her, she just wanted Gael to be alive and healthy. If the Legionary soldier was still alive, maybe she could find him.

'You've just escaped those Legion scum, and now you want to go back to one of them for help?!' she thought as a wave of nausea and disgust bubbled from within her. No, there was no turning back. Ash blocked her desperation and focused on what needed to be done. Their first priority was to find water and once they did their situation would improve.

As high noon came, Ash found a safe place with some shade and settled Gael down to check on him. She felt his forehead with her palm and grew concerned that his fever was slowly getting worse. It stirred a panic deep within her.

"Hey little man", she lightly ran her fingers through his hair to pull it away from his face, "How are you feeling?"

Gael's brow furrowed but he kept his eyes shut and groaned groggily in response. It made Ash want to run and scream for help. She bit back a sob and tried to make him more comfortable by bundling him up in the shade while she took a moment to gain a better view of their surroundings. Clambering up to the top of the rock, she squinted and shielded her eyes from the harsh light. There was nothing but flat land in front of her and the canyon cliffs to her left. A heat haze over the horizon prevented her from seeing what's ahead of them. She bit her cracked lower lip, wondering whether it was wise to rest her weary feet for a while. She turned around to see behind her if anyone was following but couldn't see far from the haze. Something in the distance did catch her eye though, a small spot that seemed to dance on the horizon. It was almost impossible to determine what it was. Ash decided that whatever it was, there was quite a distance between them and she shakily climbed down the rock, feeling her body weak from the dehydration she was suffering. Huddling next to Gael and stroking his fine hair, she quickly fell into a dreamless sleep, unaware the object she couldn't discern on the horizon was headed their way and moving quickly.


Sweat dripped off of Aelius' brow as he jogged following the tracks in a north westerly direction. Darkness was spreading around him as the last rays of the sunset disappeared behind the horizon, and with the darkness came the chill of the night. Aelius could already see steam coming off of his body while he ran, trying to tread lightly on the ground so as not to alert any predators to attack.

Gael and his mother were still alive, of that he was certain. Not too far back he had passed a rocky outcropping where they had invariably stopped for a rest, with the larger set of footprints still following them. They must not have realised that someone was following them. He picked up his pace, fearing that any moment he lost would be too late.


It was pitch black by the time Ash and Gael waded into a stream of cold water. The shock made her yelp and jump back in surprise. For a while as they were walking she could hear the sound of rushing water, but the moon hadn't made its appearance yet and she couldn't see anything in the pitch black of the night. Ash's eyes were open so wide to see any detail in front of her that she could feel the strain in her face starting to cause a headache. She felt her way around and gently placed Gael down where she felt dry earth before moving back to the stream and taking a deep drink in her cupped hand. She was so thirsty that she didn't even consider if the steam was safe for drinking. Luckily it was running water and it tasted clean enough to her.

"Hey darling, wake up", she coaxed Gael to open his eyes and take a drink of cool water. He was so weak that she had to cup some water in her hand and trickle it in his parched mouth. As soon as he realised what was going on, he started waking up and moving a bit more.

"Mom?" he groaned, "I don't feel so good".

"I know baby", Ash replied in a hushed and comforting voice, "You gotta hang in there for a little while longer, we're almost there. Just a couple more days". She gave Gael some more to drink before cleaning his warm face with some water from the stream, running her wet fingers through his hair to help cool him down from his fever. Without any light, there was no way of telling how large this stream was and whether it was safe to cross, so Ash decided to wait a while until there was some more natural light before moving on. But as she was busying herself over Gael's fever, she thought she heard something behind them. Her head whipped back in the direction the rustling came from, holding her breath and clutching Gael close to her body. She wanted to call out and ask who was there, but she knew that was stupid. Fear gripped her and she tried to make herself and Gael as small as possible. It was possible that it was only a wild coyote or insect, though Ash had a growing feeling that they were being followed since the day they escaped.

As her eyes began to adjust to the low light, she was able to discern some features around her. There was something behind them as she could see faint outlines of a human figure moving towards them. Her heart began to pound in her ears as instinct and fear took over. Cradling Gael in her arms and sticking close to the ground, she silently moved to crouch next to a large rock for cover, pressing her back to its rough and sharp surface. A few minutes later she heard heavy footsteps on the gravelly ground not far from where she waded into the water before stopping. Ash leaned forward, taking a peak. Although she couldn't see his features she knew she'd seen him before; it was one of the Legionary soldiers that found her. He was a man not yet in his twenties, but Ash would never forget the vicious look on his face that day; a depraved hunger in his eyes as they ran up and down her body. She pulled back and held Gael tightly to her, wishing she could disappear. Time passed for several agonising minutes and there were no other sounds coming from behind her, Ash wondered if he'd lost their trail and moved off in the other direction. The thought gave her some hope; after all, there was no way to see with any detail without a proper source of light. She leaned forward again to take another peak behind her cover and couldn't see anyone there. It wasn't until she felt a droplet of water on her cheek that she looked up and saw the man's figure looming over them. Ash screamed in fright and sprinted away from the rock as hard as her legs would carry her. She started wading into the water before she felt rough arms grab hold of her and twist her back around, tossing her hard into the shallow water. Clutching Gael in her arms who was wide awake and in distress, Ash landed on her back and pushed Gael away.

"RUN! RUN Gael!" she screamed behind him before being pulled back by her ankle and coming face to face with her attacker. He pushed her into the water until her head was fully submerged and all she could hear around her was rushing water and her own heartbeat. She fought back, kicking and clawing at his legs and face.

"AH! Fucking bitch!" he lifted her out of the water and threw her with such force that she fell back onto dry land.

Gasping for breath and eyes wide in panic, Ash scrambled to her feet and turned around to face him, picking up a rock in one hand as a weapon. If she could distract him and make him focus his attention on her, Gael would have a better chance of escaping.

He moved towards her, laughing at her as she took up a defensive stance.

"You really think you can fight me?" he spat, kicking up dirt and dust at her, "Well come on then, let's see what you got".

Ash hurled the rock at him and got him squarely in the stomach, but it didn't do much to stop him from lunging at her and knocking her to the ground with a powerful punch. She struggled to get back up, a loud ringing in her ears and seeing stars around the corners of her eyes distracted her. Shaking her head, she tried to land a punch between his legs but he quickly skirted her blow and kicked her in the stomach so hard it knocked the air out of her lungs. She was sure she felt a rib or two crack from the blow, but was so winded and in shock that the pain didn't register completely. Laying on her side and clutching at her stomach, she knew it was pointless to even try to fight. A despairing thought crossed her mind that it was very likely she was going to die this night; like her husband, she would be just another victim of the Legion's savagery. The soldier kicked her again, laughing at her as she writhed in agony and gasped for breath.

"You're not going to enjoy this", he sneered, kneeling next to her and yanked her by her hair until she screamed in agony. Though before he could do anything, Ash heard fast paced heavy footsteps and something launched itself at her assailant, knocking him away from her.

Ash blinked the tears out of her eyes, desperate to see what was going on. There was another man standing over her, much larger than her attacker. She couldn't really see his face as it was covered in a wrap, but there was no doubt that it was another Legionary soldier.

"You stupid son of a bitch", the aggressor snarled through gasps, "What are you doing?!"

"It's over Valens, you don't have to do this".

"Over? It's not over! That bitch and her spawn belong to the Legion!" he pointed at Ash who was slowly getting back up onto shaky feet next to her savior, "And after what happened back at camp, we're going to need more breeding stock to replace all our fallen men".

"You seriously want to go back there?! Our troupe is dead! There are no witnesses. This is our chance to escape the Legion and live free!"

"There is nothing BUT the Legion Aelius!" Valens screamed at him, "I should have known you're a coward. If you want to leave, then LEAVE, but I'm taking that profligate back to the Legion".

"Over my dead body", Aelius snarled, moving between Ash and Valens.

"As you wish", Valens launched himself at Aelius, pulling out his machete in an arch above his head and aiming for his collarbone.

Aelius pushed Ash away from the fight and parried Valens' attack with his own machete, catching him in the face with a swift elbow jab. Valens staggered back, grunting in frustration and pain but quickly recovered and viciously swung his weapon, slicing through Aelius' worn leather chest plate. Aelius felt the sharp metal bite into his flesh but carried on fighting as though Valens never touched him. Not permitting another invitation for an attack, Aelius launched himself at Valens, picked him up and body slammed him into ground with a force that almost knocked him out cold. He yanked his machete out of Valens' grip, tossing it to the side and wrapped his hand around Valens' throat, squeezing tightly while pressing him into the ground.

"Ssss….stop" Valens gurgled, trying without success to pry Aelius' hand away, "I….yield".

"I can't", Aelius shook his head, sweat still dripping off him, "If I let you live, you'll go back and bring the Frumentarii with you". He could feel Valens' heartbeat in his hand and his throat wriggling to try to get enough air.

"I...won't. I swear"

"Kill him!" Ash yelled behind him, "Don't listen to him, he will come back with the others".

"Shut up!" Aelius yelled at her, still keeping his grip on Valens. The truth was he didn't want to kill anyone anymore. There had been enough suffering and death in his life in the Legion, now more than anything he wanted to leave that world behind him. How could he do that with another death on his hands?

Aelius' grip loosened, just enough to allow Valens to catch a few rasping breaths, "I let you live, and you leave us alone. You tell them we're presumed dead and that you didn't go back to find us after the attack; understand?"

Valens nodded eagerly, "As you say".

"You swear it?"

"I swear".

Aelius let him go, not bothering to help him up as he moved away.

"No!" Ash screamed, hurling herself at Valens only to be intercepted and caught in Aelius' arms, "No! Kill him! He's not going to let us go!"

"Quiet!" Aelius yelled back at her, pushing her away from him. She started punching his chest in anger, tears streaming down her face. He let her pummel his chest as hard as her arms would let her and, although she did land some painful blows, he didn't try to stop her. Ash wanted vengeance more than anything; she wanted to get back at the Legion for raping her, threatening to indoctrinate her child as one of their soldiers, and for taking her husband away from them.

"Why?! If you can't do it, I will!"

"That's enough!" he pushed her back, making her stagger, "No more killing! I'm done with it".

"Mom?!" Gael's voice called her some distance behind, bringing her back to her senses. She landed one final blow of protest on Aelius's wide chest before running back to her son.

"Are you okay?" she picked him up and felt his face, arms and legs for injuries, "Are you hurt?"

"No", Gael sobbed, clutching onto her, "Did he hurt you?"

"No sweetie, I'm okay", she consoled her son, carrying him back to the Legionary soldier that had saved them. Now that she understood why he rescued them when the Legionary camp was attacked, she was more inclined to trust him.

As Ash carried Gael back with her, she noticed that the other Legionary had got up and was fumbling with something on the ground. When he straightened back up she realised he had picked up a sizeable rock and snuck up behind Aelius.

"Behind you!" she yelled, but before Aelius could react Valens had already struck a hard blow, knocking him to the ground on all fours. She put Gael down on the ground and ran at Valens, catching him in the stomach and almost toppling him over. He grabbed hold of her as he lost his balance and landed on top of her, choking her with his hands around her neck.

"You are more trouble than you're worth. I might just kill you right now", he sneered and tightened his grip until Ash started to see stars. Kicking and punching to get him off of her only made him angrier and his grip tightened until Ash couldn't fight anymore. Her whole body went limp as tunnel vision began to set in, what she saw and heard next made her think that she was hallucinating. She felt hot drops rain on her exposed skin that tasted like iron, and all of a sudden her airways were clear. Coughing and gasping for air, her vision came back and what she saw made Ash wish she was still unconscious. Still on top of her and alive, Valens poked a sharp object sticking out of his chest. His eyes were so wide and mouth opened and closed in silent horror as he went limp and fell on his side. Ash kicked herself away from him, still coughing and wheezing from her ordeal.

"I didn't want to do this… but you gave me no choice", Aelius whispered sombrely, standing over Valens. He pulled out the machete from his chest and watched one of the most vile and vicious men he'd known expire.


Joshua grew stronger with each passing day, and as his strength grew the memories of what happened to him after being doused with pitch, set on fire and tossed in the canyon started coming back to him. He was still at a loss as to how he even survived; no doubt it must have been God's will that he survives. Now he had to figure out what his purpose was, and that was proving harder than he imagined. For so long he had lived with a growing darkness in his heart that he forgot what his life was like before the Legion. Maybe this was his chance to make amends, to do the right thing by guiding the lost and non-believers with peace and understanding as he did before Edward instead of violence and prejudice.

The day he woke and went down into town with Mary, he professed his sins to everyone. He half expected to be met with disgust and anger, possibly even exiled from New Canaan for his unforgivable actions; he knew he deserved nothing less. To his surprise, he was welcomed back with open arms. The townsfolk already knew of his sins before he even arrived. Word had spread of Edward Sallow and his Legion, how they absorbed other tribes and brought terror and death to their enemies. Even so, they forgave him and treated him no different than they did when he lived there as a young man.

It was early evening and the sun was setting just over the horizon. Joshua sat in one of Dawn's comfortable armchairs in the kitchen as those around him prepared for the evening meal. Still wrapped up in bandages stuffed with the healing herbs that Mary instructed his family to apply on a daily basis, Joshua was beginning to feel better; though it was difficult to ever get comfortable. His skin would never be fully healed. The flames had distorted much of his skin that was exposed to the flames, leaving it red and wrinkled looking in some areas and smooth and shiny in others. In truth, he felt as if his skin was shrink wrapped where he was burned. Sometimes he feared that if he stretched too much or twisted a little too enthusiastically that it would tear like a thin, worn out fabric. Nevertheless, he was grateful to be alive and be with his family again.

Dawn had organised a town feast in honour of Joshua's recovery, and everyone was invited. The air buzzed with chatter and laughter from the children as the adults prepared food and set a long table in the middle of the street. Even though his people had forgiven him, the guilt and memories of what he did built in Joshua's mind every day.

"Joshua?" Dawn's soft voice called next to him, "What's wrong? Are you not well?"

Joshua shook his head and tried to wipe the thoughts from his mind, "I'm alright, Dawn. I just keep thinking..."

Dawn gazed down at him knowingly and pulled a stool to her so she could sit close and be with her nephew, "I know... The burden you bear is… well, it's the heaviest weight you are going to have to carry in your heart for the rest of your life".

"You have no idea", it took every bit of his strength to stop his voice from breaking, "I don't deserve this".

Dawn sat up a bit straighter in her seat, a frown set in her already wrinkled features, "That's not true Joshua, and you know this in your heart. Whatever you have done, there is no sin that God will not forgive if we repent. And you have my dear!" she gently took his bandaged hand in hers, "I can see it, as do the others. God has spared you your life because he saw the guilt within you and found you worthy of his forgiveness. Do not waste it away burrowing deeper in despair", she smiled, lowering her head to try to meet his averting gaze. Dawn was not an easy woman to ignore. Though she was nearing 80 years of age, her smile was just as bright as he first remembered.

"You're right", Joshua relented, looking up at her ruefully, "I will try to remember that".

Dawn smiled and gently pressed her palm on the side of his cheek. Even at her age she was a striking woman, with fine white hair pulled back in a modest bun, skin slightly mottled in places from years of working in the fields and strong reassuring hands that felt like they would catch you if you fell.

"Now, the main meal is almost done. I think we are ready to have our guest of honour sit at our table", she beamed, taking his hand and leading him outside.

Joshua's jaw almost dropped at the sight of the setting. The long table was beautifully set with a crocheted table runner down the middle stitched with floral folk patterns and candle lit fairy lights in glass jars strung up above them running in a row pattern, giving the whole street a warm and welcoming glow. Dawn showed him to his seat at the middle of the table and poured him a drink of blackberry juice while they waited for others to finish setting up and take a seat. Joshua's attention was caught by the stitching pattern on the table runner and now that he thought about it, it reminded him a little of the floral folk art he saw in Mary's cabin. He had been so consumed with catching up with everyone that he hadn't realised he'd not seen Mary in almost two weeks.

"Will Mary be joining us tonight?" he asked, sipping on the refreshingly sweet drink.

"Of course! She wouldn't miss this for the world", Mary beamed, "I see you're admiring her handiwork. She is very creative with the needle and thread".

"Yes... I suppose she is", Joshua ran a finger on the pattern, feeling the little bumps where the stitching was done expertly. He had wondered about her, about why she lived away from the immediate protection of the town. She was a healer, a doctor in the town she lived before coming to New Canaan, but he didn't know any details or why she moved. He felt an urge to learn all he could about the woman who cared for him, "What can you tell me about her?"

Dawn sighed and looked off into the distance thoughtfully, "A tragic story... A couple of our boys found her and two children, a young boy and girl, while out doing missionary work in the north. She was barely alive when they brought her in. Poor dear".

"Where did she come from?"

"Honeyville", Dawn answered, pouring herself a glass of cooled sweet agave and melon flower tea.

"I don't understand. If she and those children were the last survivors, I should think they wouldn't want to live on their own on a hill".

"They didn't. But… Oh! It's a tediously long story and honestly not worth repeating".

Joshua's interest was piqued, "Okay, now you really have my attention".

With an exasperated sigh, Dawn started fussing over the way the food was arranged and the place mats. She had a habit of fidgeting whenever she didn't want to talk about something she felt uncomfortable with and, evidently, this habit didn't change over the years.

"Dawn, please".

"She's… a Quaker", Dawn responded with some hesitation, "When William tried to speak with her, to show her the teachings of our Lord, they had an argument. A big one. She was stubborn and refused to listen, and so was William. There was no saving her according to him, so he thought it best if she and the two children didn't live in the town", Dawn sighed.

"She didn't want to convert so William's response was to kick her and those two children out?" Joshua asked in shocked surprise. This was not like them, to push away the innocent and allow them to fend for themselves.

Dawn visibly slumped in her seat, as if a weight had been dropped on her shoulders, "They weren't kicked out. We all helped to build that wonderful cabin".

"A cabin that's ten minutes away from the town", Joshua retorted, "What if they need help?"

"We've given her some of our best rifles and we have someone check in on them at least once a day".

Joshua couldn't believe what he was hearing, so much so that he started chuckling. It was either laugh at the absurdity of the way the situation was handled by those who were older and supposedly wiser than him, or storm off; and he didn't want to get into an argument with his aunt.

"I don't see what's so funny", Dawn frowned at him.

"Quakers are pacifists. They don't use weapons", he answered trying to keep his voice calm while feeling frustrated with the way the situation was dealt. He knew William was a man who was prone to outbursts and that, despite the teachings in the Holy Texts instructing otherwise, he was a prideful man. In fact, while growing up, Joshua rarely ever heard him apologise to anyone for the harsh words he said; even to his own wife. The way it sounded, Mary must have said something that William simply couldn't handle and the only response he saw fit was to put a physical distance between them. This realisation deepened his curiosity and admiration for Mary.

Dawn folded her hands on her lap, sipped her tea and bit her tongue, not wanting to get into a row over an issue that was settled years ago, "I know that. Either way, she has a means to defend herself if she chooses. Though I must say, you seem quite taken with our Quaker friend", she cocked an eyebrow.

"I admire those who stand up for themselves and their beliefs against the odds in front of them".

Shooting him a knowing look, a hint of a smirk caught the corner of Dawn's lips, "Mhmm, one of her more endearing qualities I suspect; though Iwouldn't know".

It took a moment for Joshua to realise what his aunt was referring to, and when it finally dawned on him what she was insinuating he felt his heart quicken and heat flush through his whole body. Her allegation wasn't untrue. Though the time they spent was brief, he did find that he enjoyed Mary's company. She was a charming, intelligent and beautiful woman unlike any other he'd ever known, yet part of him felt disgust for having such budding feelings for her, that he didn't deserve that kind of attention from someone as kind and good as her. "Grow up Dawn", he brushed her hint aside, allowing the guilt to bubble and fester inside of him.

His aunt smiled and placed a loving hand on his shoulder, "My dear, it's not a sin to admit that you like someone. And Mary is a wonderful woman, we are incredibly lucky to have her with us".

"Then why keep her at arm's length?"

"Because she likes things the way they are", Dawn answered honestly, "I managed to smooth the ruffled feathers between William and Mary eventually, but by that time her cabin was completed she had already settled in. She's perfectly content there, as are those two children. It is entirely up to her where she lives, and she has chosen to live in the cabin", Dawn got up slowly and straightened out the wrinkles in her dress before giving Joshua a kiss on the top of his head and joined the others to help bring out the rest of the food.

Joshua sat in silence contemplating his aunt's words. Part of him felt giddy at experiencing these new emotions, and another part felt contempt that he would even dare. In his mind he wasn't deserving of that kind of attention, let alone now that the exterior matched the terrifying monster that he had become in the Legion. As Caesar's Legate, he witnessed atrocities committed against women and children, and although being one of Caesar's highest-ranking soldiers gave him the right to pick any woman he desired, he never did. Instead he focused his attention into conquering new tribes, while Caesar indulged himself with a harem. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn't realised the table was complete and laden with food and that almost everyone had made it to their seats by now.

"Hello again", a familiar voice shook him back to reality. Joshua's wide-eyed gaze snapped up and he saw Mary standing expectantly next to him. "May I join you?". Her mere presence melted away at his guilt and Joshua found himself feeling giddy again.

"Uh… Yes. Of course", he stood up and pulled the chair out for her, "Please". His admiring gaze followed her movements as she sat down next to him at the table. She wore an off-white coloured fit and flare dress that nicely complimented her lightly tanned complexion and wavy sand blonde hair, with a brown belt accentuating her slender waist.

"How have you been? It's been a while since we last saw each other", she asked with a smile that seemed to momentarily make him mute and feeling foolish. He wondered if she had the same effect on others, or if it was just him. If it was the latter, he mused what it was about her that made him react in this manner.

"Yes… About that. I apologise for not being more engaging".

"No need for that" she briefly touched his arm comfortingly, "You have been reunited with family and friends. It must be nice to finally catch up with everyone".

Her words were like honey and Joshua had to fight to break his gaze from her; he didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

"Yes, it was", he distracted himself by pouring them both a glass of blackberry juice, feeling rather stupid that every time he saw or spoke with her he seemed to be at a loss for what to say, "Do you have any family?"

'Idiot! Why did you ask her that?' he scolded himself, remembering the story Dawn told him as the words left his lips.

"I used to", her smile waned as she took a sip of her drink, "All that is left of them are my niece and nephew".

"I am sorry to hear that", Joshua wanted to reach out and touch her hand for comfort but remained motionless.

"It was a long time ago. I have made peace with their passing", she looked up at him, her eyes welling up slightly.

For the first time in his life, Joshua was at a loss for words. He didn't know what he could say or do that might reassure her and bring back the joy in her eyes.

"If it wasn't for your people, I don't know what would have happened to me. They have been so kind, generous and patient with me… You are lucky to have such a family".

Instinctively, Joshua reached out and gently took her hand in his, "They are your family, too".