She was sat reading in the smaller living room, which was much more cosy and just about big enough to fit them all in when it was a special occasion, when Hannah came and found her. She put her book down as soon as she entered the room and she smiled warmly at her. "Keller, I just wanted to tell you again that I'm here if you ever need me, if you ever want to talk."

She smiled at Hannah and nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She was touched, as many times as Hannah had told her she could come to her, she had always fooled herself into thinking she was only doing it out of pity, but now she realized that everyone who had offered help did it because they cared, not because they felt they had to.

"Keller-" Hannah trailed off and looked as though she was struggling to find the words. She took Keller's hand in her small ones.

"I'm sure you've realized by now that Galen might be in danger, but wherever he is, I'm sure he's fighting to get back to you. And Thierry wanted you to know that we're doing everything we can to get him back"

"Thanks Hannah. I appreciate it." Keller managed a small smile as she blinked away the tears already welling up.

"Oh Keller" Hannah reached across and hugged her friend gently. "I'm so sorry. If I could do anything, I would"

"I know" Hannah whispered back.

"Keller, before Galen left, he wrote you a letter. You know how he was, always wanted to be one step ahead, even in the worst case scenario. Theirry told him that nothing was likely to happen on this mission but Galen wouldn't listen. He wanted us to give it to you if for some reason he couldn't come back."
Keller just stared at her, shocked speechless, and as if reading her mind Hannah spoke.

"He didn't know it was going to happen Keller, if he had he wouldn't have left you. I know he didn't because he was joking about it before he left, saying that he would feel foolish and paranoid when he came home in a few weeks and he hoped you wouldn't ever have to find out about how sentimental and romantic he was" Hannah smiled softly at the memory and then continued.

"I'll leave you alone now. But come find me if you need someone to talk to" she handed Keller a pristine midnight blue envelope and left.

It was evening already, another day of waiting had passed and Keller wondered how many more she would have to endure before her life path was finally decided. She sat with the envelope between her numb hands, staring at the insignia on the back, it was Galen's family crest. She had been out on the balcony all afternoon, and she was shaking, her heart wanting her to open the letter but some small part of herself telling her that if she opened it then she would be accepting defeat, and even then she might not like what she saw.

It was heavy, for something that was just paper. Her curiosity finally got the better of her and she slid her finger delicately under the flap, holding the small envelope as if it were the most precious thing in the universe.

She pulled out the crisply folded paper as gently as possible, but something hit the floor as she did so. She knelt down and picked up the small silver ring, feeling its intricately carver surface beneath her fingers.

With shaking hands she read the neat scripture written in silver on the midnight blue stationary.

My love, Keller.

If you are reading this then I must first apologize, I never meant to leave you, especially like this.

I know there will be no words, spoken or written, that can console you but I am going to try, because this may be my only chance to say goodbye, and I am sorry, because that is also my fault.

I want you to know that you stole my heart, Raksha Keller, forever. No matter where I go I will always cherish the memories we shared, you're smile, you're laugh, everything about you.

You are the most beautiful, fierce, loving, astounding person, and I hope that never changes.

But although I'm gone, I don't want you to mourn for me, I want you to fight, like I know my Keller would. I want you to live you're life to the full, and create more happy memories.
I know it will be hard, but I ask you to forget me, so that you can move on.

Because I want you to be happy. One day I hope you can meet someone else that makes you laugh at the silliest things, that makes your heart skip a beat whenever they say your name, someone you can love that loves you back.

Because you deserve that. You deserve another chance at love, and you deserve someone in you're life that won't leave you, willingly or otherwise.

I know that the other daybreakers will take good care of you, and I am so grateful that you have so many caring people around you; You'll never be alone again Keller.

The last thing I ask of you is that you wear my ring, it will provide you with the protection of my family and I pray that you'll never need it.

I love you, forever and always.

Galen

Keller had trouble reading the last few sentences as her eyes were blurred with tears. She could feel her heart braking, as it finally accepted that he was gone. She couldn't bear it. Slipping his ring onto her left hand she furiously tried to stop the tears so that she could find her way back to her room and cry in peace.

That night she dreamt of Galen, of everything about him, and when she woke her pillow was drenched in tears. Somewhere through the numbness she could feel a hint of surprise that she had slept. She pulled on a pair of jeans and Galen's jumper and headed for Thierry's office.

Theirry was sorting out some of circle daybreaks finances when there was a knock at the door. He looked up to see a dishreveled and ill looking Keller. He had noticed, along with everyone else, her lack of appetite and the way her face seemed to become more gaunt as the days passed. Worse still was the way all the light and life had disappeared from her eyes.

"Keller" he stood and hugged her, something the normal Keller would never allow.

"Theirry, I wanted to talk to you" Keller sat in the chair Theirry indicated.

"Of course, you can always talk to me. What is it that you wanted to talk about?" Thierry's eyes were kind and warm as he leant across the desk intently.

"I- I want to be assigned a mission. I don't feel as if I'm doing enough here. I know you all think its too dangerous but I disagree"

Theirry nodded, he had known that Keller would eventually demand a mission.

"Well as soon as the next opportunity arises I shall let you know"

Keller simply nodded and left the study, wondering where she could go or what she could do to get rid of the restless sensation building in her stomach.

The next few days passed slowly for Keller. She went through her daily routine, getting up and dressed for the benefit of the others. But never once did she smile and she only talked if someone spoke to her first. Each night Keller would sit on the balcony until daybreak and read Galen's letter, committing it to memory. Thierry approached her a few days after she had gone to him and told her about her mission. It wasn't complicated, a simple information gathering task that would take a few days, and Keller was disappointed that there was no great danger but anything that got her away from the safe house and gave her something to do was a welcome escape.

"Be safe" Quinn hugged Keller and whispered in her ear "I want you back in one piece, you hear me?"

Keller just nodded and returned the goodbyes of her friends, trying not to disappoint them, before walking out of the daybreak safe house without even a glance back.