In the cozy little cottage Leaves Above was was sitting on her couch. Her legs were tucked up under her, and she had a quilt draped over her shoulders. She flipped restlessly through the TV channels barely noticing what was on. She was distracted by a small whine. Laying next to the front door was the dog that had lead Leaves Above to the child. The dog had only moved from her spot to eat, and go outside. The dog was waiting for her master; even when she went outside she was looking. The dog always returned to the spot were the girl had been laying. Leaves Above wondered how long the dog would keep her vigil. She wondered how long it would take to realized that her master was not coming home?

This thought made Leaves Above pause. She looked over at the dog. Was the girl really going to be disposed of? Second Sunrise had not had an answer for her when she asked him. "Nothing has been decided," he replied simply. But she knew from Harness Light that the child had woken up, though she was never awake when Leaves Above visited.

Leaves Above tossed the remote down onto the table. She wanted to know what was going to happen to the girl, and if Second Sunrise couldn't tell her she would go to the primary source. She put on several more layers of clothing before going out into her car.

After about a twenty minute drive Leaves Above reached her destination. She looked up at the building curiously; she had never been to the Seekers headquarters before. It looked like just like any other building except for the sleek cars with sirens on the top. Her host memory supplied the word 'police car' but it was obsolete. There were no laws to be enforced, though the Seekers, like the police, were considered protectors of civilization and peace.

Leaves Above walked through the front door into a warm brightly lit lobby. Sparsely spaced out throughout the lobby were stuffed couches and chairs and soft calm music gently filled the room. Near the door was the reception desk. Leaves Above hesitated it had just occurred to her that the Seeker she wanted to see may be busy, or not even in the building at all. She should have called ahead and arranged a meeting.

But the secretary at the desk gave Leaves Above a welcoming smile. The soul was older, in her sixties, with white hair, and reminded Leaves Above of a grandmother.

"I was hoping to speak with Hank," Leaves Above told the secretary, "If he isn't busy, of course."

"Hold on one moment, Dear. I'll call him and ask," the secretary replied cheerfully. She spoke on the phone for a minute before hanging up.

"Hank would be happy to speak with you," she assured Leaves Above, "His office is just down the left corridor, third door to the right."

"Thank you."

"Your welcome, Dear."

Leaves Above followed the woman's direction and knocked on the door. "Come in," a low booming voice called.

Leaves Above entered a small cluttered office. In the middle was a desk with a computer and papers scattered all over it. On one wall was a billboard covered in maps, next to it were two large filling cabinets. The seeker, Hank, stood up and offered his hand to Leaves Above. As she shook his hand she toke in his appearence. His host was in his early forties, he had a strong prominent jaw, and his hair was starting to turn silver.

"Thank you for meeting me, though I'm sorry for calling so unexpectedly. My name is Leaves Above."

"You are Second Sunrise's good friend then? Please have a seat. How can I help?" Hank smiled kindly at her as they both sat down.

"I was wondering what was going to happen to the human girl, Gabriella. I know from Second Sunrise that you are in charge of her case."

"Ah yes, her. It's been decided that it would be the best if she was disposed of... I was just going to call Second Sunrise and inform him actually,"

The way that Hank said this shocked her. He was so nonchalant. It shouldn't have shocked her. Harness Light had returned plenty of times from work and told her of a host that had been born with incurable genetic disorder that had to be destroyed; and for a moment they both would feel sad about what a waste it had been. But this time - for reasons Leaves Above could not fathom - this manner seemed cruel.

Without thinking she whispered., "You're going to kill her?"

Leaves Above's question startled Hank, but he quickly recovered. "She is unfit for a host," he explained gently, "It would take months for her body to recover. It would be wrong to have any soul endure that, and just as wrong to let the child recover knowing as soon as she does she will be used as a host. And any soul would be crushed by memory's of the girls suffering. It is better to have the child put out of her misery quickly. It would be done in her sleep, without her knowing, and with no pain."

These words should have comforted Leaves Above but only made her think of one of her host's memory's when her dog had to be put to sleep. The host's father had explained it in a similar way.

"You speak of her as if she was an animal or worse a broken car. If it was a soul every measure would be taken to heal her."

Hank did not look insulted as Leaves Above half expected him to. He simply looked at her with sympathy. "No one can deny that the girl is an intelligent being. And a quite remarkable one at that. I have never seen anyone so strong willed. And your right saying that with a soul there would be no question if it was right to heal them no matter how hard or long that process would be. But a soul has reasons to live; there is nothing for that child. She has no family, no where to go, she is living in a world where her race is near extinction."

Leaves Above shock her head. She remembered the child's grip on her hand. She couldn't stand by and watch her die anymore than she could watch Harness Light die. There had to be another way. An idea struck her.

"What if I and my partner take her in and act as her guardians." she blurted out.

Hank's jaw dropped.

"We could give her a home. She could go to school make friends. She has already proven that's able to interact with souls peacefully. She risked her life to save Second Sunrise; isn't that proof enough that she is benevolent."

"Leaves Above..." She could tell from the tone of his voice that he was going to say no.

"There's no law that prohibits it," she added quickly.

This made Hank pause. "Have you talked to your partner about this?" he finally asked.

Leaves Above side-stepped the question, "He doesn't want her to die anymore than I do."

Hank ran his hand through his hair. "I'll talk to the girl. If it doesn't seem like she's a security threat than I suppose you have every right to... to adopt her."

A huge smile spread across Leaves Above's face, "Thank you," She said. "Thank you."