"WHAT DO YOU THINK?" JUNE ASKS.

"It's perfect." I reply. June brings her hands down off of the picture and sighs with relief. June has hung up the picture I found of her, her brother, and her dog, and gave to her for her birthday. She steps back and looks at her work. I step up behind her and wrap my arm around her shoulders. "Beautiful," I say, admiring the picture. I hear June sniff quietly, as if she were crying. "Hey," I whisper, turning her so that she faces me. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing's wrong," She says back. "I- I just haven't seen us all together like that for so long." She says, gesturing at the picture. "I just, really miss them." She whispers, right before a small tear runs slowly down her cheek. "Oh, Day," she sobs, covering her face with her hands and then turning her head into my chest. "I'm really scared."

"Scared of what?" I ask as I wrap my arms around her. "Cause the June that I know? She's not afraid of anything." I whisper in her ear. This gets a small laugh out of her, but she soon returns to sniffles. "Hey," I say again. "Whatever you're afraid of, I'll always be here to help you face it."

"But that's what I'm afraid of." She says. "I'm afraid I'll lose you again." She brings her head up and looks me in the eye. "Promise me, Day." She begins. "Promise me that you'll never leave me again." She brings her hands up to my face. "Please."

"Of course I promise." I say. "I'll never leave you, June. Not now, not ever. I love you too much to let that happen."

"Oh, Day," She whispers. As I lean closer to brush my lips against hers, a small voice breaks the silence.

"Mommy?" the voice says. "Daddy?"

"Metias," June says, breaking away from me, and kneeling down in front of Metias. "Oh, what are you doing up, baby? Did we wake you?"

"No," says Metias shyly. "I just woke up on my own. And I wanted to tell you something."

"What is it, Metias?" I ask, coming over to kneel beside June. Her eyes never leave Metias, afraid that he'll disappear like her brother did.

Even in the low lighting, Metias' blush is obvious. "I just wanted to tell Mommy Happy Birfday."

"Oh, that's very sweet of you, Metias," June begins. "But you didn't have to get out of bed. I would have been okay."

"Come 'ere, buddy." I say, stretching my arms out. "I'll go tuck you back in."

"Can Mommy come too?" he asks.

"Sure." June says beside me. "We'll both come."

Metias climbs into my arms and curls his little four-year-old arms around my neck. As June and I walk to his bedroom, he's lulled to sleep within seconds of being rocked by my steps.

I steal a glance at June. She's wearing the same sad expression that I've seen in her beautiful face too many times. June turns her head and looks at me. She smiles a little bit, but her eyes still hold the same fear and pain that's she described to me a million times. June used to tell me about how her brother, Metias, always held fear in his eyes, fear that something bad would happen to her, just like their parents. I've seen a similar look in my brother's eyes too.

When we reach Metias' room, I gently lay him down on his bed, after June pulls the blankets back. June brings the blankets back up around his tiny shoulders, then brushes her hand softly over his hair. "He's such a beautiful little boy, isn't he?" June says.

"He looks like you." I reply. "He's got your hair, your eyes..."

"He's got your eyes too." She says back. "And he kind of reminds me of John, Eden," She pauses for a moment, then looks up at me. "He reminds me of you the most though. He's brave, he doesn't give up, and he's got heart. He loves everyone that's important to him. And that is going to benefit him greatly one day. I know that it benefited you."

"He got all of that from you too." I reply. "It helped you through life."

"Do you ever wonder," she begins. "What life would be like, if Anden hadn't become Elector, if he hadn't changed things. I mean, if this country was the same way it was twenty years ago, nothing would be the same. Children would still be going to the Trials, there would still be plagues running wild through the streets..." June looks lovingly at Metias. "I just can't imagine it. Especially now that we have children of our own. I'm just so grateful that they won't be raised with hate for someone else, the way we were."

I think about this for a second. "If this country were the same way it was twenty years ago," I start. "So much would be different. I mean, at this point in time,"

"We hadn't met yet." June finishes. "And our families were alive. Your mother, John, Metias..." June begins to cry again. "I was so different then. Commander Jameson was like, my role model. I hated her but, I wanted that life so much. I was set on becoming this military leader, bringing my own troops onto the battlefield for defeat against the Colonies." June looks back up at me. "I don't want to raise our children with hate, Day."

"I'm not gonna let that happen." I reply. "Come on," I say, reaching a hand out to her, which she takes, standing up. "Let's go." By the time we get back to our room, June's tears have grown slightly, and I can feel tears in my eyes too. Even after twenty years, the memory of my mother and John hurts to think about.

June must see the tears in my eyes, because she wraps her arms around me and apologizes. "I'm so sorry, Day." She whispers.

I return the hug and do my best to not cry, but a choking sob works its way out of me. I can hear June crying too. I cry into her hair for what seems like hours. Even though I lost nearly every memory connected to June almost eighteen years ago, I can still remember some memories similar to this. Like the day that I found out that John was dead. And the night that I announced my loyalty to Anden and the Republic. And the day that June has told me about so many times; the day that I was shot and lay there dying in her arms, both of us crying because of the mental and physical pain that came with losing each other.

I don't remember that moment very well, but I do remember June crying, praying that I would live, and I remember seeing my mother, looking young and free, and that I begged her to bring me with her. You still belong on the other side of the looking glass. She had said to me. Someday, when you're ready to take the step over to our, I'll come see you again. Live well, Daniel. Make that final step count. As I think back on this memory, I make a silent promise to my mother. I promise, I will make that final step count. I will leave a permanent mark in this world.