Without saying a word he pulled her into a tight hug.

"Haji," she whispered, "please tell me that this is not a dream."

"It isn't, Saya, you are awake."

"But you…" he silenced her by placing his finger on her lips and kissed her forehead. Time had no meaning as she rested in his arms, still not believing that this was real. She tried not to think about anything, because when she started thinking, she feared to wake up and find out that this moment was just one of her dreams she had dreamed during her long sleep.

When she finally concluded, that she wasn't dreaming, Saya left the warmth of Haji's arms. Solomon was standing a few meters off. As soon as he notices her glance, he said: "I will go and help Lulu with the breakfast. I wouldn't trust a Schiff with cooking human food." Then he disappeared in the dark.

She sized up Haji: he had hardly changed in all those years. Only his dark hair was falling loosely over his shoulders. Saya pulled the ribbon out of hers and tied it back into his. But still there was something else that had changed. There was a wide smile on his face and hope in his eyes.

"So you found the rose?" Haji asked carefully.

"Yes, but I had no idea…" Saya didn't know how to say it. I had no idea you were alive. She did not want to think about the memories and the pain anymore.

"I know…I hoped you would understand the rose's meaning. I wanted you to know, that I had been there." He turned his head to the sea. "I'm sorry, that I wasn't with you when you woke up. After all the time of waiting I didn't expect it to happen exactly this night. Julia had asked me into her laboratory for some tests and there was something she got such excited about, that she didn't let me go until late at night."

"Julia? Why is she still researching about chiropteran?" Haji shrugged: "I think it is just her curiosity. And she thinks that her results might be helpful someday – of course for us and not for the military." He paused before adding with a hint of dislike in his voice: "But as I saw, you weren't alone when you woke up anyway." Evan though Solomon's name remained unspoken, it lay upon them like a dark shadow.

"Should we go to the Omoro's?" Saya asked only to change the topic, "Maybe Kai was already waked by the noise in the kitchen and now they are waiting for us."

"If that's your wish we shall go." It was the old Haji who said these words, the one without a smile. He had already turned to leave, when Saya stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"Please don't talk like that. You are not my servant anymore. I don't need you to do as I say. I need you to be my friend."

"Friend?" there was no reproach in his voice: it just sounded as if he wanted to ensure himself that he had understood correctly, what she had said. Saya smiled, took a step closer and kissed him. He grinned to himself thinking: If this is what you wish…