When she, Slade, and Cassie had all made it back to the barn near Cassie's house, the last thing she'd been expecting was for Rachel to come to the barn to talk to her once Cassie had left.

(Hey,) Rachel said, fluttering to a stop just inside the hayloft. (Thanks, you know, for all your help down in that cave we all ended up in.)

(You're welcome, Rachel,) she said, sitting up in the bed that she and Slade had curled up in as soon as the pair of them had both demorphed, offering the younger girl a smile. (If you ever need my help again, you know where to find me.)

(Yeah, I do,) Rachel said. (I'll see you soon.)

(See you soon, Rachel,) she said, as the younger girl turned and fluttered back out of the hayloft window.

Laying back down on the pile of blankets, Shara spent the few minutes before she fell asleep staring up at the rafters of the barn. She had the distinct feeling that she'd just lost one of the few remaining things that were important to her, so another of Darkon's Teknomen had probably just hatched. It was the only way she could explain what she was feeling at the moment.

Sighing, even as she closed her eyes at last, Shara could only hope that she could keep herself and Slade out of his hands, even if the pair of them did have to make a home for themselves in Cassie's barn.