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It was late when they returned home. All of the lights in the house were out. The first thing Casey did was to slip into Emily’s room and check on her. She had been sleeping in her crib for nearly two weeks now. She watched the baby sleeping, smiled when she felt Daniel come up behind her. Satisfied that their daughter was all right, they slipped back out and into the kitchen.

"Are you hungry?" she asked, opening the pantry door.

"A little," he admitted. He opened the refrigerator and took out the carton of milk.

"PB and J?"

"Works for me," he replied. He poured two glasses of milk, then returned the carton to the fridge, and grabbed the jam, both the grape and the strawberry.

She found the bread, the peanut butter, and took two small plates from the plate rack. She made the sandwiches up, then searched for and found a bag of potato chips.

They sat at the table to eat. She licked strawberry jam from her fingers. "Were you serious when you said we should go on a vacation?"

He nodded. "Yep. The last one I tried to take you on got interrupted."

"Well, like you said, we cured that problem." She smiled. "I really like the idea of going to an island resort on Langara. Think we could do a little research, see if there' a good place to go?"

"Babe, if that’s what you want, you’ve got it," he told her with a smile. She dropped more jam. When she picked it up on her finger, he pulled it toward his mouth and sucked her finger clean.

"You spoil me, you know that, don’t you?"

"Love spoiling you, Angel."

She stood up, then resettled herself on his lap. "Doctor Jackson, do you know of a really, excellent way to say ‘I love you’?"

He smiled. "The best way? Like this," he said, then pulled her down for a kiss.

She pulled away. "You’re sure?"

He nodded.

She lowered her head, then kissed him, trying to convey with her lips and tongue what she could not find the words to say. They were both breathless when she finally pulled away. "How was that? Did it say ‘love you’?"

"Yes, babe, it did. Love you too." He yawned, then looked up at her. "Let’s go to bed, Angel. I’m beat, and I know you’re tired as well."

They cleaned up the kitchen, then went to bed, asleep nearly before they were settled into their customary positions.

Erin closed the guest room door quietly, a smile on her face. They were home safely. Their love for one another was a constant amazement to her. She had thought for centuries, millennia, that no love could outshine what she had with Aaron. The love her daughter and son-in-law shared was much brighter than any love she had ever seen. She had talked to Lya. She knew that Daniel was The Chosen. She agreed that he was an excellent choice. The only choice. And with Casey by his side, there was nothing he couldn’t do. She settled back into the bed beside Aaron.

"They’re home?" he asked softly.

"Yes. The first thing they did was check on Emily. They’re in bed now."

"Good." With that, he pulled her into his arms. "Go back to sleep, my love."

Casey snuggled closer to him in her sleep, Daniel’s arm tightened around her as he slept. And near them, three Beings watched with satisfaction. Neither of the Immortal humans stirred as the Beings moved silently away. The protection of the Innocents was in good hands.

The End

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