Only two days had passed, two days of conflicted emotions, ups and downs. Fear and joy dancing back and forth threatening to crush and revitalize Chandra. She stood before the window looking down on the courtyard, her fingers buttoning up a new clean shirt. It was two sizes too large but she didn’t mind, not in the least. It smelled of soap and she strangely missed the sensation of folding laundry from the line.

The first frost hit the night before. The grass glistened and the ground looked crisp from where she watched. The people walking around the courtyard wore layers and looked more or less… normal.

“You didn't sleep, did you?” Her husband’s voice cooed behind her and the tears surfaced again. Tears of joy. Of relief. She’d come to terms with never hearing his voice again. Kam’s hands calmly touched her shoulders as he tucked his face in the crook of her neck. The warmth of his breath brought a kiss on its heels as his lips caressed her cheek. Sinking back into his body Chandra closed her eyes.

“Welcome to salvation.” Her eyes sprung open. The voice and sounds of terror lingered fresh on her mind and her whole body shivered.

Kam pulled her close. “Are you cold?”

“No, I'm alright,” she said, wiping her eyes clear. Turning in his arms she looked up at her husband. His face was dark, his skin scarred more than she remembered. Her fingers reached for his face and traced along his jaw and caught in his dark thick beard. She’d never seen him bearded before. Worry lined his eyes as he stared into hers.

“I'm alright,” Chandra reassured him before leaning in to kiss her husband.

A soft knock at the door called them back to reality, the knob turning as the door creaked open. Before she could even try to help it Chandra's smile broadened, her hands leaving her husband to wrap around her son.

“Good morning,” Kurzon muttered from her embrace, but her grip only grew tighter.

“Oh my beautiful boy!” Pulling back she smoothed back a bit of his hair. The young man he’d become countered the motion with a shake, dislodging the messy locks. The perfect normalcy of the moment wasn’t lost on her, as her heart soared with relief.

“You'll never meet a nice girl with hair like that,” she mused, licking her palm and smoothing it into his hair before Kurzon could protest.

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“We should get some breakfast,” Kam said, grabbing a loose coat and pulling it on. Kam had always been taller, but she never minded. It was Kurzon had sprouted in the months apart. The months that still felt like years.

The Singh’s, all three, entered the courtyard. A few people nodded to Kam as he passed as did some of the teens and younger men motioned to Kurzon.

“How long have you been here?” Chandra asked.

“Nearly six months?” Kurzon looked to his father.

Kam nodded. “There are fewer here than when we arrived. Fewer even with those that have joined in the last few days.” He sighed and cast wary eyes about the courtyard. “It was different before this. Things have become a bit 'restrictive'.”

“Nice way of saying it's a jail,” Kurzon muttered under his breath, but the look from his father of utter reproach silenced him further.

“What happened?” she dared to say, the words barely above a whisper.

Kam only shook his head as a man and woman passed, their eyes lingering on Chandra a moment before hurrying ahead of them.

“But you're with this council right?” Chandra kept her voice low as a small family passed them. “You must have some influence to be with them?”

“I was asked to join because too many of the newcomers felt under-represented. But my joining changed little.” He looked frustrated, she could see it. The way his brow would furrow and his ear twitched. Even with the beard, his lip gave that familiar tremble and her hand reached out for his.

“Whatever the problem, whatever the situation, we are together.” Her words were sincere as she reached to Kurzon. “I have my family again.”

“Chandra!” A small voice called from behind her as a train of children of all ages walked towards the dining hall. From them, a little body broke the line.

“Wait, Nyssa! We stay in line!”

But Nyssa was already in a full run and as she broke the line so did the others. Chandra bent down to welcome Nyssa into her arms. The young girl clung to her and the other children made their way. Ethan and Wendy were hand in hand, taking up the rear of the group while Shane walked towards them calmly with Cally and Cooper beside him. Their voices almost all sounded at once, a sea of questions and hello's, we miss you's. But the pressing worry stained their eyes. She could feel the oncoming barrage of “where are the others” but a few words behind.

The rest of the line of children, all unfamiliar to Chandra, started to walk past. A tall woman with short-cropped black hair and tanned skin smiled kindly at Chandra and the children.

“So you must be Chandra?” she asked.

“Mom, this is Nita,” Kurzon interrupted. “She takes care of the children.”

Chandra opened her mouth to greet Nita when a slew of questions interrupted her again.

“I'm really hungry, do they really have lots of food?”

“I slept in a real bed last night Chandra! A real one, like a foot above the floor!”

“Have you seen Ashley?”

“The kids said some things about Mom and Peter. Where are they, Chandra?”

Their questions all went unanswered as Nita spoke up.

“We can all chat later, but we have to go eat now.” Little eyes stared back at her with defiance and Nita's smile faded.

“Come on kids. She's right, we should eat,” Chandra's agreed and the kids fell into line. All but Shane and Cally of course. Her heart ached just looking at them but she couldn’t find the words.