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He shook his head "If they did, they’d have told others by now, and we’d have heard"

My voice turned quiet "Daniel said his hands were cut off"

"He told e of my desk "It doesn’t make any sense How did he survive? How is that possible?"

Noah bit his thuainst my pillow "How is any of this possible?" he asked under his breath

Hoas it possible? How could Noah heal? How could I kill?

The roorown dark, and the subject ed carefully onto

I looked down at hily beautiful boy, feeling his heart beat against my cheek I wanted to be there now, but I was afraid to move

So I spoke instead "You think he’s like us?"

"That, or the remains they found weren’t his"

I shook ?"

Noah’s eyes narrowed as he stared at nothing "Only if they had reason to believe it wasn’t hiardless, records can be fabricated and lab rats can be bought" There was an edge to his voice now, one that wasn’t there before

"Who would--?"

My question was cut off by Daniel calling our nas overoing to find out in your bedrooo anywhere without a babysitter" I couldn’t help but sound bitter "So you’re on your own"

Noah shook his head and then, finally, looked atyou any ain "Not like this"

I wished it was because he didn’t want to be apart ether

"Sohow long are you staying?" My tone was more tentative than I intended Much more

But my favorite half-s do you want ht

Before I could say anything, Daniel called us again

"Alas," Noah said, glancing at the door "I’m afraid that’s ht back as a fahed

"But your mother knows all about my cold and empty home life, and she’s taken pity on the motherless urchin you see before you"

"Well, you are quite pitiful," I said, unable to help my smile

"I told her that my enormous mansion will be terribly lonely this week in particular, so I expect I’ll be here quite a lot Unless you object?"

"I don’t"

"Then I’ll see you tomorrow," Noah said, and moved to the door "And I shall formulate a plan to work on your father as well"

"My dad?"

Noah cracked a smile "We bonded in the hospital a bit, but I think he enjoys playing the benighted father; ‘I was a teenage boy once too, I remember what it was like,’ et cetera" But Noah spoke with affection

"You like them," I realized