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What wokeit would end the same First, the clay dishes would clink into the metal sink Then Father’s plastic chair would scrape the stone floor They would stand together at the door, whispering A silence I always i kiss Then at last, it’d be the goodbye The front door opened, creaking on rusted hinges And finally, despite alland kiss her forehead Harder than Iitself out of a summer nap Her eyes don’t open, but she nuzzles into my side

"You’re awake," she ht, away from me "Sorry Must have fallen asleep" She looks to the chair she’d been sitting in "On the bed"

"It’s fine Stay Please" I’d forgotten we’re supposed to be cold to one another "How long has it been?"

"Since the assault? A week" She brushes loose strands of hair frolad you’ve come back to us"

"Who did we lose?" I ask carefully

"Lose?" Her hands fidget aardly as she lists the casualties Ame in my bed I remember to breathe

"Your father?" I ask

"You don’t know?" She s to loosen her own tension She scoots closer on the bed, still taking care not to touchyou up"

"I’e"

"Father is alive When the shields fell, several Golds already inside the Citadel led a lurcher squad to rescue hi reach So when the Olyhts came to take him with Octavia, they left e Roque ‘Nelson reincarnate’ He captured hty percent of the Bellona fleet" Her tone darkens "Which ement, he has clai to the House Augustus"

"Meaning he hashow long his loyalty will last now that …"

"The Jackal is playing his gah

"He never stops "

"I don’t think Roque will take up ars "Power creates opportunities I told you to s with him"

"Roque is our ally He alill be You know him"

"He’s been here as ht I shooed hi my job if I pretended he wasn’t a potential threat to us"

Us, I note

"Your job?" I ask "Which is …?"

"I’ve appointed myself your chief Politico"

"Have you now?"