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close, he couldn't tell where he ended and she began Their quiet, soft breathingof life

Jack felt the fear that had crain to slip away The first sparkling threads of hope wound through hiht It had helped to talk about it For the first tiy hospital room, Jack wondered if maybe he could help himself Maybe even heal himself

He stroked her hair softly Before he knew it, he was talking again, sharing with her what he'd never shared with another soul "After that, Iwoke up in some sort of hospital for crazies and cowards They toldand screa Then one day I woke up The doctors told ging laudanum down me until I wasn't even human anymore

"When the war ended, they opened the doors and let us go I wandered for months until I finally found hoht I was just another coward"

Lissa turned and took his face in her hands, touching hi, Jack And if you believe it, you're wrong, too"

>

At her words, spoken so softly and thickened with the threat of tears, Jack felt soin to ht of a iven another chance

"I love you, Lissa"

The next , Tess and Jack slept in late They

akened by a knock on the door

"Mama?" Savannah said "Are you awake?"

Tess sled closer to Jack "Are

we?"

He curled an ar a slow, loving kiss on her lips "I'm afraid we are"

"Coirls," she called out