"Hadji."

I instinctively reach out to him as I've done for the past few months. "Jonny...don't try to talk."

He shakes his head then coughs. "Where...?" he manages to whisper.

"Don't try to talk," I tell him.

"Have they...been captured?" he asks me.

I close my eyes, then nod. "Yes. Surd...had them...killed..."

"It would've been better--if I were there--"

"Don't say that!" I cry out. I bow my head. "Jessie, though, escaped...and is currently hiding somewhere with the reformists. But your father and Race..."

He looks away before I finish.

There is a moment of awkward silence between us, and then he asks once more, "I am--dying?"

I hesitate.

"Hadji..."

"Yes." What is the point of lying?

He nods, his face still covered by his yellow hair.

"Jonny..." Again, I hesitate. This is my last chance...let him know before...

He turns to me painfully, blood running down his mouth. But he doesn't notice. He looks up at me with his blue eyes. "Hadji...I'm tired..." he whispers.

Without thinking, I reach forward and put his head on my lap. "I know."

"I want--to go home--"

My heart wrenches. Home. Where IS home? Bangalore has been destroyed. Ever since five years ago when Surd managed to dominate everything...and without warning, took over most of the world. His first target was, of course, us. But we had managed to build camps of reformists, where the main headquarters in Bangalore. Then, one and a half year later, it was bombed.

Jessie, with the help of Dr. Benton, began to build a new QuestWorld to replace the one Surd had taken over. Then, they set it up in one of our camps in Thailand. Now, over seventy countries now have copies of this new QuestWorld, so we can be updated with the plans of Surd and to try stopping him when we can.

And now, Dr. Quest is dead.

Just as everyone are.

Everyone...are dying...

...including Jonny...

He has fallen asleep on my lap. I gaze at him, seemingly peaceful in his sleep. But fear is still terrorizing me. If he doesn't wake up...what am I to do?

Whoever made up the word "forever"?

Nothing lasts forever. Not material things. Not peace. Not evil. Just death. Death is forever.

Love...

Never.

I stroke his brow, and he whimpers slightly and murmurs, "Dad..."

I'm sorry, Jonny.

It is only me.

When he awakes, I am still staring at him. He smiles, but ends up coughing instead. I wipe the blood from his mouth. "Hadj..."

Too feel the need to touch him.

To have him here with me.

Is enough.

He reaches out and touches my hand. "You--"

I smile at him. "Yes."

He closes his eyes again. "I wish it had been different...I wish...I was better equipped...to fight..."

I bend down and hug him, burying my face in his neck. "We can always have this moment."

"...To last forever..." His voice is barely audible.

Nothing is forever.

"I love you Hadji."

To hear your voice. Is enough. For me. To become the strongest. The toughest. The one who can fight against anything.

Just to hear your voice.

Voices...that aren't forever.

"I love you, Jonny."

He sleeps...his eternal sleep.

Not forever.