The moment was tender.

  Thomas, still trembling with emotion, stepped forward—but he couldn’t quite bring himself to meet his father’s eyes.

  Nathan, meanwhile, took in the sight of his son, his own eyes damp. Without a word, he closed the distance and pulled Thomas into a tight embrace.

  No words were needed. The weight of unspoken regrets still hung between them—but this silence felt different now. This silence was one of healing.

  "I’m so sorry, son," Nathan finally whispered, his voice cracking. "I was such a stubborn ass. I’m so, so sorry my boy. I’m so proud of the man you have become."

  Thomas clung to him. For the first time in years, the weight of it all—the separation, the anger, the loneliness—began to crack, piece by piece, in that one embrace.

  Tears streamed down his face as memories crashed into him—some good, some bitter, childhood moments blurred with years of silence. As he held his father, breathing deeply, something shifted - the pain—the estrangement—it suddenly felt distant.

  Smaller.

  Pointless.

  "I’m sorry too, Dad," Thomas whispered, his eyes shutting as he let himself be nothing more than a boy with his father again. "I should have reached out. I should have..."

  —

  Sarah, standing off to the side, shifted uncomfortably. Her eyes darted between Nathan, Thomas and Gwen.

  Emily and Daniel, of course, sensed their mother’s discomfort in an instant.

  "It sucks seeing her like this, Shrimp..." Daniel murmured in their shared mindspace. "Mom is amazing, but I know that body language—she still feels guilty."

  Emily tilted her head, nodding slightly. "You’re right, Danny," she mused, observing their mother’s expression. "I bet she thinks the rift was somehow her fault. That if she hadn't been in the picture, maybe Dad and Grandpa wouldn’t have fallen apart."

  They both watched as Sarah subtly tensed, her gaze flickering between Thomas and Nathan - and Gwen.

  Emily and Daniel smiled as they saw an opening.

  "Nope. Not playing this game." Daniel huffed. "Shrimp, let’s get this party moving."

  Emily nodded and then in perfect synchrony, both siblings maneuvered behind their mother.

  "Mom?" Emily began in a sing-song voice, dripping with innocent affection.

  “Huh -?” Sarah grunted, barely a second to react, as he began turning before -

  "STOP OVERTHINKING, WOMAN!" Daniel hissed playfully, nudging her forward with a shove.

  Sarah let out an undignified squawk as she staggered straight toward Gwen.

  Gwen caught on immediately as she observed the exchange. A broad smile spread across her face as she effortlessly pulled her daughter-in-law into a warm embrace. One hand rested gently on the back of Sarah’s head soothingly, as if she were a child herself.

  "It’s nice to see you, Sarah," Gwen murmured.

  Then, with a twinkle in her eye, she glanced at Emily. "Your daughter is right, you know—let’s not... overthink?"

  Sarah let out a startled laugh—half amusement, half embarrassed snort.

  Gwen pulled back, settling both hands on Sarah’s shoulders in a firm, reassuring gesture. "You’ve clearly been a wonderful wife and mother. Thank you." Gwen said, her voice thick with emotion.

  Before Sarah could say anything, Gwen pulled back, her hands now on Sarah’s shoulder in a gesture of solidarity and reassurance. Sarah blinked, startled as Gwen continued, her voice growing softer, regretful.

  "I’m sorry we were such—" She hesitated, as if searching for the right word.

  "Jerks?" Emily whispered just loud enough for Sarah and Gwen to hear, her expression downright impish.

  “EMILY!” Sarah whirled around mortified, trying ready to admonish her daughter.

  Gwen, meanwhile, let out a full-bodied laugh, shaking her head. "No, —" she turned Sarah back to her. "That sassy granddaughter of ours is absolutely right."

  Gwen smiled wistfully. "We were jerks. We were arrogant. Dismissive." She gave a small nod, as if accepting the truth aloud for the first time.

  Sarah’s eyes went wide - wider than Emily thought possible.

  "We were wrong, Sarah," Gwen said, voice cracking just slightly. "You are a wonderful person. I should have seen it sooner."

  Sarah blinked rapidly, her throat tightening. Then, in one breath, the dam broke.

  "Thank you, Gwen," she whispered, voice trembling as she pulled her mother-in-law into a full embrace.

  As the family stood there, reunited for the first time in over a decade, Emily and Danny stood back, mentally high-fiving each other.

  The hardest part was done. The conversations had started.

  —

  Nathan wiped his tears and turned toward Emily, his expression soft, still processing the whirlwind of emotions.

  "You’re quite something, young lady," he said, shaking his head with a warm smile. "Thank you… for tricking us into following. It’s… it’s so good to finally meet you."

  Emily grinned, standing a little taller at the praise.

  Gwen released Sarah and stepped toward Emily, her expression a mix of wonder and tenderness. Without hesitation, she reached out and tweaked Emily’s nose—just like Thomas often did.

  "I can’t believe we have a granddaughter," Gwen said, her voice thick with emotion. "What a wonderful surprise you are."

  Emily, already predicting the move, batted her grandmother’s hands away like a pro—just as she did with Thomas and, of course, Daniel.

  "Well," she said, grinning mischievously, "this was only phase one of my plan. The party’s just getting started!"

  She pulled a slightly crumpled piece of paper from her pocket, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

  "I found a driving range nearby!" she announced, beaming. "Nothing says family healing like beating the absolute snot out of some golf balls!"

  She paused dramatically, then winked.

  "And they have burgers. Pizza. Beer. Ice cream. And…"

  She turned to her parents expectantly.

  Sarah sighed. "Chocolate chip muffins."

  "Specifically," Emily corrected, her grin widening.

  The adults, however, were still standing there, talking, caught up in the moment - not moving.

  Emily crossed her arms and huffed loudly, tapping her foot. "Okay," she declared bluntly, "if you all don’t start moving, I swear I will throw a tantrum. And it will be spectacular. And embarrassing, and awkward."

  Nathan and Gwen exchanged an amused glance.

  Before Sarah or Thomas could say a word of admonishment, Nathan asked "And how exactly do you know so much about how adults bond?"

  Emily tilted her head toward her parents, her expression all too knowing. "I have a very good friend who helps me understand things beyond my time" she said with a wink.

  Sarah beamed at her daughter, knowing exactly who she meant - her invisible son.

  Thomas, still looking a little uncomfortable, nodded slowly—but Emily caught something different in his expression now. A flicker of understanding. Of relief. Of gratitude?

  But there wasn’t time to dwell on it - Emily went to each family member, nudging them, poking them, whining insufferably. Her persistence was - in a word, impossible to ignore.

  "Alright," Nathan exhaled, shaking his head with a smirk. "Let’s go hit some golf balls."

  Thomas sighed, scratching his beard. "Fine. It’s been a while…"

  Emily pumped her fist. "YES. See? This is what progress looks like!"

  She grabbed Gwen’s hand again and started tugging her along.

  "Let’s go, people! There are golf balls that need suffering!"

  Inside Daniel smiled for he knew the healing would continue—one chaotic step at a time.

  —

  The family eventually made their way to a driving range—an old but well-maintained facility, just a stone’s throw from the park where they'd reunited.

  At the counter, Emily worked her magic. She coaxed, cajoled, and all but demanded that Thomas buy the largest bucket of balls and multiple clubs - because obviously, more golf balls meant more therapy. Nevertheless, the games began shortly after, and the shift was immediate.

  With each sharp crack of the club hitting the ball, the men visibly loosened. Years of built-up tension seemed to seep away, carried off into the distance with every swing.

  Emily caught Nathan watching Thomas closely. There was something bittersweet in his smile—pride mixed with regret.

  "You’ve still got that swing, Tom," Nathan said softly. "Just like when you were a kid."

  Thomas nodded, gripping the club tighter. He didn’t say much, but his pride was evident. "I remember you teaching me." His voice cracked slightly, but he kept his focus on the next shot.

  Emily observed the progress, pleased. “They’re warming up,” she noted, nudging Danny in their shared mindspace.

  "Told you," Danny replied happily. "Sometimes it’s the small things—like hitting a golf ball—that break down the biggest barriers."

  Emily, seeing the men bonding, turned her attention to Sarah and Gwen.

  "What are you two waiting for? There’s a lane right over there—boys versus girls. Let’s go!" she squealed, tugging at her grandmother once again.

  —

  As the game got underway, Emily casually sidled up to Thomas. "Dad," she whispered conspiratorially - "I need some money."

  Thomas turned around and made the classic confused dad face. "Huh?"

  Emily held firm as she gently poked at him. "I need it. Danny and I have a plan."

  Thomas sighed, handed her the cash, and Emily immediately sprinted off. She’d ordered the most ridiculous amount of junk food possible—plus, of course, a chocolate chip muffin - for delivery to the driving range bay.

  Danny chuckled through their link as they walked back, Emily chomping at her muffin. "Let’s hope no one here has food allergies or dietary restrictions, because this is definitely not healthy."

  Emily snorted. "Eh, today is about emotional healing. Through grease."

  —

  When Emily returned, she noticed her mom and Gwen sitting off to the side, deep in quiet conversation. She immediately pouted, as she hovered close enough to be noticed.

  "They’re just sitting and talking?" she grumbled internally.

  Daniel, however, saw the bigger picture.

  "Girls bond over ice cream or sit-down chats.” he gently murmured back. “They process emotions by talking things out."

  Emily crossed her arms, still pouting. "Fine. As long as they’re actually opening up…"

  Gwen, meanwhile noticing Emily’s sulking, chuckled. "She’s acting like the mom here," she commented to Sarah. "She reminds me so much of Tom when he used to get pouty as a kid."

  Sarah laughed softly, shaking her head.

  Emily meanwhile huffed dramatically and walked off—but she kept an ear on them.

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  Sure enough, she caught snippets of their conversation. Gwen and Sarah were acknowledging the pain of the estrangement, trading apologies—and, most satisfying of all, Gwen openly thanked Sarah.

  "Thank you," she said, voice heavy with emotion, "for standing by Thomas. For raising Emily so well—even without us."

  Danny positively purred in satisfaction. Emily didn’t respond—she just smiled.

  —

  Emily turned her attention back to Thomas and Nathan - whose conversation seemed more intense. Each ball they hit seemed to chip away at the tension, but Emily could tell—the words weren’t coming easily any more.

  "It’s okay," Danny reassured her through their link. "Men are like that sometimes. The hard part is done. Be ready to step in if they get stubborn, but I can see them warming up. If all goes well, they won’t even remember why they fought."

  Emily smirked - "Men are so weird."

  Danny shot back, mock-offended. "You don’t know the half of it. Girls are just as weird… in their own way. Look at you—you love me but keep calling me names."

  Emily rolled her eyes. "I call you names because I love you."

  Danny mentally snorted. "Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that."

  —

  The food finally arrived and everyone - froze. The sheer quantity of junk food was ridiculous.

  Emily clapped her hands together. "Okay! Everyone dig in!"

  Nathan meanwhile stared at the spread and then glanced at Emily.

  "Emily… this is a lot of food."

  "Yes. Yes, it is."

  “This is an absurd amount of food.”

  “No kidding?”

  Finally, Emily nudged the nearest plate forward. "Today is not the day to be healthy. Besides, do you really want to deal with a ten-year-old hyping herself up on this much sugar and salt?"

  Sarah sighed, already accepting defeat, grabbing the plate. "Point taken" she grumbled.

  The dominoes fell and just like that—the family gave in. The men devoured their food, while Sarah and Gwen pretended to eat daintily though Emily definitely noticed their bites were getting bigger.

  "Well done," Danny praised Emily.

  "Junk food works wonders. It’s comforting—it makes people feel younger, like they’re back in school or something. They let their guard down, which makes it easier to open up."

  Then, in the ultimate act of mischief—Danny switched places with Emily for a minute. He looked around discreetly, and then quickly devoured a handful of fries.

  Emily burst out laughing in their shared space - "Danny! WHY?"

  "What?" Danny thought back innocently, chomping another few fries in his mouth. "I wanted to cut that muffin with something salty.”

  Emily just snickered - as she felt Danny’s memories of childhood food comas and sugar highs flood their connection. She didn’t mind - because in that moment, everything just felt right.

  The tension had faded, bonds were being healed, and the laughter - it was real - as the family broke bread together.

  —

  Later that evening, after the long, rather emotional day, the entire family - grandparents and all, gathered at Thomas and Sarah’s home.

  Nathan and Gwen both halted as they gazed at the home their son and daughter in law had built. Neither Emily or Daniel could exactly guess at what the thoughts running through their head - but it was obvious that this moment was symbolic - leaving the grandparents visibly overwhelmed from the moment they arrived.

  Emily watched from the sidelines as Sarah and Thomas guided the grandparents through a tour of the house. There were lots of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ as Nathan and Gwen stared wide eyed at the modest, but comfortable home - their compliments genuine, heartfelt - tinged with sadness.

  Nathan’s eyes kept drifting, lingering on small details—the slightly worn armchair in the corner, a few of Emily’s stuffed toys tucked beside the bookshelf, Sarah’s PT notes still open on the kitchen table.

  Gwen meanwhile paused in front of the fireplace, her fingers lightly brushing over a framed photo—Emily, much younger, sitting on Thomas’s shoulders, both of them laughing.

  “Oof - they are being polite” Daniel began softly “but this is one more step in the healing. All these pictures, every object here has memories. And a reminder that life..moved on without them - for a while.”

  Emily nodded as she gazed at Gwen who had now found a family photo album she was perusing almost reverently. So many memories, emotions, all reduced to images in a book.

  “It is a lot to take in, Danny” she mentally replied. “But yes - today isn’t about looking back, it is about taking one step forward.”

  She paused for a moment, gazing at her family - the family she had known since birth, and the new family she had just helped rediscover.

  “We will be okay” she whispered, nodding to herself and Daniel as she silently withdrew, giving her parents and grandparents room to bond.

  For there would be more visits. More phone calls, moments of laughter, of hesitation, of healing.

  As time passed, Thomas would seem younger, lighter—the quiet weight he carried for years slowly easing a day at a time. He would smile more, laugh more. Occasionally, Emily would catch the way he looked in her direction—a flicker of something unspoken. A thank you? A quiet gratitude?

  Sarah’s step would change, too. A hair softer, a fraction freer - no longer burdened by the guilt she had carried all these years.

  Undeserved as it was.

  There would be weekends at Nathan and Gwen’s. Holidays spent fussing over their granddaughter—a girl they barely knew but already adored. Gwen would marvel at Emily’s wit, Nathan at her sass and intelligence, both taking every chance to make up for lost time.

  Perhaps a little too much fussing, but Emily wouldn’t mind.

  And in the background, Danny would remain. Watching. Guiding. Laughing through Emily’s eyes as she teased her grandparents, as she pulled Thomas and Nathan into silly debates over chess or long walks.

  Perhaps one day, even he would get to know them, too.

  Perhaps, one day, they would be his grandparents as well.

  For now, however, the evening wasn’t over.

  There was still one last thing that needed to be said.

  —-

  Thomas and Sarah found a quiet moment with Emily in her bedroom after the grandparents had departed. The weight of the day still lingered, but now, it felt lighter, hopeful—a symbol of times to come.

  Sarah reached out, resting her hand on her daughter’s shoulder as she sat on the bed beside her.

  “Emily, we need to thank you,” she began, her voice gentle but firm, thick with emotion.

  Thomas nodded, his expression warm but steady. “You did something today that we couldn’t do in over a decade. You brought our family back together.”

  He paused, then added, “You helped me get my own mom and dad back.”

  Emily hesitated, shifting under their gaze. She had expected something like this—a proverbial sitrep—but now that it had arrived, she didn’t quite know what to say.

  “I just… I just wanted to help,” she mumbled. “They’re my grandparents too, you know…”

  Thomas leaned forward slightly and kissed the top of her head. His voice was quiet but full of meaning. “You did more than help.”

  “The way you tricked your grandparents into following you, the driving range, getting everyone to open up—even the food… You knew exactly what to do. And it worked.”

  Sarah smiled, her eyes misty with pride. “You were amazing, sweetheart. You brought healing to this family in a way we never could. We are so, so proud of you.”

  A warmth spread through Emily’s chest. Hearing those words, seeing that pride in her parents’ eyes, filled her with something she couldn’t quite put into words.

  But at that exact moment, she realized—she couldn’t take all the credit.

  There had been someone by her side the entire time.

  She looked up at her parents, one at a time. Nervously, she swallowed, hesitating for a moment before softly admitting, “Mom, Dad? You’re welcome for everything,” she began, choosing her words carefully. She paused, bit her lip hesitantly, then added, “But… I didn’t do it alone. There’s one more person who deserves thanks.”

  Sarah tilted her head slightly. “Danny?” she asked. “Yeah, he gave your dad the pep talk…”

  Emily nodded. “It was more than that. He’s been helping me the whole time. With everything. The driving range was his idea. The junk food was his idea. He helped me trick them into following me. And he’s been guiding me from behind the scenes.”

  Thomas and Sarah exchanged a glance. Emily furrowed her brows as she caught the quiet moment between them—something unspoken passing between them. Sarah already viewed Daniel as her own, but her father’s expression was harder to read.

  Then, Thomas did something neither she nor Daniel expected.

  He exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw before finally speaking.

  “Then Daniel deserves our thanks too. Can I speak to him?”

  “HUH?” Daniel yelped from inside, completely at a loss for words.

  Emily bit her lip again, then nodded, and before Daniel knew it—she shoved him forward.

  Her posture shifted—not confidence, not exactly, but something smaller, quieter.

  Daniel emerged—not with shock and awe, but with the quiet presence of someone more accustomed to watching than stepping forward.

  “HEY!” he yelped softly, his eyes darting from Sarah to Thomas. Then, turning to Sarah, he added quickly, “Mom! She booted me out here—can you please tell her to learn how to ask?”

  Before Sarah could respond, Daniel’s gaze flickered toward Thomas. It hovered there for a moment, then dropped.

  No quips. No deflections.

  He nervously played with his fingers, then scratched the back of his neck—his usual nervous tic.

  Thomas, still visibly working through his own emotions, gave a slow, deliberate nod.

  “Daniel… Thank you. For everything. Thanks for the pep talk, and thanks for helping Emily.”

  Daniel hesitated - his fingers twitched like they weren’t quite sure whether to clench or stay still.

  “You’re welcome.” The words were quiet, unsteady—but honest. “I just… wanted to help. For Emily. And for all of you. I’m glad it worked out.”

  He shifted slightly, as if preparing to step back—to turn the reins to Emily.

  But before he could move, Sarah stepped forward.

  She reached up, unhurried, and cupped his face.

  Daniel immediately froze, his breath hitching, eyes turning wide before softening into something warmer. A small, uncertain smile flickered at the edges of his lips.

  “Hey, Mom…” he whispered, a little more at ease.

  Sarah’s thumb brushed over his cheek, her touch as natural as if she had been doing this his whole life. And when she spoke, her voice was steady, gentle, unwavering.

  “Hey Danny” she whispered. “Thank you, my sweet boy, thank you for helping this family again.”

  Daniel’s chest tightened at the words—the quiet, undeniable weight of them. The display of parental acceptance, gratitude, and affection caught him completely off guard.

  There was no room for logic here. No space for denial.

  She meant it.

  As did Thomas—even if, at that moment, Daniel couldn’t quite register how the former was watching him - there was something unfamiliar in his gaze.

  Gratitude? Acceptance? Surprise?

  Maybe something else?

  Danny swallowed, and before he could think—before he could stop himself—the words slipped out - “No probs… It’s not a big deal, Mom.”

  Sarah’s smile softened, just slightly. But she didn’t say anything. She just let her thumb brush across his cheek one last time, then pulled away.

  Daniel let out a slow breath, something loosening in his chest even as uncertainty still lingered in his eyes.

  It wasn’t peace, not yet.

  But it was something. And for now, that was enough.

  And with that—he shoved Emily right back to the front again.

  —

  As the day ended, Emily fell back into bed with a heavy sigh.

  The cool breeze from her open window brushed against her, lulling her into a sense of relaxation. She gazed up at the ceiling, her thoughts drifting back over the events of the day.

  And what a day it had been.

  “I can’t believe that actually worked, Danny!” she communicated silently. “I mean seriously, that could have gone all kinds of wrong.”

  She felt Daniel’s chuckle within her, as a warmth spreading through her center.

  “Hey, every shot you don’t take is a hundred percent miss… or something like that..” he replied half cheerful, half surprised. “Point is, if we hadn’t tried, we’d always wonder if we could have fixed this. If the family could be brought together again.”

  “Oh yes, oh wise one,” Emily groaned playfully, trying to suppress a soft smile tugging at her lips. “You’re right, as usual… I’m just glad the ‘I’m your cute little granddaughter’ card worked. I mean, what if they had gotten mad at me? Or thought I was weird?”

  Danny snorted. “You ARE weird” he quipped, earning an indignant “HEY!” from Emily.

  “Nah, girls can get away with bloody murder till much later -usually” he continued, his tone light.

  Abruptly, however, it turned more serious as he added, “You did well, Shrimp, really well. Sure, I may have helped, but you led the charge. That was your courage, your drive, and you deserve all the credit for that. You showed more bravery than I did in my life. I’m proud of you.”

  Emily blinked, pleasantly surprised, utterly speechless at Daniel’s compliment.

  He had always been supportive, but this felt different—deeper, as if for the first time, she truly understood how much he believed in her. She merely smiled, a secondary warmth blooming in her chest.

  “And hey—thanks for trying to get your dad to acknowledge me. It was a small step, but an important one.” Danny added quietly. “Seriously, it meant a lot…”

  Emily instantly sat up, now more alert—she could feel something wasn’t right. Daniel’s words carried more weight than he let on - something unsaid beneath them.

  “Danny… What is it? I can feel it, you know.”

  There was a pause, a brief flicker of reluctance from Danny before he spoke again. “Nothing, Em. It’s fine... I didn’t expect Thomas to be all like, ‘Oh hey, you invisible presence in my daughter—you’re part of the family now.’ But maybe one day, he won’t be so cautious and hesitant around me, you know?”

  Emily exhaled slowly, the breeze from the window stirring the light curtains beside her bed.

  Daniel was doing it again—trying to act like everything was fine, trying to be the brave one. She could feel the sadness that he was trying to keep buried, the deep longing to be truly seen and accepted by Thomas.

  He wanted a family—a complete family where he wasn’t just a presence in the background.

  She felt a pang in her chest as the realization hit her - that he was downplaying his feelings, trying to protect her. No - she didn’t want him to hide anymore. She couldn’t just let him carry this burden alone.

  Not when they were bonded like this.

  Daniel, trying to brush it off again, sensed Emily’s thoughts and quickly added, “It is what it is. Dads have a special bond with their little girls, right? Of course, he’s going to be protective. And he’s analytical—if he can’t see me, it’s hard for him to see me as - real.”

  Emily however knew better. She could feel his struggle beneath the words, the walls he was trying to keep up.

  She closed her eyes, feeling the weight of her own emotions settling in. “You’ve always been strong for me. But you don’t have to be, not all the time. We’re in this together,” she thought back to him.

  At that moment, she began her deep breathing, letting herself sink into the quiet sounds of the night. In her mind, she reached out to the familiar thread, the bond - that connected her to Daniel, letting herself slip into the dreamscape.

  The world around her bed faded—her room, the sounds of the night. The air became warmer, fragrant with the scent of blooming wildflowers, the sounds of birds gently chirping enveloping her. She opened her eyes, feeling the ground beneath her feet—back in the soft, green dreamscape meadow, under the bright sky.

  Their sanctuary, their place of peace.

  She saw Daniel there, by their stream, throwing pebbles as he sat on the grass with his back against a tree. He looked up, surprise flashing briefly in his eyes before he stood up.

  Emily however, without hesitation, walked toward him and wrapped him in a big, warm hug.

  “Hey, dummy, we’re in this together,” she whispered softly. “You don’t have to pretend with me.”

  Daniel stiffened for a second but then leaned into the embrace as his defenses momentarily crumbled. Emily could feel it again—weight of his need for acceptance. She realized that perhaps for the first time in a long time, she was the one offering comfort to Daniel instead of the other way round.

  And it felt right.

  They were equals, guardians of each other.

  “Hey,” Emily continued softly, “we’re bonded, right? Just like you can feel what I’m going through, I can feel what you’re going through. You don’t need to hide it all the time, okay? You don’t always have to be the strong one. Mom already loves you, and Dad… he’ll come around too, okay?”

  She pulled back slightly, looking up at him, noticing the doubt was still heavy in his eyes. Her expression turned playful as she added, “You know why I call you names, right?”

  Danny raised an eyebrow. “Because you’re a demanding little gremlin?”

  Emily smirked. “Oh, don’t you start…” She paused, her expression softening as she hugged him again. “It’s because I feel safe with you. I wouldn’t do that with just anyone. I trust you. I know you’ve got my back. Always. Dad will see it too, one day, okay?”

  Danny smiled, the warmth of her words sinking in.

  The sadness that had weighed him down began to lift, even if just a little. “Thanks, Shrimp,” he said softly.

  Emily grinned happily. “See? Only someone who feels safe would let you call them a shrimp!”

  At that moment, both Emily and Danny treasured their bond more deeply than ever. The light of the dreamscape wrapped around them, and they didn’t need words to express how grateful they were for each other.

  The unique, twisted, messy path that had brought them together felt like a gift.

  Silently, they sent their thanks to whatever power had given them this strange, wonderful bond.