The next morning Aidan got his chance to speak alone with his son. He rose an hour or so after sunrise, yawning hugely. He disliked being awake during the day, but he didn't feel he could ask Shauna and Damien to turn their lives upside down just because he was visiting. Flame was up already, she tended to be an early riser. He heard her voice coming from the kitchen, and Shauna's in reply. The two of them got along better than he could have hoped, really. He didn't hear anyone else in the house, and his hearing was sharp enough that if he concentrated he could hear somebody breathing in the next room. But there was nothing but silence. He dressed and went out the back door, to where a somewhat unkempt yard stretched back and blended into the forest behind.

Damien was sitting on a stump, no longer looking sullen, but not looking particularly cheerful either. He was whittling, though he didn't seem to be making anything, just slowly reducing a stick to splinters with a small knife. Aidan walked over and sat down wordlessly next to him. It was a large, broad stump, so there was room for two. After a little bit he said, "I used to whittle a lot when I was about your age. I never was any good at it though. I have a friend who carves all sorts of interesting things, but all I ever did was make a mess."

Damien looked over at him. He smiled just a little. "I'm not really any good either."

A long silence stretched out, but it was no longer particularly uncomfortable. After a while Aidan said, "Think there's another stick around here? I don't have anything else to do, and I'd like to join you."

"I don't have another one, but there's always lots in the woods." He gestured to the forest.

Aidan nodded. "Guess I'll be back then." He got up and walked to the forest. He only had to go a short way before finding a dead branch. He snapped off a length and wandered back to where Damien sat. He sat down again and pulled out his boot dagger. The larger ones he wore at his belt would be a bit awkward for carving with, but the small, single-edged blade was just right. There was another long silence.