The story so far:

---- Aija and the others are on the South-Land. They are waiting for the Leadership to attack. Goldstar is alive. They lost the Premiere, Leigh, Tailyn, Arah Lin. Ze is getting better in his training. The war comes to an end when Iernei spaceships arrive. Aija finds her brother Rei and Vincent alive. Aija and Thieron tell Goldstar all that has happened with them. Aija and Thieorn want to go to Ierne to give Aa'di Irih'va the Avo. Luka didn't expect to survive this long. He now feels at home with Thieron and Nala. Zuri goes home. She asks her parents to go to the South-land with her. They refuse. Xan accepts Var-Inu's offer to get an Iernei body. Xan is now Iernei. Thieron talks to Aija; she says she's confused and needs time. They all go to Ierne. Zuri roams the Palace. She meets Ze, who tells her he doesn't like Nala and makes Zuri doubt her relationship with Nala. Aija asks Irih'va to remove her bond with Thieron. He agrees and accomplishes it. Goldstar gives Premier Zhaleh a plan to use against the Leadership. Thieron wakes after the bond is removed. He misses Aija. Aa'di Irih'va asks him to go home and then to join the Ithi'hra to work with him.

----Thieron convinces Nala to go home. Xan learns from Aija what really happened to him; he feels hurt. He wants to warn his family about the experiments to save his siblings. Goldstar finds out Vincent is Ytean-human. And that he was responsible for his reputation. He is upset. He chooses to leave behind 'Goldstar' and be Rei. It is Ze's wedding day. He's happy. Diya and Nova are present. Ruyanir's and Ze's wedding takes place. Ze challenges Na'thwir for the position of Zayr chief. Thieron goes to Zya'ara with everyone. Meets his family after years. The Company is on their way to attack again. Aija and Thieron fight with the Zya'araeans against the Wy'sith. Aija gets dragged away from Thieron. Nala and Luka struggle to shield Eiva and Afe. Nala is losing control over her shield. Zuri arrives to help. Thieron panics when he loses Aija. The ji'var attack him, but AIja finds him. Together they manage to kill the metal-controller, but when the Utzrn withdraw, Thieron realises it's to drown them. Aija calls Tai'un for help, and tells him she'll do anything in return for help. Tai'un uses the Avo to help them.

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****23.1 XAN****

A slight breeze soughed through the trees, and he felt it rush through his hair.

He closed his eyes, listening to the trees in the wind, to the laughter of students, to the music escaping through the windows of practice rooms.

Xan didn't feel peaceful.

Once, it made him happy. Now, it made him anxious. He wasn't sure if it was because he didn't know if he'd ever experience it again or because he wasn't sure if he wanted to and what that meant for him.

Xan had stood in front of his home, staring, terrified of going in. Even as he'd promised Ms Niyarah he'd return to Ytèan, he'd felt guilty. Couldn't he stay home? Did he have to leave? Did he have a life on Earth?

Xan had arrived at the Park, cruised through, going on paths he'd walked his entire life, making his way home. He'd paused to smell the blooms, a fragrance that always seemed to embellish Vaughn. Xan had made it home but hesitated, turned and wentto the Music Academy, hoping to find Vaughn. He'd managed to enter the place, walking close behind other students, undetected. He sat on one of the twenty steps that led to the entrance.

Xan didn't know what to say to his family, but he had to try conveying the message. He couldn't let Ingrid and Dae-Hyun face what he had. Eun and Royd had passed the test. He hadn't. What if the twins didn't? Vaughn had a younger sister, too.

Xan didn't spot Vaughn. He'd lost track of time. He slid a hand into his pant-pocket for his Scroll and froze; he didn't have one of those for months now. How easily the action had come to him, even after he'd spent months as a cat. He sighed. A few students walking past him gave him inquisitive glances. Xan wore Zya'araean slacks and a shirt, nothing fancy like the Iernei gw'xun. Still, he seemed to draw a lot of attention, particularly from girls. Xan, unused to it, felt shy.

He stood, filling himself with valour. He had to confront his family or at least find Vaughn. Else, he'd have troubled Ms Niyarah for nothing. The stone was given to her for her to use; he merely borrowed it.

****

Xan hyperventilated, freaking out in front of the home he'd grown up in.

No, he thought, I can't do it.

He half-ran up the road, his fear fetching him a wave of chills. He couldn't face them. Not in Ishth'nor's body; they wouldn't recognise him. What would they say? That he stole an Iernei's body to live? Even though it wasn't technically stolen, it still was stealing. They should've returned Ishth'nor's body to his family for mourning; Xan had had no rights over it. His family would be disappointed in him.

Xan panted, leaning on the compound-wall of the house at the start of Ryder street; another house, another memory. But more of a possibility that Vaughn would believe him, trust him, understand why he'd done what he'd done.

"Hello?"

Xan straightened.

"Can I help you?"

Xan could only stare as Vaughn approached him, beautiful as ever, violin strapped across his torso. Xan got his wish, he supposed. He'd wished to see Vaughn with his new Iernei-vision.

Vaughn had always deemed himself plain, dull; dark-brown eyes, light-brown hair, ivory skin. Xan, even with his mediocre human-eyesight, hadn't thought of Vaughn as plain. He'd seen his eyes as earthy, his hair golden; Vaughn, an image painted in honey. In this new Iernei-vision, Vaughn appeared a masterpiece carved from molten golds, browns, and bronze. There were shades of bronze in Vaughn's hair, streaking the strands like Ytai or Iernei two-toned hair. Golden highlights dotted his brown eyes, making them ethereal. If only Vaughn could see himself as Xan did.

"Xan?"

Xan inhaled sharply. "How...?"

"There's only one boy in the whole world who'd look at me that way," Vaughn whispered.

****

Xan sat on the Park bench, inhaling the fragrance of blooms, not from the flowers, but on Vaughn.

Vaughn was beside him, silent, processing everything Xan had confessed.

"Do you remember when we read those adventure books and wished spaceships were real?" Vaughn laughed.

"You believe me? You don't think I'm crazy?"

"Xan," Vaughn swung to face him, "I believed you'd come back as a cat. A cat. And, you literally came to me in a different body, and I recognised you. I believe you. I will always know you."

Xan's cheeks flushed with heat. "Do you hate what I did with Ishth'nor?"

Vaughn shrugged. "I can't say. You did what you had to survive. I appreciate that you came back to me." Vaughn slid a hand into his jeans pocket and brought out the inkpad. "I've been carrying this around. Also, this," he took out the note Thieron had written on Xan's behalf.

Xan accepted it and unfolded the paper. Thieron's stunning cursive handwriting had faded in the creases, as had Xan's paw-print from when he'd been the cat. Xan took the inkpad, pressed his thumb into it, and placed it on Vaughn's palm. The thumbprint appeared slightly different to a human's; no arches, no whorls, just strange loops and lines.

Vaughn beheld it, tears in his eyes. "I missed you,"

"And, I, you; I love you, Vaughn."

"Oh, Xan," Vaughn hugged him. "I never thought I'd see you again. My life's nothing without you."

Xan held Vaughn, tensing.

"But you're here. You're here, Xan. We have time now, don't we? You'll live longer, won't you? Will you love me still when you're so young, and I old and wrinkly?"

"I will always love you, Vaughn. I love your soul as you love mine."

Vaughn pulled away, smiling. The expression on Xan's face made it slip. "But? But what, Xan?"

Xan peered into Vaughn's gorgeous eyes.

"Xan?"

"I can't stay,"

"Why?"

"Xan's dead to Earth. Where will I live? What will I do in Innermost? I'm not human; if the Leadership catches me, I'm in trouble, Vaughn."

"We'll work it out. I'm graduating soon. I'll get money for Volunteering. We'll be out of Pristine-One soon. Live with me, Xan. Let's build our lives together. I'll take care of you."

Xan took a deep breath, held it a few seconds, and let it out. He put his hands in front of him; Vaughn looked on, frowning. Xan closed his eyes and reached within him. Help me, Ishth'nor, he thought and felt his power buzzing in him. Xan brought out his shield like he'd practiced and felt it fizz over his fingers. He opened his eyes to see Vaughn staring at the shield, wide-eyed.

"This is a shield," Xan explained. "It's Ishth'nor's. I feel like I was meant to get these powers – to shield. I spent days feeling utterly useless, Vaughn, like my sole job was to stay out of people's way as they helped. All I could do was watch people die. All I ever wished for was to be useful, to be able to protect. Now, I can."

Vaughn touched the shimmering shield held between Xan's palms. It rippled; Xan felt the tough in his chest.

"I want to protect you, Vaughn. I want to take care of you."

"Let's take care of each other," Vaughn crooned. "Don't leave me, Xan. My life has no meaning without you. I love you."

"I can't stay; I'll only be trouble for you, always hiding. You need to live free."

"Stay, please. We'll find a way."

"I don't have a life on Earth. My life changed; my love for you won't. But I don't know how to make us work."

Vaughn sat quietly, definitely thinking of a solution. Xan wanted Vaughn. But didn't want his Earthen life. There was a time all he'd wanted was to play the cello. It had changed. Xan didn't know when; perhaps, when he'd had to fight to live, as a soul, as a cat, as he'd seen everyone around him suffer, as he'd seen people die. There was more purpose to him than playing the cello. Not that it was a terrible life-goal. If he'd never died, his purpose would never have changed. But he'd died. Twice. Both times willingly.

"Take me with you,"

"What?"

"You heard me, Xan. I'll go with you, to Ytèan or Ierne or any corner of the universe. I'll go with you. I don't care if you're a cat, or you're Isth'nor now. I'll go with you."

"Vaughn, going with me means leaving home behind, possibly forever. Your family is here. You wanted to become a doctor. You can't give it all up,"

"I can't give you up either. I choose you over everything. I'll study on Ierne with you. I'll do whatever it takes to be with you."

Xan remained quiet. Vaughn didn't understand the gravity of what he wanted to give up. It wasn't a decision made on a whim. Xan had months where he'd morphed and knew he had no life on Earth. He had no place as Iernei in his family; he'd only cause them trouble. The Leadership would take note, if not now, later. One day, he'd get caught.

"Think it over, Vaughn. Take time."

Vaughn didn't answer. 'I'll come for you, Vaughn. Think this over. Give it time to sink in that if you leave, you may leave forever. We'll not always have the means to travel; I can't trouble Ms Niyarah."

"You will come back?"

"I promise,"

"Okay. Won't you go see your family?"

"I tried; I can't go as I am. How will I tell them I'm Xan? Look at me, Vaughn."

"I see you; you're beautiful."

Xan smiled. "There's something else."

Xan told Vaughn about the Eligibility Assessments and the experiments. Vaughn reminded him of how he'd felt something was off with the medicine administration. Xan had been perfectly healthy till then. Vaughn promised to tell both their families about it. Whether they believed it or not was a different matter. Xan wished he had proof.

The two boys sat in the Park, facing the lake, with no one around. They stayed hand in hand until night took reign, and Xan knew if Vaughn didn't go home, his family would worry.

"I must leave,"

"Won't you stay another day?"

"Where? I certainly can't go home or stay at yours?"

"Royd's?"

"Vaughn, I can't just...," Xan paused. There was one place they could go. But Vaughn would get into trouble.

"Xan?"

"Could you tell your parents you're staying at Zio's place for practice? He'll cover for you, won't he?"

"He will. But where would you go?"

Xan grinned. "Just trust me,"

****

The Sier Ghat house was just as Xan remembered. But now it was empty of Ytai. Most of the things were as they'd been; the clothes Ms King and Ms Niyarah had used were as they were in the wardrobes, on the bed, on the chair.

Vaughn had been thrilled when they'd used the ist'we stone to get there.

Xan found it strange to see the house through his Iernei eyes. As a cat, it had been enormous, washed-out. Now it seemed modest, bright.

Xan and Vaughn spent the night and the next day playing games on the Screen using Vaughn's Scroll. Xan thought of how Thieron would have a mini-heartache if he saw how the boys spent time playing games and running about the house, chasing each other, disturbing furniture and rooms. But it was the best day of Xan's life, to just spend it with Vaughn.

When it was time to drop Vaughn, the two grew solemn. Vaughn seemed on edge, but Xan to leave; it was out of character for Vaughn to spend more than a day at Zio's place. Xan had promised Ms Niyarah he'd go back; he had the stone.

Standing in Vaughn's night-filled room, Xan recollected all the nights he'd spent there, playing games or just hanging out after dinner. He'd never have that again.

"I love you, Xan," Vaughn embraced him, tears in his eyes.

"I love you, Vaughn. I'll be back for you, but to need you to think this over carefully."

"I'll be here with my bags packed. Just don't take too long." Vaughn lifted his gaze to his, determined.

Xan sighed, looking down at Vaughn. He was always taller, but this new height difference was insane. Xan let Vaughn go and put a hand on the ist'we stone on the chain around his neck. "I'll miss you, Vaughn. I will be back."

Vaughn hugged himself. "I've chosen you, Xan. I hope you choose me. I'll make up nothing but a slice of time in your long life. Please, Xan, be my forever."

Xan stared at Vaughn, heart racing. He let the stone go, cupping Vaughn's face in his hands.

Then, Xan kissed Vaughn.

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