[OP: "Love Alone is Worth the Fight"--Switchfoot]

"That's a bear," Mystery stated.

"I know it's a bear!" Romance cried.

"Uh... what do we do?" Abby asked.

"I don't know, I've never seen a bear in person before!" Romance cried.

"Nobody move," Zoey whipped out her knives. "It might charge... we have bears in California too. Mostly, they don't bother you..."

The bear sniffed at them.

Mira pulled out her spear, frowning at it.

The bear eyed her, eyed the others, and then seemed to decide they weren't worth it either and took off,  probably after the moose.

"It was kinda cute in a way," Mystery remarked.

"Oh..." Zoey sagged to the floor. "That sent me..."

Mira dropped her gok do and let out a sigh.

"You okay?" Abby put a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, I mean, it's just a bear," Mira said.

"Really? Remember that your weapons don't work on humans here, so what if they didn't work on bears either?" Romance said nervously.

"Why didn't you say that before!" Zoey cried.

"I didn't think the best time to say it was when the bear was eyeing us like we were a sack of meat!" Romance cried.

"There were too many of us," Baby reasoned, somehow he was the only one who was calm-ish, after that. "No single predator would have wanted to take on that many large animals. I doubt it was going to attack at all."

[White this is mostly true, you shouldn't go near a bear even if you're in a large group. They'll probably leave as long as they don't feel threatened.]

"Now you tell us that?" Zoey said. "I thought it was going to eat me!"

"I don't think bears eat people, though Zoey," Mystery remembered the nature channel. "I mean, unless they're really, really hungry."

"Oh thanks, that helps," Zoey muttered.

"So we were potentially defensive against something that big?" Mira was feeling like she had in the Morlock tunnel. "What the heck?"

"I think it went after the moose," Baby was suddenly an expert on this. "I doubt it even noticed we were here till it showed up. Anyway, the other animals won't come here where there's a bear nearby, so we should be okay."

"Wait, how are you so informed about this?" Zoey asked.

"I read magazines, you know," Baby said.  "And I do a lot of browsing on the internet. What? Animals are better than people. They mind their own business mostly, if you don't bother them."

"Not all animals are like that," Romance said.

"Do you have any helpful information then?" Abby asked. "Like, how do we avoid other dangerous animals?"

"I think the answer for that is not being in the woods," Baby said.

"Oh well, task failed," Mira griped. "Where is Morph? Why did he just ditch us?"

"To find Rumi and Jinu," Mystery thought it was a real question.

"Shut up!" Mira snapped.

"Hey, don't lash out at him," Zoey stood up again. "He didn't mean to be snarky, Mira."

"Is he dumb or something then?" Mira was not in the mood.

"No, he's just neuro divergent!" Zoey cried.

"Hey, don't you two start fighting," Abby said. "You're both just stressed, but it's all right, Morph is gonna be back any second, he can handle himself out here. Besides, we'd have heard screaming if something was going wrong."

"Isn't that what he said?" Romance said.

"And he was right, since we didn't hear screaming," Abby said.

"That logic isn't right," Baby said.

"Do you want us to calm down or not?" Abby said.

"I'm calm," Baby said.

"Then you could try helping instead of making it worse," Abby retorted.

"Who made it worse? I already said that the bear wouldn't bother us," Baby argued.

"Okay, okay, stop arguing," Zoey said.

"I wasn't till he started it," Baby said.

Mira put her hands to her head. "Shut up all of you."

"There's no need to be so mean to us," Romance said. "Why do you always get like this whenever we have a problem? Are you incapable of being chill?"

"You literally freaked out a second ago!" Mira cried.

Mystery covered his ears.

"Okay enough!" Abby said more loudly and they all stopped and looked at him.

"All of you stop it," Abby went on. "Panic isn't going to help. Let's just be quiet and wait for Morph."

Abby of all people losing his cool was enough to make them all shut up.

Though Baby muttered. "I still didn't do anything."

It felt like an hour passed, but it was no more than 5 minutes or so before Morph reappeared, bringing Rumi, who had leaves stuck all over her hair and the end of it now undone because he had to untangle it, and Jinu, who was almost limp after the scare he'd had.

"What happened to you?" Zoey cried, grabbed Rumi's shoulders.

"I... got stuck in a tree..." Rumi was embarrassed.

"Jinu almost got attacked by a Mama moose," Morph said. "Good times. Why do you all look so freaked out?"

"We saw a bear," Mystery said. "But it ran off."

"Guess it's more like the bear saw a you then," Morph said. "I mean, with so many people? They don't attack herds."

"I told you," Baby said.

"I think we saw the moose too, that's the big deer thing right?" Abby said.

"Yeah, I guess it went back this way after I spooked it," Morph said. "By turning into a bear, ironically. I guess they can't tell that I don't smell like a bear. You guys had an exciting time... that tree may have some purple hairs stuck in it for days now. It's going to get funny looks from the other trees."

Rumi glared at him. "Not in the mood, Morph. That was really scary."

"Why did you climb a tree at all?" Mira asked.

"Do I have to answer that right now?" Rumi was embarrassed.

"Well, it's just an exciting day in the woods is all," Morph said. "Let's walk back, Shine will be back soon to start with other stuff."

They start to walk back.

Rumi's hair, now partially loose, got caught on several bushes and finally Zoey picked up the ends of it since it was too long for Rumi to just wrap it around her waist and solve the problem.

"I really don't see the benefit of having hair longer than your knees," Baby commented.

"Shut up," Rumi pouted.

Abby looked a bit down as they were walking.

"What?" Mira asked faintly.

"Oh...uh nothing." Abby said.

"Don't make me ask again," Mira said more forcefully.

"It's nothing, just... lost my cool a little, not a great sign."

"That? That was nothing," Mira couldn't imagine that anyone would feel that bad over just raising their voice.

"Maybe I was too hard on Baby..." Abby was not convinced.

"He didn't really do anything, but he's been asking for it all week anyway..." Mira wasn't sure. "Why worry about it? I doubt he would."

"I don't know getting angry at him is such a good thing," Abby was uneasy about it. "Even if he's being a pill. I don't want to lose control again."

"Look, if you actually were going to lose control, we'd have stopped you, just telling someone to shut up isn't even losing control," Mira said. "So stop worrying about it. I swear, you make the biggest deal out of nothing."

"Uh...I do? What about you?"

"I wouldn't make a big deal out of that." This was true enough.

"Ah... that's the difference between us," Abby said sagely. "You make a big deal out of positive reactions, and I make a bigger deal out of negative ones. That's like a yin and yang thing."

"What? That's ..." Mira was going to argue but then she didn't have a habit of making a big deal out of positive emotions on her part.. as in, she freaked out about them.

She'd been doing that all week.

That was a weird difference to have. Maybe opposites did attract.

[I think it kind of works though. Mira handles negative emotions with more control even if she's short fused, since she's used to keeping it together on the job, so she doesn't stress out as much about getting a little aggressive or angry. She had a harder time accepting positive feelings like love and security. Abby, the way I've written him and many other Fan creators do, is much more open about positive feelings, but has trouble accepting negative ones because they seem like going too far. I think she could help him be more willing to call things as they are, but he would help her be more able to accept love and happiness as okay states of being. Which is hard to do when you've been traumatized by a bad family background.]

* * *

At the house, Shine actually had beaten them back there. Rogue already had Grace in the kids' room by the time they trailed in from the back door.

"Oh my gosh, what happened to you?" Shine got up from the kitchen table. 

"Moose, bear, tree," Morph said. "It was fun."

"I also saw a bird carry away this rodent thing," Rumi said, pathetically. "It was really sad."

"A bird? Was it a goshawk?" Shine asked. "The big talon-ed ones?"

"Yeah," Jinu said.

"What did it pick up? Mouse? Weasel?" Shine asked.

"A weasel is like a ferret right?" Jinu said.

"Yeah..." Shine said.

"I guess it was that," Jinu shrugged.

"Wow cool," Shine said. "Nature is so amazing."

"I didn't think it was amazing," Rumi said. "I feel sorry for the weasel."

"I see," Shine said. "Well, okay but, actually, predators have a much harder time surviving than you do. They work harder to find food. And weasels eat eggs sometimes, if I'm not mistaken, so if you think about it, they're kind of meaner than hawks."

Rumi blinked at her.

"Circle of life," Baby said.

"He's not wrong," Shine shrugged. "But it's just... how they survive. The Lord made it that way so they wouldn't overrun us. But, of course, it's not nice to see it, maybe. Though, I've seen my cat catch birds and mice enough not to be that fazed by dead animals. And once you've seen chickens tear apart bugs, you know what truly heartless birds look like."

"Ew," Zoey said.

"You realize that all animals that eat meat do that?" Shine said. "Turtles even would--"

"Stop," Zoey said. "I mean, I know that, but-- don't say it like that."

"I can't believe you care more about that stupid weasel than that you nearly got hit by a moose," Mira said.

"I didn't, Jinu did," Rumi said.

"Let's not talk bout it," Jinu said.

"Moose are more dangerous than bears," Shine said. "More aggressive, most prey are actually more dangerous than predators are, did you know that?"

"Can you not?" Rumi said.

Shine shook her head. "Sorry, I guess I find nature fascinating... I used to live in the city and it was hard to get out and see it, so I find it special. But it's not for everyone, I suppose. I kind of like predators though, the animal kind... they're often so majestic, and sometimes, they are easier for humans to tame even, since they have to hunt for food out of desperation than prey do. I mean sure we keep herd animals more, but predators are often better companion animals. Look at dogs... cats... birds. Even some rodents. Hunger is often the first step to overcoming your fear, that works in spiritual matters too. So, I like them. That's why I said that, but, you've had a rough day so I wont press it anymore. We should get you upstairs so you can get that stuff out of your hair. Do you need help?"

"No..." Rumi wasn't ready for this turn. "I'm okay."

"I can help if you want," Mira said.

"I can wash my hair myself, I do it all the time," Rumi said. "I just hope it didn't get hopelessly mangled after that tree... I'll have to remove the braid to be sure."

"I wonder how you can have that much hair in a shower..." Shine mused.

Rumi walked upstairs.

"I hope I didn't make it worse," Shine said.

"No, she's just stressed out," Jinu said. "It was... pretty intense."

"Oh, I know the moose was," Shine said. "Bears are easy to scare off, mostly, if you're loud enough and they aren't too hungry."

"The bear didn't even try to attack. It just ran off," Zoey said. "It was kinda cute, you know. Mystery was right."

"Oh, sure." Shine smiled.

"Are bears your favorite animals or something?" Baby said snottily.

"Nope, lions are," Shine said.

"Uh, sure." Abby assumed that she was kidding because of the Saja Boys' name.

Shine gave him a look. "I'm not joking. They really are my favorite. Jesus is the Lion of Judah. That's not the reason, honestly, but that's why I read this book that talked about them, and I watched a lot on the nature channel... They're amazing, sensitive creatures, and sometimes they even protect weaker creatures that are not even lions or are not their pride, just because they feel sympathy. They help humans too. Sure, they are dangerous, but they need to be. That's my spirit animal, really."

"I think it fits you," Morph said. "Dangerous but compassionate. I always thought my animal was a chameleon, but since meeting Raven, I think that's her animal. And I'm a sponge thing that you can mould into shapes. Or maybe like the fungus or bacteria."

"Maybe you're the organism that lives in the most extreme cold conditions just because it's too much of a stubborn mule to die," Shine said. "God has a sense of humor."

"Is everything God with you?" Baby asked.

"God is in everything, but if it bothers you to talk about it...I really don't care." Shine finished that sentence in an unusual way, with an impish look.

"Why do you mind it? It's her thing," Abby said. "I seriously think you just make up reasons to not like her."

"Nah, he likes me. He's just not ready to admit it," Shine said.

"He got mad and yelled at you yesterday," Romance said.

"That's the surest sign," Shine said.

That remark made Baby want to bite her head off, but after she said that, he felt that would be letting her win, and he stalked out of the room.

"You convinced him to basically back off," Mira said. "Teach me your ways."

"Mira, honestly, if you were paying attention, you'd know what I was doing," Shine said. "But you just aren't conniving enough to pull it off. I'm not sure you want this gift--it makes people very uneasy around me, apparently." With a knowing look.

"You're scary," Abby said, but more impressed. "Honestly, though, I kinda like it because no one else can ever shut Baby down like that."

"But you could, easily, if you'd try it," Shine said. "Not my way, maybe, but...in your own way. Oh, well, time for that later."

"Uh, Shine, there's something I think I should tell you." Jinu had debated whether to try, but it seemed like doing nothing was not going to help.

"Oh...sure." Shine was a bit confused.

The others left--though Zoey had to be led away by Mira.

"I think Rumi is feeling like she blew it with you this week." Jinu was sure Shine wouldn't be mad at Rumi still but less sure he'd convinced Rumi to do that earlier.

"Hmm." Shine didn't seem that surprised.

"Did she?" Jinu thought she'd be more upset.

"No...not if she didn't want to," Shine said. "She's questioned me a lot, but I can handle that. She just doesn't trust me. That's the hard part."

"I can't believe that she was any more mistrusting than Mira was." Jinu had noticed Mira had warmed up to Shine but didn't know why.

"No, she is and always was," Shine contradicted him. "For someone so oddly naive, Rumi is not very willing to let anyone tell her what to do. There's a difference between hostile because you've been burned before, like Mira, and being polite-but-set-on-doing-things-your-way because you prefer to do it your way. I can be both ways, unfortunately. I think that may be the problem. I like my own way too."

"Okay, but you're honest about that, so can't you just...talk to her and tell her she's not in trouble with you?" Jinu asked. "She really wanted this to work. That's how she is. We've got big problems at home, and she thought this week was our one shot to get ahead of them."

He hesitated. "It's not really just about Celine, is it? You wouldn't really let that be the reason you didn't talk to her more."

Shine sighed. "Jinu, it's not about what I want. If you've put it together that that incident is the root of the problem, don't you know why also?"

"I know that she refused to listen to you on that, but it wasn't because she didn't think you had a point. She just finds it really hard to talk about Celine. It's too fresh right now," Jinu said.

"And I know it is. I said so before."

"But I don't understand then. Did she hurt your feelings?"

"Do I remind her of Celine a little?" Shine was shockingly insightful.

Jinu hesitated, not sure now what to say.

"I thought so. I could see it," Shine said. "Not the first time someone's gotten angry at me because I reminded them of someone else. Celine really doesn't sound so bad to me, all things considered. But taking her side, it put me in her position, didn't it? Rumi feels now that I will expect her to work everything out before I will help her, and that's not really how I am. I like it when people admit their flaws and try to improve, not when they hide them. Perhaps Wally might be able to do something here--he's had far less time to offend any of you." She tugged her hair.

"I don't think she's offended though," Jinu insisted. "I... You almost seem like you're insecure also."

Shine gave him a weird look. "Duh."

"Wait...you?" Jinu blinked.

"My gosh, and you're the perceptive one?" Shine muttered. "Jinu, please, no one is without insecurities. Do you really think I don't second guess myself? I have already, several times this week. I mean, I don't know all of you very well. I like you, but I couldn't be sure you would like me, and people don't often learn from someone they don't like very well. Wally's gift is to be instantly likable. Mine is to be unforgettable, but not always for that reason. Most of my friends are ones I won over with time. Is it so hard to think I have a hard time getting past Rumi's actions also?"

"So she did offend you?"

"No...I'm not angry. I'm sad, hurt possibly, by her actions, but not angry. I suppose she's had her struggles, and it's a lot to deal with. However, can I be as open with someone who has acted that way either? It's not how people work. My teaching is the kind that has to be with mutual experience, openness. It's how I work. Perhaps I went about this the wrong way, but it's done now, and I can't just undo it. Do you think talking to her would change that?"

"I think it could help," Jinu insisted. "I...look, I'm sorry she hurt your feelings, but this is important. Can't you put that aside?"

"Do you know how women work?" Shine tilted her head.

"I thought you were rational," Jinu said. "That's not a valid excuse."

"I don't mean that, Jinu. I can be rational all I want, but women need to feel valued, appreciated, to fully function. We can work without it, but it just won't be the same. Didn't Rumi lose her voice as she lost her sense of value? It's not so different for anyone else. If she wants me to only act as someone who will teach basic mechanical skills, well...it's just not the best outcome, but if it's all I can offer... Then what is the use of this? I wouldn't want to upset her further by bringing up personal stuff, and I literally cannot help doing that--it's my gift. She didn't want it."

Jinu had to think about that.

Finally, he thought he saw what Shine meant.

"You mean that this is just the way you are," he said. "You care about the inside... Raven and Morph told us that. They told us they thought they were lacking that, and you and Wally were different."

"We have different styles." Shine shrugged. "They are both very action-based people. Which is good and, I think, matches your world well. I spent my missions talking to my students about deep stuff and only fighting when I had to. I don't mind it, but my true joy is inner healing and finding what will make them better people. You all came to me though--I assumed you wanted that kind of help. Raven and Morph will grow into it more; they just are new to it. I think they did lay the foundation, from all I've heard. Yet, they can work with Rumi in that area, and maybe she's just not there yet. That's not really a sin, it's just how it is. But if she does change her mind, I am here."

"So she just needs to change her mind?" Jinu said slowly. "And this Celine thing, will it really impact her connection with the Honmoon?"

"It did before." Shine tilted her head. "Forgiveness is important, Jinu. When we don't do it, we cut ourselves off from mercy reaching us also. She reconnected with the Honmoon before because of honesty, which is one step...but mercy is another. 'Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors' is how the word puts it. Rumi can't keep this up, or she'll weaken again. What she does impacts the other 2--and the 5 of you boys as well. She's powerful. I knew that, always. She was the line between two worlds, after all."

Then she tapped the counter. "But they really are the same world. Humans and the ones who become Gwi-Ma's puppets aren't two different species. They simply carry two different burdens. Rumi carries both: the burden for needing to right your sins, or your parents', and the burden of protecting the world. (We all carry that, really, as humans.) She can influence both sides. That means she's also vulnerable to being hurt on both sides. No one is perfect, of course, but it is just the fact that she's strong that means she must examine herself and see if she is hiding from some things more than the others..."

"That kind of pressure was what drove her to the edge before," Jinu said.

"No, Jinu, the world being at stake has never bothered Rumi nearly as much as wondering if she herself is part of the sickness in it." Shine shook her head. "To fear one's self is the last horror, as Lewis said. And I know that Celine triggers that fear. That's why she has to face her. If she doesn't, she will always have that doubt in herself, and Gwi-Ma can try to use it again. That is my point. You can try to explain it to her yourself, perhaps, if you want. She may listen to it from you."

"I couldn't explain it the way you just did, though." Jinu was kind of flummoxed. "I mean...wow... that's a lot. I think it makes sense, though, as you said it. You understand her very well. You...you did the whole time then, didn't you?"

"I knew why she ran away." Shine looked aside. "But I couldn't fix it. I'm not really magic, you know. I just do what I do. I'm lucky it works as often as it does. It doesn't always though. Just with Rumi, there's not a whole lot of time for her to come around. Don't you think it could be a waste of energy to try to make it happen? The rest of you need help too."

"I think she might be willing to try though," Jinu said. "I talked to her about it today, okay? I think she's more worried she blew it, not that she's mad at you either. And the thing with Celine, too, she just needs time to get used to it."

"I suppose I'll leave it with you then," Shien said, evenly. "Whenever she's ready...and if that only happens when you go back home, fine. No one said all this had to be in this week. You have the basic tools now to help her. I can trust you, right?"

"Should you?" Jinu said.

"Of course." Shine smiled and patted his shoulder. "After all, your name literally means 'true friend'. Your destiny is clearly to be reliable for people."

"I thought my name was more cruelly ironic..." Jinu wished they wouldn't talk about stuff that made him emotional.

"The devil always attacks us on our true nature, Jinu," Shine said firmly. "I think I mentioned that yesterday... Anyway, you'll come to see it."

"It must be a lot for you to deal with too," Jinu reflected now. "This all sounds overwhelming... How do you and your husband do it?"

"He's fast enough to stay ahead of it, and I'm flexible." Shine shrugged. "And the Grace of God. That's why we named Grace that. There are things bigger than ourselves, Jinu, and they give us power. I think you experienced that yourself also. And it is a lot. And I have times where I don't like it either. No one doesn't have those moments. Still, the best thing in life to do is to make it better. If you're not making it better, you're making it worse anyway. Inaction is slow rotting."

"But Raven and Morph wanting to do this too, I am surprised," Jinu said. "They know you and Wally enough to know how much work it is. Raven always says she's selfish, but I think you couldn't be thinking of yourself doing this."

"Well, World Walking is a part time job," Shine said. "But I do think it's incredible also. I'm so proud of them. I think Raven is like you, actually... She always wished to find a purpose and use for herself and never could. If this turns out to be her thing, she'll go all in once she finally accepts that."

"I don't know that I'm really like that..." Jinu said.

"I hope she knocks some sense into you also," Shine said, with the sassy tone that proved why she was Raven's friend all over again.

Jinu frowned. "You know, sometimes I believe that you're younger than me."

"Only sometimes, Grandpa?" Shine must have heard his nickname.

"Wow, really?" Jinu said dryly.

"I'm entitled to a few immature moments, with all the crap I put up with from you all and my students on a daily basis," Shine shot back. "I'm still human. And you're 400 and act like a college frat boy half the time."

"I don't even know what that is."

"Yeah, exactly."

"If you're so smart, maybe you could tell me how to get all of you to treat me with more respect." Jinu rolled his eyes.

"Easy enough to do that--just stop caring that they disrespect you," Shine said. "If you act like it doesn't matter, they will too. You're a little sensitive for your age. Must be the Gwi-Ma thing."

"Oh, yeah, you think?"

"But nothing anyone else says could be as bad as that, anyway. So why care? Besides, they just tease you because they think you're funny."

"So? I don't think that makes it better," Jinu pouted.

"See? Even you have your idiosyncrasies." Shine snorted a laugh. "But that is what makes us human, Jinu. If we didn't have our quirks and our weaknesses, and our sensitivities, we'd be emotionless, after all. Maybe it's uncomfortable for people to see that about stuff... But think, it's at least better than thinking you are a soulless demon. And perhaps Rumi just likes that about you and that's why. If that helps."

Jinu thought. "Actually, that kind of does help. But I still don't know why Raven picks on me all the time."

"I think it's because you're cute."

"And that's weird."

"Well, I don't think she'll stop anytime soon, but I've never known her to be that cruel about it. I'm sure you'll survive. I told you not to complain to me about her anyway."

"Worth a shot though." Jinu shook his head. "I guess.. it is nice that you don't criticize them though. I'm not used to bosses who actually like their workers."

"I'm not their boss anyway, but I can imagine that would be nice after Gwi-Ma...and an emperor before that."

"So...uh, you know my backstory," Jinu realized.

"Yeah...?"

"What do you think of my actions?"

"I'm not the judge of your life." Shine sobered. "Stop treating me like an all-knowing guru."

"You might know what your God would think."

"He has accepted you already, and His son died for all of us, you included, because of our sins. Is there anything else I need to know or say? Jinu...listen...I know it's hard to kick, even after you've been set free from those voices, but, trust me, you will never settle properly how much you were to blame for it. It's been too long, and we're too unaware of our own motives to really know. The point is to get better. God offers us a way to do that. He takes us as we are. Whether you were a monster or a misled man or both, doesn't matter. He does the same with us all. Don't torment yourself with asking meaningless questions."

She shook her head.

This was basically what the others had said too.

Jinu guessed, if they all said it, it might just be true.

"Well...okay," he said. "I'll think about it."

"Great. Well, once everyone gets cleaned up from that walk, we should get started on our real purpose for today," Shine moved on. "Meet me in one of the bigger studies... I'll light a fire. Rumi will be cold with all that wet hair. Even if she blow dries it, it's chilly in this house."

* * *

Shine actually had precognition, since Rumi did attempt to blow dry her hair and ended up burning out the outlet in the bathroom.

She freaked out about that, and Jean and Storm came in but told her that it wasn't a big deal.

Jean would have been more upset about it, but she knew Rumi had had a stressful morning, so she let it go.

"Anyways, we just have to fix it," Storm said. "I'm sure Hank or Morph could handle it."

"I don't understand--we all used that after the Morlock thing when we took, like, an hour long bath," Rumi whimpered. "Am I just jinxed today?"

"No, child, I think you just must have started to fry it then, and this was the last straw." Storm peered at the outlet. "It's just one socket, though. Don't worry yourself about it."

"Just another thing I screwed up." Rumi was in a black mood.

[That is not black like the race, btw.]

"I sense you are distressed," Jean said, patting her shoulder. "There is nothing to worry about. We all make mistakes and have bad days."

"Starting to think I can't do anything right." Rumi was not appeased. "Fixing the Honmoon must have just been a fluke."

"That's no way to talk," Storm said, more firmly. "There is no such thing as luck or as a 'fluke', when it comes to saving people. Depend upon it, you did something right. You're just out of your usual environment right now. We all had to adapt. I grew up on the streets of Cairo and then moved to a village where I was treated like a goddess... Now I'm here. Life changes us, but that does not make you a failure, Rumi."

"Really, I doubt anything ever stays the same for very long," Jean mused.

Rumi shook her head in agreement.