Song had stayed in her room for hours, as Creed paced in the living room downstairs. He was really nervous about formally meeting Mr. Valor. What will he think of me, he knows that I'm from the SSS, the same organization that he lost his wife to. How will he feel about me staying here? Or using his wife's amulet? Or even about me and Song? These were the questions that chaotically navigated in his mind. Due to his life as a loner, Creed had never been so desperate for someone to accept him.

There was a sudden rustling at the door, that made Creed's heart pound. Just then he heard a thud, looking over to the stairs from which the sound came, Song had jumped down and walked towards the door.

Looking Creed in the eyes she said, "Relax, I promise there's nothing for you to worry about."

Just then, the door opened. "Good evening, Song." Mr. Valor had not looked up to see Creed yet.

"Good evening," Song replied, she moved out of the way so her father could clearly see Creed.

"Be confident," Creed told himself. "Good evening, Mr. Valor."

His amber eyes locked with Creed's brown ones as he walked towards him. "You've never made yourself a guest before, so I'm sensing that you're here because you need something or you want something, which one is it?" Mr. Valor asked as he slowly walked towards him.

Creed never realized how strong Mr. Valor was. His voice was smooth and deep, he was very tall with well muscled shoulders. And his gaze could pierce through you like a blade. Creed took a deep breath before answering, "Maybe a bit of both. The SSS sent me on a mission that I failed, they think that I'm dead and for now that is the best thing. I can't stay with Onyx because he and his sister are high profile due to their parents being the Guardians of the Gate. I have nowhere to go. So, I guess I'm saying that I want a place to stay and, most importantly, I want your trust. I want to prove to you that you can trust me and that Song is safe when she's with me."

Mr. Valor looked Creed in his eyes and he remembered Creed's father, Chad. Both tall with light brown eyes, and a serious expression. This boy definitely favored his father. He had never met his mother, the word was that she had passed in childbirth. He tried to think how this boy's childhood was, living in the tunnels with few friends without a mother's touch to guide him.

Mr. Valor sighed, "I'm going to meet you halfway. You can stay here, but your area is the living room. I don't know you to trust you with the most precious thing in my life, my daughter, but I'm not saying that we can't work on that. Show me what kind of man you are and then you can have my trust and hopefully I can have yours." Creed extended his hand and Mr. Valor accepted, they shook. Song was by the door the entire time, smiled lightly.

"We are going to start working on dinner so settle in and wash up." Mr. Valor instructed.

Creed nodded and began moving his things around. Song and her father walked in the kitchen and began working on some dinner.

"Song, I started on some chili after you went to bed last night, we can finish cooking that with the rolls from yesterday. How does that sound?" Her father asked.

"Tasty!"

Song waited until she heard Creed go in the downstairs bathroom to wash up before approaching her father about her mother's amulet.

"Dad, I need to ask you something."

"I knew something was on your mind, go ahead." He replied as he tied a black apron around his waist.

"I feel like I'm coming close to devising a plan to defeat the Shadows. I recently learned about the important effect that our amulets and spiritual energy can have on the Gate. In learning this, I realize that if you feed the Gate spiritual energy, it will give it the strength to close. The only people alive that can do this is the Guardians, who are not here right now... I have mother's amulet, it's still glowing. It's presence is so strange, almost as if she is here with me. As I grew older, the memories of her got fuzzier and fuzzier, until I could barely remember what her face looked like, barely remember what her voice sounded like. But now, with the amulet, I can feel and remember her like never before. If I were to offer the last of her, I don't know if I'm strong enough to accept losing her all over again." Song sobbed and clutched her father's chest desperately trying to absorb the strength from his muscular body.

Mr. Valor, hated seeing Song upset like this, by the time she feels like this, she had been hurting for a long time. He held on to her and reached deep within his soul to find words of comfort.

"Song, listen to me," he started slowly letting his words echo into her ear. She pushed away from his chest to look in his eyes. He continued, "from the moment I met your mother, she always wanted to be someone and make a difference. She was determined to change the world. She was my greatest inspiration. I could always find light and peace in her words and over time I grew to love it. When she died, I was so lost, I didn't know how to find the light again. But I had you, and you made me shake the fear of an uncertain future and see the good in everything that happens. In looking for the bright side, I found that light again, I felt peace again, and I realize that even though Cadence is not here in the physical world, she is alive in my heart, mind, and soul. Because I would not be any of this without her. And when I look at you, I see the greatest thing we ever had together, a child that was destined to have a part of both of us."

"It goes back to how you see things, you said that you remember as never before, that is the light. You have memories that will never die and she will always be with you, because she made you who you are. So now that we have some perspective, let's ask ourselves what would she do. If you offer her amulet to the Gate, Cadence would have completed the journey that she chose for her life to take. Song, if you are going to fight a battle you must give it your all, give it your everything, until you have nothing else to give, that is what great fighters do. It may be painful, but look at the good, look for the light, and the reward will be greater than you can ever imagine."

Song smiled at her father, "Thank you, I needed to hear that."

Her father embraced her and replied, "Anytime."

"Now let's make sure we aren't burning our rolls, wouldn't want Creed to think he has to going scrummaging for food, because we can cook up a storm." Mr. Valor added. As the pair finished dinner, Creed emerged from the bathroom and sat on the couch.

"Dinner's ready so you can come in the kitchen," Song offered. Creed entered the kitchen and sat at the table patiently waiting. There was a picture on the counter of Song when she was small, Mr. Valor, and Cadence Valor, and Creed was almost taken aback by how much Song looked like her mother. Soon a large bowl of chili and two rolls were set in front of him. He gave his thanks for the food and began to eat. Song and her father talked and joked during dinner lightening the mood.

After a hearty meal, Song cleaned the kitchen while Mr. Valor converted his second couch into a sleeper sofa for Creed. Song exited the kitchen wiping her hands on her shirt before saying, "Goodnight Creed." She smiled at him.

Turning to face her he replied, "Goodnight Song." He smiled back as she went upstairs. Creed felt eyes on him and suddenly felt awkward with her father watching their interaction. He turned to meet his powerful gaze.

"It's been a long time since more than two people have lived here, I apologize if I'm not the most accommodating person in the world."

"Not at all, I appreciate your hospitality." Creed replied.

Mr. Valor tossed Creed a blanket as he sat on sleeper sofa.

"Not being weird or anything, but Song never struck me as someone who went to bed early, her mind is always running," Creed noticed.

"Oh, trust me, she's not going to bed early. It's almost nine, so she about to watch the Shadows do what they do and when that is over at midnight, she might come down and we will play checkers or she might stay upstairs devising one of her strategies. Like you said, her mind is always running," he sighed.

Mr. Valor sat on the coffee table and continued, "I used to worry about her. When Cadence passed, Song changed. That bubbly, rambunctious little girl disappeared, and... I haven't seen her since. I just want her to be happy, I want her to be safe, I want her to live a long life, with peace, love, joy and happiness. I want her to live and know all of those wonderful things. To have experiences that will change her, to feel emotions that change your soul, to embrace the light. My late wife and I, that's all we ever wanted for her."

"She will have all of those things, I know that she will. And she will know more, those are just the things that you can imagine, but when we win, we will all know a peace and happiness that we could never imagine," Creed replied. "My father always told me that it's fine to put your heart or mind to something, but hearts can be broken and the mind can be distracted. But if you put your will into something you can always achieve it. Your mind expresses logic, your heart tells what you feel, but your will determines what you do. Once your will is in it, your soul is in it and only then can you truly give your all. Song lives in her mind a lot of times, it's her sanctuary, but her will is in putting an end to this darkness, and because her will is in it I know that she'll be the winner. Once this world is free from darkness, we can all live long lives in the light."

Mr. Valor listened to Creed and gave him a small smile because this young man gave him hope and a bright side that life would inevitably get better. He decided to see what he was made of, "Son, may I ask, What happened to your father?"

Creed felt his heart strings being pulled, he really never talked about what happened to his father to anyone, he didn't want to crack in front of Song's father. He may be testing you, don't show any weakness. "He went on a dangerous mission, he was going to bring a group of rogue hunters back to the SSS, to try and reason with them. We talked that morning, it never crossed my mind that that would be the last time I ever talked to him. I felt something different that morning, it was like he was trying to pour all of his wisdom and life lessons into me all at once. I encouraged him, he hugged me, told me to stay out of trouble, we shook hands, and then he left. Two days later, the head of the SSS called me into the meeting chamber. I was expecting another mission, but he told that..." Creed looked down at his hands and blinked his glassy eyes. "He told me that the Shadows had set trap houses and that my father was killed in the battle. Before he died, he made sure that every rogue hunter went back and reclaimed their own as members of the society. He fought multiple Shadows off so they could make it back, he gave his life for the cause. I verified his body, as standard, placed his amulet with the rest of the fallen. I placed it beside my mother's amulet. I prayed and cried and desperately fought to not lose my mind. I was so lost. That was eight years ago, and there's not a day that I don't reflect over the things he said to me. I hold that memory close to my heart and replay daily so I'll never forget it." Creed sniffled and shook his head to keep from shedding a tear.

"I'm proud of you son, to make it this far, you've done well. God doesn't put on us a burden that we can't bear. Sometimes the things that we think are going to break us, are just tests of faith. When we pass them, it makes us stronger. You know I can relate."

"Yeah, I know you understand. I really appreciate you letting me stay here for a while. Especially since we hadn't really talked about..." he trailed off.

Mr. Valor smiled lightly, "Talked about what, you and Song?" Creed's eyes went wide. "Don't worry, she talks about you quite often. I know a lot about you based on what she comes and tells me. I have a day job, and you're a hunter so I know that it was a little difficult trying to connect. But what can I say, we are here now, aren't we?"

"Yes, we are."

"Like I said earlier, she's all I have left. Song is my world, I live and die for her. And I will always protect her, my most precious gem."

"You've definitely been blessed with quite a precious gem," Creed replied. I understand you, she's all I have left too. She's set a fire in a heart that was growing cold. For the first time in a long time, I have felt the wings of love consume me.

Creed stretched out on the sleeper sofa and curled up in the blanket. He missed the SSS already. His brothers and sisters, the family that fought together and bled together. He sighed. Creed decided to dwell on the positive. Be thankful that he took you in. You'd have no place to go if he didn't take you in. And he didn't have to. Song's happy that you're alive and well. You almost lost her, but you didn't. See, you have so much to be thankful for, you've lost people you loved in this life. But God has blessed you with more people to love, and just when you thought you were all alone, He showed you that people love you too. His attempts to be positive paid off and he drifted off to sleep.

Song heard a long silence in the living room. She walked out of her room and tiptoed downstairs, her father had fallen asleep and Creed was knocked on the sleeper sofa. Song went back to her room to grab a blanket for her father. She didn't want to wake and risk waking up Creed as well. They were both tired. When she returned to the living, Song gently draped the blanket over his long body. As she walked back to her room, she smiled, a feeling of peace and happiness overcame her.