"I don't want to go to bed yet!" whined Liam, wrinkling his nose. His mouth twisted into a big pout, and he crossed his arms in front of his body. Ryker put the little soldier and horse figures back in the box. Offended, the otherwise sweet boy stamped his foot. The feathers of the headdress bounced in protest, as Liam hadn't taken it off all evening because he wanted to savor his triumph for as long as possible.

The corners of Ryker's mouth twitched in a desperate attempt to remain stern. Not so easy with that damn sight because Liam was playing the insulted man in his pajamas and feathers and looking too cute.

"Come on, Liam, I let you stay up late," Ryker admonished in a calm but firm voice.

Liam grumbled at him, but you could see how small his eyes had gotten. Especially in the last half hour, he had noticed how the little Indian's jaw muscles kept tensing as he stifled a hearty yawn, like now, before his tired eyes slid to the door.

Liam wasn't usually like this. He had seen Eve put the boy to bed many times before, and he had never made such a fuss.

His stern features immediately softened as Ray realized the problem: this was the first time Liam had been home without his mother. The boy fought valiantly against his obvious exhaustion to ensure she got home. Something about this boy reminded Ryker of himself. He had been like that as a child when his parents weren't home.

"You miss your mom, don't you?" he asked so abruptly that Liam's eyes widened. The boy stared at him for a moment, seemingly unable to answer, then nodded timidly.

"You don't need to worry. Aunt Ri is watching over her, protecting her like I protected you."

Ryker saw the little lips tremble a little. "Is Mommy coming home soon?« Liam asked softly, and Ray cuddled the boy even tighter.

"If you sleep well, she'll be back soon. How about this?" he raised his hand gently, reached out, and placed it on the boy's head. Small tears had gathered in his green eyes and threatened to run down his cheeks, red with excitement.

"We'll both brush our teeth now. Fix your arm, and I'll tell you a great bedtime story. And then I'll stay awake until your mom and Aunt Riona return?"

Still undecided, Liam looked at the door, pursed his lip, and seemed to be thinking hard.
"Mom looked pretty," he murmured.

Ryker smiled gently. "Yes, she was beautiful," he agreed with the boy.

"And very happy," the boy added thoughtfully, fiddling with his pajamas. "She hasn't been this happy for a long time."

This statement hit Ryker like a stab in the heart, and gasoline was poured into the fire.

Why was the boy so worried that he refused to go to bed? At that age, the bond with his parents was very strong, but that hardly explained the concern that showed on Liam's features as he looked at his hand.

'Dylan, what have you done?'

Had the boy noticed if Dylan had been rude to Eve?

"She's very happy now," he said in a strained voice, holding out his hand to remind her of his offer. "And that's why you must be good now, right? For your mom. So she can see that you're already a big boy."

The seconds seemed to pass agonizingly slowly until the small hand finally settled into his large one.

Ryker carefully covered the little warrior, who could no longer suppress a hearty yawn. He snuggled into his pillow and pulled the big teddy bear close to him, the little eyes looking up at Ryker expectantly and glued to his lips—impatiently waiting for the promised story.

This expectant look almost made Ray laugh as he sat on his bed with Liam, the mattress creaking softly under his weight.

"Do you know the story of the bear's cave?"

The brown-haired boy shook his head weakly as his slender hands gripped the teddy tighter.

"There's a big cave in the forest not far from here,« Ryker began to tell the story he had only heard a few weeks ago. "Hidden among tall, old trees that still remember that night. It was a bitterly cold winter. So cold that even the animals were shivering in their thick fur. A young hunter roamed through the still, small spruce trees, searching for prey in the high snow. He didn't notice how quickly the sun was setting, and thick clouds were gathering on the horizon."

The boy's eyes were glued to him, and Ryker... smiled sheepishly at the strange feeling in his chest. He stroked the boy's brown hair before he could - or even wanted to - stop himself.

"When the sun finally set, he was far away from home, lost in the forest. The darkness and the increasing wind had erased all traces that could have led him home. Then, the first white flakes fell from the sky. Thicker and thicker until they blocked his view."

In the meantime, Liam had felt for his hand and grabbed it with his little fingers. Ryker would have done the devil to deny the boy this tender search for affection and support, so he gently took the boy's hand before continuing.

"Seeking shelter from the blizzard, the inexperienced hunter entered a dark cave, shivering and shivering, which seemed to be his last refuge. Darkness surrounded him, but a deep rumbling rang out as soon as he passed the crevice."

He paused meaningfully and saw the small eyes blink. The struggle between excitement and the small, tender will to hear this story fought against fatigue.

"A pair of bears, torn from hibernation by the intruding hunter, would not tolerate the uninvited guest in their den. The young hunter trembled and shook, and although he saw himself in the presence of the monsters, he lowered his weapons and laid them down. Their stomachs were empty, and they craved food. But they were also old and wise and ... they recognized the need of their guest. Then, the bears took pity on the defenseless hunter, and instead of attacking him, they took him in. They shared their shelter with the man who hunted the forest's animals as if he were a family member. They warmed him warmly with their furs as they surrounded him like walls, protecting him from the wind and cold. The exhausted hunter found the sleep he needed between them to regain his strength. Sometimes, in times of need, the strongest bonds could be forged, for you know, a soul full of grace and forgiveness proves itself, especially in such moments."

Liam's eyes were almost closed. He fought against the sticky threads of fatigue, his eyelids fluttering by now.

"When dawn broke, and the hunter awoke from his sleep, only one bear was at his side. It remained motionless while the man quietly left the cave so as not to wake it from its sleep."

It was better not to tell Ray that the bear had died in this situation. After all, it was supposed to be a bedtime story for the boy.

"Outside the gray rocks, large, heavy paw prints waited for him, and not far from there, in the embrace of the shimmering white snow, the hunter met the second bear. As if expecting him, he turned his head towards him and growled before trudging on through the high snow. As the hunter followed him, he heard the cries of the inhabitants of Silvershore, who were desperately searching for him. The bears had not only saved his life, they had also led him home."

The corners of Ryker's mouth twitched as he saw the boy hug the teddy bear even tighter. Still, his heart sank when he saw the bandage around the child's arm. Ray had asked Liam what had happened, feeling miserable and disgusting. As if he were betraying Eve and betraying the fact that he had taken advantage of her absence. Especially after he'd seen the files. But how else was he supposed to get to the truth? But Liam had told him the same thing as Eve: it had been an accident. After that, the boy had been tense and dismissive until he had reminded him of the story. In the end, he was no further forward than before. Sighing inwardly, he came to the end of his story:

"It is said that those who are lucky and have a pure soul can still see three dancing lights in the firmament today. Then, the souls of the two bears and the hunter wander through the night together. A family united not by blood, but by something stronger: an inseparable bond of kindness, trust, and friendship that can never be broken."

Slowly, his voice fell silent, and nothing remained in the room but the steady breaths that rose from Liam's lips, finally announcing the victory of a deep sleep. Smiling tenderly, Ryker briefly stroked the slumbering boy's small forehead and rose carefully from the edge of the bed so as not to wake him. Ray didn't close the door behind him as he walked across the room but left it ajar before descending the stairs.