Never Alone

A Killian Kendall Expanded Universe Short Story

By Josh Aterovis
Copyright 2026

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Chapter 4

I nearly knocked Michael over as I burst through the door. As I'd suspected, he'd been listening.

I brushed past him, but he ran to keep up, his eyes as wide as saucers.

“Are you really leaving?” he asked me.

I nodded while I kept walking. He trotted alongside me.

“I can’t believe you’re leaving.” He sounded a little upset. “Do we really have a grandfather that we never knew about?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Are you really gay?”

I stopped abruptly and looked squarely at Michael.

“Listen Michael, this has been a really shitty day so if you’re just going to add more crap to the pile, I really don’t need it. Okay?”

“I wasn’t going to add to it,” he said with a slight pout. “I don’t care if you’re gay. Is this what you wouldn’t talk to me about last night?”

“Partly,” I admitted.

He frowned suddenly. “It’s not right that she threw you out,” he said, sounding angry. “Whether she likes it or not, you’re still family.”

I gave him a small smile. “Thanks, Mikey. It’s nice to know someone feels that way.”

“I... I don’t want you to go, Jacy.”

His face suddenly crumpled, making him look uncharacteristically young. He was fighting hard to maintain his composure, but I could see he was upset.

I shrugged. “I don’t have much choice. I can’t stay here.”

“Where are you going to go? Are you really going to live with Aunt Lily? Who was the other person you mentioned?”

“Fletcher is our grandfather. Fletcher Snyder. I don’t know where I’m going.”

“How come we never knew about him if he’s our grandfather? Why didn’t Aunt Daisy want us to know about him?”

I sighed. “You’ll have to ask her.”

The back door opened, and Daisy yelled out, “Michael, get inside now!”

The door slammed shut again.

“Why can’t you tell me?” he asked petulantly.

“It’s a long story, and we don’t have time,” I said.

“She’ll never tell me. You know that.”

“Then ask your cousin David. Or wait until you’re old enough to drive and ask Aunt Lily. For that matter, just ask your grandfather himself. At least you know, which puts you ahead of me.”

"I don't know if I can do this alone. Can't I go with you?"

I shook my head. "I wish. I hate leaving you here, but there's no way she'd let you go. She's still our legal guardian and you're still a minor."

"So are you."

"Yeah, but she just kicked me out."

"What if she changes her mind?"

"She won't. She hates me now. And I'm okay with that."

"But what if? You know how she is? She likes to control us, especially you and me."

I shrugged. "I'm sixteen. If I have to, I'll go to court, get her guardianship revoked."

His eyes widened even more. "You can do that?"

I wasn't really sure. "I think so. I can say I don't feel safe there anymore, which is true. I don't."

"What if things get worse now? What if she takes it out on me?"

"Then you let me know. You know how to find me. I'll come get you so fast her head will spin."

For a second, his eyes welled up and I thought he might cry, but then he gave me a crooked smile. “It's not like I'm never gonna see you again,” he said. “I mean, we go to the same school, so it’s not good-bye forever.”

I smiled back at him. He’d be okay, I was sure of that. Michael was a fighter.

I ruffled his hair one more time and said, “No, it's not forever. If you can hang out with David, you can hang out with me. Now, you’d better get back inside before she flips and grounds you too.”

I started backing away as he turned and started walking back toward the house, his head down, shoulders slumped. He looked like he was walking to his execution.

Despite his encouraging words, I knew he was upset.

I started to climb on my bike, but suddenly stopped and spun around.

“Michael!” I called.

He stopped and turned back. I glanced up at the house and motioned him closer. He loped across the ground between us until he was back at my side.

“Use condoms,” I told him.

His eyes flew open wide. “What?”

“If you’re going to keep screwing around with girls, use condoms or you’ll be a daddy by the time you’re sixteen, and I’m not ready to be an uncle.”

He gulped. “Where do I get condoms?”

“The school nurse can give them to you. Just don’t let Daisy find them or you’ll be living with me.” He nodded. “Now go, before she comes back out.”

He turned away again, but I couldn’t let him go just yet. “Mikey?” He stopped and turned around. “Take care of yourself, okay? And watch out for the others. You’ll be the big brother now.”

“Jeez, Jacy! It’s not like you’re dying. You’re just moving to a different house. You would’ve gone to college next year anyway.”

I nodded and grinned. He was right. I was being melodramatic.

“Yeah. Just…if you ever need anything, you come to me, okay?”

He nodded seriously. He was about to say something else when the back door opened again. “Michael, if you’re not inside in thirty seconds, you’re grounded for a month,” Daisy screamed.

“Told you,” I said with a forced smile.

“You’d better get going anyway,” he said sadly. “It looks like it could rain any second.”

I glanced up at the sky to see that it had indeed darkened forebodingly.

I gave him a small wave, which he returned before turning back toward the house I’d grown up in — the place that held my old life. I started my bike and pulled away, heading toward something new, something exciting and terrifying all at once. I didn’t look back. Whatever my future held, I knew one thing for certain: I wouldn't find it behind me.

Michael was right. I’d barely made it to the end of the dirt drive before it started to sprinkle. By the time I was a half-mile down the road, the skies unloaded a torrential downpour. I was soaked to the bone in no time.

Almost without thinking, I headed for Lily’s house. I didn’t know where else to go. By the time I arrived, I was so cold my teeth were chattering.

I knocked on the front door, but there was no answer, not even a baritone woof from Elmo. I decided to try the studio, so I walked back to the barn and tapped on the door.

A few moments later, it opened to a very surprised Lily.

“Jacy! What are you doing here?” Then she took in my drenched state and gasped. Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed me and pulled me in. “You’re soaked! Get inside.”

Elmo was prancing around us in an excited dance that would have been adorable if I wasn’t shivering so hard.

Lily steered me toward the kiln, which was radiating heat.

“Stand next to this while you warm up. You could have just called if you wanted to talk, you know.”

“Daisy kicked me out.”

Lily froze. “Oh, Jacy. No. What happened? Never mind, it doesn’t matter.”

I appreciated that she was trying to be thoughtful, but I was ready to talk. Through chattering teeth, the story started spilling out.

“The pastor was preaching about gay people this morning and...I don’t know. After everything that happened yesterday, I just couldn’t sit there and listen to it. I had to get out, so I left. And then I ran into Skye, and we went to the zoo and kissed again.”

Lily’s eyebrow shot up at that, but she didn’t interrupt and I kept going.

“But he didn’t want to be boyfriends, so I just went home. And then Daisy started screaming at me about hanging out with gay people, and I just sort of lost it and told her I was gay too and that I knew all about my real grandfather and that she’d lied to me my whole life. And then she kicked me out. And then it started raining, so I came here.” I suddenly ran out of words. Lily looked shell-shocked. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know where else to go. If it’s not okay, I’ll...”

I had no idea what I’d do. The idea scared me. I hadn’t even let myself think that far ahead.

“You’ll what? Live on the street? Don’t be daft. Of course, it’s okay. You’re family and I’m not going to just turn you away. I just hadn’t planned on having kids at this stage of my life.”

“I’m not a kid. And you’re not that old.”

She snorted. “Thank you for that back-handed compliment.”

“What?”

“Never mind.”

“So it’s okay?”

She rubbed her temples. “Of course, it’s okay. I just... That’s a lot to unpack. I hardly know where to start. I’m so sorry, Jacy. I didn’t mean for all this to happen.”

I shrugged. “It’s not your fault Daisy lied to me for my entire life.” I paused. “Or that she’s a homophobic bitch.”

Lily pressed a hand over her mouth to hide a smile. “Jacy...”

“What? You know it’s true.”

“Still...you probably shouldn’t say that. She is still your aunt, after all. Did you at least get clothes? We need to get you out of these wet things.”

“No, I didn’t have time.”

She sighed. “We’ll have to figure something out. Maybe she’ll let me come get your stuff.” I shook my head emphatically. “No? All right, well, maybe your grandmother then.”

Suddenly, I gasped as the world seemed to drop out from beneath me. For a moment, it was like everything had gone black, then I saw Fletcher, lying unmoving on his kitchen floor.

“Jacy?” Lily asked sharply. “Are you okay?”

“Fletcher,” I gasped.

“What?”

“We need to get to Fletcher. Right now. Something’s wrong.”

Without another word, Lily sprang into action, grabbing her jacket and keys.

“Come on,” she said as she headed for the door.

I was right on her heels, along with Elmo.

We squeezed into the cab of her truck, which was a tight fit with a dog the size of Elmo, but I was distracted with the rising sense of panic in my chest.

“Hurry!” I urged.

Lily threw the car into reverse and spun out of the drive, then headed toward Fletcher’s. She glanced over at me then cranked up the heat. “You okay?”

“Just drive,” I said through gritted teeth.

My sense of urgency was contagious, and soon Lily was pressing the truck much too fast, considering the wet roads. By the time Fletcher’s house came into view, I was straining against my seat belt. I hadn’t known what to expect, but the house looked shockingly serene.

Was I mistaken?

No, something was wrong. I was sure of it.

I was out of the truck before it even stopped rolling and was halfway to the house before Lily even opened her door.

I hit the front door and burst in.

Immediately, I saw Fletcher, just as he’d appeared in the brief vision at Lily’s. He was on the kitchen floor, eyes closed, face slack. His skin was a sickly gray, a far cry from the picture of health I’d met the day before.

Were we too late? Was he already dead? Had I just met my grandfather only to have him taken from me before I even got to know him?

I stood frozen in the door until Lily pushed past me.

“Call nine-one-one,” she growled as she dropped to his side and felt for a pulse.

Her order snapped me out of my daze, and I pulled my phone from my pocket. I tried to remain calm as I waited for the dispatcher to answer.

“He’s still alive but his pulse is weak,” Lily said. “I think he had a heart attack.”

Just then, the dispatcher answered. “I need an ambulance,” I told her, “I think my grandfather had a heart attack.”

“Is he conscious?”

“No.”

“He’s not responding at all?”

“No, please hurry. He needs help.”

“Don’t worry. I’m sending help right now. What’s the address?”

I asked Lily and relayed her answer. “How long will they take? Should we do anything?”

“They should only be a few minutes. Do you know CPR?”

“I don’t. Lily, do you know CPR?”

Lily looked up. “A little.”

“My aunt knows a little.”

“Tell your aunt to do chest compressions and keep it up until the EMTs arrive. They won’t be long. They’re already on their way.”

I conveyed her instructions to Lily, and she started performing the chest compressions.

“Come on, Fletcher. Stay with us now,” she was muttering under her breath. “I’m going to need your help with Jacy. He needs you.”

The day caught up to me and my eyes suddenly flooded with tears.

I stayed on the phone until the EMTs arrived. They quickly shooed Lily and I into the living room. We watched silently while they worked on him for a while. They finally loaded him onto a stretcher and started wheeling him out of the house.

“Is he going to be okay?” I asked.

One of the technicians, a young guy with a short, neat mustache, looked over at me.

“You family?” he asked. If his words seemed a bit gruff, his voice was kind.

“He’s my grandfather,” I said, unable to tear my eyes from his ashen face.

“He’s going to be all right. Why don’t you and your mom follow us to the hospital?” he said. “We’re going to take good care of your granddad. The doctors can tell you more there.”

I didn’t bother to correct his assumption about my relationship to Lily. I simply nodded, my eyes never leaving Fletcher’s face.

I watched from the doorway as they loaded Fletcher into the ambulance, then one of the technicians got into the back with him while the other jumped into the driver’s seat. Behind me, Lily was turning off lights.

Once she was ready, we dashed back to her truck and jumped in. I had to push Elmo back to the middle just to squeeze in. He’d steamed up the windows while we were inside.

Neither of us talked much as we drove to the hospital. Once there, we entered through the emergency room. I’d never been in a hospital before, and it didn’t take me long to decide I didn’t like it at all. Just walking through the door made me feel dizzy. It was like walking into a solid wall of smell, sound, emotion, and pain — each of which was equally palpable.

Lily went directly to the nurses’ station to ask about Fletcher. I tried to concentrate on what the nurse was telling her, but my head was spinning. I started to feel like I might get sick. I reached out for the counter but missed it and stumbled against the wall.

“Jacy, are you okay?” I heard Lily asked, but it sounded like she was at the far end of a tunnel.

I gasped for air, but everything was going black. The last thing I saw was the floor rushing toward me.

I was standing in a wide, sunlit meadow. The tall grass rippled like water in a gentle breeze, brushing against my legs and filling the air with a sweet earthy aroma. The sky above was an endless, impossible blue, and the sun radiated a warmth that sank into my bones. I didn’t know where I was, but for once, that didn’t matter. Peace settled over me like a soft blanket, and I let myself breathe it in.

“Hello, Jacy,” a voice called from behind me.

I turned and found Fletcher seated cross-legged in the grass, looking perfectly at ease. He patted the ground beside him. I went to him and sat down, still half dazed by the strange beauty of the place.

“Where are we?” I asked.

“We are in the dream world,” he said.

“So...this isn’t real?”

“Oh, it’s very real.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You will with time. I’ll teach you.”

Something in his voice steadied me. “So you’re not going to die?”

He laughed, a deep, rich sound that felt like it belonged here, in this meadow. “Oh no. You won’t get rid of me that easily.” Then he tilted his head, studying me as though I were a puzzle he was only beginning to solve. “Stronger than I thought,” he murmured. “You found your way here on your own, without even knowing this place existed.” His smile broadened. “Your first spirit journey.”

Pride shone in his eyes, but it quickly gave way to a more somber expression. “But you need to learn to shield yourself.”

“Shield myself? From what?”

“You’re a strong empath. All true two-spirits are. Without shields, all the pain and sorrow in a place like that hospital will crush you.”

I frowned. “How do I do that?”

“Keep one foot planted here, in the dream world,” he said simply, smiling as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

“I don’t understand.”

“You don’t have to. When the time comes, you’ll just know.”

I wasn't so sure, but I had no choice but to trust him.

“I’ve been searching for someone to carry this mantle,” he said after a moment. “A successor. A healer to walk the old paths when I can’t anymore. I thought I’d never find them.”

He gave a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “Never once did I imagine it would be my own grandson...who I’d never even met until now.”

"Me?" I squeaked.

"Yes, you, Jacy."

"But I don’t know how—" I started, the words faltering under the weight of uncertainty.

Fletcher’s eyes softened, steadying me in a way that made the nervous flutter in my chest settle. There was patience there, but also a quiet authority that made me want to listen.

“What do I do?” I asked instead.

“I’ll teach you,” he said simply.

Somehow, the simplicity of his words eased the tight knot of doubt in me. I could feel it — a spark of trust, instinctive and deep, as if I had known him long before I ever met him. It wasn’t just confidence in him, it was recognition. Something in my soul was reaching toward something it had always been meant to find.

He nodded, as if reading my thoughts. “We’ll start slowly. I’ll show you how to sense, how to shield, how to listen. And one day, you’ll know the way well enough to walk it on your own.”

Then, without another word, the meadow around us seemed to shift and shimmer. The tall grass blurred into motion, sunlight bending in strange, beautiful arcs. I felt my feet lift from the earth, and suddenly I was standing alone in the center of the clearing, the air humming with quiet energy.

“Stand tall, Jacy,” Fletcher’s voice echoed, both from nearby and everywhere at once. “Your spirit guide waits.”

A shadow passed over me. I looked up to see a magnificent gray owl swooping down, its wings wide and powerful. My heart pounded, not from fear, but from a deep recognition, as though some hidden part of me had been waiting for this moment all my life.

“Hold out your arm,” Fletcher instructed.

I obeyed instinctively. The owl landed gently on my forearm, the wind from its wings blowing my hair back, its weight light, its presence immense. Its round, golden eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, the world shrank down to the two of us.

I swallowed, awed, and asked, “What does it mean? The owl... What is a spirit guide?”

“Spirit guides take many forms," Fletcher's voice was filled with warmth. "They are teachers, protectors, messengers. Some appear as animals, some as people, sometimes as forces you can’t name. The owl is wise, watchful, and connected to the unseen world. It will help you see what’s hidden, guide you when you’re lost, and remind you of the gifts you carry.”

“The gifts I carry?” I echoed, still in awe of the owl perched on my arm.

“Yes,” he said. "I could feel them from the moment we met. You will be powerful, Grandson, perhaps the most powerful shaman in generations."

The owl shifted slightly, and I felt a vibration run up my arm, a pulse that seemed to echo in my chest.

Suddenly, Fletcher stood in front of me. He watched with a mixture of pride and something I couldn’t name — perhaps relief.

“The spirits had a plan,” he continued. “And now, Jacy, it seems they have chosen you. This is only the beginning.”

Waking up in a hospital bed and not knowing how I got there was quite a disorienting experience. I remembered arriving at the hospital, and feeling overwhelmed, but I didn’t remember anything after that.

I gingerly sat up and looked around. I was in a sort of cubicle with walls on three sides and a curtain across the front. There was only one bed in the small room, and I was in it. I glanced down and was relieved to see I was still wearing my clothes at least.

The cacophony of stimuli had receded. It was still there, but the world seemed somehow muted. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and prepared to hop down, but at that moment the curtain was yanked aside. I jumped and let out a startled yelp.

An equally startled young Asian woman in blue scrubs stared in at me as if I’d lost my mind.

“I see you’re awake now, Mister…” She paused and consulted the device she held in her hand. “…Elliott.” She made it sound like I’d taken a little nap instead of passing out in the middle of the floor.

“Where’s my aunt?”

She glanced down at her device again, then back up at me. “I don’t know, but I’ll find out for you right after I do a few quick tests to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine,” I insisted. I didn’t want to do any tests, I just wanted to find Lily and see how Fletcher was doing.

“Maybe you can just answer a few quick questions,” she plowed on. “Have you ever fainted before?”

“No, but I’m fine. If I could just see my aunt—”

“When was the last time you ate?”

I stopped to think. Now that she mentioned it, I hadn’t eaten since breakfast. “Early this morning,” I said. “See, that’s all it is, I haven’t eaten today. I’ll just go find my aunt and get something to eat.”

She sighed, finally seeming to give in. “Okay, wait right here and I’ll go see if I can find you aunt...” Another device consultation provided her name. “Ms. Lily Snyder.”

I wondered what she’d do if she lost that thing.

“You stay put and I’ll be right back.” She pulled the curtain closed as she left, ever thoughtful of my privacy.

I waited exactly five seconds before I was off the bed and cautiously sticking my head out the curtain. The woman was nowhere in sight, so I slipped into the hallway.

A nurse was just coming out of another cubicle, so I asked her for directions to the waiting room. She pointed distractedly toward the end of the hall and a pair of swinging doors.

I walked swiftly in that direction, only to find that the doors were not your typical swinging doors. I pushed tentatively against one, but nothing happened.

“You have to use this button,” another nurse said as she walked up briskly behind me and smacked a large flat stainless-steel button on the wall. The doors swung open, one inward and one outward. Of course, I was in front of the one that swung inward, causing me to jump back out of the way.

I quickly followed her through the doors and into the waiting room where I immediately spotted Lily sitting in a chair on the far side of the room staring blindly at the TV in the corner, her chin propped on her fist.

She glanced up as I approached and jumped to her feet, pulling me into a tight hug.

“Are you all right?” she asked. “I hadn’t heard anything since you fainted.”

“I’m fine,” I said, not mentioning my jailbreak. “How’s Fletcher?”

“They’re still doing tests,” she said, sinking wearily back into her seat. I sat in the chair next to hers. “What happened to you? Do they know why you passed out?”

I shrugged. “I haven’t eaten today,” I told her.

I wasn’t ready to talk about the inundation of pain and emotion I’d felt.

She frowned. “Maybe we should run to the cafeteria.”

“Is it still open?” I asked.

I wasn’t hungry, but I figured I should probably eat something before it really did become a problem.

She glanced at her watch. “I don’t know. I’ll go ask.”

“Ms. Snyder? Lily Snyder?” Someone called before she could stand up.

Lily’s head snapped around. “Right here,” she said loudly.

I turned to find the nurse who’d questioned me back in the room.

“Ms. Snyder, your nephew is awake now...” she began before spotting me. She pursed her lips and gave me a disapproving look. “But I see you knew that already.”

“We were just going to see about getting him something to eat,” Lily said.

She nodded primly. “That’s probably the best thing. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Is the cafeteria still open?”

“Yes,” she said after checking her watch.

“Thank you,” Lily said.

Lily checked at the nurse’s station before we left, but there was still no news. We wandered down the sterile hallway to the small cafeteria, only to learn the kitchen was closed, but there was a selection of pre-made cold sandwiches in a grab-and-go cooler. They would do.

I managed to force down half a turkey and cheese sandwich while Lily picked at my bag of salt-and-vinegar chips, crunching them quietly. After a while, we both gave up the pretense of eating and silently tossed the rest into the nearest trash bin. The cafeteria was nearly empty, and the fluorescent lights hummed overhead, offering no comfort.

We returned to the waiting room, where we — what else? — waited. And waited. Time stretched like taffy, pulling every minute into an eternity. Lily called all her sisters, but none volunteered to come to the hospital. A few asked her to let them know if anything changed — which, I guess given the circumstances, meant if Fletcher died. Daisy hung up on her before she could even speak.

We would not be winning any family of the year awards any time soon.

The TV flickered soundlessly in the corner, a pale distraction. I toyed with my phone for a while, scrolling through messages and posts, but even that couldn’t hold my attention. Somehow, I’d managed to shield myself from the worst of the waves of emotion washing through the room. I could feel them slamming against my defenses, but my makeshift bulwark had held — so far. Relief mixed with exhaustion, and I sank back into the stiff chair, offering Lily little conversation, and accepting little in return.

Eventually, the boredom became heavier than the tension. My eyelids drooped, and I drifted in and out of restless sleep, the world around me a muted haze.

I woke with a start, drawn from a shallow doze by the subtle click of knitting needles. My gaze found a frail old woman sitting a few chairs away, her wrinkled face focused, intent on the soft yarn in her lap. Age-spotted hands, gnarled and trembling, worked diligently, weaving a scarf of delicate patterns.

There was something familiar about her, something I’d glimpsed before, though not in the waking world. In the lingering fog of sleep, I realized I’d seen her in a dream just moments before. And I knew more about her than I wanted to. She was dying. Her body was full of cancer. I wondered if she knew.

As if she sensed my stare, her pale blue eyes lifted and met mine. They were steady, calm, and clear. For a long moment, we simply looked at each other. Then, she gave me a small smile. She knew.

I returned the smile, my chest tightening with sorrow. Somehow, in that sterile, humming waiting room, a thread of connection passed between us — fragile, fleeting, yet undeniably real.

“Ms. Snyder?” someone called, pulling my attention from the older woman.

I turned to see a distinguished middle-aged man in a white coat. His black hair was touched with silver at the temples, and his warm brown complexion hinted at his Indian heritage — Indian from India, not Indigenous American.

Lily and I both stood, and he approached us.

“I’m Dr. Sahni,” he introduced himself with a polite nod. “I’m a cardiologist, and I’ve been overseeing your father’s tests.”

His voice carried a soft lilt, a melodic rise and fall that lent his words a kind of gentle music. I found it unexpectedly beautiful, almost calming in the sterile tension of the hospital.

“How is he?” Lily asked.

“He’s going to be fine. It seems he experienced a mild heart attack, but there doesn’t appear to be any permanent damage.”

“Oh, thank God.”

I released a breath I hadn’t even known I’d been holding.

“However, he will have to change some of his habits. You’re tired right now, though, and we can talk about this tomorrow. He’s stable for the night. You can go in and see him briefly, but after that, why don’t you go on home for tonight? You all need your rest.”

“Is it all right if my nephew comes in with me?” she asked, gesturing towards me.

The doctor nodded. “Just keep it brief. When you get here in the morning, just ask the nurses at the station to let me know, and I’ll come explain everything to both of you at the same time.”

Lily thanked him. He told us what room they’d moved Fletcher into and pointed us in the direction of the elevators.

As we rode the elevator up to Fletcher’s floor, I took a good look at Lily. Her relief was visible, but she suddenly looked very tired and worn, as if the adrenaline that had been keeping her going had suddenly run out.

“You were really worried,” I said. I sounded more accusatory than I’d intended.

She gave me a tired smile. “He’s old, Jacy. I forget that sometimes. He seems so strong. You haven’t known him long enough to understand what I mean, but this was kind of a rude awakening for me. Seeing him like that...”

“You thought he was invincible?”

She gave me a surprised look as the doors slid open. She didn’t answer, just stepped out and led the way down the hall.

A nurse intercepted us in the hallway with a practiced smile, her tone courteous but edged with quiet suspicion — the kind of gatekeeping that was really just making sure we belonged on this floor. Lily, steady as ever, gave her Fletcher’s name and room number without hesitation. The nurse nodded and pointed us down the corridor.

As we reached the door, I realized I was holding my breath. My chest felt tight, my pulse a little too quick. What would he look like? Frail and unrecognizable? Would he have a fortress of machines hooked up to him like they always did on the hospital dramas on TV? I trailed a step behind Lily, reluctant, as if the moment I crossed the threshold the reality of Fletcher’s condition would become inescapable.

The room was quiet, the lights dimmed. Fletcher lay in the twin of the bed I’d woken up in earlier. The hospital had given him a private room, so he was alone.

A blanket was pulled neatly up to his chest, his arms resting at his sides. His face was unnervingly pale, expressionless, his long white hair fanned across the pillow as though someone had carefully arranged it there. For a moment, he reminded me of my parents, laid out in their silk-lined coffins at their shared funeral, a sight seared into my memory forever. If not for the slow, steady rise and fall of his chest, I might have thought we were too late. The thought made me shudder.

But there were other signs of life. A thin IV line fed into the back of his hand. Wires disappeared under his hospital gown, their ends trailing to the heart monitor beside him. A steady green zigzag scrolled across the screen, punctuated by soft beeps that reassured me with every pulse.

Lily crossed the room without hesitation, her presence soft but purposeful. She placed her hand gently on his. The moment they touched, Fletcher’s eyes opened. Not sluggishly, not with the groggy disorientation I’d braced myself for — but with a startling clarity, as if he had been awake all along, simply waiting for us. He smiled up at her, then his gaze swept the room and, almost instantly, landed on me.

How did he even know I was there? I told myself he was only checking for others in the room.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Lily whispered, her voice softened by concern.

“You didn’t,” Fletcher replied. His voice was weaker than usual, but there was a quiet steadiness beneath it, something that carried weight. “I was waiting for you. Both of you. You and Jacy.”

So he had known.

“Well, we’re here now, but we can’t stay long — doctor’s orders. We’ll be back tomorrow morning though. Dr. Sahni said he’d explain everything then. I’m just so glad...” Lily’s voice caught, and she stopped in mid-sentence.

“The Old Man’s here for a little longer, Lily,” he said and squeezed her hand. “So stop worrying. I still have some things left to do. Right, Jacy?”

I blinked in surprise. Why was he asking me?

“Now you two get going and get some rest. It’s late, and if I know my daughter at all, she’ll want to be here as soon as visiting hours begin.”

Lily grinned. “You know me too well.” She leaned down and tenderly kissed his forehead. “See you in the morning.”

“See you then,” he said. He turned to me and winked. “You too, Gray Owl.”

The name sparked something — not quite a memory, not quite a dream. More like the faint aftertaste of something I’d once known but couldn’t quite place. I could almost see it: the blurred edges of a vision I’d had while unconscious. Or had I imagined it? A dream that wasn’t entirely a dream.

Once we stepped into the elevator, Lily turned to me, her brow creased with curiosity. “What was that about?” she asked.

I stalled, playing dumb. “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.” Her gaze sharpened. “Gray Owl?”

I lifted a shoulder in a shrug, feigning ignorance. “I’m...not sure.”

Her eyes searched mine, unblinking. It was clear she knew I was holding something back. But after a long moment, she let it drop.

That night, I stayed in one of Lily’s spare bedrooms. I say “stayed” because sleep never really came — at least not in any restful way. The mattress was soft enough, the quilt heavy and warm, but my mind refused to shut down. It was strange being away from home and my familiar surroundings, knowing I wouldn’t be going back. If that wasn’t enough to keep me awake, I had more than enough to think about.

Images of Fletcher’s pale face, Daisy's face twisted with rage, Michael's eyes filled with uncertainty and fear, Skye's cold expression combined with echoes of the preacher’s venomous voice until I couldn’t tell where memory ended and imagination began.

Elmo sprawled beside me, a living, breathing mountain of fur who hogged more than his fair share of the bed. His deep, steady breathing and occasional doggy snore should have been irritating, but instead they grounded me. I found myself grateful for the company. At least someone — even if it was just Lily’s oversized dog — was keeping watch.

But even with his comforting presence, it was a long night.

The next morning, I was grateful to see Lily had made a giant pot of coffee. I didn’t usually even touch the stuff, but I thought today would be an exception. Lily raised an eyebrow as I dumped cream and sugar into my second cup.

“Why bother?” she asked, taking another sip from her mug. She took hers black.

“I didn’t sleep much,” I told her.

She nodded. “That’s understandable considering the circumstances. I didn’t sleep well myself. Did Elmo snore?”

“A little,” I said, looking down to where he lay on the floor, his recently emptied food dish between his paws. He looked up at us as if he knew we were talking about him. “But it was nice to have him there anyway.”

“He likes you. Not to say the big lug doesn’t like everybody, but I’ve never seen him take to anyone the way he has to you. I think last night was the first time he’s ever not spent the night in my bed with me.”

I smiled at him. “At least somebody wants to be with me, right, Elmo?” He jumped up at his name and shoved his giant fluffy head into my lap. “Take that, Skye.”

“Okay, so I let it go yesterday, but what’s all this about Skye?”

I shrugged. “Nothing. I just thought he liked me, but it turns out he just wanted to fool around.”

Lily frowned. “I don’t think Skye likes anybody but himself. I tried to warn you.”

“I know. And I should have listened. But he’s hot and he was paying attention to me.”

Lily laughed. “And you’re a sixteen-year-old boy. Say no more.”

I blushed. “It’s not like that. We just kissed a little.”

“It’s none of my business what you did. Just...be careful. And be safe.”

I remembered my advice to Michael the day before and blushed even harder. I tried to hide behind my coffee mug.

“We’d better get going,” Lily said after a few minutes.

I glanced at the clock on the wall.

“Visiting hours won’t start for an hour. It takes less than half an hour to get there. What are we going to do for half an hour?”

She just gave me a look, and I gave in without further argument.

We stopped in the gift shop on our way up to his room and picked up a crossword book and a few magazines.

“If he has to stay here any length of time he’s going to be bored out of his skull,” Lily commented.

Once on his floor, the nurses at the station were nice enough to let us in a little early after checking to make sure he was ready to receive visitors. Lily sent word with one of the nurses to let Dr. Sahni know we were there.

Fletcher looked much better in the morning light. Much of his color was back, and he seemed to be in high spirits. We chatted while we waited for the doctor. Lily told him that I’d moved out of my aunt’s and was staying with her. He didn’t seem surprised in the least.

We didn’t have to wait too long before the doctor joined us. He quickly explained what had happened to Fletcher, using layman’s terms so we could easily understand. He’d had a mild heart attack brought on by high blood pressure.

“You’re going to need to change some of your eating habits,” he told Fletcher. “You need to watch your salt intake, and we’re also going to put you on some medications that should help lower your blood pressure.”

“Can we look into natural herbal treatments?” Fletcher asked.

Dr. Sahni’s brows rose, but his expression was more curious than dismissive.

“I’m an herbalist,” Fletcher explained.

The doctor nodded. “That makes sense. And yes, we can explore that if you’re strongly opposed to pharmaceuticals. I’m not one of those physicians who dismisses alternative medicine outright. Still,” he added, his voice firming, “as an herbalist you should understand better than most the importance of balance — eating the right foods, getting proper rest, keeping your body maintained.” He glanced down at the chart. “According to your records, you haven’t seen a doctor in almost five years.”

“Haven’t needed to up till now,” Fletcher replied, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Dr. Sahni didn’t return the smile. “If you had, we might have prevented this heart attack. It’s not a laughing matter. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among Native Americans. Consider this episode your warning — your body is telling you it won’t carry the load forever unless you start taking care of it.”

The twinkle faded, replaced by a thoughtful nod. “You’re right. I spend so much time looking after everyone else’s well-being, I’ve neglected my own.”

“Unfortunately, that’s a common problem among healers,” Dr. Sahni said. His tone wasn’t condescending, but respectful — as if acknowledging a peer. I couldn’t help but feel impressed.

“Another thing,” the doctor continued, “you need to quit smoking.”

My head snapped toward Fletcher. I hadn’t even known he smoked.

His eyes narrowed just slightly. “Tobacco is sacred to my people.”

“Yes,” Dr. Sahni agreed, “but commercial cigarettes contain nearly six hundred other additives, most of them toxic — and none, to my knowledge, are considered sacred.”

For a heartbeat, Fletcher held his gaze, then broke into a grin. “You’ve got me there. How about a compromise? I’ll give up cigarettes, but I’ll still use tobacco in ceremony.”

Dr. Sahni’s lips curved into a quick smile. “I’ll take that deal — with one condition.”

Fletcher cocked a brow. “What’s that?”

“That you don’t suddenly find yourself needing to hold ‘ceremonies’ three or four times a day.”

Fletcher laughed, the sound booming in the quiet room. He extended his hand, and the doctor clasped it warmly. “I like you, Dr. Sahni.”

“Likewise, Mr. Snyder,” the cardiologist replied. Then his expression sobered, and he hesitated just long enough to make the pause deliberate. “But you may not like me as much after this next recommendation.”

Fletcher arched an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“I don’t want you living alone anymore.” Dr. Sahni’s tone was gentle, though it carried unmistakable authority.

I think we were all braced for Fletcher to dig in his heels, maybe even explode at the suggestion. Instead, he surprised us with a wicked little wink at the doctor.

“Why, Dr. Sahni,” he drawled, “we’ve only just met, and you already want to move in?”

For a moment, the room froze in stunned silence. Then the absurdity of it hit me, and I let out a snort that I couldn’t hold back. That broke the dam — Lily chuckled, Dr. Sahni laughed outright, and finally even Fletcher threw his head back and joined in, his laughter rumbling through the room like distant thunder.

When the mirth ebbed away, Dr. Sahni’s expression sobered. “In all seriousness, Mr. Snyder, you shouldn’t be living alone. The next time, your daughter may not happen to drop by in time. You need someone close, someone who can respond if something goes wrong.”

“I understand,” Fletcher said, though his tone carried a stubborn undercurrent. “But I don’t have anyone. I can’t afford a live-in nurse, and frankly, I don’t want one.”

“You don’t need round-the-clock care,” the doctor reassured him. “But what about your children?”

“They all have their own families and careers,” Fletcher said. His mouth quirked with something that wasn’t quite bitterness. “They don’t need to be burdened with an old man.”

“You wouldn’t be a burden,” Lily broke in gently. “You could stay with me. I have that huge house all to myself.”

Fletcher shook his head immediately. “I have my herbal business to run. My home is part of that. And you have your art studio, not to mention that enormous furball. You can’t uproot everything just to babysit me.”

Before I knew what I was doing, the words tumbled out of my mouth. “I could live with Fletcher.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Three pairs of eyes swung toward me at once, and heat rushed to my cheeks.

“What?” I muttered, trying to sound nonchalant, but my voice cracked on the word.

Lily blinked at me, startled. “Jacy...I don’t know. No offense, but I’m not sure a sixteen-year-old roommate is exactly what the doctor had in mind. You’d be in school most of the day. And—”

While she rattled off objections, Fletcher simply sat there watching me. His expression was unreadable, but the slight curve of his lips — that enigmatic, almost secretive smile — never wavered.

“And,” Fletcher cut in smoothly, his voice firm and decisive, “I think it’s the perfect solution.”

“I think I’ll leave you to work out the details in private,” Dr. Sahni said quickly, before Lily could respond. “It sounds like you have two great options, and I have some other patients to attend to. I’ll try to drop in later this morning to check on you, Mr. Snyder.”

We all said good-bye and thanked him for taking the time to talk to us.

Once Dr. Sahni left, Lily picked up where we’d left off. “Are you sure this is a good idea, Fletcher? It’s been a long time since you’ve had a kid in the house.”

I figured that was her polite way of pointing out the obvious — Fletcher hadn’t raised any of his daughters. He’d walked out on Grandma Allen when they were still young.

Fletcher, of course, knew exactly what she meant.

“Maybe I’ve never lived with a teenager,” he said lightly, “but I’ve been around enough of them to know what I’d be getting myself into. Besides”—his gaze flicked to me—“Jacy strikes me as an above-average example of the species. More importantly, I have a lot to teach him. We could manage if he lived somewhere else, but it’ll be a whole lot easier if we’re under the same roof.”

“You could both move in with me,” Lily countered. “I’ve got plenty of room.”

Fletcher arched an eyebrow. “Lily, you’re a beautiful young woman. Don’t you think having an old man and a teenage boy in the house might put a crimp in your love life?”

Lily flushed. “What love life? There’s nothing to crimp.”

“And there certainly wouldn’t be if we both moved in with you,” Fletcher said, chuckling. “I appreciate the offer, but Jacy’s idea makes the most sense.”

Lily shook her head in exasperation, but we all knew the decision had already been made. Both she and Fletcher were stubborn, but in a battle of wills, Fletcher was a force of nature.

She finally turned to me. “Are you sure you’re up for this, Jacy?”

I nodded. It felt right somehow, as if everything I’d been stumbling toward over the past few weeks — maybe my whole life — had been leading to this moment. I’d only just met Fletcher, and yet there was already a bond between us, something deep and instinctive. I trusted him in a way that didn’t make sense, as if my spirit had recognized his long before my mind could catch up.

“Then it’s settled,” Fletcher declared with a triumphant grin. “Jacy moves in with me the minute they spring me from this damn hospital.”

I couldn’t help grinning back at him. Across from us, Lily shook her head again, but I caught the twitch at the corner of her mouth. She was fighting a smile as she watched the two of us grinning at each other like a pair of fools.

“At least you won’t be alone,” she said softly.

Fletcher’s eyes stayed locked on mine, his smile widening. “No,” he said. “Never alone.”

And I felt the truth of his words echo inside me like a promise.

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