”I… hadn’t thought I’d see them like this again.” She said back, just as fondly, coming over behind Kes and wrapping her arms around her waist from behind. ”Thank you. I wish I had some way to repay you…” She lay her head on Kes’s shoulder.

”You don’t have to.” Kes said, a little of a happy laugh coming to her as well as she watched the two children together. ”Watching you all happy again, it’s more than payment enough.”

”…are you sure of that?” Anara asked softly, a little hesitation in her voice that Kes could only just detect.

”Of course I am. Why? What do you mean?” She asked, turning around a little in Anara’s arms.

Anara just smiled a little and shook her head. ”No. It’s… it’s nothing.” She said.

”Oh. Alright…” Kes answered. ”I’m sorry I fell asleep on you like that.” She said. ”I really did want to hear the rest of your story.” She told her.

”It’s alright. You were tired. You…” She shook her head. ”Never mind.” She smiled a little. Kes somehow got the impression that… Anara had liked the way she’d looked while she’d been sleeping, but was too shy to say so. That charmed and worried Kes both. Worried, because she shouldn’t know that. Was she picking up Anara’s thoughts without meaning to?

If she was, it was the first time she’d noticed herself doing that. She didn’t want to do that again without permission. Her people believed very strongly that using telepathy like that was wrong. Kes shook her head a little. ”Um, sorry. I should go, get my supplies. If… I’m going to stay here with you, they’ll be useful to have. You, um, you do still want me to stay with you, don’t you?” Kes asked.

Anara caressed her face again. ”Of course I do. I want…” She shook her head. ”Just be safe, Kes. Return to me…”

”Don’t worry, I will.” She told her, caressing her face a little in return, as much as she dared without seeming overly familiar.

”I will go with you.” Tresit spoke up. Having gotten up from his and his sister’s bed, he was coming over stand before them.

”Oh, thank you, Tresit. But I don’t think…” She looked to Anara for guidance.