For a long time after Jason and Ben's friends left, Galen and Lydia simply lay on the bed and held each other while they cried. Both of them, to Lydia's amazement. Galen engulfed her in his arms and buried his face in her hair. When her sobs finally abated, she looked up at him to see a river of tears pouring down his face.

"I thought I'd lost you," he murmured, kissing the tear tracks on her cheeks. "I've never been so scared in my life."

"Me either." She tried to ...