Waking up next to Isaac felt much more natural than it should have. It felt somehow incredibly normal to wake up and shift slightly, moving closer to him under the covers. Looking at him in the early morning light, Lavinia could tell that he truly was asleep. She smiled slightly. So, there were some human needs left after all. Eating, sleeping, what else would he need?

Unbidden, the thought arose to Lavinia of herself as one of those needs. Of her being as necessary to ...