“Can I see him?” he asked, barely able to stop himself from leaping out of the bed and pushing aside the curtain.

Dr. Ambrose looked like she wanted to say no, but instead just sighed. “Okay, but just for a few minutes. We’re not done here. There are some pretty big developments happening out in the world right now, and they’re not going to wait.”

She helped him off the bed, which he was thankful for, as standing turned out to be a bit more wobbly than he expected. But his father’s bed was only steps away, anyway, just on the other side of the curtain, and by the time he reached it, he was feeling more steady.

That was good, because the sight of his father hooked up to various machines and IV drips almost sent him reeling.

“I can only give you five minutes,” Dr. Ambrose said, and walked over to the door. As she opened it, Fort saw soldiers waiting expectantly for her. “Say whatever you need to quickly, okay?”

He nodded, but she’d already turned and left, closing the door behind her. And finally, it was just him and his father.

His dad looked exactly the same as he had back in the Dracsi cave, which shouldn’t have been surprising, as that was just a short time ago. Still, it felt like years, and even now, the fact that his father was lying there in front of him brought tears to his eyes.

He just looked so vulnerable, so small, when he’d always seemed so big in so many ways.

Fort pulled a chair over and sat down, taking his father’s hand. There was so much to say, so much to apologize for, but now that he actually had his dad back, he had no idea where to begin.

“We never did see the Einstein statue, huh?” Fort said, and his voice cracked. The only response was the beeping of the machines, though, and for a moment, Fort just looked at his father, not sure if he could go on.

“I just want you to know,” he said finally, “that I am so deeply, truly sorry that… that everything happened. You’d never have been taken if I’d just…”

He wiped his eyes, his hand coming away almost soaking. Fort let the tears fall as he softly sobbed, laying his head against his father’s hand. “But I fixed it. I came to find you. I didn’t stop… I would never have stopped…”

As he said it, an image of Gabriel freeing the Old Ones appeared in his mind, and he squeezed his eyes closed, willing himself not to think about it. Would he have done the same thing, putting the entire world in danger to bring his father back? The thought made Fort sick to his stomach.