Relief flooded her when he held her and kissed her. Her eyes filled with tears and Liath moved into his arms to hold him. She held him so tightly as the tears spilled from her tightly closed eyes and into the water. "Thank you," she breathed into his chest. He wasn't mad at her, he didn't look upset. She hadn't hurt him by saying that.

He told her it was okay. That he didn't want to make her uncomfortable. She knew this was the way he had always been, that this wasn't knew for Rurik, but Mother Tree, it felt like she had to relearn things about him all over again. They'd beaten the memories of how good he was to her out of her, and she was only now starting to get them back.

A low, sweet laugh escaped her. "Yes," she whispered. "Let's wash up, eat food, and..." Her head lifted up then to look at him, her eyes shiny with happy tears. "Cuddle. I want to cuddle soooo much."