Renn lay still in the darkness staring up at the ceiling. The world was silent beyond her bedroom door; her brothers were all in bed. All of her brothers were in their beds. She fidgeted and tried in vain to get comfortable. All she had to do was sleep for a couple more hours and then she could see him, hold him, reassure herself that it all wasn't just some fantastic dream and that he really was there. Renn tried again, rolling over onto her right side she pulled her blankets up underneath her chin and closed her eyes. Her heart pounded in her chest, her mind raced; sleep was not going to come for her. Kneeling up Renn lit the candle on her bedside table and cast her eyes around her room. Nico was sleeping soundly on top of her wardrobe, his little chest moving in and out and his great beak rested against the wood. The flood water beyond the bubble cast strange patterns through the curtains, and they fell across Renn's most recent work of art making it almost unrecognisable to her.

She climbed out of bed. The carpet was soft beneath her bare feet and muffled her steps so she was able to cross the room to the door without disturbing Nico. The toucan slept on. Renn turned the door handle slowly and slipped through it into the kitchen beyond. The tiles were cooler than the carpet, freezing her toes as she tip-toed over them pat, pat, pat. The tiles yielding to carpet once more as Renn approached the sofa and wandered past the dining table. She came to a stop outside the door to Flynn's bedroom. Her eldest brother had given Henry his room for the night and had taken a camp bed into Danny and Dylan's room next door. The person she wanted to see most in the world slept soundly on the other side of the door. Renn reached for the door handle, twisted it and pushed the door ajar.

"Who's there?" his voice, his beautiful beloved voice, called as she slipped inside. He sounded on edge, as if he expected her to be some kind of enemy sent to harm him.
"It's just me," she reassured him in a quiet voice. She supposed it made sense; he would have always needed to be on edge when surrounded by pirates. The thought was enough to make her shudder.
"There's no just about you."
It was almost impossible to see him through the darkness but she could hear him shuffling around. Moments later a candle spluttered into life. Renn smiled at him and was relieved when he smiled back. It was only small, a little unsure, a little guarded, but it was all Henry. Her Henry. Other than the body in the bed there was very little in the room to suggest it had a new occupant. There were only two items that were not Flynn's, the boots on the floor under the window, and the green button-laden jacket on the back of the chair in the corner. It needed a good wash, but she would see to that when morning came. She'd help him find new clothes, mend his old ones and, she held back a giggle, find someone to give him a proper hair cut.

"Did I wake you?" Renn asked, perching on the corner of the mattress. Henry shook his head.
"Bed's too soft," he explained through a sigh, "and it's too quiet."
"No one wanted to disturb you," she smiled, reaching out and resting her palm against his cheek. He was there, he was really there! "The twins..." Renn broke off and giggled, "the other twins, are really excited to see you." Henry looked at her, his eyebrows lifting in concern.
"I think I'll have to work my way up to that one." She smiled back, dropping her hand and taking hold of his instead.
"I honestly don't think they're going to give you a choice." Finally he laughed. It wasn't the kind of laugh she'd have wanted, but it was a start. Silence fell between them. It was nice. They just sat, comfortable in each other's company.

"Henry..." Renn said, breaking the peace, "can I stay with you tonight? I...I can't seem to sleep either." He smiled at her, another small sad smile, and nodded.
"You can fill me in on my little brothers," Henry said, "at least then I'll know what I'll be walking into." Renn grinned back and slid under the covers beside him. She shuffled over until she was right beside him and rested her head on his shoulder, her hand resting over his heart. The steady thumping of his heart was the most wonderful thing, and she could keep it safe now.
"I love you."
"I love you too."

---

Renn sat cross-legged on the floor with Henry's jacket spread out across her knees and a needle and thread in her hands. She was almost finished, and it nearly looked as good as new. She had washed it, scrubbing out all the mud and dirt and polished the buttons. With the tears and fraying fixed it looked almost as good as new. Tying off the final row of stitches Renn lay it out on the floor and sat back to admire her handiwork. Perfect.

Henry had offered to take the twins out for the day whilst Flynn was at work so he could get to know them better. Renn had suggested at breakfast that Dylan and Danny might like the show their brother around the castle and the grounds so that he didn't get lost and vanish again. They'd agreed and left her to her artwork.

Her brothers were not yet comfortable with one another; even she could see that. The twins seemed a little suspicious, Dylan sometimes a little hostile and Danny questioning, straining to understand. It would take time, but they would get there. She'd help them.

The front door opened and Flynn stepped into the entranceway with a grim expression on his face.
"If you still want to do this, Renn, it has to be now."
"Now?" She scrambled to her feet and snatched up her cardigan from the dining table. Flynn looked unsure, like he was going to try and talk her out of it again. Nico landed on her shoulder.
"I'm going with you," the toucan said, "I don't want you alone with her." Flynn nodded his agreement.
"And I'll be right outside the door. If I hear anything I don't like, I'm pulling you out."
"I still don't like it!" Nico said, his beak pointing at Flynn.
"Nor do I," her brother agreed. Renn ignored them. She led the way out of the apartment and into the corridor. Flynn sighed.
"Anything I don't like, Renn" he warned her, his eyes full of concern. She rocked up onto her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.
"You worry too much," she told him, "I'll be fine."

---

The corridor the room was on had previously housed the trainee clerks and lawyers who lived too far from the castle to walk in every day. The last time she had been it had been a noisy place with the young students shouting to one another across the hall. It was silent now. The trainees had been moved to another part of the castle and out of this out of the way place which finished in a dead end. Guards were stationed at the entrance to the corridor, another at the door to the room. Renn had never seen so many bolts on one door. Flynn pulled his key from his belt and began to unlock them each in turn and Nico gripped Renn's shoulder that little bit tighter. The door opened enough for her to slip through and with a final look at Flynn's frown Renn stepped into the room.

The woman she saw sitting on the bed looked nothing like the one she had met a year ago. She seemed smaller but there was something alive in her eyes that kept her scary.
"Hello Captain," Renn began with a hesitant smile, "I asked to speak with you...I hope that's okay?"