Silence settled over the chamber like dust after an explosion.
Jessica remained on the cold floor, her arms wrapped tightly
around Ellie. The girl's small body trembled slightly against her,
her breathing shallow but steady.
Alive.
Jessica pressed her forehead against Ellie's hair and closed her
eyes.
For the first time in years, the memory of the lake felt... different.
Not unfinished.
Not broken.
Behind them, the shattered remains of the glass column had
dissolved into soft, fading light. The Node chamber looked
strangely empty now, like a cathedral after the altar had been
removed.
The Collector still stood near the doorway.
Unmoving.
Observing.
Jessica slowly looked up at it.
The tall figure was exactly where it had stopped when the system
changed.
Its head tilted
