That night, Rey gave Temiri his medicine, then she tucked him in. She leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," he answered. "Can you ask Ben to tuck me in?"

Rey nodded a little hesitantly. She didn't want Temiri getting too attached to Ben, he'd already had both his parents to leave him, he didn't need any more heartbreaks.

Rey stepped out of Temiri's room to find Ben standing there.

"How is he?" Ben asked.

"A little better. He wants you to tuck him in."

Ben looked at her, clearly surprised. But he nodded and went into Temiri's room to tuck him in.

He looked at a sketch that sat on the bedside table. "Who's this?" he asked looking at the couple.

"My parents... my real parents," Temiri explained.

Ben nodded. "Did they give you this toy?" he asked as he passed him the stuffed bear.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Temiri asked.

"Yes."

Temiri patted the bed, and Ben sat down next to him.

"Promise not to tell Rey?"

"Cross my heart," Ben answered.

"Rey gives me letters from our parents sometimes, but I know that she wrote them."

"How do you know that?" Ben asked.

"They were written in her handwriting," Temiri answered. "But don't tell her, because it would make her feel bad. I know our parents don't really love me."

Rey who was listening from the other side of the door felt her heart breaking.

"I'm sure that's not true," Ben answered gently.

"I just wish they would come back."

"I know how you feel."

"I always used to drop stuff. Maybe that's why they didn't want me anymore. Do you think they would have stayed if I wasn't so clumsy?"

"Oh Temiri, everyone drops stuff. It's no big deal."

Tears filled Temiri's eyes. "Maybe I'm just not lovable."

Ben hugged him. "You're one of the most lovable people I know. It's not you, some people are just really good at loving other people. And some people just don't know how..." he trailed off realizing that he was talking about himself. "...no one ever really showed them."

"Like how I showed you how to ice skate?" Temiri asked.

Ben nodded. "Yeah. And I think that you and your sister have begun to show me how to love others, I have to admit I'm not very good at it."

"Yes you are. My real father never spent time with me like you do. He never gave me hugs or tucked me in, or went ice skating with me. I wish that you were my daddy."

Ben smiled and hugged him. "So do I."

~*~

Rey stood out on the balcony. It was cold out and she hadn't brought her cloak, but she needed to be alone to think. Just as she had worried, Temiri had began to get attached to Ben. His poor little heart was even more broken than she had thought. She didn't realize that he blamed himself that their parents left.

Ben stepped out onto the balcony, holding a blanket. He draped it over her shoulders to keep her warm.

"Thank you," Rey whispered.

He nodded. "He's a great kid."

"Yes he is." She sighed. "Ben, you might not realize it but Temiri is becoming very attached to you. Please don't encourage it."

"Why not?"

"Because, this won't last. He's already had his heart broken once, I don't want there to be any hard feelings when we leave."

"But..."

"Please Ben, don't make this any harder on Temiri than it already is." She turned and walked back inside, leaving him on the balcony alone.