Aiko and Sophie held each other up on their way to the dining room. It was noon and neither had eaten in over twenty four hours. Aiko's eyes were rimmed in red, and the light in Sophie's had blinked its way out for the second time in her life.

Alois sat at the kitchen table surrounded by all of Sophie's uncles. He stood, and she already had tears cascading down his cheeks when his arms wrapped around her. "Shh," he soothed her, pushing her hair back. "You'll be okay."

"He's gone." She whimpered.

"I know."

She felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up, half expecting to see her stood uncle Mori there.

Kaoru's kind brown eyes stared back at her.

"You'll be okay."