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The Vance-Freeman twins are crawling around on a patch of hardwood floor near (but not too near) the fireplace. They are playing the time-honored game of "Pick The Cheerios Up Off The Floor."

This game is also known as "Mommy Went To Get Snacks And Spilled Them When She Went To Sit Down But She's Too Tired To Bother Cleaning Up So Fuck It, It Won't Hurt Them To Eat Off The Floor."

Botherable.

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"Either I don't see you as often as I should, or they are growing really fast." As if he knows from kids.

"They passed the eight-month mark this week," says Alyx with a weary but sincere smile. "Hey, Charlie."

(The twins don't say anything. They're too busy nomming on floor cereal.)

"Hey, Alyx. How's the world?"

He watches the little critters, and reminds himself that it's good to eat slightly dirty things at that age. He kept up with the science.

"Busy and dull at the same time," she admits. "We've been snowed in at the Greenbrier for the past three days and we're all getting a little stir-crazy."

"How deep a snow?" Funny that's the first question that comes to him.

"About five feet. I didn't think snow got that deep in West Virginia, but..."

"I don't think it's supposed. Then again, the ecosystem's been compromised.

"Though on the plus side, maybe global warming's not a problem anymore." He gives a wry, almost sardonic, smile.

"...that's a thing?"

"History lesson...

"Human industrial activity generated a larger amount of greenhouse gases than the atmosphere could handle. The gases, mainly CO2, began to absorb more of the heat that should have been radiated off Earth under normal circumstances. When I died, things were looking pretty grim as to the long term effects of a hotter, more energetic Earth.

"But clearly, it's reversible." All it takes is the collapse of human civilization.

"You do realize the Combine were actively trying to change Earth's atmosphere, right?"

"I think maybe Gordon mentioned that, but I guess it got lost in the flood of Bad Things they were doing.

"Which means you can forget everything I just said. It's ancient history now." He should be used to that with some realities by now.

"No, no, it's important to remember the past. Those who fail to learn from history, and all that..."

"Mmmrbl," says Hope around a mouthful of fingers.

"True.

"Something else I could offer you." Pause. "If you remember that offer I made." And if any of his timeline's history matches hers.

"What...? Oh, right, right, that offer." Alyx drags her hands over her face. "I'm sorry, it's been crazy at home, I totally forgot."

"It's okay. You're busy, and I'm...

"I'm not sure what I am. Alive. But still trying to find myself." And still trying very hard to take care of his health to prevent things from happening the same way again.

"Okay, tell you what. As soon as I get home, I'm gonna talk to Sergeant-Major Shephard, and between the two of us we're gonna hash out something. Probably a trial period so you can see if you're really up for this."

"That is all I ask, Alyx. No commitments, just a chance." A new world? He's still not sure, either. But it's worth a try.

"I knew other parents did this," says Noriko, regarding the kids--and keeping a fair distance from them--with a curiously tilted head.

"It helps build hand-eye coordination."

That's Alyx's story and she's sticking to it.

"That's what mine said too," she replies, coming close enough to climb over the back of the nearest couch and take a seat.

"They got big. Fast...er than normal, I think." She could be wrong, really, it's not like she's been keeping the greatest track of anyone not herself.

"No, they're about average for eight-month-old babies. I think."

Pardon Alyx's lack of enthusiasm. It's been a long day. They've all been long days, of late.

"You think?"

Not the usual sentiment she hears out of mothers, not that Nori knows many of them. "Are you okay?"

"...no," Alyx admits. "I'm tired."

"Well, um," What exactly is the best idea here? Depending on who you are, not what Noriko's about to say.

"If you want to go sleep, I can watch them. I had a little brother."

She hesitates. "I dunno... they're getting to the age where they experience a lot of separation anxiety..."

"Or just get comfy in the chair." And if she falls asleep Noriko is not going to be the one waking her up.

"Well, in that case..."

She crosses the floor to the couch, kicks off her shoes, and stretches out.

Nori rearranges with a quiet smile--families who actually genuinely care for each other make her feel less bad about not seeing her own relations in years, and not having spoken in nearly as long--sitting on the floor to form a human barrier preventing the babies from getting too far away.

"Hey, you two." She's aware that the rather violent shade of her hair will probably draw attention and little spit-sticky hands, but hey, it shouldn't kill her.

Hope is the first one to notice. Ooh, shiny! She scoots over toward Nori. (Not crawls, scoots. Like a giant, chubby inchworm.)

Interesting mode of transport, Nori thinks, but she lets the infant scoot closer before reaching to pick her up and set her in her lap, careful of any warning sounds that might turn into a cry or screech.

"My brother was never this kind of cute."

Hope immediately reaches up to grab Nori's hair, with the intent of putting it in her mouth.

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