'Fine,' but still hurting in ways that she cannot mend, because the wounds are too large for even a mother's kiss to soothe away. She makes soft shushing noises and kisses his forehead, tucking his bangs behind his ear.

"Don't lie to your mother," she says, reproachful, but only a tiny bit. A little sharp with love underneath. He hadn't really seen that side of her until Monkey, but hopefully that time together gave him a chance to get used to it. She's more herself, as a woman, than she ever had been in his memory.

Hopefully she'll still live up to his love.

"Don't lie to your mother," she repeats, a bit gentler, "but I won't ask you to tell the whole story now. There will be time for that later."

She smiles at him, proud and relieved. "Two years," she murmurs. "They brought me here and I've been so worried-- I didn't know if you'd been able to outpace my sister. With no one else there..." Well, no one can say it wasn't worth worrying about, given her sister.