The presence seemed to swirl with interest and excitement when Alek gave his name. "Ahhhhhhh Allllleeeekkkkk . . . My granddaughter  . . . spoke . . . of you. Beg . . . pardon, my . . . body faded  . . . long ago . . . words do not . . . come easy. . . . How are you  . . . here." His words were slowly strengthening.<br/><br/>Æsc knew she didn't like how he'd thought of himself but it was hard not to think of yourself as nothing when nearly everyone you came across told you, you shouldn't exist. But none of that mattered anymore to him, it was in the past and she had changed all that and he wouldn't change any of the events of his life if they meant he wouldn't find her.