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"I realize that," Timaeus assured Lin, "but I have spoken to my parents, and they have agreed to keep their eyes open to look for anyone they might recognize. River is eager for stories of the rescues from all points of view, they know this."

"I have to admit," Earendil spoke up, "it would be interesting ..."

"Be sure to tell us how they're doing, if you see any of them," Timaeus requested with a smile. "We're all curious. I know Elrohir said it before, but it still holds true for all of us today: there's a sense of satisfaction knowing that we've saved some lives, but there's a sense of contentment when we know that those people whose lives we saved have grown up into people with families or lives of their own."

Earendil smiled and nodded as he ate. "The way it's nice for us to go back to lands we've visited and see how things have changed," he murmured.

Alyse laughed at that comment. "Come on, anyone who's seen him with your mother knows what a softy he can be," she grinned. "Neko and Nako have told us stories about the first time your parents were here - everyone knows he's a softy."

Of course, most people didn't know that he had been acting that way because he was in a world he had thought he would never visit again, but it didn't change the fact that he had been very physically close with Kara. Ulani and Ulrich had commented on that, and on how Kara had seemed surprised by it at first, too.

"That sounds like Aragost," Jasmine spoke up, her expression thoughtful as she passed a dish to her sister. "At times he seems so cold, so distant ... but to those who try to get to know him, he is very kind and warm."

"And not just to the Aldrich family," River grinned. "To everyone who isn't an idiot!"

"Not that any of us present would know about that," Earendil spoke up. "None of us knew him before he was with your mother."

Brook was eating in silence, but it was clear from the way her eyes were flickering from one speaker to the next that she was listening very intently.

"How did your parents meet, anyways?" River asked, curious.

River was utterly fascinated. "And they don't even remember if they met when they were children?" she asked, tilting her head curiously. "Though I suppose if they were very young they wouldn't remember ... just like I don't remember things that happened when I was little. I guess that makes sense."

"Which makes me think," Timaeus mused, "some of the children that we rescued ... they might not even remember any of it. Most of them were old enough to remember, but some of them were so young they might not."

"But sometimes, if the experience is traumatizing enough, the mind erases it entirely," Timaeus countered. "Look at Shael."

"She's not the only one," Alyse added. "Even Shiara's memory of her captivity has begun to fade - or so she claims at least."

"Either way, it's going to be interesting," Earendil smiled. "Considering everything ... going to different countries with the diversity of races and backgrounds that we have ... I think this is going to be fun."

He grinned.