“So, how are they ?” Asked the second lieutenant as the field doctor entered his tent.

“The man is sleeping, I made him drink a little before he collapsed. He should be fine in a few days. The children are perfect fine. If anything, I would say they only need a good meal to be in top shape. They are still awake though, they refuse to leave his side ...”

“... And mentally ?”

“I don’t know for the man, he didn’t say a word while I treated him, he was barely conscientious. The two children don’t understand, I think, but it’s obvious they know something is wrong … The boy, Mark, always tries to attract attention while clinging to his plush bear, it’s a bit annoying.

The girl, Jenny, I think that’s a diminutive for Jennifer. She is the opposite, she refuses to talk and keeps her distances. She glared at me as if was the devil itself while I treated the man … she doesn’t seem to trust us ...”

“Great … well, at least they are fine.”

“Yeah … Now, what’s the plan ?”

“We wait here for a while … until the man wakes up. I think he would like to pay his respect to the graves … that’s the least we can do for him. After that we head back to the sport hall, we have been gone for over a week, the major must be waiting our report ...”

The doctor nodded and exited the tent, wishing good night to his superior.

***

“Daddy ! Daddy, wake up !” Shouted Mark as he saw his father stir under his blanket. His voice carrying a thread of panic.

The man stirred himself awake. “It’s alright Mark, daddy is there. Daddy will never leave you.” He said while taking the boy in a hug. He extended an arm toward the girl, inviting her to join the hug. She jumped on the occasion, not letting him the time to reconsider the offer.

The three stayed that way for a few minutes, before the second lieutenant entered with food trays.

Immediately the girl separated from the hug to stand farther from the stranger, hiding behind George's back. Mark however, clinged to his father, gripping the shirt with his little hands.

The man started talking. “Glad to see you are awake … are you alright ?”

“No … No, I’m not ...” Said George

The man made a wry smile “I can see why … Sorry, that was a bit insensitive of me.”

George motioned it was alright, that he didn’t want to linger on the subject …

The man nodded his understanding, quickly approaching, he placed three food trays in front of George.

“Sausage, puree and compote. We kept that for a big occasion.” Said the second lieutenant as he stepped back. “I hoped it could cheer you up a little.” He continued, seeing that George showed no particular reaction at the food.

“You shouldn’t have ...” Responded George, half sincere. Knowing perfectly how awful regular army ration were … Those were now luxury food.

He then took the fork and started digging in the plate, motioning the children that they should eat too. The boy didn’t wait and immediately started eating, he kept telling stories about his plush bear to his father, father which only half listened while eating.

The girl was more restrained, only starting eating because George asked her to,. She was always wary of the second lieutenant, staying hiden behind George's back.

Except for the ramblings of Mark, and the occasional fakely interested response from George, they ate in silence.

The second lieutenant quietly watched. Not wanting to disturb them.

When George stopped eating, he talked again.

“I thought you would want to know about our next plans. We will wait until tomorrow so that you can properly say your goodbye. The graves are behind the remains of your house ... ”

The man stopped as he saw George tremble, only continuing when he seemed to calm down.

“After that we will leave for Norwick, we have started a refugee camp in a sport hall. In there you will find food, water and shelter for as long as you need. We even have some medicine, although the supply is very limited ...”

“Thank you ...” Voice George as he stared into his plate.

“It’s the least we could do ...” Said the man, smiling “Do you want me to take care of the children while you pay your respect ?”

“No ... it’s alright … We … We explained it to them. They don’t really understand but they know what’s happening … I want them to realise … I don’t want them to have regrets ...” Responded George, visibly a bit unsure about his decision.

“Fine, as you wish ...” Said the second lieutenant “I have to go. If you need me, just ask.”

George nodded toward the man, truly thankful for his care.

He would wait for the children to finish eating, then repeat his final goodbye …

Hopefully it wouldn’t be harder than in the bunker …

***

George sat in front of the graves. The children sleeping in their tent.

He had come back to have a chance to say his goodbye properly.

The first attempt with the children did not go very well … but it was necessary …

They had to realise the world had changed …

They needed to grow stronger to survive, both mentally and physically ...

And George had promised to help them achieve just that ...

But seeing two toddlers crying in front of their parents graves, one of them while trying to dig free her father and mother. That had destroyed him …

After the last goodbye in the bunker, he hadn’t thought that worst goodbyes could be made ...

But he had thought wrong … so very wrong …

In the end, he had brought the children away, re explaining them over and over what was happening. Forcing them to listen even if they didn’t want to ... hugging them when they cried ... reapeating that everything would be all right ...

All while forcing himself to stay strong … for them !

He hadn’t lasted … In the end, the children had probably comforted him as much as had comforted them.

After that, he had taken some time to discuss with the other soldiers. Apparently they were from the nearby base, the Robertson Barracks. George had been affected farther away, in another base, closer to London. The Robertson base had been too small to need a full time engineer ...

He hadn’t told the soldiers he was an army engineer yet.

Maybe because he didn’t really want to … considering he owed nothing to the army ...

If he hadn’t overheard two generals shouting angrily at each other, he would probably be dead right now.

Once he knew what was coming, he had tried his best so that his family and friends could live ...

Useless to say, his best hadn’t been enough …

The four soldiers that rescued them had found his signal by pure chance, while trying to recontact their base on their return trip. They had rushed immediately when they had realised it was an SOS signal …

But they were still too late ...

If only they had arrived three day earlier …

They would all be alive, laughing about how lucky they were while taking care of the children.

That would have been … perfect …

George took a moment to himself, praying silently in front of the three named graves.

He had carved those name himself … with a little help from the soldiers …

Finishing his prayer, George stood up, facing the graves, and spoke with a broken voice, as solemnly as he could.

“The last time we saw each other … I … I made you three a promise. The promise to protect Jenny and Mark until the very last of moment of my life… to raise them to be good people… ev~ *snif* even better than you were, even if that hardly seem possible in all honesty.”

He took a moment to breathe, the emotion rising in his throat

“I hereby sincerely swear, once more, to uphold that promise ! To do my very best until my very last moment … To protect and raise them as best as I possibly can… no matter what I have to do in that endeavour ...”

Turning toward the grave of his friends, George continued.

“Marie, Frank. I can never thank you enough for what you have done … for the sacrifices you have made. I will remember fondly the memories we shared. I promise to take care of Jenny as I would take care of Mark, to make no distinction between them ...”

Turning to face the grave of his wife. George froze a little, clenching his hands.

“Alice … you … you were the sun of my life … the very reason I woke up every morning with a smile … I only realise now, how happy I was then and … and how empty I am now …” Stopped by the emotion, George took a short pause.

“I swear to raise Mark into a good man … A man you can be proud of.

Wherever you are, I am sure you will watch over him, with the same smile you always had ...”

In the dead of the night, George silently started crying.

Not realising the appearance of a strange little stone by his side.