Summary: For what it's worth, it was worth all the while.

Time of Your Life

Fakir knelt on the bank of the pond, hands gently releasing the duck onto the damp earth. With a smile he brushed the top of her head once, then stood.

The words they'd never said hung between them untouched, for the gift of speech was the gift of being human.

Fakir wanted to promise Ahiru he could make her a person again, but he kept silent because he knew she couldn't say it back.

Ahiru wished to tell Fakir a hundred things, but she'd given up that power, and couldn't even say the ones she wanted most.

Believe in yourself, you are already a greater writer than most men will ever be.

Thank you for believing in me.

I wanted to dance with you forever.

But mostly she wanted to tell him that she had no regrets. Ahiru gave a delicate chirp, and in a rustle of feathers, turned away from Fakir and stepped into the water.