(Why does the dog stay with him when it is so unhappy.) I sent.

(What?)

(That dog over on the other bank, it seems particularly displeased at being forced to run along like this when it is so hungry.)

(Do you read everything around you including all the animals?)

(Yes. Don't you? I read the feelings of all creatures in the immediate surroundings, unless they are shielded of course, it just slips into my mind. I'd say that the range is about forty metres. If the thoughts I detect are boring I usually filter them out but with animals they are so base, so instinctive that I cannot help but try to understand them.)

(All those unwanted thoughts and feelings must swamp you and get very confusing.)

(No, it seems quite natural, almost unconsciously I sort them out and either respond or ignore them.)

I looked along the path at a couple hand in hand. (From the outside they look pretty happy, wouldn't you say?)

He followed my gaze and stared at the couple. The man tenderly touched the woman's face then bent and pressed his lips firmly on hers. She reciprocated and soon they were in a deep embrace.

(Now go into them...) I took Stephen's hand and linked my mind. Then stretched out our consciousness towards the couple.

"Stop that!" He jerked his hand away and stared at me. "That's invasion of privacy."

Resuming the discussion in speech I snapped back. "Oh come on, you sound just like John. Don't be so righteous. You'd love to really know what they are feeling. You can not deny it."

"Yes, that may be true I am curious. But we don't have the right to stick our noses into every one else's business just because we can. On your world..." He switched back to telepathy. (You may be very open and honest and feel that there is nothing to hide, but here we think that privacy is important. I wouldn't want every Tom, Dick or Harry to know my inner most secrets, and I know that you often shield, even from me, so I'm sure you feel the same.)

I looked at him disappointedly. This conversation was getting us nowhere. I could feel his irritation rising and did not want it to end in an argument. Turning back to the man with the dog I resumed my original line of questioning.

(So, why does the dog stay? I'm sure that you don't mind me reading the helpless creature?)

(I suppose it has something to do with domestication of certain species. We live in a sort of symbiotic relationship. In return for feeding the animal it remains with us as a companion. I've never met a dog that really minded. Try reading it again now that he has let it run free.)

I looked across at the animal, the man had unfastened the leash and while he gasped for breath the dog bounded around enthusiastically. I went into it. Stephen was right, the animal did not choose to run away. Neither did it feel compelled to stay. Rather it thought of the human as a leader of a pack who commanded respect. As I stood concentrating on the dog it suddenly sprang off the bank in pursuit of a stick that had been thrown for it. Caught up in the thrill of the moment I too launched myself into the river.

With a huge splash that nearly soaked Stephen I landed head first in the murky water. I'm not sure who was more surprised him, me or the courting couple a few metres away. Rising to the surface I indicated that I was fine and began to scramble up the bank. Standing there like a drowned rat Stephen began to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"That'll teach you a lesson not to delve into other people, or unsuspecting animals. You said that you could control the feelings but I suspect that this time they controlled you."

(Yes, well... I did sort of get carried away.)

(I thought for a moment that you were going to retrieve the stick yourself.)

That comment elicited a good natured dig in the ribs and we started off home chuckling to ourselves as I squelched along.

As we approached the front door of the house Stephen turned and kissed me lightly on the cheek. He had a very mischievous expression on his face and without asking I guessed what he wanted to know.

(He was thinking that she was not as good in bed as his wife.) I sent. Then slipped inside and hurried upstairs to get myself dry.

One of the early problems, apart from wearing cloths which blistered my skin and shoes which strangled my toes, was who I should be introduced as. We had to invent a suitable background as well as the appropriate documentation. The latter was fairly easy once we had acquired the proper stationary. After discussing the situation with his parents we decided that I was an old pen pal from overseas who had come to visit. Later on we established our relationship with his friends. This was especially important once I fell pregnant with my first child.

The pregnancy was not really planned and brought all sorts of problems into the open. Firstly how could we explain a gestation period of just three months to a human doctor. As well as an exponential growth rate which doubled a child's weight in the first few hours after birth. Then there was the problem of it's appearance. Luckily Andranovich was born with human features and seldom showed the shape changing qualities of the later children.

For these and many other reasons I decided to return to Manyarner, via the trig, for the birth. John and Elizabeth met me at the receiving station.

"Well, we wondered why you were returning alone so soon." Said Liz smiling. "The answer is pretty obvious now." She motioned to my swollen abdomen. "When is it due?"

"Two more months. I plan to have the baby back on Manyarner and don't fancy a long teleport so I've arranged for a Kalinar to take me the rest of the way."

(Stephen's lucky to marry into such an influencial family.) Pathed John to Elizabeth. Then he blushed as he realised that I could read everything he sent.

(Yes we feel that we are very privilaged.) I replied sarcastically.

It was two days before I was due to leave that I discussed my concerns over John's attitude with Elizabeth. We were sitting at the table in her quarters.

"I know that Stephen and I have not been together for very long, and that he and John have been the best of friends for years, but I sense strange emotions from John whenever I am around. Have I done something to upset him?"

Elizabeth, trying to avoid my gaze, looked into her coffee cup. "No, not at all it's just..." She stopped mid sentence and immediately put up a telepathic shield. "I mean no, we just don't see much of you both these days."

I looked at her. "That was not what you were planning to say."

"Well no. But it doesn't really matter."

"I think it does or you would not be shielding from me. If you cannot put it into words then we can merge and share our feelings." I reached across the table and touched her hand gently.

Suddenly we were inside each others minds. I felt her motherly instincts towards the younger Tomorrow People and something else...

(Oh! Your in love with him. Does he love you? I see it was Carol. But she's happy with Narscissa now. He is jealous of Stephen. We'll have to do something about that.)

She pulled her hand away abruptly.

"Please don't say anything. John has to be strong for all our sakes. He has spent many years suppressing his feelings in order to be our..."

We looked up as we sensed two figures jaunting in. "Hello there." Said Mike as he came over to join us. "Why the long faces?"

Later that evening I decided that it was time to force the issue between John and Elizabeth. I called Mike, Hsui Tai, Andrew and Tricia over to the my room in the Manyarnern ambassadorial suite.

"I have been certain that John was keeping part of himself closed off from the rest of us since I first came to join you." Commented Hsui Tai. "Do you remember how upset he was after that incident with Sarah?"

Mike nodded. "It's like he never really lets himself go and enjoy life like the rest of us. He always has to be proper and responsible. Really boring like that."

Hsui gave him a disgusted look. "John is just trying to do what's right for all our sakes."

"Yes, but he seems so unhappy. Can't we help him out?" Andrew added, trying to break the tension between them.

"I have a suggestion. We could ask them to join with us in a blending ceremony. This is a ritual used on my planet all the time, everyone opens themselves up to each other and shares their inner most thoughts."

Mike stiffened in the chair. "You mean they share everything?"

"Yes, what's wrong with that? I can sense that it makes you feel apprehensive."

"Who me? No. I've got nothing to hide."

"Well then, that's settled." I said before Mike could find an excuse not to take part. "We will tell them that it is part of Manyarnern law always performed prior to the birth of a child and then let them find out each others feelings themselves."

The next day, back in Elizabeth's quarters, we all sat around the table and I took the lead.

"Blending ceremonies usually have a lens to focus the thoughts." I said "I'm not too sure how to do this but I can probably channel through my mind in order to link each of us at a deep unconscious level. There is nothing to be afraid of it's quite a joyous experience."

"Let's get on with it then." Remarked John gruffly.

It had taken quite some persuasion by Mike and Liz to get him to agree to this ceremony. They had told him how important it was for me to feel part of the Tomorrow People and reluctantly he had agreed.

At first they were all very guarded but as the blending went deeper into their subconscious minds they each revealed parts of themselves that they usually kept hidden. I do not intend to go into details here. The telepaths amongst you will probably be familiar with this ceremony, but on this occasion it had the desired effect of revealing John and Elizabeth's feelings for one another and we all breathed a sigh of relief as John's mood lightened.

"I think it's time I used my influence to get the council to change their ruling and allow us all to return to Earth." I said. "I'll talk to them as soon as I return fom Manyarner."

A few hours later I began the long Kalinar journey back to my home world. Once there I was greeted by my parents who had also returned home to assist in the birth. The last few days during the quickening of the child were particularly lonely but once I felt it's consciousness within me I was relieved that the mixing of our genetic material had been successful.

Stepping off the Jaunting pad, in the Lab, we were greeted by an elated Stephen and TIM. At last it felt like Earth was my true home, and sleeping gently in my arms was Stephen's baby son.

During my absence Stephen had decided to enrol at University. The others were quite shocked by this decision as he had always hated Earth schools. He pointed out that if he was going to get a job qualifications would be needed. It would have been much easier for TIM to create the necessary certificates for him, but he felt that it would do us both good to continue living amongst the saps for a while.

"And I can also look out for more potential Tomorrow People." He said in response to their questioning. "Even if their break out's are meant to be supressed, there could still be some of us out their you know."

They could not disagree with this argument and resolved to support him in his decision. Stephen also made arrangements for me to be enrolled at the same university in the medical school, and shortly after my return to we took up our places and moved into the married persons hall of residence.

Two years into my rather tedious medical training I was sitting in the lecture theatre supposedly taking notes on social medicine. Dr. Carlstrom, a fat balding man who seemed to dislike all students, was being particularly pedantic about an issue raised by someone sitting at the front. I was happily day dreaming about a glass of Tralmark, a thick syrupy drink made from the berries of the Markless Tree. It has a heady and slightly hallucinogenic quality and sharpens the psychic reflexes. Unlike alcohol, a component of most drinks favoured by humans, there are no cumulative affects on the system and no long term damage to the body.

I gradually became aware of the thoughts of another person close by.

(Stephen was that you?)

(What! Oh no, I'm in the middle of some rather fine tuning of this oscilloscope for my next practical assessment. I'd rather be left alone for now.) I received a quick view of the room in which he was working. Other students busied themselves over their work and a rather attractive girl lent close to him to ask a question. His eyes wandered down to her cleavage and I sensed a slight tingle of excitement.

(Yes that is a rather fascinating piece of equipment.) He blushed, both physically and mentally. Good humouredly I sent. (I'll have to have a stiff talk with you later.)

Cutting off from him I began to scan the area for another telepath.

(Who's there?) This was on a very open frequency used by most telepathic Federation citizens.

There was no reply at first them I received an image of the refectory. This was obviously not a trained mind and as I guessed correctly coming from a human. Standing abruptly I dropped my pad and paper onto the floor.

"Do you have something to add to this discussion Ms. Jameson?"

The whole room looked up and stared at me, I sensed their relief for the interruption to his conjectural ramblings. Mumbling something about needing the bathroom I tried to prise my way past the row of students.

Carlstrom looked at his watch. "Well it's nearly twelve o'clock, I suppose you might as well go. The whole assembly needed no more motivation and everyone rose to file out of the door.

Many people whispered into my ear. "Well done." As I headed rapidly for the canteen.

Pushing my way through the door into the busy throng of people I looked around the room. There were hundreds of babbling thoughts surrounding me, but I was scanning for a particular consciousness.

Unfortunately there was no sign of who ever had been there earlier and after a long while I gave up. I contacted the others, with the news that there may be a new Tomorrow Person who had either broken out recently or was in the process of losing their powers, then returned to the lab to discuss how to handle the situation, over lunch.

I learnt a valuable lesson that year. Despite my overwhelming superiority as a healer it was going to be very difficult to fit into the traditional medical practice of a human doctor.

As a practical exercise Dr. Chris Jackson brought a patient off the ward for us to diagnose. She was a gaunt 50 year old and must have been very beautiful in her youth. Despite the wheel chair there was an elegance to her movements and a lively glint in her eye.

"Now ladies and gentlemen, this is Mrs. Robson. Eliza to her friends." He smiled at her warmly and took her hand. "She has kindly consented to have you would be practitioners of the fine art of medicine examine her and give me you very learned opinions on her condition. Would you like to begin Angie our straight A's girl?"

This nick name I had barely tolerated ever since the first year exams.

It was shortly after their completion that the Dean had called me into his office and with great ceremony announced that I had attained a perfect score on all of the modules, an unheard of achievement in the history of the school of medicine. He and his colleagues quizzed me for half an hour and seemed quite convinced, although they never openly accused me, that I had somehow cheated.

It was suggested that I sit an extra test set by them that afternoon.

"Don't agree to anything girl." This came from an unlikely advocate Dr. Carlstrom.

I let them assume that I was thinking over my decision while I probed each of their minds in turn. It was clear that none of them believed a student of my inexperience capable of achieving such a grade except Carlstrom, who was more interested in getting out of the stuffy office and down to the local pub. To their great surprise I achieved a perfect grade on this additional paper as well and became a bit of a celebrity within the department after that.

John later cautioned me about bringing unnecessary attention to myself. I have to admit that I did let it go to my head for a while. From then on I made sure that I occasionally slipped up on minor details. Despite this the first year nick name stuck.

Stepping forward I bent down to examine Mrs Robson. "What symptoms do you have?" I asked.

"Well dear I seem to keep falling over." The other students gave a brief chuckle stopped abruptly by a stern look from Dr Jackson.

"How often has this happened?" This line of verbal questioning was so slow I wondered what humans did in a real emergency. The exchange continued at this rate for a few minutes while I gave Eliza an examination of her reflexes.

"Chris, has she had a CAT scan and blood tests?"

"You tell me, do you think that they are necessary?"

"Yes of course." I already sensed the neurological damage in the woman's system. She was obviously in the early stages of motor neurone disease.

"What do you think is wrong?"

"Damage to the nervous tissues in the legs which is spreading throughout the body leading to loss of co-ordination and numbness in the peripheral sensory systems. This is probably brought on as an auto immune response to a viral infection sometime in the recent past." I looked up expecting him to be happy with my response but instead he looked shocked.

"Come now we don't want to scare Eliza with tales of major diseases." I could sense his disappointment in me. This was very difficult to understand as I knew that I was right.

"But the damage to the tissues is obvious and would show up on a neurological scan, I mean an X-ray or CAT scan."

He motioned for me to step over to one side. "Angie, you are worrying the poor dear. I know that you are supremely confident in your diagnosis but on this occasion you will have to accept that you are wrong."

He went to stand by the group of other students who had taken over the examination of Mrs. Robson.

"She has an inner ear infection caused by severe bacterial infestation." Announced Paul smugly.

"Yes that's right." Chris glanced across at me and could tell that I was still seething at his denial at my own diagnosis. "Our learned friend over here has just saved the hospital thousands of pounds in unnecessary tests. Well done." He gave me an apologetic smile but it did not help to calm me down.

The porter who had stood calmly in the background during the exchange came forward and wheeled Mrs. Robson towards the door.

"Don't worry dear." She said as she passed me. "We all get it wrong once in a while."

I didn't hang around for further discussion on the subject either. Scooping my things up off the chair I strode out of the lecture theatre.

Once outside I watched the porter wheel her back towards the ward. This was a painful situation to accept.

"Shit! how could they be so wrong?"

"Will you stop wriggling around." Stephen turned and pulled the quilt back over his legs. Sensing my anxiety he sat up and flicked on the bedside lamp. "Okay what has been eating you all evening. Ever since you got back this afternoon you have been preoccupied with something and shielding most of the time." He wrapped his arms around me and we embraced as I opened up my mind. "So what can we do about it?"

He did not need to ask as he knew already that I had decided to return and heal Mrs. Robson. "This time we may get away with it, but you cannot use your abilities on every patient that you meet without being noticed."

I slipped out of bed and dressed quickly. Entering Andranovich's room I found him already in his dressing gown. "Are you going to take away the ladies pain?"

I was astonished. Stephen had not known about my shielded deliberations until just now, how could Andranocivh have picked up on my thoughts.

We now knew what his special talent would be. A strong telepath who can read even shielded minds is usually trained as a communicator. His future as a diplomat for the Federation was assured at that moment, but this wasn't the time to think about my own family.

We materialised in Elizabeth's room and woke her gently. It took only a moment to explain telepathically what we were about to do and entrust Andranovich to her care for the rest of the night. He willingly climbed in bed beside her and snuggled down.

As we teleported away to the hospital I felt his thoughts go with us. (Good luck mummy...)

Entering by the back fire escape we stole along the corridor towards the Margaret Garret ward. I sensed the night nurse sitting ahead at the duty desk and using telekinesis made a light blink on the panel before her.

"Not again." She muttered as she got up to investigate the patient who had supposedly called her.

Once she was gone we slipped past the desk and up to the bed where Mrs. Robson lay. Pulling the screen around us I sent. (Stephen you monitor the duty desk. Every time that nurse returns set off another call light so that she goes to investigate.) He nodded silently and closed his eyes to concentrate on the task.

Eliza stirred gently and looked up at me. I held my fingers to her lips just as she was about to speak.

(It's all right Eliza we have come to give you a present.)

I went into her and spread reassurance and calm, her eyes closed again. Kneeling down I removed the covers from her legs and laid my hands upon them. The damaged nerves felt like a black cloud in my mind. Then using my training I pushed deeper into the very heart of the tissue. There the cellular nuclei gave me the information I needed. I read the genetic code from her chromosomes like reading a recipe book. Once I had the information, I spread out my contact to her entire nervous system.

From the outside another person could have seen a glow of green light coming from my hands. This rapidly covered her entire body as I rejuvenated all the damaged tissue. Slowly replacing all of the dysfunctional cells with new ones. Understanding the cause of her problem I also sought out her immune system. The antibodies produced to kill the virus had also attacked her living tissue and these had to be removed from her system to prevent future damage.

All of this took about five minutes but I was totally unaware of the passage of time during the process.

Suddenly Stephen cut across my thoughts. (The nurse has decided to walk around the entire ward she's coming this way and I don't think I can stop her.)

(Nearly finished.) I sent as the green light subsided back towards the palms of my hands. I placed my finger on Eliza's forehead and sent a psionic suggestion into her consciousness. (Sleep and pleasant dreams.)

We jaunted just as the nurse pulled back the curtain. For a split second she thought she saw two ghosts fade in front of her eyes. Dismissing this as a trick of the light she looked at the sleeping patient.

"It's all right for some." She mumbled and returned to her desk.

After we returned to the lab I realised my exhaustion. The rest of the night was spent cocooning. This technique involves surrounding ones body with a psionic field while regenerating your energy levels. Stephen sat on the couch watching me. From the outside he could see my natural form return then my body rose from the surface of the medi-bed and hovered as it was slowly surrounded by bright purple light. By morning we were both in a deep natural sleep.

It was two weeks later that I left the medical school. The Dean tried, at length, to dissuade me from this decision. I stuck to my excuse about Andranovich needing more of my time and after a while he accepted.

Chris Jackson met me outside the office."Has this sudden decision got anything to do with me?" He enquired. "I know that we don't always see eye to eye on things but I'd hate to think that you gave up a promising career just because of a little disagreement."

"Of course not," I lied, " it has everything to do with my family needing me."

He shifted uneasily on the spot as he broached the next subject. "I was going to talk to you about Mrs. Robson. You remember the lady that I brought into the class the other day?" I sensed his unease as he struggled in his attempts to try and not sound too patronising. "Well, she made a full recovery the next day. All symptoms disappeared completely. I'm sorry that you were wrong."

Not wanting to be engaged in any further discourse on the topic I turned and walked briskly up the corridor. "Oh no I wasn't."

Stepping out into the late afternoon rain I turned and waved.

My self satisfaction at that incident was rapidly diminished by the events later that month. It was a difficult thing to accept that although I was talented in healing way beyond any other human I would not be free to use my powers openly within their society. The close personal nature of the events made this realisation all the harder to accept.

We were sitting in the lab. Stephen had just two months until his final exams and was studying a book intently. Andranovich was playing a board game with Andrew at one of the tables. Stephen suddenly clutched at his chest and doubled over in pain.

Andranovich gasped and articulated the sensations we all felt. 'Nana and grandad'

"TIM contact the others and tell them what has happened, and set co-ordinates for my parent's house." Said Stephen as he strapped on a stun gun. "Andrew you take care of Andranovich until we get back."

I clipped a matter transporter to my wrist and we headed for the jaunting pad.

"Please take me with you." Pleaded Andranovich.

There was no time to argue so I swept the child up into my arms.

Materialising in the lounge of the Kingston house we scanned the area for their thoughts. (Nothing. They aren't here.) Pathed Stephen. (I know what I felt was intense pain and injury. They must have been in some sort of accident.)

He rushed outside, into the front garden, and began scanning the local area for their presence. We all joined hands and added our strength to his own. Presently, we broke the link, it was obvious that they were not in the vicinity.

A police car pulled around the bend and stopped in front of the house.

It took no time at all to glean the information about the motorway accident from the mind of the officer as he approached us. Without speaking we dashed back inside the house and contacted Tim who reset the teleporter's co-ordinates for the St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey, Surrey.

The casualty department was a hive of activity. We had thankfully arrived in a deserted part of the corridor and made our way to the admissions desk. Stephen's impatience showed as the receptionist looked up his parents names.

"Sorry, but there has been no one by either of those names admitted recently."

"There must be the police told us that following the accident they were brought here by ambulance." He growled at the girl aggressively.

"I'll take another look." She turned back to her computer screen.

We heard a shout from behind us as a burley paramedic pushed his way through the crowd.

It was Andranovich who noticed first, pointing in the man's direction as he disappeared into the trauma room, he sent. (Over there. Over there!)

We dashed across the waiting area leaving the receptionist talking to herself.

"No one is allowed in here." Said a security man as we tried to push our way into the room.

"My parents are in there and they need me." Steven screamed almost hysterically.

"No, what they need is the doctor right now. He will let you know when you can see them." As if to make his comments final he stepped across the entranceway.

(I don't have time for this.)

Steven lifted the stun gun which he had concealed in his palm up to face the man.

"What are you going to do with that?" He gestured at the strange looking device. "Be good and don't make a fuss please, your parents are in good hands now."

The device spurted a stream of electrons and the guard stood ridged, rooted to the spot with a frozen look of astonishment on his face.

As we entered the trauma room it was obvious that the situation was bad. The tense atmosphere could have been read by any human in the expressions of those present.

The consultant looked up from his examination of Julia and barked. "Who let them in here? Guard! Guard!" When the guard did not appear he turned to us. "I would expel you myself but I'm a bit tied up right now. Who the hell are you anyway?"

"That's my mother and father."

His expression tightened as he addressed us. "I'm very sorry but there is little I can do for them. Their injuries are just too severe."

On entering I had read the situation clearly, luckily Stephen had been blinded by his anguish and could not sense the hopelessness of the situation.

"We can help them..." he tried to explain, then in a sudden burst of anger he swept the stun gun around the room freezing all of the staff.

I crossed the room and placed my hands on Tony's head. He had been dead for many minutes and there was nothing that I could do for him now. Stephen sensing this grabbed at my arm and demanded that I try to help.

(I can't bring him back to life, it's too late for that.)

(You must, he can't die, he just can't!)

Turning to the other trolley I rushed into Julia. Many of her bones were broken and she suffered severe internal injuries. These I could satisfactorily heal but the most worrying feature was the damage to her head. The skull was completely crushed on one side and oozed with thick semi-congealed blood.

Stephen noticed my hesitation and demanded an appraisal of the situation.

(I can heal these other injuries, but the head trauma is just too severe. Even if she did come round from the resulting coma the brain damage would be too great, she will be a complete vegetable for the rest of her life.)

(But you can read her cell structure, you can regenerate the damaged area.)

(I can do certain things but I cannot replace the material which was stored in the cells. I cannot give her back her mind.)

This was not what he wanted to here. Thumping the trolley with his fist he took his mothers hand. Reaching into her with his limited telekinetic powers he began to rejuvenate some of the tissue.

(Don't be so stupid you cannot do that all by yourself. It won't do her any favours in the long run.) He ignored my pleading. I gently placed my hand over his and went into him. His pain was evident, in desperation he maintained the stubborn hope of her recovery.

I then became aware of Andranovich's consciousness joining our own. Comforting thoughts spread through us and Stephen's grip on his mothers hand weakened.

"They'll be waking in a few minutes." I motioned to the transfixed medical staff standing around us.

With reluctance he stood and lifted Andranovich up to Julia's level. The child kissed his grandmother tenderly and we all disappeared.

Later that night, at the university halls, we received the official visit from a local police sergeant. He was very sympathetic as he broke the news of Stephen's parents death in a fatal car accident. I did most of the talking, Stephen just sat staring out of the window.

"By the way." He said as he headed for the door. "Staff at the hospital reported that a couple with a child were fussing around in the casualty department while they were treating Mr. and Mrs. Jameson. I have to ask, do you have any idea who this could have been?"

"Well it obviously wasn't us we have been here all day." I looked across at Stephen but he didn't seem to have heard. "It was probably some distraught relatives of another patient, people do tend to get very confused when they are anxious."

After closing the door I sat beside Stephen on the sofa. I went into him but met what felt like a brick wall, he was heavily shielding his thoughts and shutting me out completely. The hours crept by and gradually the room was filled with early morning light.