Artemis nodded, looking out the window over his shoulder. His eyes rested on the wall again. "Yes... he's gone now. And I'm still here."

The boy covered his mouth, trying to look as though he were in thought. Unfortunately, his watering and already red eyes didn't do much to convince anyone who might be watching that he wasn't crying.

"I never got to repay him... for everything he did. For all of the ridiculous habits he instilled in me. For listening when I thought no one else would care."