As they begin their descent toward JFK Airport, the first time she's been home since she died, Nile closes her eyes to hold in the tears.
Joe puts his hand on hers. "We've got some time before the mission," he says gently. "You could go see your family."
"I don't know," Nile says. "Booker said it wasn't a good idea."
Nicky leans across Joe. “What did he tell you exactly?”
"Just about his family, his sons. He said they couldn’t understand what had happened to him. How his immortality was like poison, and how my family would hate me, too."
*
Nicky's turned to stone beside him. Joe’s not sure which of them needs comforting most, but he knows Nicky would gladly sacrifice his own comfort for Nile's.
"That was Booker’s experience," he tells her, "but it doesn’t have to be yours. Your mother might be happy to know her child has a long life ahead of her. Mine was.”
Nile’s eyes go wide as moons, giving her an adorable expression that Joe can feel melting Nicky’s rigidity away. “Your mother knew?”
"She did." He squeezes his husband's hand tightly. "Toward the end of her life, Nicky persuaded me to visit her."
*
"What was it like?"
Nile's eyes are bright, eager for all the details, and Joe's glad his story can diffuse the poison of Booker's. "Well, I was nervous--she thought I’d died in Jerusalem, after all--but I shouldn’t have been."
"Was she happy to see you?"
"She was overjoyed. Couldn't have been happier, even after all those years, and even when I explained what had happened to me. And she was even happier to meet him." He nudges Nicky, and is himself overjoyed to see a smile curl his lips. "No al Kaysani could ever resist this man’s charms."
*
"Joe’s right"--Nicky shakes his head--"No, not about that, but about your family. For a time, they might need to believe that you’re gone, until you know your mind. But that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice them forever."
"And remember"--his body eases back against Joe’s, bringing with it a sense of relief and rightness--"we’re your family now, too. We'll help you figure it out."
Nile grins. "I’ve always been the big sister. This is going to take some getting used to." She chuckles to herself as the plane glides toward the earth. "Guess I’ve got time."