Eiryu was pacing back and forth in the hospital lobby when Rey and his family arrived the next morning. He was scowling, but he smiled when he saw them. "Hi. They wouldn't let me in if I didn't have permission from the family. Can I have permission to see him?"

Rey's parents exchanged reluctant glances. Rey had told them about Eiryu's plans the night before, but they hadn't seemed overjoyed at the prospect.

"Sure," Rey sighed for them.

Eiryu grinned at him. "Thanks."

He followed them into the elevator and up the four floors, down several hallways, but lingered out in the hallway once they finally arrived at Rey's grandfather's room.

Rey looked back at him curiously, but Eiryu wasn't looking at him and made no response, so the teenager turned back to his grandfather. "GG, you feeling okay?"

His grandfather nodded. "The doctors say they might let me out later today. Apparently, I was overworking myself."

"That's good," Rey said, smiling. "Eiryu came to see you."

"Did he?" his grandfather asked, not sounding particularly curious.

"Um, yeah." He looked over his shoulder at Eiryu, figuring he should wave him in. Eiryu, however, wasn't looking at him. His gaze was fixed firmly down the hallway. "Eiryu?" he asked.

Eiryu glanced at him, then looked back. "What?"

Rey frowned and walked over to him, peering down the hall. "Well, I was wondering what you were doing. What are you looking at?"

Eiryu stared incredulously, and pointed at a man in his late 40's or so.

"What about him?" Rey blinked and looked at the other boy intently.

Eiryu shook his head and waved as the other man came closer. "Uncle Richard," he said with a small wave.

The older man looked at Eiryu, then, and started. "Eiryu? What in God's name are you doing here?"

"Okay, someone tell me what's going on," Rey demanded.

The older man ignored him and looked at the young mage disbelievingly. "Eiryu, what are you doing outside my brother's hospital room?"

At those words, Rey turned from Eiryu to look at the older man more carefully. He didn't look as old as his grandfather did, but if Eiryu had told him about truth about the life expectancy of a familiar, that made sense. He had probably stopped aging for several years.

He could see some of his grandfather in the other man, blue eyes and gray-streaked brown hair. There were fewer wrinkles and his face was leaner. But Rey could see the similarities. And if he and Eiryu recognized each other…

Rey frowned when he realized that Eiryu had met his great-uncle before he had. Even though Eiryu had mentioned his connection to his grandfather's brother, but he hadn't thought about it until he saw this man.

"Um…"

"What are you boys doing out there?" Rey's mother demanded, poking her head out.

"Ashley? Is that you?"

Rey's mother's mouth dropped open. "Uncle Richard?"

The man nodded. "I was called when my brother was sent to the hospital. Do you mind letting me by…?"

All three of them shifted instantly to clear a path. Rey spared a moment to wonder how the hospital knew how to contact him when no one else seemed to.

Richard moved into the room and smiled warmly. "Denver."

Rey's grandfather didn't look as surprised as Rey thought he should have. "Hello, Rich. Thought I was on my death bed and decided to show up?"

"Thought I should, just in case," Richard replied, moving closer to his brother and leaning over him. "Well, you seen fine."

"Mostly." Rey's grandfather grunter and sat up a little further. Rey's mother rushed forward and adjusted the angle of the bed for him.

Richard glanced around the room and focused back on his brother. He lowered his voice slightly and asked a tad soberly, "Care to explain what Eiryu Verlen is doing in your hospital room?"

"My grandson can probably explain that better than I can."

Richard turned around and looked at Rey, his face a mix of confusion, suspicion, and the beginnings of realization. It was a complicated expression. "Can you?"

Rey sighed. "Do we have to talk about this now?" he whined.

A/N: I did not plan any of this until last chapter. And last chapter only showed up because I felt something had to happen when Rey didn't bother to tell his parents where he was going. So, as you can imagine, this all came out of nowhere. Hopefully it's interesting, though, and I can work it into something useful.