Day 1 - Family Time & Gifts Morning - Emotional Awakening
The morning of Day 16—the first of their last three days—arrived with a bittersweet quality that hung heavy in the air.
Jake was already awake when Runar came downstairs. His father sat at the kitchen table, staring at an old family photo album—holographic images floating above the pages, showing generations of the Cross family.
"Morning, Dad," Runar said quietly.
Jake looked up, and Runar saw his eyes were red. "Morning, son. I was just... looking at old memories. Your grandfather. Your great-grandmother. All the generations that came before you." He smiled sadly. "None of them achieved what you have. None of them will go where you're going."
Runar sat beside him, looking at the photos. Ancestors he'd never met, lives lived and completed over thousands of years.
"I wish I had more time with you," Jake said, his voice cracking. "Real time. Years to watch you grow, to teach you things, to just... be your father."
