Noah held the book. His hands trembled.
He knew this book. He had read it a thousand times. He knew exactly when to turn the page. He knew exactly what voice to use for the alien dog.
He opened it.
ZAP.
The hospital room was dark, lit only by the glow of a nightlight shaped like a star.
Katy was in the bed. She was hooked up to the IVs now. Her hair was gone, covered by a soft knit cap.
Noah sat in the chair, the book open on his lap.
"Read it again, Daddy," she whispered. Her voice was thin, papery.
"Again?" Noah smiled, though his eyes were burning. "We just read it."
"Please. The part where she finds the moon cheese."
Noah cleared his throat. He started to read.
"'Captain Kitty landed on the big white moon. She took a bite. Crunch! It wasn't cheese at all! It was white chocolate!'"
Katy giggled. It was a weak sound, but it was the best sound in the world.
"I wish I could go there," she said softly. "I bet the chocolate tastes good."
"You will, baby," Noah said, closing the book. "As soon as you get better, we're going to find the biggest chocolate moon in the galaxy."
She looked at him. Her eyes were old. Too old for a five-year-old.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah, bug?"
"If I go without you... will you bring my stuff? Will you bring Mr. Whiskers?"
Noah's heart shattered.
"You're not going without me," he said fiercely. "We're a team."
ZAP.
Noah sank to the floor of the Library. He hugged the book to his chest, rocking back and forth.
"I lied," he whispered. "I lied to her."
Mittens sat beside him. He didn't say anything. He just leaned his warm weight against Noah's leg.
"She knew," Noah said, tears dripping onto the cover of the book. "She knew she wasn't going to get better. And I just kept telling her stories."
"Stories help," Mittens said softly. "They make the dark less scary."
Noah took a deep breath. He wiped his eyes.
"She asked me to bring her stuff," Noah realized. "She asked me to bring Mr. Whiskers."
He looked at the bag where the stuffed cat was safe.
"That's why I'm here," Noah said, his voice hardening into steel. "That's the mission. It's not Mr. Purr-sident's collection. It's hers. I have to finish the mission. I have to bring her stuff to the end."
He stood up, sliding the book into his pocket.
"Where to next?" Mittens asked.
"The Clock Tower," Noah said. "She had a music box. It played the song from the moon. I need to find it."
"The Clock Tower is high," Mittens warned. "And the gears are tricky."
"I climbed the Spine," Noah said, walking toward the exit. "I can climb a clock."