“At nearly two months,the idea of it as news was fading in the hearts of all but my family-and Ruth”

“Um...Mercer? Haven't seen you in nearly a month. I was expecting something like, 'Oh Cross, love of my heart, fire of my loins, how I've longed--”

“My brother got shot three times two months ago, and he didn’t get the fever.” “I bet your family gets shot at a lot, huh?”

“I was murdered. Even though my heart continued to beat, I was very much deceased. All faded to black”

“As one who sees in dreams and wakes to find the emotional impression of his vision still powerful while its parts fade from his mind - Just such am I, having lost nearly all the vision itself, while in my heart I feel the sweetness of it yet distill and fall.”

“Every day is precious. And like is too damned short!”Ren hadn’t forgotten the heart attack that had nearly killed Blackjack two years before. “Are you all right?” she asked, laying her hand on his heart.“My heart will be fine. So long as you don’t break it.”