Huh. Okay.

He goes up to it and kneels.

"Eru, Ilúvatar," he says in Quenya. "You look different here but probably that's because everything is different here. I'm scared and sad and confused because - because I guess Melkor is singing very loudly, right here, and I don't see how exactly it's all for the good anyway, and I want to fix it, and it'd be good if I knew how it's supposed to be all for the good anyway so I don't mess that up fixing it. But probably I will figure that out. I am worried about Karen. She is very sad and she's sad about me and I hate it and I don't know how to fix it and it's easier to imagine that the whole thing is part of a song I don't understand than to imagine that is, the way sometimes you can see how a stitch isn't right even if you can't see what the whole pattern is, and Karen has asked me not to try to help so I am asking you, and I think you should help, probably, somehow, even if you can't explain the whole plan here. And if I'm not supposed to notice you doing things you can make me forget that I asked this and make me remember that I asked for something really dumb, like chocolates. 

I'm trying really really hard to be good and if this doesn't work I'll try harder even though I don't know how exactly.

I love you."

He stands up and walks back.

When they get home she puts a sleeping bag down in the kids' room, fishes a constellation lamp out of a box somewhere, turns the lamp on, and turns out all the lights. The room now has an aesthetic. It's pretending to be outer space.

This is about all I can think to do for you for tonight. I dunno if it helps, uh, at all.

It's neat! It's like stars. 

Yeah, it's meant to be. See if you can get some rest.

She says goodnight to Connor and Zana and tells them to please sleep and not spend half the night talking to the mysterious alien kid.

Are you gonna be OK?

Yeah. It's weird that it gets dark here. Doesn't get dark at home. Are you just supposed to do quiet things the whole time it's dark?

When it gets this late you sleep. Are you not tired?

Not really. And I want to start working on improving skills we can use to make money but it's hard to do that in the dark. 

I guess I could start learning English. Do you want to teach me?

I could, but it'd be loud and I think Connor wants to actually sleep. 

Awww. Okay. ... we could go somewhere else?

I think I miiiiight have to also sleep at some point. Maybe we could hide in the bathroom for a bit or something though.

If you won't be too tired tomorrow. 

Ehhh I skip my bedtime lots.

The bathroom is, of course, small and ugly.

He closes his eyes and squeezes her hands. How do you say, my name is Maitimo -

"My name is Maitimo."

"My name is Maitimo." How about...other things. I dunno. I am a dinosaur. I eat cats. I like thunderstorms.

Zana knows how to say all of those things!

In theory she is supposed to sleep, but she is six and does not entirely believe in consequences.

Oh good then they can do this all night.

Sure!!!

Normally Karen would stop them, but she's set an alarm for five in the morning and collapsed in some misery on the couch. Eventually she stops thinking about how completely horrible this situation and her qualifications as a caregiver for random kidnapped alien children are, and about six hours after that she wakes up and drags herself into the bathroom.

" - have you guys been up all night?"

"Mayyyyyybe."

"We weren't very tired and I wanted to learn English!"

"Well it seems you've made some progress.

"Zana - I'm too tired to come up with a scolding, go to bed before you pass out."

"OK!"

She heads back to her room, faceplants on her bed, and is out like a light.