Lena unknowingly found herself taking a step back, her body tense as her eyes were glued on the familiar person before her.  The murmur of the crowd disappeared as a memory surfaced.

“Don’t work too hard.”  He held onto her hands, gazing into her face, memorizing every beautiful feature.  “You unravel the universe and its secrets faster than I can save the world.”  He joked, stroking the side of her face with his thumb.

Lena fought the tears and managed a stiff smile.

“Don’t get yourself killed.  Come back to me in one piece.”  She managed, her voice tightening as she desperately memorized his smile, his smell, the way he felt when he held her.

He only chuckled, softly placing a kiss on her forehead.  “Have faith.”  He simply said, his eyes flashing with such warmth that she could not bear to be upset with him for long.  He stood back for a moment, before reaching underneath his soldier’s uniform.

Lena tried to refuse but he clasped the small gold cross securely around her neck.

“I trust in only you.”  She croaked, her voice failing her as she touched the pendant.

He closed the distance and softly kissed her.  “He can protect you when I can’t always be there.”  He softly said, lightly touching her forehead with his.

—

Lena could no longer withstand the sight and turned away while the others gathered around the two displays, the expressions of disbelief and awe never leaving their faces.

She had been working on the project for seven years.  There were rumours that the Director was planning on using the cells of unclaimed soldiers caught in the war between the opposing forces of the segregated country but never did she imagine that one of the cells they would choose would be his.

“Your attention once more please.”  The Director spoke over the excited chatter.  “The next phase of research begins immediately.  Please refer to the reports for the specifications.  Thank you, that is all.”

Lena numbly nodded as the Director’s assistant passed her a report from the many piles in his arms.  She wondered if she would be dismissed from the team for her connection with one of the model clones.

“How is my girl?”  Dr. Nikolaev asked, putting a fatherly arm around her shoulders.  He was smiling and nodding to passing fellow scientists but his eyes were serious, a worried look directed at her.

Lena shook her head, forcing a smile on her face.  “It’s unbelievable.”  She managed, staring at the figures ahead, sidestepping the question.

He nodded thoughtfully.  “Their creation is a miracle without question, but the real question is whether we have ascended God Himself as to have created souls for them as well.”  He answered quietly.

Lena’s eyes flew to the doctor’s but he already returned to mingling with the others, accepting a wine glass in celebration.  She waited a few more moments before determining it was appropriate to leave and headed straight to her office.

Shutting the door behind her, Lena leaned her head on the cool metal wall and closed her eyes.

“They told me your body couldn’t be recovered.”  She whispered, almost in a pleading and defeated tone, an image of him smiling a sharp contrast to the soulless creature she just saw a few moments ago.

One hand clasped the pendant, feeling the edges cutting into her palm as she squeezed her eyes tighter.  Even though she knew that the project and which cells were chosen had been completely out of her control, she still felt she had somehow wronged him.