Thank you so much, Helena. I do appreciate your long and thoughtful comment. This was one of those that kind of took over and wrote itself. I was astonished to find that I had written a PG13 fic at the end. The intertwined trees were not an original idea. I have now recalled an old classical story from when I was at junior school about a devoted old couple called Philemon and Baucis, who end up transformed into trees as a gift from the gods. :D I didn't consciously remember this, when I was writing, but must have dredged it up from the depths of my aged mind.