(Untitled)

[a_mere_child]

New shirt to replace Alyx's pierced and bloodstained hoodie: check.

Set of denims in what she hopes is Gordon's size: check.

Finding the way back up to the mess hall and bunks: ...not so check. Alyx hasn't been to White Forest for a couple of years, and isn't as sure of her way around as she thought she was.

She's not quite desperate enough to

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[blueshifted]

Barney's been feeling a little better after talking to Gordon, but he'd still like to check back with Alyx just to make sure she's alright, too. He'd been wandering around during his free time hoping to run into her when someone had mentioned that she had pants for Gordon and might be lost, so he figured he'd help her out. It was the least he could do.

[a_mere_child]

Alyx double-takes at the sight of a familiar face in the hall.

"--Barney?? When did you get here?"

[blueshifted]

"Oh, hey, Alyx! I just got here... few hours ago, maybe." He's exhausted, and looks it. That meeting, on top of everything else, was a drain. (But he's got miles to go before he sleeps.)

"You?"

[a_mere_child]

"Maybe forty-five minutes--but nobody told me you were here!"

[blueshifted]

"Probably because I've been at a briefing, and then Chell's been asleep--the girl that volunteered to come to City 17, she's here, too."

He'll mention Adrian later. Or not at all.

[a_mere_child]

"Chell? She's okay?? Thank God..." She frowns a little as Barney's own condition finally registers. "How about you? How are you holding up?"

[blueshifted]

"I'm... better than I was," Barney answers after thinking on this for a little while; he still looks like shit, though. He hasn't had time for a proper shower, or even to eat, yet. His armor's all torn up, to boot.

[a_mere_child]

Alyx gently lays a hand on his shoulder. "Barney...? What happened?"

[blueshifted]

"Combine happened," he says, softly. (Don't they always?) "I was stupid, and I got captured while looking for a train to get my men out of an ambush. Turned out it was just a distraction after all."

[a_mere_child]

The blood drains out of Alyx's face. "Oh my God..."

[blueshifted]

"Yeah.

"I... they shook the information about White Forest out of me. Your locations, who was here... everything."

He looks up into Alyx's face, and it's not any easier than it was with Gordon.

"I'm so sorry, Alyx."

[a_mere_child]

There's no look of betrayal or accusation in Alyx's expression. Nothing but profound compassion.

"Oh, Barney..." She wraps him up in as tight a hug as she dares.

[blueshifted]

Barney hugs back, gratefully. It does him worlds of good to know that she's safe.

"Shot me up with drugs... oh, Alyx, thank God. I didn't think I'd ever see you again. You or Gordon or any of 'em."

[a_mere_child]

"But you did. You made it back. Everything's gonna be okay."

[blueshifted]

"Yeah.

"Yeah, it is."

[a_mere_child]

Eventually, Alyx pulls away from Barney to look him in the eye again.

"Chell... was she... did she get captured too?"

Bad enough that Barney was tortured. He's a soldier. Chell... isn't.