[locked] And though I lose a friend, in the end you will know, oh...

[changingtheodds]

Ruvin is gone.

Everything she owns is still at the Conrad, but she's not going back.

How many times have you said that before?

It's so hard not to answer that voice, not to wonder if maybe that's someone who can't move or act and can only just talk into the dark, trapped in there and trying to make her listen

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[gotbottle]

The day's still not quite done breaking when Rachel wanders into the park. It's early, but she couldn't sleep, energized by the return of her boys. Even a, uh, busy night didn't keep her in bed this morning. She decided to let Adrian sleep in a bit while she took a walk to work off some of her energy.

The park still hasn't been entirely cleaned up. Debris here, broken bench there, and she skirts a fallen tree as she strides along a path. She sighs, shaking her head as she rounds a bend.

And then she stops short, staring. Is that... is that a body under that tree?

Rachel makes her way over, watching carefully. When she gets near enough she can see the body's still got life in it, the chest rising and falling. She hovers nearby, frowning. And then she clears her throat.

"...Are you okay?"

[changingtheodds]

Ruvin sits up so fast she hits her head on a low hanging branch. She flops forward again, clutching at the spot, her eyes watering.

She can't really see who's there. But it doesn't sound like someone she knows. "Yes," she squeaks out. Ow. She checks one hand for blood, of which there is none. This is something.

She's fine. She's fine. If she repeats it enough, she'll look like it, too. She scrubs her wrist over her eyes so she can see and looks up at Rachel. "I'm sorry, I didn't... Yes, I'm fine."

[gotbottle]

Rachel frowns, and shakes her head, studying the girl. "You don't look it," she observes. "Also you hit your head pretty hard. Can I help you with that? I promise I'm not a creeper or a cop or anyone else who's gonna cause you any trouble."

This city's had enough trouble to last a while. She had plenty of her own. That's still no reason to turn away from someone who needs some help.

[changingtheodds]

"No, don't," Ruvin flinches. She doesn't want anyone to touch her, she doesn't--

God she wants to hold on to Robin and never let go.

And she doesn't even know if he's okay.

She left, and she doesn't even know if he's okay, but--

She can't know. If she finds out... If something happened to him.

I would try to fix it.

She's almost forgotten Rachel is there; Ruvin remembers the other woman's presence and winces. "Please--don't come near me."