Room 218, Wednesday Morning

[glacial_witch]

Karla was throwing clothes into an overnight bag and trying not to feel guilty. Or relived. Or guilty about feeling relieved. Jack's phone call had given her exactly what she'd wanted: an excuse to get away from the island for a few days, away from the memory of the Games and Katniss's death. Like Triela's death spurring her to Kaeleer for the

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[not_a_parakeet]

On Anakin's insistence, Warren had forced some food into himself and had even made an attempt at sleep last night. He didn't get much, thanks to nightmares of gas and screaming birds and big orange monkeys chasing down his closest friends, wickedly curved hooks in their hands... But he'd tried.

This morning, he needed... either a hug, or to see if Karla needed one. And beyond that, he really wasn't sure.

He was going to have to check on Wesley, too. He'd promised.

"Knock knock?"

... Packing?

[glacial_witch]

Karla shoved another shirt into her back and then looked up, a hint of wildness in her eyes, a second or two of blankness when she looked at Warren out of dark-smudged eyes. "I...Warren." Warren. Boyfriend. Beloved.

She clutched her bag tightly, almost as if she feared he would take it from her. "Going. I'm going. To help."

That would be a 'yes' on that hug question.

[not_a_parakeet]

"Going to help...?"

Warren ducked his head a little, lifting his hands and easing carefully into the room. He was the one with the animal-like physiology, but there were moments when he had to wonder if the one he was dating was maybe on the verge of howling with the wolves, herself.

"Going to help who, Karla?"

Soft. Soothing. Tiredandhurtandguiltyandworriedandmourning. Gentle.

[glacial_witch]

...That wasn't a terribly far-off description, actually.

"Jack," she said, all in a rush. "Jack, in London. Vampires. Murders. Something--I wasn't quite listening."

And suddenly she was sitting on the edge of her bed with a small thump and no real idea that she'd intended to do that.

"I just need a few days away." Her voice was hoarse and her eyes burned; not with more tears, but exhaustion. "But I couldn't make myself go. Not with Wesley--but Jack needs my help."

So it was okay, see? It didn't count as being stupid and selfish if someone needed her.

[trigons_child]

Raven hadn't talked to Karla in a few days, but she'd been picking up on something unsettling from her, so she stopped on the second floor before her morning class.

She tapped on the door frame softly, watching Karla pack. "Are you going on another vacation?" she asked.

[glacial_witch]

The sound Karla made was not exactly a laugh, even if her mouth was twisting upwards as she made it. "Not really," she said. "I'm getting away for a few days. Jack's London. Vampires and murders who are maybe one and the same. I don't care."

It gave her a reason to go.

[trigons_child]

"Please be careful," Raven said, worried as ever when it came to Karla's safety, and doubly so when it involved vampires.

She stepped into the room. "You are troubled," she said. "Is there anything I can do to help before you go, or while you are away?"

[glacial_witch]

"I could use a hug," Karla said quietly.

A hug from someone not involved in the Games. A hug where she was not giving as much comfort as she was receiving, but one that was simply for her.

[ancientbschamp]

Gabrielle was already up too, and rolling soap and shampoo into her towel (it was just a short walk to the bathroom, not a trek down to the river, but old habits and all) for a shower before her library shift.

"It might be a moot point, but I'm passing on Master Skywalker's message anyway," she remarked over her shoulder. "He said he wanted to see all of us --" she didn't think she needed to explain who 'us' entailed -- "sometime this week."

[glacial_witch]

"I should be back by...tomorrow, I think Jack said," Karla replied, brow creased in thought. He'd said tomorrow, right? Just a few days?

...Karla hadn't been listening. "I'm not sure when tomorrow, but tomorrow."

She looked over at Gabrielle with pleading eyes, wanting her to understand. "Jack needs my help. There's a thing. I have to help him."

In London. London that was not Fandom.

[ancientbschamp]

Gabrielle, who fully intended to leave for Greece as soon as she left Anakin's office -- which she guessed would be a difficult place for Karla to be at all for a while yet -- tomorrow, understood; even if she hadn't, she understood the need to help.

She dipped her head once in acknowledgement.

"I'll let him know for you. I think he'll understand . . . I might not be here when you get back, either." Which was to say that yes, she understood.

[glacial_witch]

The idea of coming back to an empty room wasn't particularly appealing, but then, wasn't she leaving Gabrielle to face the same now? Karla nodded, stepping forward with her arms out.

"You're coming back, though, right?" she asked without meaning to. It was just...Triela. Katniss. Ben. Ender.

Way to sound super-needy, Karla.

[blondecanary]

*riiiing* It was far too long since Dinah talked to Karla; the Fyreborn Islands had been awesome, and then she'd gotten busy with crimefighting, and it was time for a check-in.

[glacial_witch]

The caller ID got a ghost of a smile out of Karla as she answered it. "Hey, Dinah," she said, trying to sound--well, not perky, but less dispirited than she was. "What's up?"

[blondecanary]

"This'n'that," Dinah said blithely. "Um. Summer school, for one." Yeah, just get that out of the way fast. "How about you?"

[glacial_witch]

"Summer school?" Karla asked. "You mean like the classes Fandom has in the summer?"

Look at her deftly avoid Dinah's second question. Someone had been hanging around the boyos in room 204 for too long.