Setup
Brief bit of intro - other characters (Snowy, Z, Lylou) are other peoples characters from the supergroup. And yeah, Therra and Snow ("snowy") are close...
Z and some of the others were in the main room when Therra burst in, white as a sheet, looking as though she'd seen something horrifying. She made an immediate beeline for the bathroom, and a moment later they all heard retching sounds, followed by sobs.
They looked at one another. This was bad. Therra'd seen as much, if not more, than most of the rest of the group. What could have shaken her up like this? After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Lylou stood up. "Well, if none of you are going to check on her, I will." She went to the door and knocked. "Therra? Therra, it's me, Ly... " and went in.
Several minutes (and some running water) later, Therra was out, leaning heavily on Lylou who was helping her down the hall. Every once in a while they'd hear her break into another fit of sobbing as she was guided to the quarters she shared with Agent Snow.
About ten minutes later she came back, looking haggard. "Well, I've got her calmed down, I guess... ok, I cheated, she's asleep, but - " Ly looked at the rest of the group. "I don't know what she saw. Even asleep, she's shaking like a leaf, and about to squeeze the stuffing out of the pillow she's curled around. I don't think I *want* to know what she saw. All she kept saying were things like 'Sands,' 'I failed' and that she was so sorry."
She plopped herself down in a chair. "Right now, I'm drained. I need to rest. But I don't think she should be alone. She trusts you, Z, would you mind sitting with her for a while? She should stay asleep for a while, 'til Agent Snow gets back."
Z nodded, then got up. "What should I do if she wakes up? I'm a tank, I stand around and get hit. I'm not good at the touchy-feely stuff."
"Just having someone around she trusts will help her, I think. Just hang with her."
"Right." With that, he headed down the hall.
The door to the chief's office, and the living quarters behind it, were open. "Therra? It's Z," he said - just in case. Nobody liked startling the girl, though she wasn't as quick to let go with the lightning any more. He walked in, hearing sniffling in the back room, then stopped at the door.
Ly wasn't kidding. Therra was a mess. Not as pale as when she came in, but disheveled, eyes red from hard sobbing. Asleep, yet definitely not resting, she was shaking, clutching a pillow in the corner of the bed.
"Damn, kid, what happened to you," he said softly. He pulled up a chair by the bed, sat, and gently put his hand on her shoulder. He felt her lean into it a little, still shaking. "Don't worry, T, I'll be here."
He settled in for what looked to be a long watch.
===
An hour or so later, Therra was no longer shaking. The occasional sob still wracked her body, but she had relaxed some. ZTX, on the other hand, was worrying. He could take hits, no problem - but he didn't know how to help. He hated feeling useless, just sitting around.
He heard some papers drop on the desk outside. "Therra?"
"She's in here, boss."
Agent snow walked into the room. "She's calmed down some in the last hour, but... "
"Damn, what happened, T?"
At that, Therra's eyes shot open. "Snowy!" she wailed, almost leaping from the bed, clutching the white-skinned woman, nearly knocking her over.
Over the new round of sobs, Agent snow motioned to ZTX. "It's OK, Z, I've got her. Thanks, man... um... could you close the door on your way out?"
===
They sure don't prepare you for this sort of thing in the military, Snow thought. She'd just held the younger woman for a while, letting her sob. She'd noticed the bloodstains on Therra's hands and clothes... but that couldn't be it. They'd had to fight full blast before, kill or be killed - hell, just days after they first met they'd been fighting off an attack on the center.
She had a feeling this was something the Colonel's "It's war, snap out of it" speech wouldn't help with. She had to think back a ways and try to put herself in her mom's position... what would she do?
Once more she had to admit the Colonel was wrong. Women weren't weak. They just had to be strong in other ways. She got up, pulled some sweats out of the dresser, then got a washcloth from the bathroom. Coming back, she cleaned off T's face and hands. "Let's get you out of these things and into something more comfortable, ok?" She lifted T's face to hers. "You look like hell, you know that, don't you? We'll get you settled, then you tell me all about it."
She helped the younger woman change, though she looked like she still wasn't ready to talk. Snow looked at her shoulder. "Damn, T, you got my shirt all soggy."
She got a giggle from Therra. Well, that was progress. "Let me change out of this uniform, then we can talk, OK?"
Another pair of sweats later and the two women sat, Therra curled into Snow, her head resting against Snow's. "So Therra, hon, what happened? You can tell me, right? I mean, after all we've been through, everything we are, you should be able to tell me of all people."
Therra looked up, and saw the concern in Snow's eyes - while Snow saw the absolute fear in Therra's.
"If it's that bad, girl, let it out. We'll beat it together. We always do, right?"
And Therra told Agent Snow...everything.
===
"I'm getting worried," Z said, finishing another slice of pizza. The gang was pretty much all piled into the main room, waiting. Someone had ordered several take-out pizzas, and the boxes were piled in the corners of the room.
"Yeah, it's been, what, two hours since she went in there?"
"Two and a half."
"Yeah, the boss wouldn't keep us waiting, she knows we're worried... Unless, of course, they're..."
"Don't say it," the Doc said. "You guys just jump on *any* bit of gossip or rumor with those two, don't you."
"Well, you've got to wonder..."
"Wonder what?" Agent Snow said, coming into the hall and, seeing the pizza, grabbing a slice. She looked... pissed.
"How's Therra, boss? What's wrong?"
Snow held up a hand as she downed the wedge of pepperoni-covered goodness. "T's going to be OK, she's sleeping. Save her some of this."
She looked around the room. "Guys, you see any Thorns, kick their asses. Harder than usual." Snow grabbed a chair and collapsed. "I'm going back in and staying with her. Those bastards, though... I want them to pay."
She motioned for those not sitting to do so. "OK, here's the scoop. T got a lead on some hostages - well, sacrifices, you know how big the Circle is on that. Went in guns blazing. We also know how much she *loves* the Circle."
"Well, they apparently returned the love. It was a setup."
"It was bad." Snow rubbed the tension away from her temples. She wanted to explode. "Remember how she was talking about breaking up some deal with some big-named demon and the Circle? Apparently this was payback. The circle tracked some folks down and tied them up... one looked like T's mom. Another, this Sandy chick, sounds like it was T's best friend when she was growing up. No matter what T would have done, they were going to die. She thought she stopped the sacrifice, but when the head guy died, some other robes, hiding in some hollows or something, chucked blades at the victims."
Snow's shoulder's sagged. "T went ballistic, of course, and flash fried 'em. Going to need someone to check that out, by the way. But apparently she went and held onto her friend as she died. T's clothes were soaked in blood. Says she thinks her friend looked angry T couldn't save her - I know the look, it's not that, but she... well, she's not in any position to listen to that right now."
There was muttering throughout the room. Snow held up her hand. "Apparently it gets better, like that wasn't bad enough." She sighed again. "Dammit, I don't get all the esoteric, magic stuff T's into, so it went over my head. Hell, I just hit things... Love to right now." She looked back at the group. "All I got was something about soul crystals, souls ripped apart, and non-existance. It didn't sound good, and she was...."
She glared at the wall. "I'd say I want these guys, bad, but apparently T lost control. The cops and the city give us a lot of leeway, given what we have to fight, but I really need someone to stealth in there and see what they can find out. This could be bad."
"So now you know what I know. I'm going back to be with her. You guys figure out the details and let me know... tomorrow. It's going to be a long night." With that, she grabbed a plate and a few more slices of pizza, a couple drinks, and headed back to the office. "Figure out what needs to be done, and do it. You guys are the best there is, I know you can run this."
"Last thing. Therra's on vacation for a few days, at least, while we get this straightened out. You don't see me, War's in charge. War, you keep me up to date." She looked at him pointedly.
"Knock first."
Z and some of the others were in the main room when Therra burst in, white as a sheet, looking as though she'd seen something horrifying. She made an immediate beeline for the bathroom, and a moment later they all heard retching sounds, followed by sobs.
They looked at one another. This was bad. Therra'd seen as much, if not more, than most of the rest of the group. What could have shaken her up like this? After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Lylou stood up. "Well, if none of you are going to check on her, I will." She went to the door and knocked. "Therra? Therra, it's me, Ly... " and went in.
Several minutes (and some running water) later, Therra was out, leaning heavily on Lylou who was helping her down the hall. Every once in a while they'd hear her break into another fit of sobbing as she was guided to the quarters she shared with Agent Snow.
About ten minutes later she came back, looking haggard. "Well, I've got her calmed down, I guess... ok, I cheated, she's asleep, but - " Ly looked at the rest of the group. "I don't know what she saw. Even asleep, she's shaking like a leaf, and about to squeeze the stuffing out of the pillow she's curled around. I don't think I *want* to know what she saw. All she kept saying were things like 'Sands,' 'I failed' and that she was so sorry."
She plopped herself down in a chair. "Right now, I'm drained. I need to rest. But I don't think she should be alone. She trusts you, Z, would you mind sitting with her for a while? She should stay asleep for a while, 'til Agent Snow gets back."
Z nodded, then got up. "What should I do if she wakes up? I'm a tank, I stand around and get hit. I'm not good at the touchy-feely stuff."
"Just having someone around she trusts will help her, I think. Just hang with her."
"Right." With that, he headed down the hall.
The door to the chief's office, and the living quarters behind it, were open. "Therra? It's Z," he said - just in case. Nobody liked startling the girl, though she wasn't as quick to let go with the lightning any more. He walked in, hearing sniffling in the back room, then stopped at the door.
Ly wasn't kidding. Therra was a mess. Not as pale as when she came in, but disheveled, eyes red from hard sobbing. Asleep, yet definitely not resting, she was shaking, clutching a pillow in the corner of the bed.
"Damn, kid, what happened to you," he said softly. He pulled up a chair by the bed, sat, and gently put his hand on her shoulder. He felt her lean into it a little, still shaking. "Don't worry, T, I'll be here."
He settled in for what looked to be a long watch.
===
An hour or so later, Therra was no longer shaking. The occasional sob still wracked her body, but she had relaxed some. ZTX, on the other hand, was worrying. He could take hits, no problem - but he didn't know how to help. He hated feeling useless, just sitting around.
He heard some papers drop on the desk outside. "Therra?"
"She's in here, boss."
Agent snow walked into the room. "She's calmed down some in the last hour, but... "
"Damn, what happened, T?"
At that, Therra's eyes shot open. "Snowy!" she wailed, almost leaping from the bed, clutching the white-skinned woman, nearly knocking her over.
Over the new round of sobs, Agent snow motioned to ZTX. "It's OK, Z, I've got her. Thanks, man... um... could you close the door on your way out?"
===
They sure don't prepare you for this sort of thing in the military, Snow thought. She'd just held the younger woman for a while, letting her sob. She'd noticed the bloodstains on Therra's hands and clothes... but that couldn't be it. They'd had to fight full blast before, kill or be killed - hell, just days after they first met they'd been fighting off an attack on the center.
She had a feeling this was something the Colonel's "It's war, snap out of it" speech wouldn't help with. She had to think back a ways and try to put herself in her mom's position... what would she do?
Once more she had to admit the Colonel was wrong. Women weren't weak. They just had to be strong in other ways. She got up, pulled some sweats out of the dresser, then got a washcloth from the bathroom. Coming back, she cleaned off T's face and hands. "Let's get you out of these things and into something more comfortable, ok?" She lifted T's face to hers. "You look like hell, you know that, don't you? We'll get you settled, then you tell me all about it."
She helped the younger woman change, though she looked like she still wasn't ready to talk. Snow looked at her shoulder. "Damn, T, you got my shirt all soggy."
She got a giggle from Therra. Well, that was progress. "Let me change out of this uniform, then we can talk, OK?"
Another pair of sweats later and the two women sat, Therra curled into Snow, her head resting against Snow's. "So Therra, hon, what happened? You can tell me, right? I mean, after all we've been through, everything we are, you should be able to tell me of all people."
Therra looked up, and saw the concern in Snow's eyes - while Snow saw the absolute fear in Therra's.
"If it's that bad, girl, let it out. We'll beat it together. We always do, right?"
And Therra told Agent Snow...everything.
===
"I'm getting worried," Z said, finishing another slice of pizza. The gang was pretty much all piled into the main room, waiting. Someone had ordered several take-out pizzas, and the boxes were piled in the corners of the room.
"Yeah, it's been, what, two hours since she went in there?"
"Two and a half."
"Yeah, the boss wouldn't keep us waiting, she knows we're worried... Unless, of course, they're..."
"Don't say it," the Doc said. "You guys just jump on *any* bit of gossip or rumor with those two, don't you."
"Well, you've got to wonder..."
"Wonder what?" Agent Snow said, coming into the hall and, seeing the pizza, grabbing a slice. She looked... pissed.
"How's Therra, boss? What's wrong?"
Snow held up a hand as she downed the wedge of pepperoni-covered goodness. "T's going to be OK, she's sleeping. Save her some of this."
She looked around the room. "Guys, you see any Thorns, kick their asses. Harder than usual." Snow grabbed a chair and collapsed. "I'm going back in and staying with her. Those bastards, though... I want them to pay."
She motioned for those not sitting to do so. "OK, here's the scoop. T got a lead on some hostages - well, sacrifices, you know how big the Circle is on that. Went in guns blazing. We also know how much she *loves* the Circle."
"Well, they apparently returned the love. It was a setup."
"It was bad." Snow rubbed the tension away from her temples. She wanted to explode. "Remember how she was talking about breaking up some deal with some big-named demon and the Circle? Apparently this was payback. The circle tracked some folks down and tied them up... one looked like T's mom. Another, this Sandy chick, sounds like it was T's best friend when she was growing up. No matter what T would have done, they were going to die. She thought she stopped the sacrifice, but when the head guy died, some other robes, hiding in some hollows or something, chucked blades at the victims."
Snow's shoulder's sagged. "T went ballistic, of course, and flash fried 'em. Going to need someone to check that out, by the way. But apparently she went and held onto her friend as she died. T's clothes were soaked in blood. Says she thinks her friend looked angry T couldn't save her - I know the look, it's not that, but she... well, she's not in any position to listen to that right now."
There was muttering throughout the room. Snow held up her hand. "Apparently it gets better, like that wasn't bad enough." She sighed again. "Dammit, I don't get all the esoteric, magic stuff T's into, so it went over my head. Hell, I just hit things... Love to right now." She looked back at the group. "All I got was something about soul crystals, souls ripped apart, and non-existance. It didn't sound good, and she was...."
She glared at the wall. "I'd say I want these guys, bad, but apparently T lost control. The cops and the city give us a lot of leeway, given what we have to fight, but I really need someone to stealth in there and see what they can find out. This could be bad."
"So now you know what I know. I'm going back to be with her. You guys figure out the details and let me know... tomorrow. It's going to be a long night." With that, she grabbed a plate and a few more slices of pizza, a couple drinks, and headed back to the office. "Figure out what needs to be done, and do it. You guys are the best there is, I know you can run this."
"Last thing. Therra's on vacation for a few days, at least, while we get this straightened out. You don't see me, War's in charge. War, you keep me up to date." She looked at him pointedly.
"Knock first."
posted by EGM at 8:23 AM
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