nexus_crossings | Now you're just somebody that I used to know.

It's a strangely familiar tale that Adia tells the rogue, up until the seeing him again bit. She nods along as she listens, filing away questions about what a sleeper agent is, and frowns harder when the other woman tells her about the man physically hurting her.

"That's horrible." Awful and cold in a way even someone as heartless as Amelia can be is pained at hearing. If you love someone, those feelings surely couldn't fade enough to cause something like that. "Are you sure he was the same man? Perhaps he simply looks like the one you loved. It's not an uncommon occurrence to come across someone with the same face as a person you know in the Nexus."

What she wouldn't give to be good at offering Adia the physical comforts people seem to need in moments like this. Instead Amelia merely takes on the face and air of a concerned sister, crossing her arms tightly in front of her chest. It's all she can do when touching other people is still such a weird thing for her.

Adia laughs unexpectedly. It's not a happy sound, but not particularly bitter, either. More like a quiet "haha" that one gives when faced with recognizing the irony of the universe.

"As a matter of fact, there are many people on my world with his face." She gives Amelia's outfit a second, thoughtful look. How to explain Cylons to someone who is probably not from a technologically advanced world? "He's a clone. Kind of. It's how he was able to survive killing himself, his consciousness was put into a new body. It's how his kind works."

Amelia's presence is enough of a comfort, even without a hug. Adia is an only child, but the sisterly aura that the other woman is putting forth gives her the courage to continue. "When I saw him, I was... I was so sure it was him. Something about the way he looked at me, it felt..." She sighs and picks at her ice cream, listlessly chipping away at a chunk of cookie dough with her spoon. "But now, I don't know..."

That's... not an answer Amelia expected. Or rightfully understands despite all of her time in the Nexus. Her brow furrows and her lips draw into a thin line as she tries to work through Adia's explanation, but what she comes up with doesn't explain everything.

"I don't understand. What's a clone? Is it like... a twin or something?" That's the closest thing the rogue can grasp onto from her world that seems similar. "How can many people have the same face on the same world? It doesn't make sense unless they're related or it's... some kind of magic making them all look the same." But that still doesn't explain Adia's comment about a transfer of consciousness, which is like the soul, if she remembers correctly... A sigh, and the rogue shakes her head. This is a much more complicated thing than the rogue could've imagined.

Still, it's not really the best time to get so curious, so Amelia shifts her focus back to the actual matter at hand. Resting her hands gently in her lap, she lowers her head a little and tries to encourage Adia to look up at her again by meeting her gaze. Once her hazel eyes are certain Adia's looking at her again, she offers a sympathetic smile.

"No one who cares for you would do something like that. If that man had your lover's face, but didn't treat you the same way, then it wasn't him. Grieving for the man you lost now is completely fair." Her smile warms a little more. "Losing him in that way and then having him dangled in front of you like that? It's something only the strongest of people can live through - and you're still standing." She's not certain Adia would accept being called strong, but Amelia thinks she needs to hear it now anyway.

Okay, that explanation was a bust, but she's too far into her carton of wine to think of a better one. If Amelia doesn't know what a clone is, "sentient robot" is not going to make any more sense. "He's not human," she elaborates. "He was made, not born. And many others were made from the same template, so they all look the same." She shakes her head. "Sorry, it... it must sound ridiculous. It's a reality I've gotten used to but I know that it isn't a common one."

But the other woman doesn't seem to mind. She's looking at her so patiently, so Adia meets her gaze. She'd like to believe that it wasn't Caspar, but it feels like a false hope. It doesn't take away the pain of what happened. But maybe it doesn't even matter if it was Caspar. If that's how he treated her, then he isn't the man she remembered.

She blushes a little, when Amelia tells her in so many words that she is strong. She doesn't feel strong. She feels weak. A failure. But she appreciates it anyway. She is still standing -- metaphorically, anyway. "I.. I know. I can survive this... I've lived through worse." She smiles at Amelia briefly. "It's nice to hear someone else say it. Thanks."

Amelia gives a slight shake of her head when Adia seems a little despondent about her explanation going over the rogue's head. "Not ridiculous. Confusing, a little improbable, but not impossible. After coming here, I don't think anything is impossible." In a place like the Nexus, and coming from a world as far back in technology and culture as she has, Amelia's learned that there's always more out there than she knows. Something like this? Definitely within the realm of possibility, even if it doesn't make sense. But that part can always come later.

The rogue mirrors Adia's smile, glad to see the other woman accepting what she sees as the truth. "Strength isn't always about winning," she assures Adia. "Sometimes it's about getting up in the morning, eating something when you don't feel hungry or simply washing your hair. Surviving is your strength right now, until you're ready to do more." It's not much, but it's something Amelia knows well. Pain and loss that touches the very heart of who a person is hurts more than anything else ever will. But surviving it and learning to live again is what shows more strength than anything else ever could.

Feeling a little like she might've overdone it, though, Amelia's smile becomes a touch self-deprecating. She's offering some deep advice for not having introduced herself yet. "Sorry if I come on strong - I just don't like seeing others suffer." Not about things like this. Slowly, she offers a gloved hand to Adia. "I'm Amelia. It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Adia smiles faintly at that. It's not like Amelia needs to understand the logistics of Cylons to provide comfort and advice. A broken heart is a broken heart, no matter who you are or where you're from.

Her smile drops at Amelia's talk of survival. "It's all about survival where I'm from. No one is winning anything." She glances at the ice cream and wine and adds quietly, "I thought I'd take a little break from all of that and come here." She's not arguing with Amelia's definition of strength at all. It's what she'd tell anyone else in her position. It's just hard to believe it for herself.

She shakes her head hurriedly, then winces, the sudden motion making her a little dizzy. "No, you've been very kind. Thank you." She shakes Amelia's hand. "I'm Adia. I'm sorry you had to meet me like this."

She nods her agreement with Adia's choice to take a break from her world here. "The Nexus is quite the oasis for a soul in need of rest. It has everything a person could possibly need." Which Adia seems to be doing for herself already, so the rogue won't comment on it. Everyone has their way of dealing with grief and she's certainly not in any position to offer judgement given her own terrible habits.

A smile, and then Amelia draws her hand back with another shake of her head. "It's not the worst way to meet someone - we could've physically run into each other and lost all of the snacks you're enjoying." Well, maybe the wine isn't really a snack, but the idea still holds. The comment about them does draw the rogue's attention a little closer to what Adia has with her and she quirks a curious eyebrow at the wine. "Wine really comes in boxes here?" ...what? She's never seen that before now.

Adia probably could have done with a box of tissues, too, but she hadn't been thinking so clearly when she made her purchases. The ice cream, at least, is top quality, which probably says something about where her preferences lie.

The joke makes her smile a little. "I definitely would have cried over spilled wine," she admits. She turns her attention to the wine as well. "Hmm, yeah some of it. There's a foil bladder inside the box. It keeps the wine fresh even after you open it, and you don't have to worry about breaking a bottle..." She blushes a little and adds, "And it's usually cheaper." She bought what she could afford, and it's miles better than the bootlegged swill on New Caprica.

Rather than think less of Adia, Amelia's actually more impressed. A grieving woman who can still manage to be pragmatic is one who'll always get high praise from the rogue. "I had no idea you could put wine in a box," she admits with a small laugh. "I don't usually drink ...anything but water, really, so I never could've imagined they'd put wine in anything other than a bottle. Seems very handy to have it in something that's easier to pack and bring with you when you need it." Not that she'll be off buying a box of wine anytime soon, but it's useful to know for future reference.

Intrigued as she is about this new bit of common knowledge, though, she can't help but ask, "I know it's yours and you probably didn't intend to share, but... could I try it?" Amelia gestures to the box of wine they've been talking about with a sheepish smile. "I'm always curious about new things like this."

It was all she could afford, and she really splurged on the ice cream, so she had to cut corners somewhere. "Oh... um, sure, you can try some." Her hesitance doesn't come from not wanting to share. She's already gently pushing the box Amelia's way before she's even done asking. It's more that she doesn't have anything to pour it in. "If you want a cup, you can get one from the free coffee stand. Or you can drink from the carton, I don't mind."

She settles back in her seat, wishing that she had been able to purchase something better. "Don't take it as an example of all boxed wine. There are some very nice ones... a few of the vineyards on Leonis swore by boxes instead of the traditional bottling method." She blinks blearily. "That's where I grew up. Leonis. One of the twelve colonies of Kobol."

Amelia can't help but chuckle softly at Adia's easily flustered nature. It's a rare and endearing thing to see in anyone who isn't a child. "If you're all right with it, the carton is fine." With a last smile, Amelia takes the carton into her hands and tilts her head back to take a small taste of it right from the box. She wasn't exactly sure what to expect from Adia's buildup, but as she knows so little about wine, Amelia can't find anything bad to say about it.

"I admit I don't know much of anything about wines, but this is rather nice. I can see why people would prefer to buy something like this when they want a large amount of wine to travel with them." A beat, and then she adds quickly, "I don't mean to say that there's anything wrong with you or anyone else wanting inexpensive wine, of course, o-or a lot of it at once, or--" She stops herself short and offers the box back to Adia, her cheeks flushed a bright pink with embarrassment. "I-I just... mean to say that I like it. ...thank you for sharing."

Well, that's not awkward or anything. Is it obvious that Amelia doesn't have a lot of friends?

She's going to try and move on from that quickly, though. "I'm not familiar with Leonis, or Kobol. Are they places on Earth?" It's still the only planet she knows anything about. So many people she meets are from versions of earth that it never seems like a leap to make that assumption.

Edited 2017-03-26 04:01 (UTC)

It's a relief that Amelia only has nice things to say about the wine after trying it. And it's a perfectly decent wine, especially for someone who isn't a connoisseur. "You're welcome," she replies, unperturbed by the other woman's verbal stumbling. In fact, one she takes in Amelia's embarrassment, she's quick to lean in and add reassuringly, "I bought it to get drunk... really drunk." She looks away, chagrined at her own admission. "I don't know what I was thinking... I never drink this much, and it's not like it helped... if you want more, please feel free. I shouldn't finish the whole thing."

The ice cream was a better idea, although she'll likely regret having consumed almost an entire pint of it. "Um, no, they're aren't places on Earth... I am human, but in my universe, human life began on the planet Kobol. There was a disaster of some kind and humans left to colonize other planets. Leonis was one of them. Earth's a myth, where I'm from. A lost colony." She looks at Amelia curiously. "How about you? Where are you from?"

"I never really drink at all," she admits, her cheeks darkening a little. Drinking as an escape isn't something Amelia understands at all, and it seems like Adia isn't one to usually do it either. And if that's the case, it feels like she should help finish the wine, at least a little. "But if you'd like someone to share with you, I'd be happy to have a little more." It is pretty good after all (in her inexperienced opinion), so she takes the box back and has another sip.

As she sets the box back in her lap, the rogue shakes her head. "I'm not from Earth. I'm from a little world called Kairn. It's similar to the way Earth was in its Renaissance period." While she speaks, she removes her gloves, tucking them into one of the many pouches hanging on her belt. "Lots of swords, tall ships, and knights in armor," she adds with a small laugh, motioning to her clothes and the daggers laced into her boots. When the laugh subsides, she tilts her head curiously. "You said your people colonized other planets. How did they do that? How did they even get there?" Space is still a bit of a mystery for her, so she's curious as to how people could get from one planet to another that's so far away in the sky.

"Only if you want to," she cautions timidly. Amelia is obviously a grown woman who can make her own decisions, but Adia doesn't want to pressure her into anything. She already feels foolish enough for drinking as much as she had. "It's far better than anything where I'm from, at the moment. Nothing but moonshine. It smells like paint thinner."

She sits up a little straighter when the other woman talks about her world. "Not from Earth?" She even manages a smile. "It seems like most people here are from Earth, doesn't it? How did you end up in the Nexus? And we used spaceships. Do you know what spaceships are?" Her tone is not the least bit patronizing; she's more than willing to explain anything Amelia doesn't understand.

"Moonshine? Paint thinner...?" Still so many things to learn after a year and a half in the Nexus. But seeing as they're not words she's familiar with enough to have them scare her, Amelia helps herself to another sip of wine. "I'm afraid I'm a little behind on most modern things that aren't used every day in the Nexus. I know coffee machines and smart phones very well, but most other machines and every day items are a little beyond me. The hazard of living in a place where the building and breakfast are taken care of for me, I suppose." And living in an inn that's a lot closer to what her world was like than what the Earth of the early 2000's is.

She shakes her head at the last question. "I'm assuming it's a ship that travels through space?" That's what the language suggests, but a little confirmation is always good to have. One can never assume too many things when it comes to what can be found in the Nexus.

The question about how she ended up in the Nexus, though, gets a little hesitation before it's answered. Her gaze drifts down to the box in her hands and her lips pull into a thin line across her face. "I ran through a portal without knowing it. By the time I turned around and figured out what had happened, I was already trapped here. Someone tried to open it back up for me on the spot, but..." She shrugs, leaning back in her chair and setting the box of wine aside. She takes a slow breath and then manages a small smile as she looks back up at Adia. "I'm here by choice now, but it was a struggle for a time, knowing I couldn't get back. Nothing I could do at that point but wait and hope."

"Oh, sorry... moonshine is alcohol that's made by fermenting... well, anything you can get your hands on. In small batches. Paint thinner is a solvent used to clean up paint. If alcohol smells like that, it's way too strong and probably tastes awful, too." She smiles a little at Amelia's explanation. "You sound like a friend of mine... he doesn't have the same excuse as you, though. Honestly, there's nothing more important than coffee, so I think you're doing fine."

"Yep, that's right. We used them to travel between planets, and through the galaxy after that. I was on a research vessel when the war started... that's why I survived, honestly. We weren't currently in orbit, so we weren't near any of the fighting."

Adia listens with a sympathetic look on her face, touched with a bit of guilt for bringing up an unpleasant memory. "I wasn't trapped by a portal, but... well. I know what's like to be stuck somewhere." Boy, does she ever. "I'm glad you can travel back and forth as you choose. Do you use a PINpoint to get around? That's how I get here now."

"That does sound unpleasant," she agrees with a small laugh. Who knew that people could be so desperate to get drunk that they would do something like that to themselves? "The coffee here is very different from where I'm from, but I think I might like it a little more. Well, some varieties anyway. I still can't believe how many choices there are sometimes."

The idea of an entire vessel being dedicated to research piques the rogue's interest. "What kinds of things did you research? Was there a reason you weren't on a planet when everything began?" Maybe that's asking a little too much at once, but she has trouble holding back once she gets started down the path of sating her curiosity.

The smile on her face becomes more forced and she can't quite hold back a small wince. "No, I--" A beat as she takes a breath to try again. "I... misspoke. I'm here by choice now, but I can't... I can't go home. My home isn't connected to the Nexus at all anymore." By choice. Because it's for the best. But saying that out loud makes it feel like it's an excuse or a lie she's just repeating to make herself feel better. "The Nexus is where I live now."

With conditions in the Settlement the way that they are, heavy drinking is a common coping mechanism, which unfortunately means relying on questionable sources of alcohol. The coffee is fortunately a little better -- instant, but serviceable. "What is coffee like where you're from? I usually get my coffee from that little stand near the vending machines." The one that's free, although she's had a latte or two elsewhere when someone else is treating.

"Infectious diseases, mostly. I'm a microbiologist. I study tiny things, like bacteria and viruses. They like to keep disease labs in out of the way places... I loved it, though. I always wanted to travel, and a spaceship seemed like the most efficient way to do it." She smiles briefly, although it's tempered by bittersweet memories on board the Chiron. "That's where I met the man I was telling you about. His name was Caspar, he was a microbiologist, too."

Adia mirrors Amelia's wince, eyes filling with sympathetic tears. "Oh... oh no, it's my fault for misunderstanding. I'm sorry, that's so hard, to not be able to go home again." She wipes at her face quickly, wishing she weren't so drunk. "That's good that you have the Nexus. Lots of people live here. It's a good place."

"Usually it has some grounds in it, and is a lot more... dirt-like than what you'd find here." Or maybe that was just how Frederick made it? She can't really be certain since she usually drank tea, but whatever the old man made was always horrendous. Never stopped her from drinking it, though. "I much prefer how smooth and non-ground filled the coffee here is. That and the addition of steamed milk from time to time has been amazing." She still hasn't tried a mocha yet, but once she finds out there's chocolate involved, it seems likely she'll start drinking those, too.

The idea of science done on diseases is a little strange to Amelia. "Is a microbiologist a type of healer?" Why else would Adia study diseases? The rogue can't quite make the distinction between all these new words yet. Mention of the man her new friend once loved gets a solemn nod, though. "You bonded over the study of diseases, then?" It feels like an innocent enough question to ask.

Amelia's eyes widen a little as Adia begins to tear up. Is someone really crying... for her? "No, please, Adia, it's all right. Please don't cry." What does someone do in a situation like this for a friend? Family would be easy enough to comfort, but Amelia's completely clueless when it comes to friends, which is why the gentle pat to Adia's knee that follows is so awkward. "I didn't explain very well. Please, forgive me. I'm glad to have this place, but it was my choice to stay here. I didn't want to trouble anyone else on my world with all of the advanced technology and magic that doesn't exist there." She still thinks it was the right decision to close off her world from the Nexus. That doesn't make it an easy thing to live with, but she manages. Causing someone else to cry makes it a little tougher, though.

Her description of Kairn coffee reminds Adia of another friend of hers, one who came from a world with a similar level of technology and a similar style of coffee. Must be how it's processed. "We only have instant on New Caprica... that means that the coffee grounds are like powder and you add hot water to it. It's okay. The stuff here is way better."

"Well... not quite. I learn about diseases, how they're spread, how they can be prevented. But then I give that information to the people who do the actual healing." Via peer-reviewed journal articles, but that's an explanation for another time. "We bonded over a lot of things. Neither of us was very outspoken or social. We spent a lot of time together." Time she regrets, but time she misses, too. No one understood her like he did.

"Sorry," she says again. It's easy to apologize, not so easy to get her tears under control. "It's because I'm drunk. Not that it isn't sad! But I'm usually not..." She trails off, waving helplessly at her face. The awkward knee pat seems to help her regain some of her composure, at least, and she wipes at her face one more time. "That's... that's a tough choice. I keep this place a secret from my friends back home, but I always wonder if I'm doing the right thing. There's no portal, though. I use a PINpoint."

"Instant coffee," she repeats thoughtfully. "I can see that being a lot more useful for waking up than most of the teas I tried to use back home." Or the really dirt-like coffee many people made. Though a mouthful of grounds did have a habit of jolting one awake early in the morning...

Amelia smiles a little when Adia's voice takes on a fond tone, both about her work and the man she once loved. Even if it hurts to think of him in that way now, the rogue knows from experience that such memories, while bittersweet, are wonderful to have made. "That sounds like a wonderful thing to have done with someone you care about. Where I come from, it's not nearly as frequent that you choose the person you want to spend the rest of your life with while working." She pauses for a moment before adding, "Arranged marriages aren't uncommon, but beyond that, many people saw a benefit in uniting businesses and families through marriage. The decision and sentiment were usually mutual, but love didn't often play a part in it."

She nods a little as Adia pulls herself together, and cautiously rests her hand on the other woman's knee. Is she doing this right? She's not making it more awkward by barely letting her hand rest there, is she? "It's a difficult decision to make," she agrees, trying to catch Adia's gaze to give her a calm, reassuring look. "Secrets like this place are hard to keep. Be sure that, whatever choice you make, you stick with it. Make the choice and don't look back. You can't regret your choice or you'll spend the rest of your life repenting for a sin that doesn't exist." It's why Amelia doesn't let herself regret anything. She made her choices; Now she has to live with every single one of them, terrible and selfish as they may be.

"Tea doesn't have enough caffeine to wake me up the way a cup of coffee can. But the way the instant stuff is watered down, it doesn't pack much of a punch, either." Too bad, she'll need something especially strong tomorrow to get her going.

Adia's lips quirk into a wry smile. "When you're working on a spaceship, that tends to narrow the dating pool.... arranged marriage is very rare, where I'm from, but I met someone here who's in one..." She blushes a little, remembering the confusing advice she gave him about the merits of falling in love. Who was she to give advice on that sort of thing? "Did, um... did people still fall in love, on your world? Or marry for love?"

She smiles at Amelia briefly and pats the hand that's on her knee. Already having decided that she's the more awkward one here, what being drunk and a soggy mess, she thinks this woman that she has only just met is doing a great job of comforting her. "That's good advice. I wish it were that easy for me. I struggle sometimes, making decisions. Since the war started, everything... everything feels so important. Like it's life or death, even if it isn't." She frowns a little, the wine having dulled her anxiety, but not her frustration surrounding it. "But... after what happened to me... yeah, it's probably good that I haven't said anything. I nearly cracked under the pressure of interrogation, if other people knew about the Nexus, the Cylons would find out about it easily enough."

There's only one person she's met in the Nexus who had to worry about an arranged marriage, and to hear that it's happening breaks her heart. She covers it with a smile to answer Adia's question instead. "They do, on both counts. My parents, in fact, married because they were in love. My mother called her parents' bluff about never speaking to her again if she chose to be with my father rather than let them find someone for her." The corner of her lip pulls up into a smirk. "When I was a teenager, they moved to a new city across the sea to "be with other family," but my mother told me they were upset that she was so happy with a choice they were so unhappy with." It's where Amelia's satisfaction from proving people wrong comes from, and she feels like the trait suits her well.

She blinks a few times, confused by the pat to her hand. Did she really do that right? That might be a first. "It's not really an easy thing to do," she offers with a reassuring smile as she regains her composure, "but you'll know when it has to be made as that time comes. Stay strong in the days that follow, and don't turn back. Your friends will be your greatest assets when you think about it and it begins to hurt. All you have to do is reach for them."

It's good advice that she wishes she could've had before she cut her world off from the Nexus. Not that she had (or has) many friends at the time, but she could've reached out more - or even tried, for that matter. Adia seems like a good person, though, and the rogue is certain a woman as warm and open as the one who sits in front of her now must have a wealth of friends here. Someone like Adia attracts the generosity of others in this place of misfits and lost souls.

Her face softens slowly as she draws back her hand from Adia's knee. "I hope that you don't have to go through something like what you experienced at the hands of the man who wasn't your lover again. No one deserves something like that, especially someone who seems as kind as you." They don't know each other well yet, but Amelia is certain Adia's done nothing to deserve the harshness life has thrown at her recently. It's far too much for someone so pure of heart.

Best that Adia is currently unaware of Amelia's heartbreak or she'd be paralyzed with guilt for even obliquely mentioning her friend. Instead, she listens avidly to the other woman's story, eyes wide. "Wow... your mom was so brave. That's awesome. She must have really loved your father."

What would have happened, Adia briefly wonders, if Caspar had decided to fight his Cylon heritage and be with her? Would Adia have been as brave as Amelia's mother, willing to face disapproval and condemnation from her fellow humans?

She doesn't know. Even after half a carton of wine, she doesn't know.

"That's why I came here," she admits, focusing on Amelia's words of advice instead of her own troubled thoughts. "Not just for the wine and the ice cream. I have friends on New Caprica, but... I figured if anybody truly understand, it'd be people here. I've made some very good friends here." She smiles shyly at Amelia, who she already considers a new friend. "And then, even people who don't even know me come along and say nice things. It helps."

There is a small blush on Adia's face from the compliment. "Thanks. I don't want to go through that again, either." She blinks. "Oh, but he wasn't the one who interrogated me, though. That was a different Cylon model, a Three. Caspar's model was the one walked me out of the detention center. He came and got me before things got too scary..."

She trails off, staring into the middle distance as she works out that funny little coincidence. How fortuitous of him to stop the interrogation just as Three was turning her intrusive questions into subtle threats. Few people left the detention center so easily. It didn't make any sense that a Five, a model notorious for its contempt of humans, would be the one to rescue her, but then that would mean that it was Caspar.

But then why did he push her?

Adia sighs heavily and helps herself to some more wine before adding shakily, "A-anyway. I was lucky. It's much worse for someone actually in trouble. Much worse can happen in the detention center. It's awful."

"She would say she was stubborn more than brave, and that I'm just like her." Amelia huffs a small laugh and shakes her head. "I'm not sure I can agree with her on anything more than the 'stubborn' part, though. I'm not very good at doing things for myself." Not in ways that matter, anyway. Being selfish is easy, but taking care of herself, or even being selfish for reasons that make sense? Damn near impossible for the rogue.

Her lips tug into a smile as Adia continues to speak. It's obvious how difficult it was for the woman to step away from what happened to her and come here, to seek out the help she needed. But she still did it. True, she picked up some indulgences for herself along the way, but isn't that part of helping yourself? Knowing when to do things that, while not "good" for you or your physical well-being, are good for you? Despite what the woman may think of herself, Amelia thinks Adia is incredibly brave. Some small part of her feels a pang of jealousy - she could never be as brave as her own mother or the woman sitting in front of her clutching her ice cream and wine.

"You're a true survivor, then," she notes approvingly. "That's no small feat. You not only physically survived, but you made it to a place where you find safety and comfort. Not everyone can manage so much, or so well, on their own." It's a slight against herself to say such a thing, but she can't deny the truth of it. She still struggles with herself every day and the number of days she spends grieving all the things that she's been through - alone, and without telling anyone of her pain - are not few.

Now you're just somebody that I used to know.

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