The room was silent. Nothing was heard, even her sobs were soundless. She stared out the window, staring at her friend. Her dead friend.
She felt him behind her, but she still jerked in surprise when his hands landed on her shoulders.
"I'm sorry, Chloe," he said, his voice was soft, kind. The voice so few people heard from him.
"He asked to check on Carrie," she said, not knowing how the words got from her brain and out of her mouth, "I told him to go. I told him…"
"This isn't your fault Chloe. There was nothing that you could do for him. Nothing any of us could do."
"I could have waited for him. I could have…"
"We would have all died then. You saved everyone in this room Chloe."
"Jack…" Chloe heard a voice behind them, Audrey, "We need to look for a way out of here." Tactful as always, Chloe wanted to scream, at her, at everyone in here for living when Edgar, her sweet, unassuming friend lay dead not ten feet from her.
The next voice she heard was Jack's. His hand came up to her face, turning her toward him, away from Edgar. "Chloe, I know how much you are hurting. I wish I could bring Edgar back, but I can't do that. But I promise you, I will find the man who did this, the people who did this and I will make them pay."
"That won't bring him back," her voice was hard, angrier then she'd ever sounded.
"No, but it will mean he won't have died in vain, but first I need to get out of here and I cannot do that without you."
She stared into his eyes for one moment. He was ignoring Audrey completely as she droned on and on and was focused only on her. Pleading with her to stay with him.
Jack needed her.
She took a deep breathe and turning back toward Edgar she allowed herself to lean against Jack. She gave herself exactly 30 seconds to appreciate the warmth radiating from the man next her. The only friend she had left. And then she straightened, ran her hands under her eyes and walked swiftly back to her computer. Everyone watched as she began to work, barking out orders like nothing had happened.
She couldn't bring Edgar back, but she could help save the people in this room. And she could help Jack nail the people that did this. She could do it for Edgar.