"Are you okay?"

It was an excellent question.

Athena found herself doing ridiculous things, like checking her hair, straightening her clothes, pulling at anything out of place. It was laughable, considering they were back in the safety of the defendant's lobby. Day one of the court session was over. There was no one watching.

"I don't know," she responded to Apollo's question.

"A lot happened," he said slowly, scratching the back of his head. He wasn't playing it off entirely successfully. His face was pale. "I have never had a witness snap quite like that. And Blackquill..." he trailed off.

"I don't know what to do," Athena said. "I don't even know where to start." She sank into the same overstuffed chair.

Apollo flopped into the chair next to hers. "I think we should take a deep breath." It was the first time she heard his voice shake. "Both of us. Together."

Big huffs of air were the only sound in the lobby for a minute. Athena remembered studying abroad in Germany, when she was about fifteen years old, where the icy air stung her lungs and snow piled so high it threatened to seep in her snow boots. Saukalt, a fellow student called that particular winter. The kids, including Athena, blew air into the freezing temperatures. Watched as their hot breaths turned into steam, and then slowly dispersed upwards like spirits.

Even in the comfortable defense lobby, Athena shivered.

"Okay, first things first," Apollo said, and she nearly groaned at the interruption. "We need to talk to Caden."

Athena frowned. "What about Adam?"

"They just arrested him, so he's probably in questioning."

"Oh, yeah." Athena held her temples. "That's right."

"I'd like to know what's going on there," Apollo said. "Did he really try to set the Space Center on fire? And if he did..."

Athena straightened, and changed the subject. "We also need to go back to the crime scene, especially the road. Take another look."

Apollo frowned. "Why? I think we proved where the victim was shot."

"The call," Athena replied. "Simon said that the phone was broken, and that's why the call ended. We need to find that phone, and see who exactly made the call."

Apollo nodded.

"Not to mention if Caden didn't murder Alexandra, we need to find out who did," Athena added. "Circumstantial evidence isn't good enough if we don't even have another suspect."

"I'm starting to think it was Adam, honestly. He was there, tried to set the Space Museum on fire, and obviously has some sort of vendetta against Caden. Sounds like a revenge murder to me."

Athena didn't reply. She still needed to review his Mood Matrix, but his emotions were so unpredictable. So scared. His frenzy to prove Caden guilty felt more than just revenge. Adam was terrified of something else. Something bigger. And she didn't believe for a second that he murdered Aly.

"It might be best to start talking to families, too," Apollo said, not seeming to notice her silence. "Caden's mother, for example. You said she acted weird, right?"

Athena had forgotten about her. "That's right," she said. "Good idea."

They sat in silence for a little while longer, before she stood up. "Caden first," she said, trying to make her tone as businesslike as possible.

"Okay."

As they left the doors, Athena's feelings swirled in a maelstrom in her stomach. The sun shone bright, and as the morning progressed, chirps and the flapping of wings darted through her ears. Not a soul stood outside the courtroom as they made their way towards Athena's car. She had no right to be disappointed. But she was.

Apollo was smart enough to not say a word as they loaded into her car and drove towards the hospital.

When they arrived, Athena realized they had been lucky, when they visited Caden earlier in the morning. She also remembered that she hated, hated hospitals.

It was her hearing. People stampeded the pristine, white hallways. Nurses accompanied stretchers and disappeared behind doorways. The sick huddled on chairs, coughing into distributed white masks. Even the cafe had an air of misery, from dazed and upset family members talking too loudly in line.

Apollo walked to the desk. It took Athena a minute to catch up, with the moans and whimpers and mechanical noises infiltrating her ears like a whirlpool's brew.

"We need to speak with Caden Barrow," she heard Apollo say.

"For what reason?" The nurse didn't look up from the clipboards she was filling out. She was much younger than the nurse who helped them that morning. She scribbled signatures while pressing the hold button on the telephone.

"We are his lawyers," Athena cut in. "His trial was today, and-"

The nurse stood up, reached over the desk, and yelled a name.

"We need to discuss it with him," she finished.

She pointed the patient towards the hallway. "I'll need to look up his file," she said, settling behind a keyboard. "Give me one moment."

"Sure," Athena said, but it wasn't necessary.

"Ah." She moved so quickly. Apollo's eyebrows were halfway up his forehead. "I remember now. Mr. Barrow won't be seeing any other visitors today."

"What?" Apollo leaned forward on the desk. "Why?"

"I'm not authorized to say," she said. She continued typing, the keys blending in with the footsteps around them. "I only know we can't allow any visitors."

"Did he have another setback?" Athena demanded. "Like I said, his trial was today. We only have two days left to prove his innocence, max. Is there any way an exception could be made, or something?"

The nurse took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. "No," she said at last. "I'm sorry."

"Then tell us why," Apollo cut in. "Is he unconscious, or something?"

"I'm not supposed to say this, but it's the client's specific request," she said. "We have to honor it."

"Even if the guests are his lawyers?"

The girl hesitated again, and Athena could see bright eyes and dark circles. She wasn't as immune as she looked to the chaos around them. A baby began to cry, and Athena could detect a slight wince in her throat. "He said especially not his lawyers."

Athena took in a sharp inhale. Apollo slammed his fist on the desk, causing the poor girl to jump.

"Are you-"

"Apollo," Athena hissed. "Enough."

"I can't say any more," she said. "I could get in a lot of trouble."

Athena was flabbergasted. Was it their phone call earlier? What on earth happened between the two of them? The calm Adam who lost it in the court room, and the critically injured Caden who lost someone he deeply cared about. She wasn't sure she wanted to know the link between the two of them.

"Let's go to the crime scene," she told Apollo.

"But-"

Athena rose one shoulder, dropped it. "There's nothing we can do."

They turned to leave, facing a lobby of the sick and injured. Athena tried to keep her eyes on the clear sliding doors.

"Wait!"

They turned back around.

"I just found a note in his file," the nurse said, renewing her typing speed. "I think it's for you. I'll print it out."

A minute later, she handed a piece of paper in their direction. Athena took it from her.

"What is it?" Apollo looked over her shoulder.

"They're a list of addresses," Athena said. "And a line. It says 'You'll need these.'"

Apollo shook his head. "And he couldn't just tell us this in person?"

Athena let out a whistle of air in between her teeth. Still, she turned to the nurse. "Thank you."

She nodded before calling out the next name.

Athena waited to say anything regarding Caden and the piece of paper until they were out of hospital. They passed glazed eyes, coughing, and pale faces and when the double doors opened and closed behind them, Athena finally relaxed. She could still hear the rolling of stretchers and instructions hollered, but muted. She didn't notice that her shoulders were hiked up towards her ears until she finally relaxed.

"Hold on a sec," she told Apollo, turning on Widget. "I recognize this first address, just don't know from where... Ah. It's his mother's."

"This one is the same street." Apollo pointed to the next address on the list. "Didn't they both mention that Caden and Alexandra grew up as neighbors?"

Athena nodded. She didn't recognize the third address. "Then, who is this?"

Apollo shrugged. "Beats me. I wish we could ask him. Or that he could have labeled them, at least."

Athena thought for a moment. She clutched the paper until it creased from the pressure, the crinkling audibly in the pleasant breeze. "I don't like this, Apollo."

"Tell me about it." Apollo stared out onto the open street. "If there's one way to make people think you're guilty, it's to shut your own lawyers out."

Athena had to hold back a flinch. "Did we make a mistake?" she asked, before she could hold the words back.

Apollo looked at her for a long time, considering. Athena carefully folded the wrinkled paper and put it in her purse.

"We have to remember what you heard, and what I saw," Apollo said at last. "When Caden said he didn't kill Aly..."

Nothing. Silence. Not a twitch or quirk to be found.

Athena nodded. "Right."

They looked out on the open road. Athena found herself craving orange juice, the way she usually did when restlessness settled into her bones like a familiar tourist. She stretched her arms towards the sky.

"Well, I want to go to the Space Center first," she told Apollo. "I have questions for Aura, we need to find that phone, and I have a feeling that Caden's mother is going to be an adventure."

New lines of caution tape blocked off the section of the curve of the road, and looking down at the Space Center, the site of the fire was swarming with people on the scene. Athena didn't see Simon anywhere, but she had no doubt he was here. They pulled up to a line of cars protesting with horns and yelling out of their windows, and they began to U-turn back down the road. Athena waited until the nose of her car touched the caution tape, and then she turned off the ignition and opened the car door. Apollo followed suit.

"Hey." Ema was the first to greet her. "What's up?"

"I assume you found something?" Athena ducked under the yellow tape. "There are people everywhere."

"Oh yeah. Blackquill works fast," Ema replied. "I'm allowed to actually show you this, so that's cool."

Athena followed her to the other side of the road, opposite of the descent to the Space Center. A patch of grass neighbored the street, backed by a wall of rock. Looking closer, Athena found pieces of plastic and metal.

"Is that what I think it is?"

Ema showed her a ziplock bag with what appeared to be the remains of a phone.

"Holy cow," Apollo said.

"It must have been thrown out of the car before the accident," Ema said. The phone was in two pieces, the screen crunched. The decorative case had popped off from sheer force. Purple and pink...

"One of the women?" Apollo suggested.

"The case was one of those two-in-one wallet cases that have been all the rage lately," Ema said, while reaching in the bag. She popped the case open. "Lily had her ID in a little purse that was found on her body, probably because she was going out drinking that night, but we found credit cards in the phone."

She showed the cards to Athena and Apollo. Sure enough, Lily Jacobs' name was in the left corner of both cards.

"So it was Lily who made the call?" Athena said, thinking.

"We don't have concrete proof," Ema said. "This phone is so destroyed that we don't have a hope in hell pulling data from it. But circumstantial evidence is abundant. It's a good thing those cards were there, or this would be a dead end."

Athena nodded. "Well, we do have proof that there was a phone on the scene. And it belonged to Lily."

"That's significant," Ema pointed out. "Lily's movements for that night are pretty unclear. It means she was in the area when Alexandra was shot."

Athena frowned. "Is the prosecution still investigating like Alexandra was shot near the river?"

Ema sighed. "Hell if I know. Prosecutor Blackquill is staying pretty tight-lipped on that subject. I'm just under orders to investigate this part of the road. He's having Gumshoe look over the accident scene with a metal detector, so the good detective is as happy as a clam."

"Naturally," Apollo said. He turned to Athena. "Well?"

"It sounds like he's exploring all possibilities," she said slowly. "So that's good." She turned to Ema. "Is anyone at the Space Center?"

"Other than the swarm at the arson site, no," Ema said. "We're trying to find conclusive proof that Adam started the fire."

"I don't think he's that stupid," Apollo said. "And didn't he already admit to it?"

"Simon's concerned that Mr. Austin is going to plead insanity," Ema said dryly. "And I don't blame him, considering the witness went completely ballistic. They're still struggling with him back at the detention center. He just wants to make sure we're covering all our bases."

Athena nodded. "That makes sense." Her feelings were a maelstrom inside her. He was acting logical, even reasonable. Considering the defense's arguments, his own, and the witness's, all at once. Why wasn't he like that in the courtroom?

"Where is the prosecutor, anyway?" Athena asked. Apollo's eyes narrowed, but she ignored him.

"Talking to Aura, last I heard."

Athena took a deep breath. "Okay. Thank you, Ema."

Without another word, Ema joined the rest of the investigators on the road.

"What are we doing?" Apollo wanted to know. "The lab?"

Athena nearly flinched. Was she really that transparent? "No," she lied. "I want to look at the side of the Space Center. That emblem interests me."

Apollo gave her a side glance, but he let it go. "And then after that?"

Athena sighed. "Probably the lab."

Apollo couldn't help a smirk.

"¡Que mierda!"

The strange symbol was gone.

"It was here!" she hissed. "It was!"

"I know. I saw it too." Apollo took a few steps forward. "Hey, Athena, look at this."

She caught up with him. Her feet sloshed in the grass, and she almost slipped. She looked behind them. The rain hadn't been hitting hard for the past few days. The lawn leading to the entrance of the Space Center was dry.

Athena stepped a foot back into circle of grass where the symbol used to be. It suctioned to her foot, and then let go with a slurping sound.

Apollo carefully knelt down, just before the wet grass, and smelled it. "Yup, water. Someone flooded this area."

Athena frowned. "Why? The arson site is that way."

"Isn't it obvious?" Apollo straightened. "Whoever did this wanted that symbol gone."

Athena stared out into the field. She wasn't around after the crime eight years ago to see the last symbol flushed away, if it was. While she looked off into the distance, thinking, an object out of place caught her eye. She broke into a jog, carefully navigating over the slippery area.

"Hey, wait up!"

She reached a bucket, splattered with paint. She picked it up carefully, using her glove and as little of her fingers as possible. A harsh, unforgiving stench hit her nostrils. The world spun for a moment, and she had to close her eyes to ward off the fumes.

"What did you do that for – oh."

Athena held up the bucket. "Paint thinner," she said.

Apollo's eyes went wide. "Well, then. Are you sure it's not the paint used to make whatever that symbol is?"

She nodded. "It's the wrong color, first of all, and it smells too horrible."

"We need to get that to Ema, then," Apollo said. "Right away. It might be the clue they're looking for."

"This seems too... easy," Athena said in a halting voice. "The police didn't find any indication of a paint thinner bucket, and now it's here? I don't like this."

Apollo looked in the bucket. "Wait. Athena, what's that?"

Athena looked inside, and something silver caught her eye.

"Don't just pick it up," Apollo said, digging in his pockets. "Give me a sec."

"Did you seriously bring gloves?" Athena asked incredulously.

"Always be prepared," he replied, and he carefully took out a figurine out of the bucket. "Huh. Look at this."

A polished, miniature robotic arm sat on a circular pedestal. It fit easily in Apollo's hand, and Athena looked hard at it.

"That's actually really cool," Athena said. "What do you think it is?"

"I have no idea." Apollo put the figurine back in the bucket. "That's rather odd evidence. And convenient. Things like this never happen."

A maelstrom settled in Athena's chest. She hugged herself. She couldn't put her misgivings into words.

"I'll keep the figurine, but I'll give Ema the bucket," Apollo was saying in the background. "She needs the proof that Adam did this, and I can't imagine it would hurt our case. Are you coming, Athena?"

"I need to look around for a minute," Athena said. "You go on ahead."

Apollo stopped. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Athena said. "I can meet you in the lab, if you want."

Apollo shrugged. "Honestly, if you're going to the lab, I'm probably going to talk with Gumshoe. If they're having him do something, then that means they have a renewed interest in the accident scene."

Athena blinked. "But I thought you were coming with me?"

Apollo shrugged. "It feels like you need to get a few things squared away with Blackquill before we go any further, honestly."

Athena was so taken aback she didn't reply. Her mouth fell open ever so slightly.

Apollo pointed to his temple, near his eyes. "I don't miss much, you know."

It wasn't until he was halfway to the road that she found the words to say. "Yes, you do!" she shouted after him.

He didn't acknowledge her, except for a wave of his hand.

Athena stopped. She couldn't deal with Blackquill right that second. She needed to think. She also walked around the Space Center the other day, and no bucket or figurine was in sight. She supposed she could have missed it, but...

The area had been flooded, and recently. That meant a third party was here, although there wasn't any proof that this was the party responsible for murdering Aly. And then for the extra evidence... was it planted around the same time? Recently?

She walked around, letting her boots sink into the wet grass. Athena wasn't sure what she was looking for, but she knew the feeling too well, from that day: she was being watched.

A rustle of grass made her nervous, the snapping of twigs, the wind combing through trees. She felt crazy, paranoid, but when she stared into the woods, she could have sworn someone was staring right back at her.

Unsettled, she made her way to the entrance of the Space Center.

Athena let herself into the front doors. No one manned the receptionist area this time, and that wasn't surprising, with all the police attention. She followed the familiar hallways into the lab. How funny, that at the beginning of the case she could barely enter the lab. Now she was in here so often she barely felt the twing at her nerves, although she still couldn't look at the dissembling table. She forced herself to focus, as hard as it was with the case and her memories prying at her nerves.

Aura and Simon were nowhere to be found. The lab was quiet, save for the whirling and spinning of machinery.

But wait. She remembered Caden's notes. Didn't he comment on the large robot?

"Athena! Welcome back to the Space Center!"

She turned around to the door, and she felt herself immediately relax. "Ponco! Hey!"

The robot clambered over with a ringing twang with each step on the steel floor. Athena let go of all previous inhibitions. Every time she saw Ponco the past year, she was accompanied by her boss or Aura or someone; it occurred to her that they never had one on one time. She knelt down on the ground and gave the little robot a hug.

Ponco's facial sensor turned green. "So happy! Yay!"

Athena laughed. "What's up?"

She could hear Ponco's inner machinery whirl. "Calculating... the ceiling is primarily composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, also known as gypsum. Drywall is often used in –"

"Never mind, cancel request." Athena forgot how literally the Robots with Hearts took questions. "Ponco, do you know where Aura and Simon Blackquill went?"

"I can answer this one too!" Ponco spun out of her embrace. "Miss Aura and Simon went out to check on the front of the Space Center! Miss Aura told me to keep a handle on things here, and she would be right back."

She must have just missed them. Athena found herself wondering if Simon would be back, too, but of course Ponco wouldn't have thought to ask. It was part of her programming to follow orders without question.

Athena looked around the lab. The huge robot was impossible to miss, designed like it would one day take over the world, and welcome as a distraction from the table behind her. Something tugged at the corner of her memory.

Robot in the corner. Was meant for HAT-1, but way too big.

She didn't intend on investigating anything in the lab, despite what she told Apollo, but Caden's notes...

"Ponco," she said. "Do you have any information on this robot?"

"Searching database... yes! Yes I do!" Ponco took several strides until she was at the foot of the purple monstrosity, the beast easily dwarfing her. "This was designed as a prototype. Miss Aura and Mommy Cykes were only in the early stages of the Robots with Hearts program, but Mommy Cykes really wanted a robot on the HAT-1. Clonco and this unit were deemed unfit for launch, but a repair robot for the rocket would have been invaluable."

All of this sounded familiar to Athena. "But no robot went on the HAT-1." Would it have made a difference if there was? Or would it have been sabotaged too, and the HAT-1 Miracle would have happened anyway? Athena supposed it would be impossible to know.

"Correct." Ponco whirled in circles, arms high in the air. "Miss Aura was unable to create the proper size in time. It's a very difficult process, getting a robot able to perform drastic repairs and have it come in a good size. But we still have the prototype." Ponco turned back towards the larger machine. "It was one of Mommy Cykes and Miss Aura's last projects together."

That gave Athena pause. She swallowed, hard. Her eyes began to fill, and she swiped at them and asked another question.

"Then why does it... look like that now?"

"Aura has been modifying it ever since the day Mommy Cykes went away," Ponco said, and Athena looked at the ceiling. "It looks nothing like it used to. My database doesn't have any additional information on the subject."

Athena didn't need it. The question made her inner psychologist leap into hyperdrive. The dark purple body that matched Aura's hair, the painted eyes, the spiked wrecking ball and other weapons of destruction. She was channeling all of her anger and hatred as well as destroying all traces of her mother at the same time.

It gave her chills. For a long time, a lot of that hatred was pointed towards Athena.

"It's even bigger than it used to be," Ponco added. "Miss Aura laughs a lot when she makes modifications."

And yeah, okay, the older Blackquill probably wanted to take over the world with it too.

Athena gave it a long look. "Hey Ponco, do you think there's a way to get inside the robot? Considering how big it is, and how much wiring and paneling it has?"

"There is! There is!" Ponco tromped towards the back. "There's a latch here. Miss Aura has to use it when things go wrong with turning it on."

Athena reached for the familiar latch. Aura's designs were consistent across the board: Widget had a similar latch for charging him, and Ponco and Clonco had them for repair reasons. Smaller, of course, but replicas all the same. It came undone easily in her hands, the metal panel falling to the floor with an echoing bang.

"I'll be right back, Ponco," she told the little robot.

"Okay!"

As expected, the inside of the robot was dark. Everywhere she reached, she bumped into wiring and plugs. She reached for Widget, opened his projecting screen, and scrolled through the apps installed. She had recently discovered a flashlight in her sidekick. She turned it on, and the abyss of the robot lit up before her.

She didn't know exactly what she was looking for, but she carefully navigated the inside. She wished Caden's notes were more specific, but he probably didn't want them to be. Athena made sure not to unplug a single thing, move a single wire. As she pushed to the back, she found a tangle of red and blue cords. She frowned, and her previous, limited knowledge as a child began to kick in. She began to untangle them out of habit rather than conscious thought.

"Ponco, Aura will be back here shortly. I left some papers on her desk."

"They're still there, Mr. Blackquill!"

Athena was so surprised that she bumped into a panel that lit up at random, probably the motherboard. It banged into the plating of the body, and then crashed to the ground with a cacophony that reminded her of pots and pans.

"Who's there?" Simon's voice cut through the air like the blade he was known for. Athena froze, not knowing what to do.

"Athena is looking around in Aura's domination robot, Mr. Blackquill. She asked multiple questions about it."

Thanks, Ponco. Thanks.

"Athena?" Simon's voice was wary.

She swallowed. "Hey," she called. "Give me a second. I need to fix this."

He didn't reply, and she picked up the motherboard and secured it back in place. She noticed crossed wires, incorrect plugs, and a rusted screw that was probably why the motherboard fell off in the first place. She focused on the task at hand, ignoring the increasing thuds in her chest and stomach.

"Ponco, can you hand me a screwdriver and a sheet metal screw?"

"Yes!"

Ponco squeezed into the tight space. Athena took what she needed from the robot's hand, and went back to her task. She righted the wiring and the plugs and stepped back to check her handiwork.

"Is everything fixed?" Ponco asked.

Athena smiled at the robot. "Yes."

"Yay!"

Athena followed Ponco out, crawling on hands and knees, and Simon was standing right outside the paneling. She swallowed, and gathered the courage to look at him.

"What are you doing?" His words were blunt.

Athena flipped on her back, pushing herself out onto the floor. "Hello to you, too," she said. She coughed on a cloud of dust. "Help me up?"

Simon hesitated for a moment, and then extended a hand. Athena took it, and felt the coiled power in his muscles as he hoisted her up. His hand was rough, as she expected, but she also felt steady. Completely in control.

"Thank you," Athena said, trying to keep her voice brisk. "If you see Aura before I do, let her know the motherboard was hanging on by a thread. And some of the wiring was in the wrong place."

"Last I heard, she was letting Clonco do some calibrating on that particular robot," Simon replied. "I will let her know he needs reprogramming."

Athena winced. That poor robot. "Okay."

"Do I even want to know what you were doing in there?"

Athena shrugged. "Following a lead."

Simon stared at her. She supposed it sounded weird. What did a young woman's murder have to do with Aura's pet project? Athena fought the urge to explain herself.

"Did you discover anything?" he asked at last.

Athena shrugged again, this time with one shoulder. "The line has been drawn, remember? This is the defense side –" she gestured to herself, "and that's the prosecution side." She waved in his direction. "Separate, right?"

"You're displeased, I take it."

Athena frowned. She thought that sounded reasonable.

"Simon, it's fine," she said, crossing her arms. "And even if it wasn't, it really doesn't matter what I feel or don't feel, does it? We both have a job to do. You were right."

Simon laughed. Athena focused on the sound. Even though it still had its harsh, sardonic edge, she could hear waves of warmth deep underneath. The hairs on her arms stood up, and she was glad she wore long sleeves. "If only it were that simple."

Athena shook her head. "Seriously?"

Simon frowned.

"You don't exactly help," Athena pointed out. "Like hiding the fact that a gun was fired up on the road, through the windshield glass. What was that about?"

Simon's face twisted into a smile. "There it is."

She ignored him. "I can handle your sense of humor, Simon, and I can even handle feeling like enemies for this case. That's fine, whatever. But straight up hiding evidence like that from the court?"

He said nothing.

Athena all but growled. "That's something Gaspen Payne would do."

He jerked his head up, his shoulders hunching forward and muscles coiling. Like a hawk ready to dive, or a cobra ready to strike. "Do not compare me to that man's ilk."

"But-"

"I have my reasons for everything, Athena," he said. "I've informed you of this already. Many times."

Athena gave a sharp shake of her head. "That's not good enough."

Simon stilled, and Athena wanted to revel in his disbelief. But she kept going.

"This isn't some silly thing like last time, in your apartment," she said, clenching her fists. "This is about a man's innocence."

Simon gave her several moments, considering. For the first time in a long time, his expression gave way: a classic smirk of his that pointed inwards, but his jaw tight, keeping everything inside.

"How forward of you," he said. Athena started: he wasn't making fun of her. She could tell from the voice of his heart. There was almost... pride? "Regardless, the answer is the same. I cannot tell you anything at this time."

"Simon –"

"Athena," he said, almost mimicking her tone. "There is a reason; I just cannot discuss it. I need your trust on this matter."

Okay, that wasn't fair. Even though frustration still rose in her like bile, she could feel her shoulders dropping. Her teeth releasing from a bite she didn't know she had. That was all it took. That was all it took to get her to stop fighting. Just a few, well-placed words.

"Just... please tell me you actually think Caden is guilty," Athena said. "That this isn't some prosecutor's game, where winning the case is all that matters."

Simon met her gaze. "I give you my word."

She let out a long sigh. "Okay. Thank you."

They didn't speak again for a few moments. Simon stood in the way of the door, and to walk around him, she would have to go near the dissembling table. She had nothing left to investigate in the lab, but she couldn't leave. Not yet. She looked at the massive robot she had just fixed and put a hand on it.

"I gave what you said in my apartment a lot of thought."

Athena looked at him, surprised. His expression mimicked her own. Simon was never prone to outbursts, even before the UR-1 incident. She swallowed, trying to remain impassive.

"Which part?" Her nerves were circuit wires.

He paused. "The phantom, primarily."

Electricity ignited in her blood. She swallowed. "Ah."

"You informed me you wanted nothing to do with him, and I assume the UR-1 Incident in general," Simon pressed, and after a heartbeat, she looked straight into his eyes. "That begs the question: why are you here?"

Athena bit her lip. She looked away, to the bookshelves where she found Caden's files.

"You are far too emotional to be on this case, Athena." The argument was old, something he said from the beginning, but she wasn't a fool. She knew what he was asking. This was more than him just trying to protect her. This was about professional integrity, the same way she asked him. It was a fair question, but still not easy.

Athena lifted one shoulder, dropped it. "You're probably right."

Simon waited.

Athena let out a long, shuddering breath. "When I first heard the news, I was at Juniper's. We were drinking tea that was way too strong, and talking about the case I had the day before and old times." She dropped her hand from the robot. "The news was on as background noise, but the moment the Space Center was mentioned, everything just fell away. And I hadn't heard Caden Barrow's name since before my mother died, but I recognized it right away. It was easy."

Simon's face was a blank canvas, but she knew him well enough to know that he was listening. Intently.

"This place was my home," Athena said. "And right now, everything feels unfinished. I feel like..." she struggled for the words. She had never put her feelings into words before. It wasn't something Apollo, her boss, or even Juniper could understand. "I feel like I'm stepping into a path that was made for me, even with all of its twists and turns and shadows. And to ask me to turn away from where I came from, to not find out the truth no matter what it is or how much it scares me? Simon, I can't."

His eyes widened.

"I have to be here," Athena said. "I don't know how else to explain it."

A thousand emotions flickered across his face, too fast for Athena to catch them. He took a deep breath. "Very well."

Athena tilted her head. "Huh?"

"I will let the matter go," Simon replied. "I can comprehend when I have lost."

A hesitant smile bloomed on her face. For a reason she couldn't understand, he turned his head away from her.

"It's against my better judgment," he added.

A short laugh escaped her. "I'm sure. Where's Aura?"

"Speaking with the police." Simon adjusted to the change of subject without even a beat of hesitation. "She's upset with all the ruckus. She hopes to at least adjust the volume to a dull roar."

"With Ema around?" Athena murmured. "Good luck."

Simon cracked a smile. "That's what I informed her. Of course, she wouldn't hear a word of it. If anyone can match Ema's temper, it's Aura."

Athena shuddered. Imagine the two of them becoming friends. That would be a terrible sight. Her own smile faded. "How is she doing? I imagine this can't be easy on her, either."

Simon's face composed. "She's surviving," he replied. "She's very good at that."

Athena hesitated. "I don't know how she does it," she said. "Just being in this room, much less going through all of this." Every day. For eight years. Forget her own cowardice, unable to face a table. Aura faced it with the unwavering rage of a bull each day.

"We all have a job to do, Athena." Simon's voice took on a weight that didn't sound like his own.

She didn't argue with him. Instead, she asked a different question. "Have you been in here? Since you were released?"

Simon cocked his head, considering. "Before today? Once." He paused. "I confess I don't know how Aura does it either."

Athena smiled again, stronger. "By building a diabolical war robot?"

He laughed. "You're not far off the mark, I imagine."

Athena felt something grow in her chest. She couldn't remember for the life of her when the seed of it was planted, maybe it was there all along, but it transformed into an almost unbearable warmth that expanded like light from the sun.

I wanted to ask if you could make Simon Blackquill the prosecuting attorney for my trials. For the foreseeable future.

In one moment, she understood everything with astounding clarity. How could she not get it before?

Athena found her legs moving before her conscious mind gave the command. She walked towards that table, something she couldn't face ever before. When she passed Simon, he didn't try to stop her or ask what she was doing. At the core, Athena knew he understood her, and that was more than she could ever ask for.

Athena knew all too well what would happen the moment she touched the table, but she did so anyway.

Memories were an ocean, roaring and all-encompassing. The katana sticking out of her mother. A handkerchief over her face, dehumanizing and reducing her to a trick for Ponco. The sword clattering to the ground as a man rushed her, the knife she found in the emergency kit. The tang of new blood, hitting her nostrils. Metal on metal on metal.

Then waking up from darkness, her clothes stained with blood. Her hysterically screaming at Ponco to mover her mother, fix her, fix her, then Simon in the doorway, yelling, hacking Ponco apart...

It wasn't until Simon's hands closed around her shoulders, making her jump, that she realized she was crying. Athena dared to look at his profile, and she watched his Adam's apple bob and work in his throat.

Athena remembered being picked up, pressed into the same coat, having her face hidden as she leaned back into Simon in real time. He froze, and she wondered if he was going to run off on her again.

"I'm tired, Simon," she said quietly. "I'm so tired."

She heard a sharp intake of breath, and then he pulled her closer. Just for a second. Athena's pounding heart was the only proof that she had it was real.

"Yes," he replied. "Me, as well.

Only one moment.

But it was enough.

TBC

Saukalt - damn cold in German

Que mierda - what the hell in Spanish

I was actually going to have this up two weeks ago, but then my boyfriend popped the question. Best excuse I have for not writing so far!