Deena palmed the heavy glass door open and stepped through. The cold air pushed her fine blond hair away from her face, and chilled her skin.

She hadn't been to work since the disaster at the stadium. Almost a month, now. The healers had assured her that she was fit and ready for work again, but she was still having occasional nightmares, and she didn't feel like the same person who'd left. It felt very odd to be walking through these doors again.

She slipped her lightweight coat off her shoulders and headed for the coat room. She looked at herself in the mirror near the door, and sighed. The face that peered out of the mirror at her seemed pale and drawn. She hadn't been able to rid herself of the feeling of helplessness since that night. She frowned and shook herself, mentally. I have nothing to worry about, she admonished herself.

She put her shoulders back, strode back out into the main corridor, and headed for Brevin's offices. The comforting rhythm of her shoes on the linoleum began to ease her back into her professional self.

"Well, well, well...Look who's back." Tarvo said, with a smirk. "I didn't think you'd ever give up that cushy 'medical leave'." He leaned back in his seat and grinned at her. "I missed you."

Deena tensed and tried to ignore the anger that his words and attitude never failed to inspire. Despite herself, she felt her face tense up, and she faltered as she walked past.

Tarvo's grin widened. "What's the matter? No hello for me?"

Deena stopped and turned to him. "Tarvo. Apparently you've failed to notice that I don't like you. Period. I work with you, because I have to, not because I want to. If I thought we could get anyone to replace you, you wouldn't work here anymore. I would suggest that you not push me into rethinking that."

Tarvo's face darkened as he realized that she was serious.

As he leaned forward angrily to respond, a small form hurtled out from the common room. "DEENA!"

Deena caught the small form and scooped her up. "Deena! We missed you! Where have you been! Were you sick? Brevin said you were sick! Are you okay now?"

More children piled out, as the word spread, and soon Deena was surrounded by small gleeful faces. Tarvo glared at her, and slapped the evening's files down on the desk. Scowling, he snatched his coat off the chair, sketched an ironic bow, and left.

Deena rolled her eyes, and began herding the bouncing children back into the common room. She was pelted with questions from all sides, and she carefully told them a heavily edited story of the night of the tournament.

Her eyes drifted around the room, and she was dismayed to realize that Ky was not there. She hadn't had a chance to speak with him since that night, and she hoped that he hadn't fallen back into hiding in his room.

As soon as she was able, she slipped away from the group, and headed into the dormitory wing. She stopped in front of his door and hesitantly rapped on it.

"Come in."

Deena palmed the lock, and the door opened on darkness. She stepped through and waited for her eyes to adjust.

Ky was sitting near his window looking out over the city. At this time of night, it was a maze of multicolored lights and movement.

"Hey, Ky. I'm glad to see you're okay." She paused, awkwardly. "I was surprised to see you weren't in the common room with the rest..."

Ky shrugged a shoulder. "Too crowded."

Deena stepped over to him, and looked out. "I like the city lights at this time of night. I always have." She looked down at him, surreptitiously. He seemed uninterested in the city lights.

"Ky, what's wrong?" She hunkered down, so as to see his face in the dark.

She could see his throat work, as he struggled with his feelings.

"I don't want to be weak, anymore." he said, finally.

"What?" Deena's brows creased.

He looked up at her. "I'm tired of being weak. I'm tired of everyone having to look out for me, worry about me." He hunched up and looked away.

Deena blinked and considered his words.

"I want to be like that guy from the Abes." she heard him murmur.

"Who?" Deena thought back frantically. She'd never kept up with any of the teams.

"The one who helped me at the stadium. He wasn't afraid." Ky said.

Deena's face softened as she realized what he was thinking about.

"Ky, I'm sure he was afraid. We all were..." she said, gently.

"But he didn't need anyone to help him..He was strong enough to take care of himself and me." Ky frowned.

Deena reached out and tilted Ky's chin up so that he was looking into her eyes. "Ky...Listen to me, very carefully. You are not weak. What you went through that night, most people your age would not be able to handle. As I recall, it was you who helped me, that night. I wouldn't have made it out, if you hadn't lead me to that exit."

She smiled wryly. "And, as I recall, you weren't the one who fainted when the rescuers arrived."

Ky ducked his head, smiling at last. "So, don't beat yourself up about it, will you?" Deena smiled at him. Ky looked back at her, considering her words gravely. At last, he nodded. Her smile widened, and she turned to the door.

"I'm glad you're back, Deena. I missed you."

Deena turned the conversation over in her mind, as she strode towards Brevin's offices. She should take her own advice. She wasn't responsible for what had happened, and she shouldn't feel ashamed for her perfectly justifiable fears. She took a deep breath and felt some of the tension that had been with her dissipate.

Entering the administrative wing, she turned down the corridor where Brevin kept his office. The only thing that distinguished it from any of the others was the small plaque that announced that this was the office of the head administrator to the Children's Hall.

Deena smiled. Brevin had never wanted the recognition for his contribution to Zanarkand's homeless children. He refused the luxurious suite of offices that most top administrators expected. He felt much the same now as he had when he started the Hall up, way back when. He didn't expect any help or recognition then, and he didn't want it, now.

She rapped firmly on the door and pushed it open.

Brevin was seated behind his desk, going over the reports from the day shift. The chair he sat in seemed far too small to hold his burly form. His shirt was, as always, rumpled and frayed. She knew that the shirt had probably been new just a short time ago, but clothes just seemed to age quickly around him. His shirt sleeves had been pushed impatiently back, and his hair was mussed, and a bit overlong. Deena shook her head, and smiled. Same old Brevin.

He'd looked up at her entrance, and smiled hugely. He pushed back from his desk, in an effort to meet her, and she waved and impatient hand at him. "Don't worry about it, Brevin. I don't want to interrupt!" She smiled, again, and grabbed a seat in front of his desk. " I just wanted to let you know I'm back on duty."

"How are you doing?" he asked, nodding at her, as if he hadn't been calling to check on her once a week.

"I'm fine, Brevin. I told you that, yesterday." She grinned. "I see I have a lot to catch up on," she said, gesturing to the stack of reports.

Brevin waved at the stack impatiently. "Ah. Don't worry about them..take your time."

"How's Ky been doing?" she said, raising a brow. "We just spoke and it seems he's feeling a bit insecure."

Brevin shrugged. "I think he'll snap out of it. He's a strong kid."

"I'm not sure he realizes that..." she said. "He was telling me how much he admired that kid from the Abes, the one who helped us out."

Brevin laughed.

"What?" she said, frowning.

"Kind of ironic, that's all." He said, grinning.

Deena tilted her head, curiously.

"That kid was one of ours for a short time." Brevin said.

Deena's eyes widened. "Here? Really? Why?"

Brevin leaned back, hands behind his head. "His father was a bit of a hot dog Blitzball player, too, a while back, but he started letting the attention get to his head."

He scratched his chin, meditatively. "Dunno whether it was the money or the attention, but he started drinking and let it get the better of him. There was some rumors of abuse, but nothing ever substantiated...Anyways, one day, he went out on his boat, alone and drunk, and apparently drowned. No one knows whether it was an accident or suicide. They never found his body."

Deena looked horrified. "He drowned?"

Brevin grinned. "Yeah. Ironic, isn't it? A Blitzball player, drowning?"

He shrugged one shoulder. "Anyway. His mom took sick shortly after, and died. He had no one, so they sent him here. He was here for two weeks before some uncle or something showed up and claimed him."

He grinned suddenly. "Looks like he turned out okay, though, hey? The resilience of youth. Ya gotta love it. Rumor has it he's even seeing that rogue summoner, what's her name."

Deena smiled, amused. "You read the gossip columns." she accused, leveling a finger at him.

Brevin held up his hands. "You got me. I admit it." He smiled at her, and she suddenly realized how much she'd missed this easy banter.

It struck her, suddenly, how much she'd missed Brevin.

Her world seemed to shift as her mind rearranged the pieces of her life, into an entirely different pattern.