Elithe rises suddenly from a medic's bed. She struggles to clutch her neck, but hands restrain her - hands belonging to Lokariste.
"It's okay. It's bandaged. Let it heal."
Slowly, she lowers her arms back. "How long have I been here?"
"We've been here for four hours."
"We?"
"I haven't left. Not even for a second."
"Guilt."
"No."
Elithe nods, lowering her head back to the pillow.
"You never should have opened the door."
"You made me want to," is all she says, staring to the ceiling.
"How? Why? Thrashing around like that?"
"You were in obvious pain. Obvious pain and you wanted comfort. You needed it. I… wanted to help you."
"I nearly killed you."
"Surprise, surprise."
He folds his hands. "I can teach you a lot, Elithe."
"About what?" It is sarcastic.
"About a lot of things. Who you are, for one. I'm sorry I didn't mention this before, but it doesn't skip children, endowing one sibling and leaving the other behind."
"I don't want to be different."
"Sometimes it's not a choice."
She raises her head. "Lokariste, ever since I've met you, I've been thrown against a wall three times, nearly died in a fire, been petrified, tossed in a closet, run down a hall to escape an evil - what is it? Oh, garou, that's right. To escape an evil garou - and now this lovely incident."
"What's your point?"
"My point is…" She rises fully to meet his eyes. They are still filled with the same fear and pain as before. The same emotion that she dreads wholeheartedly. "I don't know what my point is. I want to hate you. I want to leave you. And just... dissappear."
"Why don't you?"
She sighs. "I don't know. You're all I've got? And that's actually a lot? Perhaps. I don't know. I'm drugged. I could be speaking gibberish."
He rises from the chair nearby and walks back toward her. "But you're not. And you sound pretty rational to me." Slowly, cautiously, he takes her hand within his. It is so peculiarly soft and gentle compared to the course strength of his own. And small. It's so… small. "I don't know how to apologize. It's not enough. There's nothing I could say that would be justification for… this. For everything."
"Well, I could get to the bottom of all of this. With your help."
"For starters. We have to get everything worked out, and then find a way to get you back home." Elithe nods slowly, taking a large breath and exhales accordingly. As careful as before, he now raises the hand to her cheek, holding it gently within his palm. Startled, but accepting of the gesture, she leans into it. "I'm not going to let your life get away from you, Elithe. And especially not here."
She closes her eyes, grinning softly and reopens them shortly thereafter. "Thank you, Lokariste. I'll never forget you; ever. That's a promise."
He laughs softly, even his eyes brightening. He brings her hand to his lips, and grins. "And a threat."