Sabrina stepped back, examining the paintings on the wall of her new "waiting room." Nath had just delivered the paintings that morning, and she had spent the last hour trying to decide exactly where to place each of them with the available wall space. According to all her reading, the waiting room needed to establish a welcoming environment for anyone who came to see her, and all the books agreed that art of some variety was one of the best ways to do it. But while all of the other paintings had all gone up easily, this last one just didn't want to sit level on the wall. With a frown, she raised one side of the painting, then adjusted it further the other way, before finally shifting it back to somewhere in between the two extremes. Finally, she pursed her lips and took half a step back from the wall, stroking her chin intently. "I don't know… what do you think?" she asked Nooroo, glancing back over her shoulder.

"I think it is straight now," he replied, rising higher into the air and drifting from side to side. He cocked his head to one side and nodded. "Yes, it is straight – at least straighter than it was."

Sabrina let out a breath and nodded, sipping her lemon soda. "That's good."

Nooroo hummed. "I know you are anxious for this new office to work out well, but you do not have to stress yourself out so much over it," he pointed out. "All of your clients understand that you are still learning."

She frowned. "I know," she admitted. "But still… I need to do the best I can – I need to live up to your trust."

"You already do that, Mistress," he assured her, hovering closer to her, giving her a sympathetic smile. "You have nothing to prove to me."

She smiled, sighing. "Thank you."

"Of course." He furrowed his brows, looking at her more closely. "But how is your stomach now, Mistress?"

She stretched her shoulders and sighed. "Better, thanks." She frowned. "I don't know what it was this morning – must have been last night's supper that just didn't sit well."

Nooroo hummed. "I am sorry to hear that," he apologized. "But Vietnamese food has not had that effect on you before, has it?"

She shook her head. "No… but it was a little spicier this time." He nodded in acknowledgment. Gazing at one of the new paintings, she smiled softly. "It was nice of Mom and Dad to invite Max over for dinner, especially since he's living on his own more now."

"'On his own'?" Nooroo repeated dubiously.

Sabrina flushed. "You know what I mean – at his apartment, not at the Mansion."

Nooroo hummed, fluttering his wings as he alit on her shoulder. "It is very nice that your parents have welcomed him into their life so much," he agreed.

Letting out a breath, Sabrina made her way back to the office and flopped down into her armchair, one that Adrien had insisted on purchasing from the rehab center's budget. Slowly she sipped her soda, looking around at the small counseling office. After her first session with Kim and Ondine, she had realized that perhaps some people would prefer not to meet her in the rehab center. Adrien and Marinette had suggested this small unused apartment above the rehab center as an alternative. The charity owned the whole building, but this unit wasn't large enough for a family – no more than half the size of the unit next door where Dahlia and her kids lived – so they hadn't been able to find a use for it before now. But it was just enough for Sabrina's purposes: a bathroom, this single small bedroom as a counseling room, a living room for the waiting area, and even a little kitchenette. The rehab center's emergency exit opened directly into the stairwell for those who didn't want to be seen entering the rehab center through the front door. Max had just finished building a new portal box for the hall closet which connected to his apartment, Sabrina's bedroom, and the lab; with a quick adjustment, it could also connect into the network joining the miraculous temples. In all, it was exactly what she needed – or what some of her clients needed. Sabrina smiled in contentment, looking around her at the simply-furnished office. In a few years, perhaps she would have diplomas and certificates to display; for now, a picture of herself and Max at the top of the Eiffel Tower would suffice.

From the hallway came a shrill beep and, sensing anxiety from inside the closet, Sabrina stood up to make her way out of the room, just as the hall closet door opened and Abdi stepped out, looking up and down the hallway. Sabrina gave him a cursory examination – while his face hid much of what he was thinking behind a stoic expression, the nervousness in his emotions stood out like a beacon. Sabrina smiled warmly as Nooroo settled onto her shoulder, nuzzling against her neck. "Good morning," she greeted Abdi. "How are you today?"

"I'm–I'm okay," he replied, not quite meeting her gaze.

"Your emotions seem to suggest otherwise," Sabrina pointed out delicately. His breathing hitched. Sabrina let out a breath. "Remember, you can't hide what you are feeling from me. But it's okay; you're among friends. And you're the only one here at the moment. What's on your mind? Can I get you some coffee?"

"Um… coffee sounds good," he agreed, nodding.

Sabrina gestured toward the counseling room as she moved past him toward the kitchen. Abdi trailed after her, watching silently as she moved around the counter, pulling out a mug and an assortment of creamers. He shook his head, waving the creamers away. Sabrina poured the coffee and passed it to him before rummaging around in the fridge and pulling out some fruit salad that she set out on the counter for Nooroo. "Is your Kwami hungry?" she called. "I'm sorry I don't know what he likes."

"I'd take some beef if you have it!" Growll piped up, shooting out of Abdi's pocket and making a beeline toward the fridge. Sabrina jumped out of the way as Growll dove into the package of beef jerky. "You're all right, Butterfly," the Kwami commented, gesturing toward Sabrina with a half-eaten stick of jerky.

Nooroo folded his arms. "Of course my Mistress is all right," he retorted around a mouthful of strawberry.

"Don't eat too much," Abdi warned Growll, cracking a smile. "Nawal said she was making something special for dinner."

Growll made a face. "That Ant likes her food way too sweet for my taste."

Sabrina rolled her eyes. "So how is your sister doing?" she asked Abdi, refilling her tea and leaning against the counter.

He shrugged, though Sabrina could feel a hint of pride from him. "She is doing very well," he answered. "Sad that Shadya was reassigned for the next few months, but otherwise happy. I think Nawal is taking it worse than she is; the three of them are almost closer than sisters. But now Aisha gets almost all of Master Said's attention for her training."

Sabrina nodded contemplatively. "It's good that Aisha has so many people around her for support – more than just you, I mean. After everything that you both experienced…" Abdi's stomach clenched, a jolt of anxiety shooting through him. Sabrina schooled her features and sipped her tea. "But of course, you know you are both welcome to visit me anytime you want, right?"

Abdi nodded, looking into his coffee mug. "I'm sure Aisha will take you up on that," he agreed. "She's mentioned how curious she is about this boyfriend of yours – Max does seem like a nice guy."

"Oh, he is," Sabrina assured him, smiling fondly. "You have him to thank for the portal you used to get here; he wanted to make it easy for my 'hero clients' to get back and forth, rather than having to meet you at the Mansion or make you go through a second portal there to get here."

"I do appreciate that." Abdi fell silent, swirling his coffee around in his mug, staring into its depths.

Sabrina let out a breath. "I can sense your emotions… but even so, I don't need my miraculous to know that you have something on your mind. Why don't we step into the room, and you can tell me what's going on and why you decided to come by today."

Abdi sighed heavily but followed Sabrina down the hall. Plopping into one of the available chairs, he frowned, looking down at his hands. He was quiet for several minutes, and Sabrina watched him carefully from her armchair, sipping on her tea. At last, he muttered, "It started in Angola." Sabrina raised an eyebrow in an indication for him to continue. "When we were fighting–well–um–"

"Me?" Sabrina supplied, her stomach churning guiltily.

He nodded slightly but paused, his brows furrowed in a question. "Kind of. The man – monster, really – that was in charge there in that camp? Hunda-Beekaa?" He swallowed, his mug trembling slightly in his hands. "I've been having nightmares about him for the last month."

Sabrina hummed. "Is this a recent occurrence, or is it something that you'd had before?"

"Aisha told you who he was, right?" Abdi asked. Sabrina nodded, trying to maintain her poker face. "I had some nightmares about him last year, back when we first…" His hands shook, and the coffee almost spilled.

Leaning forward, Sabrina covered Abdi's hand with her own and breathed deeply, pulling away some of his anxiety and fear. "The more you try to hide from him and what he did and what he made you do, the more power those things have over you," she told him quietly.

"They were monsters," Abdi spat. "All of them were! They turned me into a monster! The–the things I did, all because they told me…"

"You were a scared boy trying to keep his sister safe," Sabrina reminded him gently. "Yes, it is true that you did terrible things for them. You know that you hurt people by your actions. You did them because they forced you to, but when the opportunity came, you fought back. Do not forget that – and do not downplay that, because you did what many others would not have had the courage to do, even in those same circumstances."

Abdi nodded slowly, swallowing. Some of his guilt and shame had abated, but much of it remained. Sabrina's heart ached – but Emilie had warned her against taking away too much. He sighed heavily. "I know," he whispered, his eyes drifting toward the door. "Growll reminds me of that almost every day."

Sabrina smiled. "After everything that you did – after what both of us did, really – I think it says something that our Kwamis agreed to take us back. That is not an opportunity to be ignored or discounted or treated lightly."

Abdi's lips turned up in a small smile. "No, it isn't."

Sabrina examined him carefully for a few moments. "But that's not entirely why you came, is it?"

Abdi looked down at the carpet. "Not exactly."

Sabrina nodded. "It can't have been easy to see Hunda-Beekaa again."

Abdi shook his head, swallowing heavily. "I thought I was better, I thought I was over it… but seeing him again brought me right back to the camp, to the scared child I was when L– when the chelb was raping my sister and threatening to murder her in front of my eyes. I couldn't even go near him when we all went to stop him; I tried as hard as I could to stay as far away from him as possible. Aisha had to face him instead."

"And you feel guilty for letting your sister face this man that had propped up her rapist because you were too frightened to do it yourself?"

Abdi nodded, his shoulders tensing. "I just – I know how much he terrified her. She doesn't talk about it much – not with me, at least – but I've heard her telling Nawal. He did all those awful things to her, breaking her for… the chelb, and then she had to confront him by herself in Angola."

Sabrina hummed to herself in contemplation. "Did you choose to make her go to the fight?" Abdi furrowed his brows in confusion but shook his head. "Did you tell her she had to face Hunda-Beekaa?" Again, he shook his head. "Did you even know that Hunda-Beekaa was there before seeing him the first time?"

He stared at her, eyes wide. "No! Of course not!"

Sabrina raised an eyebrow. "Then how can it be your fault that Aisha fought him?"

"I–" He fell silent, cocking his head to one side. "Huh."

Sabrina gave him a sympathetic smile. "That man did terrible things – and especially to you and your sister." Her mouth set in a thin line, her stomach churning with guilt that had come and gone a dozen times in the last two months. She hadn't realized who he was when she agreed to work with him… but that didn't really matter, did it? Clenching her stomach, she breathed and continued, "But you have grown and become stronger since then. Even though you couldn't face him two months ago, that does not make you weak."