The day had felt like it was never going to end. V felt both relief and another wave of sorrow as she stumbled through the threshold into her apartment. It had been barely a week after her return home from the clinic. Her emotions were still giving her a shake down. Depression was pulverizing her with an iron crowbar while guilt kicked her in the stomach and anger roared every so often. It was beyond tiring to say the least. And then today...

V tosses down her back pack before flopping onto her bed. There is no silence in Night City. The ambient noise of the chaos gives her some feeling of normalcy. The sound of her phone pinging catches her attention. With a sigh she looks down at the screen. It's just a text from Misty. She's thanking V again for encouraging her to attend the memorial despite the qualms between her and Mama Welles. V sends a message back saying it was no problem and if she needed anything to let her know. It's the least V could do, considering how much Misty's taken care of her after the heist along with the fact that it may as well have been V's fault that Jackie was dead. Bless her heart. She had sat with V in Viktor's clinic some times during her recovery, she had brought V home, and she had routinely checked up on her via calls and texts. That was above and beyond what V had expected. In all honesty, she had expected the opposite from both her and Mama Welles. Venomous curses, screaming, and blaming. That's what V had prepped for.

She starts scrolling through the texts between her and Jackie. Some are just business talk. Others are more humorous. No matter the conversation she reads all his messages in his voice. She laughs and she cries. Then curiosity takes a hold of her. It's an odd thing to do but she calls his phone. It rings several times before bringing up the voicemail recorder.

"Hey Jackie. It's been one hell of a day." An understatement, though in some respects not the worse day she's ever had. "I...went to your funeral today. Man, never thought I'd be saying that." Nor did she think she'd actually be attending such an event.

Mama Welles had called her early in the morning while V was in the middle of one of her pity parties. The phone rang a few times before she worked up the courage to answer it. It was a battle not to break down the entire time and flood the older woman with a sea of apologies. In the end she got the brief details from Mama Welles. V had gotten out of bed. Her body still ached but there was no way she was skipping out. After a quick, hot shower she had stared at her reflection in the mirror in silence. A quick brush of peach-colored hair, a little bit of make up and boom! Ready to go. She hadn't bothered trying to put on anything too fancy - settling for clothes that were at least not ripped to shreds and clean. Or mostly clean.

"It was a nice. Mama Welles organized an ofrenda. Of course, me being me I...didn't have anything." And it made her feel even more shitty; if that was even possible . "Your mom was generous enough to give me the key to your garage. Told me to go pick something out and that it was the thought that mattered."

Misty had gone inside with her. Looking around coupled with Misty's commentary had given V a different look at her best friend.

"I picked For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway. Was surprised to see it. Didn't know you had a thing for the classics!" She lets out a soft chuckle. It seemed there was a lot she hadn't gotten to know about him. "I remember reading it as part of my homeschooling. Off topic though."

Boots are kicked off and each land in a random spot while she further curls up in her bed. "It was a beautiful. Truly." She's gone silent for a moment, grabbing one of her pillows and pulling it into a deathly tight hold. "Everyone misses you. I miss you. But I'll be joining you soon. Long story short the relic both saved my life but is now killing me. Ain't that some shit?"

Just when she thought she couldn't cry anymore, V feels tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. "Fuck. Anyways I gotta go. Drank too much tequila, and I'm about to start bawling like a fucking baby. Call me back when you get this message." The last part is added without a thought. It's only a minute after she hangs up that she realizes what she said. And that realization stabs her in the heart, causing the dam to break and the sobs burst out, only to be muffled when she shoved her face into a pillow.