She moved in a daze the next week, haunted by the remnants of her dream. She convinced herself Claire had known about it and decided to stay away because it was easier than confronting it. It was easier. Sherry didn't have it in her to think about it… She was so young. Thought Claire was going to- no, wanted her to- no!

It wasn't as if anyone in the facility spent a lot of time tending to her emotional needs anyway. Rare was it anyone cared how she was feeling other than a generic "fine" or "okay". She had a legal guardian, at least, so she was told. She barely saw him, though she knew who it was who allowed Claire to visit at all… Pass on the burden to someone else, just like her real parents had done. It was the same every time.

It would be the same for Claire too, once she knew.

And she would know. Sherry decided one night when she got word from Claire she was coming to visit again. She had a plan. A terrible, awful plan that was sure to drive Claire away. She couldn't wait any longer. She'd just make it happen now and spare herself the wondering, the waiting. She'd be miserable, she'd break down and beg, and she'd scare Claire off. Then she'd get over it and be a good little… whatever she was supposed to be. Test subject? No, not quite that. She didn't matter, only her blood mattered.

She began to plan, digging out her old school uniform from under her bed. God, it was ridiculous. She was still small but not that small. Sherry could barely even remember why they hadn't just burned the damn thing. Something to do with her not having any personal items from her childhood. She hadn't talked enough to say no at the time, but now she wished it had gotten incinerated. If it had, she wouldn't be awkwardly working her way into a shirt and shorts five sizes too small. And for what? Some miserable dream that reminded her she was strange. Maybe even broken. Just get it over with and be done. Get over Claire.

She'd be here soon, sleepy from work. Claire was always one to please with a habit of working too hard for things that maybe weren't that important. With a bit of luck, maybe this didn't need to end badly after all. A big, big maybe.

When the door opened she moved without thinking. She didn't even want to think about what was going to happen next. Claire stepped in, shut the door, and then she pounced. Sherry was up and clinging to the confused woman before either of them could make sense of what happened. If nothing else, Sherry could pat herself on the back for not crying before Claire showed up. If she had, she'd somehow manage to make herself look even more pitiful.

"How was work?" She asked softly, hands already too eager against Claire. She had to remind herself again and again this was going to make Claire leave. This would hurt in the end but it was necessary. But she was so soft… fingers brushing over the back of her neck, winding loose strands of hair gingerly around her forefinger.

At first, Claire thought it was all some sort of joke, even going so far as to laugh. She lifted her hands to ease Sherry back, but stopped short when she realized there was nowhere but bare skin to place her hands. "Work was fine but uh… whatcha doing?" She asked, smiling crookedly.

"I missed you." She said, trying to entice Claire into taking her. Just pinning her to a wall, exploring… Claire wasn't that aggressive though. Maybe in combat situations but at home, like this, Claire was absolutely passive it seemed. Maybe if she begged. Oh she'd beg.

"I… can see that, yeah." Claire said, another awkward laugh escaping her throat. "Still have that outfit huh?"

"Still have it." Sherry frowned, grabbing Claire's hands to pull them to her sides. They were warm but not soft. Not anymore. In her mind they were soft but Claire herself was rough. It was falling apart so quickly and Claire was still completely oblivious to everything. "I missed you." She said again, peering up at Claire as she began to gnaw on her lower lip.

"I missed you too." She said slowly, looking off to the side. Claire wasn't completely stupid as to what was going on, but damn it she'd pretend. Just because Sherry was "of age" didn't mean she was mentally ready for this. Not that either of them were mentally ready for much. One day at a time, one step at a time, anything quicker and they'd be prone to breaking.

Sherry leaned her head on Claire's chest now, taking a deep breath. She smelled like oil, a scent almost familiar enough to fit her fantasy. With a soft whine, she turned her head just enough to peer up at the other woman, pleading.

"Sherry… come on… Don't you think this is a bad idea?" She began, looking anywhere in the room but directly at the girl clinging to her. "I've known you since you were little and it'd really be bad for you if anything like this happened."

It wasn't a no on Claire's part it seemed, just a no directed at her. That was enough for her. "It's not your job to moralize for me. People have been making my choices for me for years! I don't even get the chance to make a "bad" choice and maybe… maybe I want to for once! Maybe I want to do something stupid because it's exactly what I want right now. Don't act like you didn't do that… Don't pretend it's not normal."

Claire finally managed to look back down at Sherry, feeling the girl's hands slide back up to her neck to keep her looking. She was too tired to fight it, and part of her did think Sherry was right. Yet, that still didn't make all of this right. Of all the terrible things Sherry had been exposed to, she didn't want to be added to the list of them.

"If you're going to tell me no…" she began, voice barely above a whisper now. "I want you to tell me no as a person. Not as some kid you used to know, but as who I am now. Okay?"

It was a lapse in judgement. One she couldn't even blame on alcohol because she hadn't been drinking. Most of the people who understood her were far away by now anyway at best, and at worst, dead. Forming attachments hadn't been easy since… everything. And it wasn't as if she wasn't lonely. Two people could make the same mistake together. That's what she'd tell herself later, she decided. Maybe she'd tell herself that over a few beers, and far away from this room. With a shaky breath, she closed the gap between them and pressed her lips to Sherry's, closing her eyes to block out the unfortunate image the outfit projected.

The image Sherry wanted to project.