Troy was still in the front passenger seat of the car. He turned around and smiled at her as the security barrier was lifted. Troy ask was she okay and Marina made to smile back. But froze looking at him.

His wet suit.

Troy's wet suit was stained with purple liquid. It stained the seat. It was in his hair, on his neck. Purple clouded the waters surrounding them.

"Troy had been poisoned." Marina gasped and took on too much water in her lungs, beginning to panic.

The terror fish. The hospital. The palace. It all came flooding back. And Troy was poisoned. Or still poised? The fish was going down. They were running to the exit tube.

"Hear this commander shore. Hear this." Boomed Titan's voice as the crew made their escape from the city.

But they were sat in the car not the shuttle.

"Sir you'll never believe this! It's Titan, on our radio!" Fisher said again, hands on the wheel glancing back at the mirror at her.

"What are you talking about lieutenant?" The wrong Shore growled at him.

"Marina, honey?" Miss Shore said to her instead.

"Death awaits you, Tempest!"

"I don't want to go back."

"Marina? Hey?"

"Death awaits you, Tempest. Death awaits- "

"Not true. Not real. Don't make me go back. I'm not there I'm here-!"

"Marina?"

"Is she okay?"

"I'm here."

She took a deep breath. Marina closed her eyes tight. Then opened them.

She and Troy weren't running. They were a car. She was still in her seat. In the car. Not on the fish. Not in Titan's city or the control tower a week ago hearing his demands. They were still in the back of Fisher's car. With Fisher, he glanced at her in the mirror. And Atlanta who was peering at her.

Troy was looking at her too.

In his uniform. His clean uniform. No blue or purple and his clean face was frowning at her.

"You in there?" Troy asked. "I just asked if you were doing okay, but you froze up?"

Marina nodded, shakily. And pinched the web of her thumb again trying to wake up.

"I'm okay... Is there an English word for a nightmare when awake?"

"Are you... Still tired?" He guessed. "You can rest up while we drive you know? "

"I think she was trying too?" Fisher put in. Despite him driving at what was a sedate pace for the lieutenant, the world was flashing past, far too fast for Marina.

Marina nodded again. But lent over her knees "Yes. Still tired.I know. I'm trying too. I am So tired that truth from dream has become harder to tell apart what's a sign for tired or sleepy I can't think."

She tried to spell it out to them even if she didn't quite convey her feelings. But Marina couldn't sleep and stay awake stay wake either. Even if her eyes are like the antique lead weight cannonballs Pacifica children used to find on the seabed and play with in the shoal holidays.

"You're shivering again." Atlanta frowned. "Are you cold? No?"

"No." Marina flinched as Atlanta made the pull the blanket around her again. Marina pushed it off and drew her feet up curling up instead. Then put them down again unable to Shake off the weird tension like pins and needles over her.

Troy must have noticed some sign that something was wrong despite her insisting she was okay.

"Fisher pull over when you can?" he instructed. Not sharp tone but one that was very no nonsense.

"Sure. Is she sick?" Fisher asked as he did as he was told. "Think there's a bag by your feet captain if she's going to puke- "

" Gross."

"Ew." Marina agreed.

The world tipped again. Thankfully it was just Fisher pulling up onto a curb.

"No. Atlanta, it's like earlier. Before she-? Erm."

"What happened?" Fisher asked.

"Well somethings making Marina anxious." Was all Troy said.

"Oh no, poor thing." Atlanta worried, turning back to Marina. "What's gotten you so uneasy?"

"No, it's not. I'm not crying again! I'm not panicking." Marina frowned irritably rubbing her face.

"Is there anything we can do Marina?"

"I guess we let her calm down?" Troy said.

"We can't just let her ride it out?"

"Telling someone to calm down has never worked ever either!" Marina snapped scowling at him.

Troy looked up at her sharply, frowning again. Marina looked away embarrassed. Then that car door slammed.

For a horrible moment, Troy had gone.

"Troy!?" Marina gaped and thought this time she'd gone too far.

"Troy?" Atlanta echoed, confused and turning in her seat.

Marina was relieved to see him round the car, even if her hearts still rocketed. Then opening the car door next to her, Troy knelt down.

"Captain I wouldn't do that on the roadside?" Fisher called also twisting in his seat.

"Put your hazard lights on, I'll be fine." Troy waved him off leaning over Atlanta's lap undoing a rank cuff rolling up his sleeve. "

I know it looks crazy," he said to a baffled Atlanta. "But this worked earlier? Marina gimme your hand?"

Marina did so. It shook with the tremmers much to her dismay. Troy didn't comment. He gave ita quick squeeze with his then took her her hand and pressed it to his bare wrist. And held it there wrapped it around with his other hand.

"Yeah? Remember what you did earlier? You checked my pulse?" Troy said encouragingly.

Marina nodded getting his drift(wood).

"There? you see?" he smiled. "Just focus on that. And yours? And your breathing. If this don't work we can try something else don't you worry."

Marina nodded she hadn't hurt his feelings; Marina tried to forget the strange paths of dreams and memory her mind had gone. She really did. Even matching her breathing to Troy's pulse, calm and steady.

When Troy had first been poisoned the Doc had mentioned off hand that Troy's, a healthy athletic human, heartbeat would have been about sixty beats a minute. Instead, it had been as slow as her own at rest. And faint. It had barely been there at all as he'd gotten worse.

Again, under her fingers, now Troy's pulse was strong. Healthy. Her hand was dwarfed by his larger hand.

"One. Two. Three." Marina counted.

"I'm okay huh?" Troy said. "you'll be okay too."

"Still alive. Still okay." Marina nodded, concentrating. "One, two, three. One, two, three."

The other three were talking quietly to fill the silence as she did so. And being encouraging. Atlanta was rubbing circles on her back. Well, her good shoulder. Marina didn't even flinch as Atlanta reached out and gently brushed Marina's fringe from her face again. After a little while Marina started feeling a little more normal.

"Better?" Troy asked. Maria nodded a third time but tried to smile. She felt awkward with them all watching her again. Fisher was downright staring. Marina let go of Troy's wrist and nudged his hand away, signing a-okay.

"Atta girl." Troy smiled and got up. But stood there hands on hips, puzzled frown.

"It don't seem as bad as the others she's had today?" he mused aloud. "But I Guess it's still pretty rotten for you, Marina."

Marina shrugged and nodded. Then leant her head on Atlanta's shoulder, epilates be dammed. Atlanta made a little sound of surprise but wrapped her up in another hug all the same.

Although the panic passed and Marina felt slow and heavy in her body, inside her own head was still a tad jittery. Troy stood leaning on the car another little while longer; until he was satisfied she was settled then got back in his seat, Marina's eyes tracking his movements.

She let out a big breath out.

"Still in the car." she thought refusing to cry. Her leg across another seat, Atlanta still holding her like a sister might. Fisher started the car again and with a small bump they were on the move again.

"Not in the city of Titanica. Far away from Titan. No radio-"

A kiss of all things was pressed to unbruised temple interrupting her thoughts and her racing mind crashed to a halt. Much to Marina's surprise.

"It's alright." Atlanta said again mumbled into Marina's hair. "it's alright Marina honey."

"Are you telling me or yourself?" Marina frowned twisting to look up at her. It wasn't the most flattering or most comfortable angle to view Atlanta at. Especially when Atlanta looked back at her sad shiny eyes that didn't match her smile. But Marina took comfort from the gesture anyway. A lot of comfort, although she was pretty certain a terrainian wouldn't know how much it meant. It had scared the worst of her own fears away at least for the moment.

This was most defiantly a cuddle now. But feeling sleepy and exhausted Marina didn't partially mind. Instead, she wriggled back to rest her head back down on Atlanta's shoulder.

"I'm gonna pull the blanket up. Give you some cover." Troy said leaning over the seat. "we're getting some funny looks from the neighbours."

"Marina's not the one who was just knelt on the roadside." Atlanta teased with a chuckle. Then to Marina asked, "Are you staying there then?"

Marina gave a tap, "yes." Hesitantly she put her own arm around Atlanta's middle to draw close. Feeling the rise and fall of Atlanta's chest even with the vibrations of the car was soothing and Marina felt it ground her as she drifted. As well as the quite nice feeling of the other hand running through her green hair.

"Oh shush." she heard Atlanta say. Though it wasn't at her. It was at Troy and more to do with the look on his face. When Marina looked he what had what Phones would call a mushy frown. Troy Tried to turn it more upwards when he saw her looking. And turned back around in his seat again.

"Clean seat. Clean suit. Uniform even, not wetsuit."

With great effort she wriggled a hand out from between them to hold Atlanta's hand that was on her arm.

"I'm alright." she said. (well, thought loudly.) Squeezing the red painted and got a smile (concerned sure, but still a smile) down at her. "And Troy's okay, I think. I'm okay. We're all okay. Right?"

No one said yes. But Marina felt reassured anyway.

They drove on. Marina watched their little world go by. And even up at the stars. Upat stars though the glass ceiling of the throne room, above and up through the mighty ocean-

Marina cursed at it. It seemed to hang over her for a moment, even when it wasn't real. She wasn't back in Titanica. But had been. Only find herself back in the car with no roof and her head still on her friends shoulder a few seconds later. Then flat on the floor of the terror fish, lights flickered bright then dim as they passed under unlit streetlights.

Atlanta sniffled; Marina heard her. It brought her back to the car again, although her eyes were closed she could hear and feel it. Thenstartled as something wet plinked on her face.

"Rain?" But when Marina opened her eyes again just for a moment there's no clouds at least not above them. It's darker. Not night but still. Marina resettled and closed her eyes again. Dark meant it'd be night soon? And there would be stars. She liked stars. Real ones. Not the ones she kept seeing.

"Shh. is she asleep?" Fisher asked in a hiss.

Marina felt Atlanta shake a head. "But she's dozing I think?"

"we're nearly there anyway." Troy said. Marina nodded; and was reminded of the return home earlier that day.

"Gosh that felt a while ago."

He wasn't kidding.