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It hasn't been terribly hard figuring out where America was. A little asking around, and Peyton knew they had the Moon in recovery in the infirmary. WhT took more effort was deciding what to do with that information. She wanted to see the other girl, enough that it settled like an arch in her chest, but at the same time...there last meeting had ended so poorly. So seemingly finite.

But then they'd talked a bit in Twitter, and when the whole Noah issue has come up, America had been incredibly, supportively vocal in defense.

Still. It had taken a night and a morning before the blond would show up. Lingering outside for a bit before actually entering and seeking out America's cot. When she found her, pale and bandaged, she felt the same painful worry she always felt when the taller girl was hurt. The one that stabbed straight to the core.

It was almost reassuringly familiar.

"America?"

The return smile was an automatic one, familiar, not quite as bright as it might have been. "Hazard of the job." It was a dismissal of sorts, but one that abolished blame. They were hunters, they got hurt.

"I didn't mean to wake you." America looked exhausted, drawn and pale. "I could go, so you could get back to sleep." And it came with an unsure step back, brows arching with the question.

The situation was one that had played out many times before in various combinations, but Peyton had never quite felt so unsteady of her welcome.

Peyton took the invitation gratefully, moving forward to take a seat on the edge of the mattress beside the other girl. One leg came up to cross her ankle over her opposite thigh, and that was where her hands ended up, at least unit she started toying with one of the bangles on her left wrist.

"Thursday, about four in the afternoon." She knew from personal experience how easy it was to lose track of time when you stuck on a hospital bed.

"How're you feeling?"

It was as reassuring as it was meant to be, and the Sun smiles again, softly, as she brushes a few curls behind her own ear. "Island wide, or specific to the continued soap opera that is my life?"

Peyton had a feeling that was probably what America would pick. Really, it was probably better that way, the girl hadn't been paying the closest attention to everything that had been going on around the island beyond the biggest things, and those would have been easy to learn about over twitter.

She toyed with the bangles again, spinning them on her wrist so the metal caught the light. "Well, Andy's managed to stick around." It was said with a mixture of relief and frustration. "I think he's figured me out, because I can't seem to get rid of him."

<Not that you want him gone.>

Shut up, War.

"I read that letter he gave me on Christmas, the one I mentioned in our DMs?" It had only been week or so later. Not like she'd been scared of what she'd find or anything.

"Yeah," Peyton agreed softly, gaze averted, because she could already feel heat spreading across her cheeks. "I'm pretty sure I might be stuck with him." This seemed an understatement. If her outburst after Halloween hasn't scared him off, she wasn't sure anythung would.

It was worrying and comforting all at the same time.

"Kinda, I guess. It wasn't what I was expecting, which was good at the time. Just an assurance that he had my back no matter what." That was signed with love. "He's been staying in my room." For better or for worst. "The whole thing just makes me really nervous, ya know?"

"Mm." It was more an acknowledgement than an actual answer, but she didn't seem very comfortable with the subject either, so a change was welcome.

"I think everything's fine, I mean I haven't heard otherwise." She frowned thoughtfully. "Astrid seems to be enthusiastically exercising her independence." Thin shoulders came up in a small shrug. "It's probably good for her. I haven't heard from Jude in a while, but I haven't heard anything to lead me to worry either." The entire clan, as far as Peyton knew, was fine.

"How long do you think you'll be back?" It was a little hesitant. Mostly Peyton wanted to know how much emotion was safe to invest this time around. Which seemed cold, to think about, but safe.

"I'm sorry you got fired." It was automatic, sympathetic and genuine. "I'm happy to see you though. I mean the conditions aren't anywhere close to ideal, but I missed you." And it might just be the most emotion she's let show since she'd arrived to see the other girl. Relief, happiness, and beneath it all, trepidation. Because what if they never manged to find that common ground again?

"When you're settled again, maybe we can do dinner." America's house, or Peyton's dorm. It didn't really matter where, so long as the effort was being made.