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Raquel tried to stop her, not wanting Damian to be bothered but she was already gone. Raquel was holding her arms, her face hardened and sad when she returned. "I told you... ...He's fine..." She felt her tears starting up, knowing how horrid Damian must look, despite doing much better. She didn't want them to see her cry, so she pushed off the counter, passing lorey to get back to bed. Though Richard took a step forward, catching her arm.

"It doesn't sound like it, and I don't think you're fine either..." He spoke firmly yet gently, Raquel pulling to get free before bursting out into tears. Richard pulled her into a hug, looking up to Lorey with steady but concerned eyes. "Shh...it's ok.." He whispered, taking on the appearance of a father comforting a child.
"No it's not!" Raquel cried into him. "Those things were here for me! If I had just gone, just left-" She cried harder into him. This was a first for her. Damian had been the only person she had been able to show emotion to ever really. Now here she was crying to Richard and Lorey. Maybe she had just had enough. Stuffing her emotions inside her to try to put on a strong visage, it was tearing at her. It was probably a big part of her nightmares as well. So just letting it out to anyone who could offer support... it was nice.

Raquel tried to calm down enough to explain. "J-just a day or so after you left. Damian took me out to a music festival, and when we got home...they were here waiting for us..." She shook her head, more tears pouring out. "They wanted me to go with them... I should have gone... I should have!" She burst into another round of tears, burying herself back into Richard, who did his best to console her. "I could've stopped it if I just left!" She tried to push through the memories of that night, shaking a bit. "He screamed- I couldn't move-!" She was shaking terribly by now. "I thought I had lost him. I swore he was dead on the way to the hospital!" She was getting weak now, exerting so much emotion on such little sleep and nourishment. She hadn't called Richard and Lorey because she just hadn't thought about it. They were off on another planet, enjoying themselves, and Raquel was just in survival mode.

Raquel sniffed a bit trying to stop her tears. She wiped at her eyes shaking her head. "N-no....Everything's fine...I've got it all under control." She gave her bravest smile, as she smoothed back her hair. "It's just I dont think I've just sat and cried since it's happened. Teared up yes, but I haven't cried for Damian's sake... Please dont tell him about this. I'm really ok now. Just so tired..." She gave a pleading look to Lorey, then Richard,as she pulled herself together. "Thank you though... in all honesty... thank you..." She smiled though still looked so worn and defeated.

Raquel sighed, smiling tiredly. "You're right..." She shook her head, rubbing the red from her eyes. "I'm sorry to worry you both for nothing... But thank you..." She turned and gave Richard a quick hug, then the same to Lorey, saying her goodnights with a nod before making her way back to the bedroom.
She then did just as Lorey suggested. She slipped off her jeans, crawling right back into bed with her Damian. She slipped her arms about his waste, hugging him from behind and resting her forehead against his turned back. She felt tears come on again as his familiar scent and sounds filled the room, amplified for some reason. And then her pain started. Intensified by her worry for him, though she didn't care. She merely sat in her silence, holding him tight, so she could feel him breath and just know he was alive.

meanwhile, Richard furrowed his brow, rubbing the back of his neck as he sighed softly. "Poor girl...Poor Damian..." He said softly, shaking his head. "I Swear those two have been through hell in a handbag..." His face was stern and worried as he leaned against the counter. He seemed deep in thought. "Damian...is this new man... Not the same filthy rich Centurion we both knew from the ballroom... He's not even as horny recently, besides the accident." That in itself shocked him. "And Raquel...she's trying so hard to be maternal to everyone, and to him, though deep down she's jsut a- a child." He blinked blankly as he stared off into space, sighng as he tried to make sense of his thoughts.

"Thats what I meant..." Richard nodded in agreement to her, furrowing his brow more. He let a short silence take over the kitchen before looking up to Lorey. "Do you...think there's anything we could do?" He asked, feeling rather helpless for the couple in the other room.

Raquel didn't look at him. Her eyes were shut for a moment longer, opening only to stare off into the distance. "I'm sorry if I woke you..." She whispered, not answering his question. "I-...I just needed to feel you..is all..." She furrowed her brow, trying to focus on anything to get the pain out. A few of her muscles involuntarily tensed as she consciously molded into him again, her hand clutching at his shirt on his chest, as she shut her eyes tightly again, trying to hide away the mass of emotion and thoughts away somewhere, anywhere, so Damian wouldn't see her pain.

Richard sighed, pulling up a chair and seating himself with a sigh. "I honestly think she wouldn't allow our help if it were offered... The best thing... may just be to let her do what she needs to do...and offer her emotional support when she needs it... That's the first time I've seen her, like you said, vulnerable." His heart went out to her when she began to cry, not expecting it from her. And for that moment he tried to console her, his past thoughts and feelings towards her dissipated.


At his touch, the pain subsided for a moment and she exhaled the breath she had been holding, smiling ever so faintly. She took his hand, pressing it against her cheek more firmly, eyes still shut. "J-just my exhaustion. I couldn't sleep, and just have a lot on my mind... I'm fine." That was all mostly true... but at the same time, mostly false.

Richard nodded, rubbing the bridge of his nose, and a little at his eyelids tiredly. "Hopefully.." He repeated with a soft nod as the silence of the house started to get to him. "Should we go to bed love?" He asked after a moment. "There's nothing else we can do right now, so sleep sounds lovely." He noted with a smile.



How could she turn such an offer down? Damian had a way of making her want to comply to anything. Especially in his soft, loving way. But she wouldn't sleep. Even if she wanted to, it was too quiet, making her too vulnerable. No she wouldn't sleep. She hadn't wanted to worry Damian, but she didn't know who else to turn to. "...It...It hurts...a little..." she whispered, her voice so small as she opened her eyes slightly, hoping they wouldn't water up.