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Damian's head snapped up to see Richard there, standing in a menacing fashion with a gun in his hand. Where was she? he thought bitterly. Now that Damian had proper time to think, he remembered Richard going after Raquel with claims that she had "killed her."

"You tell me..." he said with just as much of a threat in his voice. With agony, Damian rose out of bed to stand on mostly one good foot. He hobbled towards Richard with rage making his silver eyes glint like polished coins.
"You're only asking... so you can become the killer yourself, b*****d. W-why don't you go and find your comfort with the woman you say you love? She's no doubt sleeping in bed, alone, hurt, and all you can wrap your feeble brain around is murdering someone, someone who I'm guessing you have no solid proof committed the crime you so badly want vengeance for."

Damian hobbled backwards, seemingly drunk with pain. But he kept on his rambling. It was the only thing keeping him from doing something insane, like racing out the door after Raquel and dying from reopening wounds.

"Because that's what this is all about, isn't it?" he sneered, nearly breathless. "The blood sacrifice to satisfy the vengeance... even if you're on the wrong path, even if she's not really the one who killed her, you still want to see the street run red just to satisfy that insane obsession of yours..."

Damian would have struck Richard right then and there if he could have stood solidly on two feet.It seemed a battle of words would have to suffice, since Damian could not fight for Raquel's already battered honor.

"Open.. your eyes... you love-struck fool," he repeated right back to him, so slowly with those allegedly closed eyes boring into his. "I wanted to save her from the streets... to help her in the way I never could seem to help Lorey... I crafted that stupid, awful reason from thin air to have something to lure her away from that... career."

Damian stopped suddenly to catch his breath. Already the room was starting to spin, and his knees feel weak from standing for too long.
"And I did... I did... and I met a beau... beautiful person, who's suffering and terrible fate pushed her into being a whore." The very word was spat out like venom.
"But you, you have this beautiful person of your own that you are ready to seal away in a glass house in order to 'save' her from the very world she wants to know and love. You wish to murder, to strike down a possibly innocent life to save another who would fear and loathe you for doing so. Tell me, Richard..."

And here is where Damian staggered back with a grin, because in his heart, he already knew the answer.
"What wold Lorey say, right now, if I were to tell her that you wanted to take a pistol to Raquel's head because you thought... because you have a very good guess, that she was the one who murdered your wife? What do you think Lorey's reaction would be at that image of you striking down a lowly street inhabitant just like she once was, only to look down upon the dead body and flowing blood with the thought that you had won?"

Damian watched him like a hawk all the way until the door closed. It wasn't until then that his real weakness showed, causing him to practically collapse in a heap upon the bed. Just before blacking out, Damian's lips whispered a response to Richard's question:
"I never said she was."


It was a few more minutes until Lorey's breathing changed a bit. She was awake, but wished she was back asleep because of the throbbing in her sides and wrists. It was better than what Damian had, though. She just had to keep telling herself that.

A little noise escaped her lips as her eyes found Richard.
"Ah..." she said, daring a smile. Under the covers, she could still feel the torn dress and the way the blankets fell over her bare stomach. There were pajamas in the drawer.... she'd bought them with Raquel. Only problem was, she'd need help putting them on. It was just a simple matter of pulling things over her head and over her legs, but her fingers were too swollen to be of much good.

"Yeah..." she whispered. "Me and Raquel, we went out shopping... girl's night out... and we went to the salon." Just thinking about being pampered made her smile, despite everything that had happened. But she had her Richard back, she had him back...

"Do... you think you could get the pajamas I bought out of the drawer...?" Lorey's cheeks went pink with embarrassment, though she was a bit too sleepy to really care enough to keep quiet.

Lorey was red as well, but he was so gentle fitting the night gown over her that she couldn't say she minded.
Even when he asked about her comfort, she laughed it off.
"That can stay... I won't be too uncomfortable." Plus she wasn't about to go braless with him around, since she wasn't quite that comfortable with him yet.

"Thank you... I feel a little better already." Which was true. Though she still felt like hell, Lorey had peace of mind with Richard around.
"I... I wouldn't feel guilty about not being there... no one could have seen her coming."

((respond tomorrow if you're so sleepy... and sleep! n.n ))

Lorey's eyes stared out at her splinted wrists. "I don't know... she said I reminded her of someone who betrayed her. She wasn't right in the head, Richard. And it all happened so fast..."

It was then she finally recounted the entire story to him, from beginning to end with no details left out. Some parts were a bit fuzzy, but Lorey did her best to make sure everything came out well enough.
"...and I didn't want to black out because I wasn't sure if I'd wake up," she said, with a guilty smile. "I didn't ever want to risk not seeing you again. But I knew you'd come, I knew you would when I needed you... I love you, Richard."

Lorey bumped her head against him in a playful fashion. She didn't want him to feel guilty over this, only loved.

((You haven't messaged me back in forever D: ))

Lorey loved how every time he kissed her, she could feel how much he loved her. It was such a silly, remarkable thing that sent a jolt though her stomach every time.

"Is that why... you went after her?" she asked, very slowly. "I thought maybe you thought she did it all... what do you mean?" Lorey wasn't sure how the woman she had gone out with alone could have possibly hurt anyone else. Damian, though... how was he taking that?

"Does Damian know? How is he, is he alright? Did the doctor patch him up?" Lorey asked in a burst, suddenly more preoccupied with the once-dying Damian.

((It's alright, just want to make sure everything is alright and that you're well <3 ))

"You know, I was part of his surroundings once," she said, with a little hint of distaste. "And how're you so sure? Have you talked to her about it?"

To be honest, Lorey didn't like his tone to begin with... there was a constant sense that he wasn't letting on something because of her state, which, while she could understand, wasn't really appreciated at all. But, she laid back carefully upon her pillow to stare up at the ceiling while her body twinged with the beating that still clung to her.