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There was a blanket upon the window seat, but they were mostly sitting on it. What half he could pull up just barely covered them. It covered Raquel, though, and that was enough.

"And you are an amazing woman," he told her, before kissing her forehead as he had done at the mall. Silence seemed to envelope them once the sobs and tears ended, and the night truly came in the world outside. The air would get chillier, no doubt making this little area by the window a bit colder, too. It was a fortunate thing, though, that he felt so warm inside. He hoped sincerely that Raquel felt the same, if not a little better about everything.
"You should curl up in bed... did you buy pajamas?"

Even if she did, it would be hard for him to let her go. Damian didn't want to let go just yet.

Damian closed his eyes as she felt his face like a blind person learning features. If she wanted him to stay... then he would stay. He doubted she was ever allowed to have anything she wanted before he came along, so such a simple request would be nothing for him to fulfill.

"Would you like me to see you off to sleep?" It was Damian's turn to touch features, first starting with her smudged eyes (which weren't really all that smudged since she had cried most of the makeup right off), to her fine little nose, and then to her own lips. They were nothing like Lorey's features, but he was finding himself to be more partial to Raquel's than hers all of a sudden.

"Alright."
Damian had to admit that he was not a man of strength, but in this moment, he would try. Being very careful, he picked up Raquel from the window seat, and carried her over to the bed, where he set her down once more right towards the middle, with himself sitting behind her, arms still wrapped around where she could feel secure.

"This is all yours, you know," he whispered, reaching behind him for a pillow. "This bed, this room, the clothes you chose today... or yesterday, whichever it was. It is all yours, and no one can take it from you."
With a smile and a rather dreamy look in his eye, he calmly added, "And I suppose that goes for me as well."

He enjoyed that little kiss, but had to constantly keep himself in check. There would be none of that at this stage of their relationship, especially not when she had been used so many times before.

"We all hurt people in some way or another," he said. "I think this is just a matter of enjoying one another's company, and seeing how far we get without driving each other completely and absolutely insane... that is, if this world doesn't do that first."
The pillow was brought over so that she could rest her head, while he sat nearby to hold her hand or rub her back. Damian didn't quite trust himself to hold her close for the night, not when he was full of emotional baggage and bound to make some kind of mistake because of it.

"Ah..." So, she, too, was being hunted by something. But what? And how did fate push them all together like this? It was madness the way things were playing out, something Damian did not think was fated at all, but due to someone pulling strings. But damn it all, who?

He shook his head, not being any closer to an answer, and reached out to touch her brow.
"This is strange... how we are all being victimized by something we cannot see or hope to understand." His fingers began stroking her pale forehead, barely touching at all. "But I would not worry about this right now, Raquel. You do need sleep..."
The morning would come soon enough without them worrying over things they could not do anything about.

There was something in that request that made his heart ache. Such a simple thing to ask for... she never made any sort of unreasonable request, so it should not have surprised him as much as it did, but Damian held on to that strange shock anyhow.

"Thank you... I will come if you want me to. And if ever you should wake up and need me for something, you know that I am right next door." He let her hold his hand so close to her heart. If he concentrated enough, he could make out her heart beat. It made him smile. Truly and honestly smile.

"I should tell you stories or read to you or... something, if you enjoy hearing me prattle on so much."
He thought of the library filled with books he managed to save from his office. Surely there must be at least one story in there that would hold their attention for a few nights at least...

"Good night, Raquel..."
And she was asleep. Damian didn't leave, though. Her hands were still holding his, and for a moment, he found that he was simply content with sitting there, and not worrying about anything but Raquel. Was she sleeping well? he wondered. Would she have nice dreams, if any at all? He hoped she would. Better than his dreams, at least.
It was so strange how everything between them simply fell into place. He could take terrible advantage of her, he knew. It was almost sickening how Damian could envision her doing almost anything for his sake, and how he could dangle everything he had given her right over her head. He'd done it before to many others. Women, especially. But he couldn't do that to Raquel. She'd been hurt enough and he could not add to that and go on with life.

A few minutes passed, just watching her sleep. Damian's eyes began to droop, but she still held his hand... such a desperate grip, even in sleep. And so, not wanting to disturb her at all, Damian simply laid back upon the bed, and fell asleep next to her, hoping this wouldn't make her feel awkward if she ever woke up during the night.



Lorey could sense that she was a good storyteller. There was a way Richard listened and hovered over the words with her that made her keep going. Every now and then, there would be a word like "ambrosia" or "embroglio" that would trip her up, but everything else went smoothly.

But suddenly a yawn broke her mid-sentence, and Lorey knew it was time to place a bookmark between the pages.
"Ah... guess we better head in..." she mumbled as she rubbed her tired eyes. "When will you be leaving for your trip?" Looking up at the stars through the dome, Lorey wondered which star would hold her Richard for a few days. She'd make a wish on every one while he was gone, every time wishing for his safe return.