Welcome to Gaia! ::

::sorry you had to wait::

"I'm coming" Ruby called from the kitchen, she took her drink and sat dwon at the end fo the table, so she wouldn't elbow anyone (she's left-handed). "Sorry you had to wait on me," she apologized. Ruby relaxed in her chair a moment and waited for someone to pray.

"Alright, I guess I'll say grace." Azalia volunteered. She bowed her head closed her eyes, and said, "Lord, we thank you so much for this food, and for this building, which you have graciously given to us as a place of refuge. May you help us to spread your truth to as many people as possible, and more. Help us to remember to love all our neighbors, even those who want to kill us. We ask this in your precious name, Amen."

((Did I do okay? I don't usually handle grace.))

Azalia's eyes widened and she froze at the pounding on the door. She stood immediately. Had the soldiers found them at last, or was the pounding someone looking for help? "Stay here." She commanded everyone in a serious, yet strangely calm and quiet voice. "If I don't yell 'the coast is clear', I want you all to hide, immediately. Sneak through the tunnels to other buildings if you can. Use the ones we added, the military will know all about the ones that were already here, and might be waiting there at the other end." She walked out of the dining room, and went to the door where she had heard the pounding. She checked the monitor, and saw a girl crying at the door. She scanned the scene for soldiers in case it was a trap, but didn't see any. She decided to take a chance. She opened the door. "Come in, quickly," She said hurridly to the girl, motioning her inside.

"I told you to stay put," Azalia whispered to Mia, taking the blanket. Still, she was grateful that Mia had brought it. This girl on the doorstep looked mighty cold and wet from the rain.

"I'm sorry..." Mia said, rubbing the back of her neck, "I just...felt that I needed to do something..."

[I'm swapping colors too]

Jessica rushed inside at the other girl's command. It wasn't a hard one to follow; the cold rain added to what she had just witnessed seemed to propel her into the building.

She couldn't do anything but let the girls give her the blanket and cry. She felt silly, walking into a strange place with no explanation ready, but what would she say? Still, there was a warmth to this place. She could feel a sense of love that she had never felt anywhere else, except when she was with Cassie.

"J-J-Jessica," she choked out, quickly trying to stifle her tears. She hated crying, especially in front of people. Yet here she was, sobbing histerically in front of a bunch of strangers.

"Shhhh," Azalia said comfortingly to Jessica. "You're safe now, it's okay." Mia came back with the clothes. "Thank you, Mia. Here, Mia has some dry things for you, you can come right here to the bathroom to change." She led Jessica a few doors down the hall to the ladies' room. She pulled a towel from one of the cabinets under the row of sinks. "Just go right in there to change. After that we'll go eat. Do you like spaghetti?" Azalia wanted to have Jessica warm, dry and fed before they asked her her story.