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Sally strode quickly away from the chubby ghoul in the cafeteria, following her hunter. He'd abruptly turned and made for the big double doors, cupcake wrapper lying forgotten on a nearby table. Her brows knitted quizzically - what had she done to make him so upset?

This time, she amended grudgingly.

"Wash!" Sally called his name several times, but the bigger man didn't stop until they'd arrived out on the training fields. The fog cast everything in shades of grey, and dim sunlight filtered through it's depths. She watched him as he stood there, deep in thought. She put her hands on her hips, frowning. He spent entirely too much time thinking, that man. Always thinking himself into useless circles. She wished she could help him, she really did, but...

But first he had to decide to help himself.

"Wash," she called, this time a little more gently, her voice lilting into an almost-question. "Wash, what are you blaming yourself for now?" Sally tried to make it sound light hearted, but the little frown grew into a grimace. She shook her head, and her white hair crackled around her, a sparking halo. It did that when she got emotional, or irritated; that much she could remember. Sally sighed, and stepped closer to her partner. She enjoyed having a body again, albeit temporarily, but it was a lot harder to communicate now- to be on the outside, seeing only the surface. She could guess what this was about, though; she'd let him say it himself.

"Stop. Just stop right now." She had been patient, she had cajoled him, for all these months, had talked him through his guilt and sorrow about so many things, but- she was tired. So very tired. This was supposed to be a training exercise - she'd been granted her freedom, albeit temporarily. She wanted to have fun, wanted to meet the others, wanted to relax, wanted... But no. Instead, she was glaring into a pair of eyes that looked half-broken. A cruel, petty part of her wanted to just push him over the edge. One little nasty remark, and she could be on her way - to go have fun, to make friends; he'd probably just go back to his room and mope. She wouldn't even have to hear him- she was alone in her head, for the first time in a long time.

Sally almost did it. She took in a breath, started to speak - then let it all out in a sigh. No. She didn't want to spend the better part of the next few years in awkward silences. Besides, he had been kind. He was always so kind, and so careful, and it was something about him that she valued the most. He needed to keep his head, so he could be there for the others. Even if they didn't see his value, as she had. One day, he would be strong again. Not plagued by doubt, or guilt, or ghosts of the past.

They would overcome.

"Wash, Wash, Wash. No one made me do this." She jabbed herself in her chest with a thumb. "Nobody but me. You weren't even here when I came to be, probably weren't even around yet when I was...born," she finished. Her hair wafted gently, little crackles here and there quickly dying out.

"You don't see me crying about it, do you?" She stomped her little foot impatiently. "C'mon, let's go back. We can have some fun, take the edge off, yeah?"

Sally let her hands fall to her sides as the man slid to the ground, overcome. What dark images had he found this time? Which doubt was he quietly nursing? He never told the others how he'd felt - not in recent memory, anyway. What must it be like, she wondered, to keep all that pent up inside? Jack, he needed a therapist. Or a confidant. Someone to talk to, someone to tell him he was alright. She wondered, quietly watching him wrestle his own inner demons - was this what made him who he was? Did the kindness stem from fear? The warmth from self-doubt? She hoped not. He was nearly unbearable already; this couldn't continue or he'd burn out. She bit her lip, thinking. What would a human do? She shook her head; that was silly. She did what she would do instead.

She knelt down in the grass, smoothing her skirt, before reaching out to envelop him in a firm hug. Her small hands massaged his back gently, in tiny circles, and she murmured into his ear. "Shhh, shhh. It's in the past." With her smaller stature, she couldn't manage much, but she tucked his head under her chin, giving him her shoulder, rocking him as if he were the child. It was irritating, not knowing what he was thinking. They'd seen and done so many terrible things together. She winced, remembering the crunch of bone as she'd connected with the body of the young female hunter who'd fallen in the desert. Of how she'd missed her mark, there in the caves of sand; Medea escaping her grasp. She wasn't meant for offense anyway, really. She was meant to protect. She shielded Wash from his sorrow, and thought quietly to herself. She had soul searching of her own to do, it seemed; and now was a good a time as any, free of the confines of her partner's mind.

She listened to those whispers, lost in a memory. Of how she'd first found him- how they'd met. He'd carried sorrow then, too... But had it been this much? Had it been so overwhelming? Had he always felt this small?

Sally held him close, thinking. No, he hadn't always been this way. There had always been regrets, guilt - but that was normal, right? It had never overwhelmed him. Never threatened them, like this. She pulled back a bit as her hair started to crackle. Not enough. He was right; they were still... weak. Inexperienced. It was her fault, partly. She'd let him wallow, thinking it would pass, thinking he would forgive himself; but the world hadn't stopped for Wash. It had kept on going, and guilt after guilt, sorrow after sorrow piled on; each a new wound. Pity was replaced by anger. She had been powerless to stop it from happening, as much at the mercy of their captors as he had been. Had had to watch so many terrible things happen to them both, to others; to their friends.

They had to move. Had to move forward, had to grow. She could protect him then- if they were more powerful, nothing could touch them. Nothing she couldn't stop.

She put her hands to the sides of his face, jerking his gaze up to meet hers. "We can do this. Together." She tried to push that belief into her face, her eyes, shining with intensity. "We can get stronger. Okay? We can stop it from happening again." She paused, searching for words. She finally let go of his face slowly, getting up off the ground and dusting her knees.

A small, pale hand shot into view. She was offering to help him up; but asking something more. "Will you be brave for me, Wash?"