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The hospital have given her the okay to go home, her left ankle wrapped up in a bandage from a pretty serious sprain that she hadn't noticed until they got to the hospital and the adrenaline wore away. That and a myriad of other injuries slowly crept up on Rhona until she was seated next to Xi-Wang and Jason, cussing at the pain. It really was bullshit, that they had been mugged (or so they were telling the nurses) and bleeding and still they had to sit. Xi-Wang was bleeding from his gut for chrissakes. But nope. They had to wait their turn, behind a young woman who was complaining that her ankle was broken. She was stomping around on it. Rhona had glared daggers at her, black eye forming from god only knew what until the woman caught her eye.

"We were mugged tonight, my boys were stabbed, him in the gut. But sorry about your ankle, princess." The woman sat down, suddenly happy to wait her turn. When it was their turn to be seen, Rhona insisted that she walk. She wasn't so bad off, after all. just a heavy limp and something in her side screaming at her.

Rhona wiped tears away from her injured eye (the doctor said it would be weeping for a few days until healing started) before she knocked on Lavender's door. She winced at the shockwave of pain it sent into her injured ribcage, even having used the arm that wasn't currently in a sling.

What's up? The question had been so simple, but there was no simple answer. Rhona gaped and grasped for something to say... Lavender had asked the question with such simplicity, like they hadn't just almost been murdered by mirror space. Like they had just not seen each other in a few days when Rhona was worried that Lavender had been panicked that Lavender wouldn't make it out. Panicked that she wouldn't make it out herself. Like it hadn't been a mad dash to safety. Like the result hadn't opened up a deeper mystery from mirrorspace.

"Uhh," Rhona stumbled stupidly, blinking away her confusion, "Wait hold on, that's it?" She hadn't meant to sound do aggressive... or was that frantic? Did she sound angry or hysterical? She felt more the later, but knowing her, it sounded the former... recover Rhona, recover.

"I mean we had kind of a big night... I know Jason and Xi-Wang are alright, I saw tot them already... I just kind came to check up on you..." She looked unhappy. Well, honestly, Rhona wouldn't be happy either if someone had dragged her along on that adventure. Lavender didn't want any part of the Dark Mirror Court and even though Rhona was certain that it would have been a quick look, fix something, nothing too bad. Maybe do a little scavenger hunt or something, not what they went through, though. So yeah, of course Lavender was angry.

Rhona cleared her throat awkwardly, wincing at the pain in her ribs.

"Uh, I don't mean to intrude, but I ******** up my ankle... can I come in?"

Rhona tried to brush off the help... honestly hobbling ten feet wasn't really an issue, but Lavender's arm was around her before she could do anything and once it was there she didn't really want to push it away. She took the seat graciously, hoping that tomorrow her ribs and her ankle would be markedly better like the doctor had promised.

The first night is the worst.

"I'm never too busy for those under my care," she smiled once she was settled. "And besides, I'm mostly worried about you. Jason and Xi-Wang signed up for what happened in Mirrorspace. You didn't..." Rhona feel silent, picking at the sling around her torso. It was roughspun and worn, with plenty of stray threads to pull and pick at. Perfect for nervous fidgeting. Clay and others like him had been so easy to charm. She had been so bold and brash with them, dazzling men and women alike with her antics and turns of phrase. Why was this different? Why was she suddenly thrust back into old skin, uncertain of what to do and say? What was the difference with Lavender?

"Lavender I'm so sorry." She finally burst, "I was sure that crack was going to be an easy fix and it's be a good time to get you introduced to some other senshi. I'm sorry, I never thought it was going to be the affair that it was. It was supposed to be a nice little team building thing that was going to... I dunno... convince you to stay -- I don't want you to purify. I don't want to lose... you..." Quiet again as Rhona stared, wide-eyed at Lavender and at herself for suddenly saying so much so suddenly.

Friends...

It had been Lavender's lips, but she swear that she heard Raven's voice in place of Lavender's. How many ladies was she going to kiss once and then relegate her to friend-status? Rhona hated the term "friend-zoned" since Lavender didn't owe her anything, and in the end it was about Lavender's comfort and happiness instead of Rhona's stupid crush but... it didn't stop the dissappointment.

"Yeah, friends," Rhona smiled, scratching her cheek because she was worried that she'd pull the sling to threads if she kept fiddling. "I guess that kiss back there was pretty out of place then! My bad," her smile was slowly turning genuine, as smiles had a tendency to do, "I misread all of the signals I guess. Wouldn't be the first time, I mean. I'm kinda famous for acting on impulse anyway. Sorry about that too." She was happy. She really was. Lavender wasn't going to purify. Lavender wanted to stay in her life. Lavender counted her as a friend. Those were the things that really mattered. Not stupid kisses and whatever else.

Then why did Rhona feel like crying?

Had Rhona heard correctly? She... she hadn't misread anything... that was somehow more confusing to Rhona than before. She couldn't put her finger on why... but there was suddenly something roiling the pit of her stomach, telling her that something was not quite... sitting right. Not wrong, persay, how could like Lavender be wrong? She was beautiful and talented and kind... she was perfect. More like... disequilibrium. Like Rhona's understanding had tilted and she couldn't right it again... but why?

Still she smiled despite that confusion because underneath the thunderstorm of uncertainty, there was happiness.

"I had to triage," she began, as though explaining herself would fix what happened. "Jason and Xi-Wang were bleeding... you weren't. I had to go where I was needed most... I should have told you, I'm so sorry." She was still learning how to lead... and that didn't come with a manual. Still, communication should have been intuitive. "I did mean to kiss you," she finished quietly. "And I'm glad that made you happy."

When Lavender talked about wanting to go to sleep, Rhona readied herself to leave. Of course she was tired, and truth be told, Rhona was too. She didn't want to go back to her apartment... Xi-Wang was going to be there unless he went to his boyfriend's place to avoid being alone or out with Jason so that they could process what happened together... but it would be suddenly lonely without Lavender...

And then she asked Rhona to stay. Rhona paused in her shifting. Stay? Like this? Rhona wasn't going to be the best company... everything hurt, from her injuries to her strained muscles. And she couldn't cuddle worth a s**t with her busted rib either. All she could -- and honestly wanted to do -- was lie in bed until she slipped into a coma...

"Of course I'll stay," she whispered because her voice had ******** off evidently. "I'm not going to be much fun, but I'll stay as long as you want."