"I've lost lots of friends over the years," Vincent said. "It doesn't get any easier."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Rafferty asked, lifting her head.

"No, I guess it wouldn't. I just wanted you to know I understood," he said.

Rafferty was lying with her head resting against Vincent's hip. They'd been in this position for most of the day, pretty much since Rafferty had finished in the Box. Neither had spoken for quite some time until just then.

Vincent had only arrived that morning. Sheridan had sent a message for him. He said that he came as soon as he could, going so far as to claim he'd left the final two children unrescued in a burning building so that he could hurry back.

Rafferty was going to assume that last part wasn't true.

Vincent lifted the back of her shirt, just a little. Rafferty stiffened as she realized he was looking at what Seth did to her.

"Will it scar, or will those snail things make it all better?" he asked.

"Hard to say," she answered.

"I hope it doesn't," he said.

"Maybe it will look cool, like yours," Rafferty said, looking at the area just above the collar of his shirt.

"Mine's ugly," he said.

"I like it. It makes you look older and smarter than you actually are," she said, attempting a cute little smile.

Vincent let out a short laugh, but then frowned a bit.

"You haven't seen the whole thing. You wouldn't like it," he said.

"Maybe I will soon," she said.

Vincent gave her a look that was really hard to read, but he didn't say anything right away. Instead, he decided to change the subject. Rafferty couldn't decide if she should be offended.

"Do you want me to try to find Seth? I think I know a guy who knows this girl who knows a guy…. I could probably do it," Vincent said.

Max had sent a few people out looking for her, but Rafferty didn't think they tried very hard. This seemed to upset her hall mates, who thought Rafferty was going to be mad. It turned out she was surprisingly all right with it. Catching up to Seth at this time could be dangerous for everyone involved.

And I really don't know what I'd do if they dragged her back here right now.

"No," she said carefully.

"You sure?" he asked.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"If she wants to ask forgiveness, she'll find me. If she wants to finish what she started, she'll find me. If it's somewhere in the middle, and I think it would be right now, I'd rather she not be here," Rafferty said.

She wasn't sure if he would understand, but he nodded.

Rafferty looked Vincent in the eyes. There was something she wanted to ask him.

An idea had occurred to her while they had been lying here, and its appeal was growing. It was childish, probably. It certainly wasn't as logical as she was trying to convince herself that it was.

But Rafferty found it powerfully satisfying in a way that was making her feel better. More in control. More like herself.

If Alex with Malice hadn't invented his scary new weapon, the Hunters would never have gotten involved.

If they hadn't ambushed Alex on the way to his tournament, then Max would never have put both halls on the shelf.

If J Hall and B Hall were working like normal, rather than just killing time, then Katrin and Cody would never have had their dustup in the Box.

If Katrin and Cody never have their fight, then Rafferty never gets sent to Corcoran with Katrin.

If they never go to Corcoran, then Katrin is still alive.

Which meant, as far as Rafferty was concerned, that the whole thing was Alex's fault.

It was thin, but it was what she had. And it could give her something she thought she needed.

A measure of revenge for Katrin's death.

"Where is Alex?" she asked Vincent.

Rafferty saw the look on his face, and was pretty sure he knew, or thought he did, but that he didn't want to say.

"I'm not sure I know," he said.

She pushed herself up into a sitting position, looked him right in the eyes, and tried to find a tone that said she was very, very serious.

"Best guess."

"I've lost lots of friends over the years," Vincent said. "It doesn't get any easier."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Rafferty asked, lifting her head.

"No, I guess it wouldn't. I just wanted you to know I understood," he said.

Rafferty was lying with her head resting against Vincent's hip. They'd been in this position for most of the day, pretty much since Rafferty had finished in the Box. Neither had spoken for quite some time until just then.

Vincent had only arrived that morning. Sheridan had sent a message for him. He said that he came as soon as he could, going so far as to claim he'd left the final two children unrescued in a burning building so that he could hurry back.

Rafferty was going to assume that last part wasn't true.

Vincent lifted the back of her shirt, just a little. Rafferty stiffened as she realized he was looking at what Seth did to her.

"Will it scar, or will those snail things make it all better?" he asked.

"Hard to say," she answered.

"I hope it doesn't," he said.

"Maybe it will look cool, like yours," Rafferty said, looking at the area just above the collar of his shirt.

"Mine's ugly," he said.

"I like it. It makes you look older and smarter than you actually are," she said, attempting a cute little smile.

Vincent let out a short laugh, but then frowned a bit.

"You haven't seen the whole thing. You wouldn't like it," he said.

"Maybe I will soon," she said.

Vincent gave her a look that was really hard to read, but he didn't say anything right away. Instead, he decided to change the subject. Rafferty couldn't decide if she should be offended.

"Do you want me to try to find Seth? I think I know a guy who knows this girl who knows a guy…. I could probably do it," Vincent said.

Max had sent a few people out looking for her, but Rafferty didn't think they tried very hard. This seemed to upset her hall mates, who thought Rafferty was going to be mad. It turned out she was surprisingly all right with it. Catching up to Seth at this time could be dangerous for everyone involved.

And I really don't know what I'd do if they dragged her back here right now.

"No," she said carefully.

"You sure?" he asked.

"If she wants to ask forgiveness, she'll find me. If she wants to finish what she started, she'll find me. If it's somewhere in the middle, and I think it would be right now, I'd rather she not be here," Rafferty said.

She wasn't sure if he would understand, but he nodded.

Rafferty looked Vincent in the eyes. There was something she wanted to ask him.

An idea had occurred to her while they had been lying here, and its appeal was growing. It was childish, probably. It certainly wasn't as logical as she was trying to convince herself that it was.

But Rafferty found it powerfully satisfying in a way that was making her feel better. More in control. More like herself.

If Alex with Malice hadn't invented his scary new weapon, the Hunters would never have gotten involved.

If they hadn't ambushed Alex on the way to his tournament, then Max would never have put both halls on the shelf.

If J Hall and B Hall were working like normal, rather than just killing time, then Katrin and Cody would never have had their dustup in the Box.

If Katrin and Cody never have their fight, then Rafferty never gets sent to Corcoran with Katrin.

If they never go to Corcoran, then Katrin is still alive.

Which meant, as far as Rafferty was concerned, that the whole thing was Alex's fault.

It was thin, but it was what she had. And it could give her something she thought she needed.

A measure of revenge for Katrin's death.

"Where is Alex?" she asked Vincent.

Rafferty saw the look on his face, and was pretty sure he knew, or thought he did, but that he didn't want to say.

"I'm not sure I know," he said.

She pushed herself up into a sitting position, looked him right in the eyes, and tried to find a tone that said she was very, very serious.

"Best guess."

*