Cobb stood before her. He blocked her path to the door with outstretched arms, shaking his head. Alexa stood before him, hair disheveled, finger pointed at him. The whole scene was like an angry painting, slashes of crimson and scarlet strewn about. Cobb swallowed, concern in his eyes as his eyebrows furrowed.

"Madam, you've had too much to drive," he said. "At least let me do the driving."

"Get out of my way Cobb," she warned, balling her hand into a fist. "I'm going to find her, and I'm going alone."

"But why, Madam?" Cobb asked, eyes fixated on her. She'd been acting out ever since she'd discovered that Kat had run away, throwing things and screaming and crying. Her eyes were still red and puffy, the tears still staining her cheeks.

"Because," she started, slowly and forced, "I did this. I need to do this. Now move."

Cobb cleared his throat and searched around the room as if he could find a suitable answer. "No, Madam. I will not."

She growled, then screamed and darted toward him, trying to dodge him as he leapt into her way. He caught her though, and they both tumbled to the floor with an awful thud. Cobb groaned, gripping Alexa as tightly as he could while she kicked and screamed, demanding to be let go.

"Madam, you've had too much," he repeated, strained, doing his best to hold the squirming body in his arms. "Stop Madam. I implore you!"

"No Cobb! You stop! Kat could be, unf, in danger, or, or--"

Cobb put his hand over her mouth. "Madam, I apologize for this, sincerely. But I mustn't let you walk through that door. And if you refuse to hear me, then I refuse to let you go."

Alexa struggled for a bit more, flailing about in an attempt to get up, before finally giving up and going limp, quietly sobbing. Cobb took his hand off of her mouth, and the sound of her gentle crying filled the air. As she lay on top of him, she said, "She's gone, Cobb. She's gone. It's Sarah all over again. I, I, what have I done...?"

Cobb slid out from beneath her and stood, dusting off his black uniform. Then, he held out a hand to Alexa, offering a concerned look. "Madam, this was an accident. Please, take my hand. We'll get you to bed, and in the morning, we shall search for Kat. I will even go out tonight to see if I can't find her before she gets too far."

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Wiping her eyes, Alexa took Cobb's hand and hoisted herself back up. Sniffling, she said, "Please do Cobb. Please find her."

"I shall do my utmost best, Madam. Now please," he said, putting an arm around her, "come with me to your bed. You need sleep. You've had quite the night. We all have."

And gently, he helped the sobbing Alexa to her room, laying her in her bed. With a promise to return, he set out of the room, leaving her laying there, hands hiding her face, as she groaned to mask another sob. What had she done? She'd done the one thing she promised Kat she'd never do. She struck her out of anger. Just like she had Sarah. And now Kat was alone on a cold, rainy, windy night, running, afraid.

She rolled over and faced the picture of Sarah on her dresser. Memories floated through her head. The time at the zoo, when Sarah had gotten to feed a toucan. The time she'd tripped while rollerblading - a hobby of hers - and scraped her knee so badly that they'd had to go to the hospital. Oh, and she could never forget the time that they'd had on the riverwalk. When they'd taken that picture, it'd been Sarah's birthday. They'd gone out to dinner, saw a movie, and went for a walk along the river.

Distant times, she thought, wiping away another tear. Was Kat simply a replacement for Sarah? Could it be that Alexa simply wanted to fill the hole left in her heart? No, no, she thought. Kat was something different. Something new. And she left a new hole to be filled in her absence. A hole gaping, a maw of hurt.

Shaking, Alexa sat up and picked up the picture of Sarah, before laying back down and holding it over her head. "If only I'd known," she said, voice shaking. "If only I'd known what I had done, I would've never done it. I would've stayed with you. I wouldn't have left your side. But, well, you know me." She laughed bitterly. "I don't learn, do I? Too stubborn."

She rolled onto her side, holding the picture of Sarah to her bosom. "I fucked up," she whispered to nobody. "I fucked up bad."

Oh, she'd gotten the business deal. That'd gone through without a hitch. But it paled in comparison to the loss she'd just suffered. The loss of a cute smile, a head of soft hair, a gentle voice and skittish temper. The loss of Kat. The loss of Sarah. The loss of two pieces of herself that would never come back.

She prayed to whatever god was out there that Kat was safe and that Cobb would find her. Would she come back willingly? Or would she put up a fight with Cobb? Either way, Alexa would be waiting for her when she got back. If she got back. The thought made Alexa hunch over, wanting to hurl. Kat would be safe, right? Right? She wasn't so sure.

Sarah was supposed to be safe too. Sarah had a good head on her too. Sarah was clever and cunning and thoughtful too. But Sarah was gone now. There was only Kat. And Kat was gone too. And Cobb was gone, out to look for her. And her wits were gone, frayed at their ends. And her ability to cry, gone. Her feelings, gone.

A sudden numbness settled over her. She may never see Kat again. It may be like Sarah all over again. And it was her fault. Alexa did this. She fucked it all up.

"Oh my god," she muttered. "What have I done?"