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Recovery (Closed RP)

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Hollowpoint Heroism
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Recovery (Closed RP)

(While I'm normally happy to include volunteers into my RP...thread...thingies, this one's going to be strictly closed. Those on the 'guest list' know who they are.

I'm not trying to be exclusionary, it just doesn't make sense for random people to be walking into a suburban home uninvited. After all, doing that sort of thing in real life leads to screaming, possibly shooting and inevitably police intervention.)

The Wishart Residence is one among a vast number of suburban homes nestled between the busier districts of Titan City. Situated in one of the more affluent neighbourhoods scattered about the city, Alan's home is certainly not anything mansive, but isn't exactly what one would call 'modest', either, due mostly to his profession and successes therein.

It has been somewhat of an empty nest recently, with his daughter recently starting college, his son sick in hospital and his wife having passed away five years prior.

However, today the Wishart home would become a hive of activity, starting in the dying hours of dusk, just after the attack on the EdenTech satellite lab...

Somehow Alan Wishart, his now cybernetically-augmented son Tobias and two exhausted, wounded heroines had gotten free of the nightmare-ish afternoon that had presented itself in the form of a military force kicking in the front door of Alan's lab and trying to kill everyone on site.

The amazingly unscathed, ten ton box truck they'd left in rumbled down the suburban street, catching not much of an eye as the sunlight faded in the West, the sky tinged with reds and purples as daylight relinquished it's dominion and gave way to evening.

Amid the sounds of children playing in the street, the gentle patter of sprinklers and the sight of perfectly manicured lawns all around, it was hard to think that such a Hell could've existed only several miles away. Still, to everyone present in the truck, it had been as real as the driveway that Alan drove into, the comforting glow of his home's external lighting not enough to stave off his worry.

He had patients to attend to.

The truck came to a halt outside his front door, just in front of the garage, Alan immediately hefting himself out the moment the engine had shut off and the parking brake had been deployed.

And then came a voice from over the fence and the hedge at the boundary of his home.

"Weeeeell! How's it going there, Neighbour?"

Kyle Winslow and his wife Karen had been living next door to the Wisharts for several years now, and in that time had they'd both proven to be thoroughly obnoxious human beings. He'd routinely be seen sticking his nose in affairs which weren't his problem (usually with poorly-timed jokes attached), while his wife had proven herself to be a seasoned gossip-monger. Then there was the matter of outstanding items from Alan's power tool collection which had still yet to be returned...

Alan tensed up like a bristling cat the moment Kyle's sing-song voice struck his ear, his reply short, and succinct,

"Fine. Busy, actually. I've had a pretty rough-"

He'd never get the chance to finish his sentence, Kyle slinging his garden shears under his arm and smiling,

"Weeeell, guess you'll be interested to hear the news, then! I was talking with the missus and she said apparently Janice over at number seven is officially 'on the market' again, if y'catch my drift"

He made with a cringe-worthy 'nudge-nudge, wink-wink' gesture, Alan staring at him with utter disbelief for approximately half a second before moving to the back of the truck and hauling it up. Immediately Kyle went into 'sticky-beak' mode, trying to figure out what was in the back, Dr Wishart shook his head. Janice was about as interesting as watching paint dry, was completely self-absorbed and had a child that routinely made Alan want to attack his face with a rusty fork.

"I'm...not really all that interested in dating again quite yet, Kyle. I've got a lot on my plate at the moment and-"

Interrupted again by the troublesome neighbour, Alan sighed and gestured for Tobias, armor and all to remove himself from the back of the truck to help with the injured and incapacitated.

"Y'sure? I mean, she's a real looker! If y'want I can run over there and talk to her if yer a little [i]shy[i/]. Shouldn't take more than a-"

The look of frustration and irritation cracked at that moment, Alan turning on the spot as his son emerged from the back of the truck, both barking,

"KYLE! NOT NOW!"

In perfect unison.

Winslow didn't know what was more shocking. The fact that normally mild-mannered Alan Wishart had turned around and barked at him, or that a heavily-armored, six foot five figure with glowing, green eyes and had emerged from the back of the truck he'd been driving to do exactly the same thing. Stunned to silence, Kyle immediately flicked his gaze elsewhere, muttered something and vacated the scene, leaving Alan to sigh frustratedly, adjust his blood-spattered shirt and nod to his son,

"Take Wren into the living area and set her on one of the couches. I'd rather not dither about with Ms Grace's injury if I can. Last thing we need is any complications. After that I'd say get the Sarcophagus inside as well. I know you've been through a lot today, but I'm going to need your help in making sure everyone's okay."

Tobias' first footfall thudded onto the driveway, followed by the second as he replied wryly,

"No problem. I mean, I've only been asleep for what, a month and a half? Clearly what I need right now is more sleep."

Alan huffed a chuckle, patted his son on the shoulder and then moved to the front of the truck, Tobias just in time behind him to have Wren unconsciously placed into his arms. Next, Alan gently maneuvered young Grace out of the back of the truck, again being cautious of her wing at all times and moved inside toward what was loosely termed his 'office'.

It was in fact, the fourth bedroom of the house, extensively renovated and fitted out with enough medical equipment to render it almost a miniature operating theater in it's own right. Thankfully Alan had tried his best to remove the cold, sterile nature of such places, it decidedly more welcoming than a conventional doctor's office.

He gently set Grace down on the examination table, then drew it away from the wall into the middle of the room, swiftly trundling a small table on wheels around to tuck it under her draping left wing and offer it some support. Immediately he then moved toward the storage closet, swiftly collecting a sterilized packet of operating tools, some gauze, bandages, antibacterial ointment, absorbable suturing thread as well as gloves and mask, setting them hurriedly by the sink before moving to drag the IV stand out from the corner, and collect a bag of nutrient fluid from cold storage.

He swiftly scrubbed his hands, donned gloves and mask then turned, took a steadying breath...and got to work...

--------

Outside, Tobias, with Wren in-hand thudded and whirred his way into the living area, it incorporating both dining, kitchen and a sitting area all in the one, open space. He gently moved to the largest couch, gingerly setting her down onto it, sighing weightily before setting a hand on her shoulder and intoning in a metallically-toned voice,

"I'll be back in a second. Don't worry, you're safe."

before heading back outside to collect the Sarcophagus. Thankfully it was basically dark now, so few, if any would notice the heavily armored figure return to the back of the truck to retrieve a metal case the size of a small car from the back.

Again the sound of armored footsteps filled the entry hall, accompanied by the gentle whine of the Sarcophagus' motorized wheels, Tobias finally coming to park the device in a corner, facing inward toward the rest of the living area. He quietly paused to take stock of his situation, then sighed, moving to gaze out the accordion sliding doors that formed one third of the living area's walls, watching as the filter in the pool outside sent hypnotic ripples through crystal blue body of water.

All was seemingly quiet now, though the din of combat still rung in the ears of his memory. His eyes came to gaze at his hands, amazed at what they'd done. His next thought was to the rest of his armor...and potentially getting out of it.. He couldn't see any fastenings or releases on the armor itself, so clearly there had to be another method...one which revealed itself the moment he muttered,

"Wonder how I get out of this thing..."

As if by voice command, the toe end of the Sarcophagus suddenly swung upward to stand vertically in the living room, it gently sliding forward on it's trolley before a series of metallic arms unfurled from the case's underside and paused, waiting for him to step into their embrace. Tobias paused, gazing at it curiously before shrugging with a soft whirr and adding,

"Well, that answers that question."

He thudded his way over to the many limbs of the Sarcophagus and stepped into their reach, gazing at them before turning around and waiting. Reaction came in the form of a pair of limbs reaching down to latch onto his wrists, gently pulling both of his arms up and straight out at the shoulder while the rest began to move. Each claw that connected with his armor latched onto a specific piece and removed it by disengaging the associated electromagnet keeping it mounted to him before removing the plating from his way. Each disconnection felt thoroughly bizarre, sending a gentle vibration through his skeleton, until with a gentle click and a wave of stars across his eyes, the neural interface plug connecting the armor to his nervous system disconnected from the back of his neck, causing Tobi to blink widely and take a step forward....

...only to collapse onto his hands and knees against the tiled floor beneath him.

He grimaced sternly, then blinked, peering at the backs of both of his hands, case-hardened steel knuckles and titanium actuator strings having replaced the fine tendons that moved his fingers. He now sported a sleeveless, form-fitting shirt and shorts combo, much akin to that of a cyclist's uniform but likely thicker and stronger of material.

Most startling of all was that he was quite substantially bigger than he had been going into the Sarcophagus. Now six foot two and over two hundred pounds of, lean, corded, cybernetically-augmented muscle and titanium bone. With a groan he gazed into the tiles of the floor, curious as to the soft, veridian glow that reflected dully in surface, it actually originating from his augmented eyes which now had a soft glow all their own, iris and pupil the origins of such.

Finally, and partially as expected on his part, his legs weren't looking to do their part. He'd figured after nearly three years in a wheelchair, it'd take some time to get used to things like 'walking' again, however right now, he didn't have time to play the part of yet another person in need of help. He needed to be able to help the others.

"Come on legs, I haven't got time for this..." He muttered, before with a bit of effort he managed to haul one of his limbs forward, then the other and rise to his feet, propelled by the perpetual sensation of worry tugging at his chest.

Immediately, his first port of concern was Grace, who'd been wounded in the attack this afternoon. However, by the time he managed to rather shakily and deliberately plod his way to his father's 'office', he'd found Alan washing his hands gently, the white, fluffy wing now gauzed and bandaged, Grace having been hooked up to an IV bag and quietly slumbering on the exam table in the middle of the room, her breathing steady and regular. Tobias flicked a concerned gaze to his father, then to Grace, the Doctor smiling and nodding,

"She'll be fine. She'll certainly need some time for that wing to heal and recuperate, but all in good time. I'll have to ask you to help me move her to the guest house later. More comfortable surrounds there. Waking up in a small exam-slash-surgery room doesn't exactly make for a calm start to one's day."

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Wren drifted in and out of

Wren drifted in and out of consciousness innumerable times throughout the ride. Her thoughts, like smoke, wandered from subject to subject before falling to pieces and shifting to something different. She tried as hard as she could to hang on to lucidity, but it became more and more impossible as time flew past.

She felt herself being manhandled out of the truck, and then regained enough of herself to watch Tobi struggling to stand. When she came to again, she found herself slumped over on a couch on her side. The sticky mess of blood and dirt covering a large portion of her suit made a stark contrast to her surroundings. Bits of broken feathers and grime splattered onn the hand she held up to the light had their own odd mix of colors and textures. She didn't know how long she held up that hand, just focusing on every little speck. The colors shifted, bits of mica in the 'rubble' embedded in the stickiness on her hand fascinated her.

---

She drifted away again, into dreams and nightmares, her right wing draped over her body, the left tucked up against the back of the couch. Minutes or hours went by with no notice by her conscious mind. Dreams, not only of this latest slice of buttered hell, but others she's been involved in, mix in strange ways. Narcotics-fuled dreams of hr parents, her new family, old friends and acquaintances flitting in and out of her dreams in odd costumes and masks of animal heads.

There is no rhyme or reason to what happens in her head.

Eventually she comes to enough to stumble around, banging into walls and other furniture marking her way by the blood-and-dirt stains she leaves behind. She finds her way to and somehow -through- a door and takes the few stumbling steps needed to drop her in the shallow end of the pool. Luckily for her dignity, she will probably not remember splashing around in the pool, whistling bird calls as loud as she can.

---

She's standing again, dripping, most of the gunk cleaned off or thinned out by her antics in the pool.

The next time she's found, it'll be slumped unconscious outside in a wet suit, her phone in her hand.

The last text message had been to Nick.

"Safe...
house summwer
not ded
yay"

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

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Alan sighed a heavy sigh as

Alan sighed a heavy sigh as he stood at the edge of the pool with arms crossed, a look of utter pathos written upon his face. At his feet, Wren now lay, looking...decidedly cleaner, but damp from head to toe. Sitting on the surface of the pool was an accumulation of tan and brightly colored feathers which had likely been shed through Wren's thrashing and...bird-calling.

Not to say anything of the path she'd left through the house, marked by blood, dirt and feathers which now adorned walls, floors, furniture as well as the ruins of several, decorative vases which lay shattered where they'd fallen. Alan's main concern was to his patients at this juncture. And while one had been successfully transported to the guest house and was likely resting comfortably, the pool deck was no place for anyone to sleep.

Tobias, having had a little practice with walking again (admittedly punctuated by a fair few stumbles), joined his father at the pool deck, having done his best to clean up at least the shards of broken pots. The marks could wait for a less urgent time. He folded his hefty arms and shook his head, Alan joining him in the gesture, a towel slung over his shoulder which he handed to his father, Alan arching over to gently wrap the poor, young lady in it, trying to dry her off some. By now he'd figured his current shirt to be a complete write-off once all this was over, it picking up yet more blood and grime as he worked to dry poor Wren off as best he could,

"The poor girl took enough painkillers to put a horse to sleep during the fight. Unfortunately the side-effects are...well..."

Tobias pursed his lips, nodding gravely,

"Messy."

Alan did his best to gently pat-dry the tan-colored wings, before nodding to Tobias, stating gently,

"Better put her up in the guest house as well. I'm pretty sure there's a spare mattress and some linens in the closet in there. Better to have both patients in the one place than to split them up."

Tobias, for the second time today arched down to scoop the unconscious girl off the concrete, though pausing as a gentle clatter of plastic against the pool deck catches both their ears.

A cellphone, the last message still sitting proudly on the screen:

"Safe...
house summwer
not ded
yay"

Alan gently scooped it up, examining the sender and the nature of the message, Tobias surprisingly finding little strain in carrying another person's weight in his arms as he peered at it curiously, his eyes emitting a soft pulse of green light,

"She sent a message?"

Alan nodded, examining the phone, then started a new message, nodding,

"Must be a friend of hers. I'll send this 'Nick' some details. Hopefully he can come by tomorrow. Last thing I'd want to do is keep someone in suspense."

Tobias nodded at that, settling Wren in his arms again and nodding,

"Well, I guess we'd better clean the marks off before he turns up. Last thing we need is some guy thinking WE did this to them..."

Alan nodded at that, busy tapping out a second message, one that would perhaps be a little more lucid, before handing the phone to his son so that he could deposit both girl and communication device in the same location,

"Nick,

Your friend, Wren is, as previously stated in her message, safe at my home and is in the process of recovering, along with another young lady by the name of Grace. If you'd like to come around and visit in the morning, I'd be more than happy to oblige. If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to contact me, but rest assured in the fact that both of them are in the best of hands.

Sincerely,

Doctor Alan Wishart, MD.

He'd signed off with his cellphone number and home address for this 'Nick' to follow should he be inclined to. Hopefully whatever arrived at his front door in the morning wasn't going to be hostile. He'd already seen his lab turn into a warzone. The last thing he needed right now was for his home to become the same thing...

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Nick's earpiece mechanically

Nick's earpiece mechanically reads the texts to him. He blows a tuft of hair out of his eyes, plopping down into a nearby chair. It was an uncomfortable chair, but he didn't have any other place to sit.

He runs his fingers through his hair, about a million questions running through his mind. So they were at this Wishart's place. He'd heard the name before, it was breifly mentioned at corporate meetings for researchers in big projects. Was the wing going to have permanent damage? Would it effect Grace's ability to fly? How bad was Wren? Did Wishart need supplies? It sounded like he didn't he was a doctor, after all.

Nick stood and paced, thinking ahead now. "Levi, I need the prototype suit ready by morning. the wings will take too long, we need to focus. If the house is attacked, I'm not going to stand idly by while my--" his kind flashed back towards a week or so ago, of Wren, Nick, Maddie, and Grace's pilow war, "--new family is in danger. Let's get to work."

Levi nods. "Yes, Master Ridley. It will be done."

Nick quickly sends a response to Wishart:

'Expect me tomorrow morning, around 7:30 - 8:00. I will be accompanied by a large robot. Thank you for taking care of them.'

Nick and Levi then began to work efficiently but quickly, Nick getting little to no sleep. But he was used to that.

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cry of pure fear scratches

Grace ... slept. It must have been sleep, and not unconsciousness, because she could swear that she dreamed-- though she later wouldn't recall what about.

Suspended in darkness, it had been peaceful, that sleep. She'd known that Wren would live-- had seen with her own eyes the other winged-girl's wound heal before her eyes. So she was peaceful and content.

It was only as she began to become aware of herself-- slowly, slowly--, that Grace began to feel any emotions again. And as she did, many became tangible in rapid succession.

It took several tries to open her eyes, and several tries more to blink away the blurriness that obscured her vision. She immediately noticed that she was indoors-- laying on her back on something-- and a second later, became highly aware of a sensation in her left arm. Her swimming vision finally locked on the queer-feeling limb, and panic gripped coldly at her guts, jerking her fully awake and acutely aware. There was an IV in her arm, attached to some unknown substance. Had they lost? Was she kidnapped, held hostage for ransom?

Flailing wildly for a moment, Grace managed to get herself sitting-- and yelped loudly at an unexpected stab of pain in her left wing. Her panicked eyes swung around to look at, and found it bandaged near the furthest joint, folded neatly toward her back, and securely bound to her body by several bands of thick gauze wrapped around her torso. A tiny, strangled cry of pure fear scratches out of her dry throat-- but thankfully that fear also keeps her physically immobilized long enough to get a better look at her surroundings-- which rapidly calms her.

Noting that she isn't physically restrained to anything, Grace exhaustedly swayed in her seated position-- on a broad, comfortable bed. She was in a room-- a little guest house, she determined moments later, noting a little bathroom nearby, and able to see out several windows that wherever she'd ended up was part of a larger property. A privacy screen of hedge and shrub separated her from a larger building nearby-- she could see it through the leaves in the softer, muted colors that told her it was very early in the morning. Too early to be up. Her panic subsiding, the winged girl had to determine that, wherever she was, it must be friendly, given that they'd bandaged her wing...

Grace finally catches a glimpse of Wren as she is gingerly easing herself down onto her back again. They'd cleaned her up a little, she can see in the grayish light, and laid her at the foot of Grace's bed on a pallet on the floor. The sight of Wren's humped wing rising and falling as she breathes relieves Grace like nothing else she'd seen so far. Her sister was here with her-- they'd be okay...

She gazes drowsily at the ceiling, allowing what memories she has to come back to her... The EdenTech lab, Doctor Wishart, the boy-- his son-- in the Sarcophagus, the pain of the energy beam piercing her wing, falling, healing Wren... Her eyes start to slip closed again, as the thought floats lazily across her mind that it must have been Doctor Wishart who had bandaged her wing. Maybe this was where he lived... If it wasn't, and she was indeed being held captive, well-- it's not as if she could get away on her own, anyway... At least her family was here...

*Brevity of Grace* - 50 Emp/Archery Defender
Backstory - Just Grace
*Hematitan* - 50 Grav/FF Controller
Backstory - Hematitan

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Safe to say, as evening had

Safe to say, as evening had relinquished its swarthy hold on Titan City and gave way to the first vestiges of morning, Alan Wishart hadn't done much in the way of sleeping. He'd found time to get changed into something less bloody and disgusting, a simple button-up shirt and slacks, and now sat barefoot in the living room, at one of the stools in the kitchen, a glass of scotch in hand, quietly sipping it and waiting for morning to trundle around. He'd figured that after the escapade with Wren trying to take an impromptu bird-bath in his pool, it'd make sense to have someone keep an eye out in case it happened again.

Though he'd be damned if he hadn't earned his drink.

For now, he watched and waited as the sunlight began to creep into his backyard, the first rays of such striking the pool and sending sheets of reflection scattering against the walls of his home, and the privacy screen of the guest house in turn. His eyes flicked down to his cellphone, 'Nick's message still staring at him with unmoving letters. He'd be arriving soon, Alan figured, gazing around his home, which had since been cleaned of the stains and damaged pottery in the small hours of the morning. There was nothing to do but wait....

--------

Tobias in the meantime had managed a somewhat...fitful night's sleep.

Well, actually, he'd not slept much at all. Somehow he hadn't felt as though he needed to. He'd whittled the rest of the early morning away with cleaning up the mess poor Wren had left all over the house in a drug-induced flurry of activity, before sitting at the end of his bed, deliberately exercising the extremities of his legs to perhaps get them into a more functional state of order by morning. At about six-thirty, he'd showered, figuring it had been probably God-only-knew how long since he'd washed properly, and donned some new clothes that his father had picked up a few weeks before he'd emerged from the Sarcophagus.

They were nothing special: a pair of jeans and a black ringer shirt that, as he inspected himself in the mirror for the first time in weeks, seemed to fit a little too well. His fingers gently traced across the steel plates that now protruded through his skin at his cheekbones, behind his jaw and and on the corners of his brow. Viridian eyes regarded those reflected in the mirror, the gentle glow of such....striking to say the least.

He sighed gently, resigning to the fact that this was 'him' now. It may not be entirely what he imagined, but he was alive, well and probably stronger than he'd ever been in his entire life. With a gentle shrug, he emerged from the bathroom, feet padding heavily on the tiled floor as he entered the living area to find his father casually sipping at a glass of scotch, a sleepy nod acknowledging his presence.

"Morning."

Tobias immediately made a move toward the fridge, peering into it curiously before shrugging and locating milk, and some leftover protein powder that had sat unused in the pantry for a good few months while he was in hospital. He set about mixing up the 'first round' of breakfast for himself, somehow intrinsically knowing that this meagre start wouldn't be nearly enough.

"Did you sleep any?" He asked his father, lofting a brow.

Alan simply replied with a shake of the head, sipping his beverage,

"Not a wink. Figured someone needed to stay up and make sure Wren didn't attempt another painkiller-induced swim. That and, by the time we actually got finished, there really wasn't any point. Our guest should be arriving any minute."

He hoisted his head back, downing the last of his scotch as Tobias padded, momentarily stumbled, then continued his walk to the accordion glass doors out by the pool, peering with concern at the guest house. Alan huffed a small breath of amusement, adding,

"I know you're worried, but you did the best you could given the circumstances. They'll both be fine. Wren just needs sleep and a good meal, and Grace's wing should recover without a problem. Even then, its probably best to just let them sleep as long as they need to. I'll see about making some breakfast once everyone emerges."

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Grace, on the opposite hand,

Grace, on the opposite hand, had slept deeply and dreamlessly after her first startled awakening. It's the sleep of those that are healing-- sunk down so far into restfulness that they are deaf to most of the world. Every ounce of her energy had been expended to heal her sister, leaving none left for her. The IV bag to which she was hooked had restored vital nutrients, but eventually she would need to feed herself. But... maybe not just yet.

The white-winged girl had her sister near her. That quiet reassurance was enough to give her leave to sleep again, even as the sun began to rise higher, advancing the morning along to the inexorable march of time.

Breathing. All she had to do for now was breathe...

*Brevity of Grace* - 50 Emp/Archery Defender
Backstory - Just Grace
*Hematitan* - 50 Grav/FF Controller
Backstory - Hematitan

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Nick and Levi arrived sharply

Nick and Levi arrived sharply at 7:35, this time travelling by foot. He hadn't wanted to startle the group inside, but he was anxious. He was very dishevelled...his shirt was backwards, was wearing two different color shoes, and wearing only one sock. His jeans were their regular faded blue, worn at the knees, and there were unidentified black smudges where he had wiped his hands. His lab coat was also slightly stained and wrinkled. He had a red backpackers slung haphazardly across one shoulder.

Levi followed close behind, keeping with Nick's hurried pace. His feet thudded at every step.

They walked up the driveway, and Nick pressed the doorbells, scanning the house. It was a good size--possibly difficult to defend. He was visibly jittery, having slept none at all. He rolled on the balls of his feet impatiently.

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Tobias was first to hear the

Tobias was first to hear the doorbell, head swinging to the front door's location and eyes emitting a pulse of green light. Not a fraction of a second afterward he was on his feet and moving toward the door with determined, if not occasionally wobbly strides. This whole 'getting used to walking again' thing was getting annoying. There was a gentle click before one of the front doors swung open...and the juxtaposition that occured couldn't have been more stark if the universe had willed it to be.

Where as Tobias stood now six foot two and built like a linebacker, this young fellow was considerably shorter and leaner of build. The poor lad looked like he'd gotten dressed in the dark, sporting mis-matched shoes, a t-shirt that Tobi swore was on backwards, dirty, ripped jeans and a grungy lab coat.

Still, he managed a good-natured smile, his glowing, viridian eyes momentarily regarding the massive, cybernetic construct standing behind the haphazardly-dressed fellow for a moment before he intoned,

"Nick, right? Come on in and make yourself at home. No-one's up yet but..."

Tobias paused, sniffing and turned around momentarily. The faint smell of breakfast, namely bacon, filled the air behind him as removed his hand from the door, allowing both young man and machine inside, quietly thanking his father's foresight in installing vaulted ceilings in the process.

"Nobody's up save for me and my father, but I dare say if the smell of breakfast doesn't rouse them, I'll probably shuffle out there and wake 'em up."

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When Nick saw Tobias, he had

When Nick saw Tobias, he had a flashback to when he had gotten into a fight with his high school's quarterback, who had been twice his size. He may be small, but Nick was determined to a fault.

He smiled faintly at Tobi, nodding at his question. He gestured towards the robot behind him. "This is Levi. Say hello, Levi."

Levi spoke, his usual rumble, "Greetings."

Nick entered, followed closely by Levi. "Careful with the door frame, Levi." Levi ducked, enterring with some difficulty, but was glad he could stand at his full height.

Nick immediately looked over to Alan, "Are the two patients okay? No permanent damage? The video I saw of the fight was grainy, but the injuries didn't look very good. But, then again, I'm not a doctor. Yet. Only halfway through the course." Alan would no doubt question Nick's comment about his education, but he was in too much of a hurry to stop and explain. He wanted to know if his new family was alright. For the most part.

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Tobias led both man and

Tobias led both man and machine into the living area, it thankfully clean despite appearing to be a little devoid of decoration in certain spots, no thanks to Wren's drug-induced stumble through the house having totalled several decorative vases. In the corner, by the sitting area stood the Sarcophagus' gantry, still with pieces of Tobias' power armor hanging from it, the auto-repair cycle having amended the damage done to it overnight. It now stood a complete suit, the many arms of the gantry holding it in place like a sleek, gleaming statue.

Alan in the meantime looked up from the multiple frying pans of food, including bacon, eggs, toast, mushrooms and wilted spinach. Apparently the doctor had quite the culinary flair. Wiping his hands off, Dr Wishart regarded the young man with curious interest, before nodding and smiling,

"Both patients are fine, I can assure you of that much. Young Wren simply over-worked herself to the point of exhaustion...and then felt it wise to take enough painkillers to knock out a horse. Grace on the other hand..."

His words trailed off a moment as a hand came to his chin. If this young man was indeed training to become a medical doctor himself, perhaps a little test was in order.

"Well, as for Grace, you should know exactly what I mean when I say she sustained an intermediate-level penetrating trauma and associated burns to the left, secondary appendage just below the radiocarpal joint. However, prognosis is good. The wound has been sutured using a polyglycolic acid thread and already shows signs of a nominal accumulation of granulation tissue. Now, the question remains: is a polyglycolic acid suture absorbable or non-absorbable?"

Tobias blinked, sighed, shook his head and shot an apologetic gaze to Nick, his luminous gaze then regarded his father, intoning,

"I'm gonna go see if anyone's awake across the way. Nick, feel free to snag some breakfast if you're hungry. Might help you get through my Dad's bout of 'doctor speak'."

Alan, still somehow awake simply pointed a spatula at his son, calling out as Tobias departed for the Guest House,

"There's nothing wrong with ensuring the next generation of Doctors know their work, I'll have you know. After all it's...Aaand he's gone..."

Alan simply sighed, shaking his head and gestured to a seat at the dining table,

"Feel free to take a seat. I imagine there's going to be quite a round of introductions over breakfast, but certainly don't mind. These rooms have been far too quiet the last couple of years. A bit of activity's certainly not going to bother me...."

His eyes swung up to regard Levi, Alan adjusting the seat of his spectacles on his nose,

"Though no offence, but you'll probably have to stand. I...don't think I have a seat big enough to support you."

--------

With a relaxed gait, Tobias padded his way across the pool deck, moving toward the guest house's walkway. He again found himself stumbling sharply, nearly falling in a heap as he moved toward the door, but was thankfully able to right himself, gather his composure and approach with a curious gaze in his luminous eyes. From inside, a pair of luminous eyes would attempt to peer into the guest house, though were thankfully obstructed by the frosted glass on the door. There followed afterwards a hefty duo of thuds, perhaps a little too percussive, as if the person responsible didn't quite know their own strength. It was immediately followed by a call of,

"Oops! Sorry! Anyone awake in there?"

Outside, Tobias peered at his hand curiously. He didn't have trouble with fine motor control before he'd been augmented. Perhaps this sudden display of clumsy strength was another side effect of his surgery? Whatever the case, he waited for a response, again his nose tickled by the scent of bacon wafting from the house.

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Grace had been minding her

Grace had been minding her own business, peacefully resting in the hopes that simply sleeping would bring back some form of energy... When a loud, percussive BANG BANG! echoes through the room.

She hadn't thought she could move so fast, letting out a startled, strangled scream and shooting upright-- only to let out another, just as easily recognizable yelp of pain as her sutured and bandaged wing remains bound to her side and sees fit to remind of of that just now. The swiftness of the movement made her dizzy, her heart pounding maybe a little TOO hard... but at least she hasn't yanked the catheter or IV drip out of her arm in her first mad flailings of the day. The IV had run out of nutrient fluid in the past hours and hung limp and dry at her bedside.

It takes a few moments for sound of a reasonably youthful, male voice to penetrate the hazy fog of her mind. Even then, she simply groans softly in reply and slumps carefully back into a laid-out position, rubbing her eyes with her right hand.

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Nick gives the suit a cursory

Nick gives the suit a cursory glance, quite interested, but looks back to Alan when he speaks.

Nick nods as the doctor states his friends' conditions, "Sounds like Grace might've been hit with an energy weapon."

Nick grins at the doctor's question, aware of the test, "Absorbable, of course. But where did you get it? I can't seem to find it -anywhere.- But, I doubt they'd be very willing to sell something like that to someone my age."

Levi nods at the Doctor's statement. "That is acceptable. I will only be watching all of you eat, and my leg actuators are in prime condition."

Nick takes a seat at the table, and looks back at the suit hanging from looked like a gantry attached to a huge coffin. "Did you design that suit? I'm assuming it's your son's. You wouldn't exactly fit."

Levi tilts his head, immediately hearing Grace's alarmed yell even if the other two hadn't. He strides out to the back pathway, quickly, but trying not to cause anything to fall over in his haste, and sees Tpbias near the guest house. He walks over to him, "Is someone injured?"

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Wren woke slowly, even with

Wren woke slowly, even with the knocking and Grace' yelps of pain and fright. Bits and pieces of the previous day and night filtering through her conscious mind as she tried to piece together what in the hell had gone on.

She looked down at herself and groaned at the state of her.. well, her whole self, really. Some of it seemed to have been nearly washed off, and there was a strong smell of chlorine in the little private space between the matress and wing.

"Hnnff..." Was about as coherent as she could manage at the moment. She lifted the wing that had been mantled over her, and started to pull herself to her feet.

Halfway to standing, hunger slammed into her, twisting her gut and almost dropping her to her knees.

"Foooood..." she murmured, realizing she sounded like some sort of zombie.

Making her way to the door, she opens it a few cracks, "Food?" The single word so heart-breakingly pathetic that one can almost hear an orchestra behind her playing the world's saddest tune... and then she simply walked off.

Leaning over the bed, she gives Grace a soft kiss on the forehead, murmuring, "It's safe, little sister... need a shower... gad I'm filthy... and why in the hell do I smell like a pool?" these questions and observations followed her through the guest house to the bathroom. Tired and -starving-, she looks down at her suit and sighs. It would be too much effort to take it off, she didn't have any spare clothes, and if she took a shower while wearing the suit, she'd still have to dry it somehow.

So she simply stood there in the bathroom, staring stupidly at herself in the mirror.

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Alan had been about to answer

Alan had been about to answer, but the sudden yelp of surprise coming from across the pool deck and Levi's sudden vanishing from view causes him to merely peer curiously out the open accordion doors in surprise and confusion.

Tobias in the meantime had jumped physically at the sudden yelp that emenated from within the guest house. He'd certainly not intended to startle anyone. He pauses for a moment as Levi approaches, nodding in regard to his question, chuckling sheepishly,

"May have knocked a little too loud. Still getting used to this whole 'being physically capable' thing."

At that moment, the front door of the guest house cracked open just a peep, a single, heart-rendingly pathetic questioning of "Food?" filtering from within. Tobias had to sigh sorrowfully, then nod,

"Yeah, there's food. Bacon, eggs, mushrooms, toast....Hell, I think my dad even did wilted spinach with garlic. Guess sleep deprivation brings out the chef in him."

He then rather boistrously gestured to Levi next to him in view of the front door and beamed merrily,

"And your friend and associated giant robot turned up! Looks like we'll have almost a full table for breakfast today!"

Alan, from somewhere behind the group called out,

"When you're all ready, of course! No need to hurry! I can keep things warm until you're more capable of something to eat!"

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Grace had stirred, tried to

Grace had stirred, tried to turn over, but weakness, fatigue, and the awkwardness of her bound wing made it hard to move. Still, she lifted up her right arm and hugged Wren around the shoulders fiercely for a moment before letting the other girl slip away to her morning ablutions in peace.

She had just about decided she should try to sit up, and was in the process of carefully doing so, so as not to jerk out her IV, when Tobias is framed in the doorway. She stares at him roundly, trembling a little with weakness, and his words abruptly make sense. Food-- and--

"Levi!" Grace cries with gladness, stretching out her trembling, un-altered right hand toward the huge robot, unable to get up. "Levi-- it's alright-- we're both okay. We're so, so tired... and we need to eat. My wing..." She looks crestfallen all of a sudden, her hand falling into her lap, her exhausted eyes dropping. "My wing hurts... but it'll get better soon. Levi-- I'm so glad to see you. Nick is here, too?"

She reaches out to grip the IV stand with both hands, hard, obviously making an attempt to stand up, her shaking growing worse by the second as she tries. "It smells so good--"

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Levi looks concerned, taking

Levi looks concerned, taking a few steps forward, entering to help the girl, placing a colossal arm around her with surprising gentleness. "Miss Grace, slowly. Move slowly. It would be unwise to hurt yourself worse in your weakened state. Please be more careful."

Nick stands from the table, walking over to peak out of the door. He exits the building, seeing a familiar winged girl in the guest house. "Grace? Grace!"

He jogs over to stand near Tobi. He waves at the two girls with a small smile, but his face shows hints of worry.

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Wren has managed to get

Wren has managed to get herself into the shower and, on hearing the conversation by the door, manages a weak, "Anyone have clothes for a short, chubby girl?" The suit comes flying out of the bathroom, and lands with a wet flop on the floor.

Not caring if anyone answers or not, she sits under the water, wings slightly spread, head down with her hair hiding her face and some of her legs. Her arms are wrapped around her knees, holding herself as if to keep the yawning pit of her stomach from escaping her grasp and just expanding to consume everything like a gaping void.

It's all she can do to simply sit still under the water. Her body switches from feeling like it was on fire, to feeling as if she'd been doused by ice water. The area of wing that had been all but torn off was swollen, and warm to the touch. Not from any infection or anything bad, but simply from the speed-healing while her body tried to adjust from major trauma to healed. She could feel the slight clicking of the joint near her shoulder. It felt as if it was still trying to get itself back into place from a dislocation... but there was no pain. No feeling of sickness. Only the hunger.

"Go eat, little sister... I'll be here a while..." her voice rises to be heard over the water and the others' conversation.

It's the usual aftermath of a battle, and she's holding on to her reaction with an ever more swiftly eroding grasp. It's not something she wants the others to see... and sure as hell isn't something she wants Grace to -feel-. It doesn't help that her body is confused, and using all her bodily resources to chase down the tiny breaks and tears that hadn't been healed. It took a great deal of resources to fly, much less to fly and fight... to fight through the agony of spirit and body that her broken wing had brought home to her during that fight.

She needed to be able to release all the pain and fear she'd been holding off by sheer force of will (and painkillers). Her body's need to burn off the toxin of the painkiller so that it wouldn't drag her down into a lethal sleep on the trip back from the Hospital didn't help. Her resources, mental and physical, were completely exhausted.

Hell, at this point she didn't know if she could finish her shower, let alone walk to the main house.

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
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Surprisingly, Tobias had

Surprisingly, Tobias had heard Wren, form the other room with crystal clarity, blinking and going into a vacant gaze of thought before chuckling and nodding "I think some of my sister's clothes should fit...Just a...Wait, speak of the devil!"

Behind them Alan Wishart had vanished and returned with a folded collection of clothing a tank top and jeans, smiling as he peered in to check on Grace, currently being embraced by Levi. To see her alive and conscious was an encouraging sign, and then some, and to hear Wren call from the other room again sets his mind further at ease in the notion that both seemed as though they'd be okay. He eventually gestures with the attire, calling out,

"Ms. Wren? I grabbed some of my daughter's older clothing which I think should fit you. She was of about the same proportions a little while ago. Though feel free to get changed after everyone's vacated the guest house. Doing so beforehand would probably be disastrous."

With that, he sets the clothing on the end of the bed Grace had been occupying, before gently bowing his head and heading back to the house to get plates and food ready.

Tobias took a silent moment to regard Grace, alive and...mostly well again, a smile crossing his face. Everyone would be okay. Shaking himself free of his lingering gaze after a moment, he turns, chuckling and gestures toward the house proper "Hey, what's say we all head up toward the house for some eats, huh? I know I'm hungry!" *He then turns and calls into the room, offering,

"If anyone needs carrying, and/or help getting to the dining table, let me know. Figure I should probably do something more beyond simply standing here and looking pretty."

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Grace sighs with relief to

Grace sighs with relief to hear Wren's voice again, though that uneasy feeling is rolling like thunder in the back of her mind, making her enfeebled state feel ever stranger. With Levi's support she remains standing, but only just, still shaking badly and clinging white-knuckled to the IV stand.

"Nick!" She says with what enthusiasm she can muster, smiling broadly at him with trembling lips. She looks pretty pathetic herself, having not even had time to put her hair back up-- it's loose all around her face, tangled up a bit, and her own clothes are a bit of a lost cause by way of filth and bloodstains, but she's locked eyes with Nick for a long moment.

Calming herself as much as she can, she says without a waver in her voice, "...I'm okay. My wing's hurt, but I'll be okay." She then looks up at Levi. "...L-Levi, please... can you stay and wait for Wren, in case she needs help getting to the-- the house?-- when she's done?"

Grace then turns her head back to Tobias and Nick, smiling faintly. "H-Hi, Tobias. I'm G-Grace... I don't think I really ever met you--" She wavers, firms up her knees before continuing. "Uh... I know it's sort of awkward to ask f-first off... But can you and Nick maybe h-help me? I don't think I can w-walk over there, but I'm so hungry..." Her stomach gives a very audible growl, and she manages a faint grin.

"...I hate needles, too, and I don't think this I-IV has anything left in it... but I don't want to take it out..."

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Tobias smiled warmly, nodding

Tobias smiled warmly, nodding his head in greeting and offered "Well, what with the gunfire, the chaos and me having to ju-jitsu the hell out of a Damocles class Exo suit, I'm pretty sure we didn't exactly have time for introductions."

Upon consideration of her situation however, he gently swung a hand (or not so gently, as Tobias was still getting used to his augmented strength) to pat Nick on the chest and gesture to the IV port on her arm and suggested,

"Tell you what: You take care of the IV, I'll take care of carrying the poor girl across the way. Everybody gets breakfast, everybody happy."

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Levi nods to Grace. "Gladly."

Levi nods to Grace. "Gladly." He stands, quietly, facing away from the bathroom so if Wren exited it, his gaze would not be compromised. It wouldn't be surprising if Wren did not hear him standing in the room.

Nick, being unprepared, stumbles at the hit a little, muttering a reflexively "Ooph," but Nick nods and small smile.

He walks over to Grace, smiling softly. "Do try and take things slow, okay Little Dove?" Referring to himself, he adds, "Your brother worries about you and your hero antics. Call next time, 'kay? This may hurt a little." He gently takes the IV out of her arm, and takes the stand, holding her up slightly, leading her to Tobi. He says to Tobias, "Watch your strength when you pick her up."

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Grace blushes hotly at the

Grace blushes hotly at the "Little Dove" nickname, having never, ever heard Nick use it til just now-- up til then, it'd always been Maddie saying it. Still, it makes her smile and relax enough to put her good arm over Nick's shoulders to help hold her up, and let him take the IV gently out of the other. She went noticeably pale with an intake of breath at the feeling of being disconnected, swallowing compulsively, but had kept bravely to her feet.

"I did call-- I only had time to call W-Wren though before it all went bad... I'm not a Hero, I didn't even have my b-bow with me... S-...sorry..." She hangs on tightly to Nick as he walks her gingerly over to Tobias, smiling a little bit.

At Nick's admonition to be careful with her, Grace smiles up through her dishevelled hair up at Tobias' weird, but pleasantly glowing eyes. "...Yeah, please... Wren and I have been through a l-lot... I'd hate to be chucked into the ceiling on accident on top of all of that..." She's obviously making the attempt to tease, despite being pale and weak, and she stretches out one arm to Tobias, intending to switch caregivers without falling on her face.

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Wren stopped herself from

Wren stopped herself from calling out 'Thanks, dad!', though from the little she'd seen of him, Alan reminded her sharply of her own father.

She held on to her self-control for long enough to hear the rest leave... and then fell apart. if she'd known that Levi was in the room, she would have held onto her sobs, shoved them down until she could reach home.

But at this point, she simply let go.

All the fear that had built up during the fight and been shoved down into the deep darkness of her soul. The place where all those bad things could be hidden until it was safe to -feel- them. The place where the hurt of her parents' deaths still lingered. Her fear for Grace, and of losing -any- part of this wonderful new family she's been given.

Heartbreaking sobs and whimpers accompany the sound of falling water as she's finally able to simply let it all go. She sits in the shower, wings mantled around her with the water pounding into her skin as the emotional storm rages within.

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
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Tobias had chuckled gently as

Tobias had chuckled gently as the joke found his ears, smiling and retorting with,

"Thankfully carrying you isn't something I've struggled with so far. I mean, you certainly didn't walk your way down off that rooftop. I figure there's a good deal of difference between shoulder-throwing a mech and carrying an unconscious girl with pretty, white wings."

Aaand before Tobias can come to grips with what he'd allowed to slip from his mouth, a sudden flash of heat rises into his cheeks...and not just heat. Rather than a distinct reddening of his cheeks, a curious, verdant glow ripples across his face from the bridge of his nose, tracing a fine, circuit-like pattern just underneath his skin before vanishing as he cleared his throat. He gingerly slung an arm around her back, being entirely careful of her injured wing as he crouched a little to allow her to place an arm over his shoulders.

"So, uh...Yeah. You should be fine. Okay, aaand left foot..." He says encouragingly, allowing Grace to walk partially under her own steam, partially carrying her along the concrete back toward the house, reaching for pleasant conversation wherever it might lie to distract those around him from his peculiar display,

"So I take it by the nicknames that everyone knows each other? God, color me the odd man out..." He uttered with well-intentioned drollness, leading the party, minus Wren who was still in the guest house and presumably getting dressed. As they entered the house, he nodded to the Sarcophagus, adding,

"Though bearing in mind I've been in a medically-induced coma for the last month or so, being a bit devoid of friends sorta comes with the territory."

As they enter the house proper, the smells that strike the nose are utterly heavenly....though anything mingling with the smell of bacon could be considered as such. Roasted field mushrooms cooked whole and flecked with thyme and sea salt, Scrambled eggs with chives sitting steaming on a plate beside heaped piles of toast, wilted spinach with garlic, roasted tomatoes and of course crispy bacon all set out family-style so people could dole out what they wished. There was an inglorious heap of food to be had, but bearing in mind the ravenous nature of at least two of the diners, (saying nothing of Tobias' appetite, which he was about to discover was nothing short of cavernous), it almost seemed entirely adequate.

Alan in the meantime was in the process of extracting a tray of hash browns from the oven, sliding them onto another plate and nodding,

"Alright, breakfast is served! I'm pretty sure there's enough to sate the big appetites we've got."

Tobias replied with a nod of acknowledgement, then gently helped ease Grace into a chair, remarkably in control of himself as he'd helped her to the house, having not stumbled once on the way over and having not lost control over his strength at any point.

"Dig in, guys. I dunno about you, but I feel like I could destroy about half of this table and still go in for seconds." He said genially, taking up the seat next to Grace. If she needed to go anywhere else, he'd probably need to be close at hand to help her with it.

...Or at least, that was the story he was telling himself.

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Grace slid her arm around

Grace slid her arm around Tobias' shoulders, turning a bit pink, herself-- though the compliment certainly wasn't one she hadn't heard before, and certainly she didn't think her wings looked all that 'pretty' at the moment, given the grime and the startling lack of feathers in a small section on the left side. Still, she hasn't the energy to argue, gripping hard around Tobias' neck as she notes the funny, and very fast way /he/ blushes-- not to mention that he has to stoop down a fair bit.

Trembling the entire way, Grace had actually almost fallen asleep at one point as they passed the pool, half-carried for a few moments before coming around again at the sound of Tobias' voice near her ear. "Hmn-what?... Oh... Oh, yeah, we know each other... You can't not be really good friends after a great pillow fight..." Her voice sounded sort of dreamy just then. "M'sorry about your coma, Tobias-- you c'n be friends with us if you wanna..." It's a generous offer from the drowsy girl, her good wing starting to sag a little, wanting to drag across the ground behind her.

The smell of food as they came into the house proper is enough to perk Grace up almost immediately. She blinks her eyes clear and breathes deeply through her nose several times, her stomach growling ferociously in response to Tobias bringing her to the table. She has to swallow several times at an almost frighteningly sudden surge of saliva, and gives both Tobias and Alan apologetic looks at being so grimy and unwashed and sitting at their nice table like this. She swings her head around to make sure that Nick sits nearby to them, then gazes over the assortment on the table as if God had come down and laid a feast of holiness before them.

For a moment, Grace is terrified that her arms aren't going to respond to her, aren't going to allow her to eat on her own-- but eventually her desperate mental urgings get her right arm to come up and slide across the table for some bacon, though she has to lean very heavily on the table for support. Her left arm, with catheter still attached, remains curled in her lap as, one-handed, she dishes herself bacon and eggs and tugs her plate back to herself, sitting heavily back in her chair. With a rasher of crispy bacon in her hand, she nibbles contentedly with her eyes closed-- sighing deeply. It's the best thing she's ever eaten in her entire life.

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Nick takes a seat next to

Nick takes a seat next to Tobias, dropping the backpack beside him, and gathering a little bit of everythijg from the table onto his plate. He remains mostly quiet during the meal, listening to his friends -- and possibly, new ones -- speak to each other. But then, there probably wouldn't be very much speaking during -this- meal.

He did not eat much, but he ate enough to sate his hunger. He hadn't been very hungry in the first place.

Levi remained silent, standing still outside of the bathroom. He had tilted his head when Wren has began her sobbing, and considered asking if she was alright, but he decided it was best to wait.

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Time passed, and the storm of

Time passed, and the storm of emotion slowed and stopped, leaving Wren soggy and with a stuffed nose, but that was alright. She'd needed the release.

She showered carefully, preening her wing feathers to perfection. Cleaning herself took the last of the post-battle reaction out of her and left her calm and happy once more. She took her suit into the shower once she was done, and cleaned off all the parts of it as meticulously as she had cleaned her wings and body. She left her boots and gloves draped over the side of the bath tub, and hung her over and under suits over the shower rod, flipping the fan on as she left, towel draped around her.

She ran into Levi, and stopped.

"Sh- shoot. I didn't know anyone was in here..." and, feeling no body-consciousness around the 'bot, she quickly dresses. The tank top had to have the straps carefully cut so the back would hang under her wings and not interfere. If nothing else, she could very easily replace the tank top, and would with gratitude at being allowed to borrow the clothes. It was so nice to be in regular clothes again, and out of the suit. It was good at protecting her, but it failed in the comfort department. No clean underwear or a brassiere, but she hoped no one would be in the mood to notice.

"Alright, Levi... I think I'm ok to walk, but just in case, can you follow and catch me if I need it?" She blushes slightly at having to ask for even potential help, but she's not in good enough shape to be able to deny that she might actually need it.

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
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While quite possibly the

While quite possibly the heaviest-set person at the table, Tobias curiously does nothing toward issuing himself a plate of breakfast, simply resting his hands in front of his empty plate and watching as others ate....or rather watched as Grace struggled to collect the few, precious morsels of food she was able to reach, her limbs likely far too weak to pick up anything as heavy as the platters laid out before them.

It was a situation to which he could certainly empathise. He'd been entirely incapable of such a thing himself six months ago, far too weak to lift a glass of water, nevermind a plate brimming with food.

He gently set his empty plate aside, effortlessly reaching over to collect the platter brimming with fried tomatoes and set it beside Grace, smiling as he offers,

"Here. You tell me what you want, and I'll grab it for you. I'd hate to think you'd miss out because you're still recovering."

In the meantime Alan, observing the general silence at his table nods to Nick and finally asks,

"So, if I remember right, before Levi went to check everything was alright, you were asking me about the suit of armor in the corner. No, I wasn't the designer. Unfortunately my expertise with mechanical things stops short at proficiency with a cordless drill. It was actually designed by an existing engineering team, headed up by one Aban al Sahran, an Omani engineer with a wealth of experience in his field. If I remember right, he was actually a long-standing member of Boston Dynamics before moving to EdenTech. I take it you've got some interest in powered armor, then?"

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Grace, despite her enfeebled

Grace, despite her enfeebled state, still peers worriedly around Tobias for a moment or two at Nick, watching him eat-- or not-- as the situation was. "I'm sorry..." she manages to say with some strong emotion under her breath in his direction, somehow feeling guilty for getting hurt and worrying him this badly...

As Tobias reaches across her for the tomatoes, Grace's eyes go a bit round, staring at the muscles of his corded arm-- and then the protrusions of metal from his knuckles-- her face red from staring and knowing it's impolite... but unable not to in this state of mind, fascinated by the smallest things. His words register, and she jerks a little, then smiles feebly and says in a murmur as she helps herself to a single tomato, "...Just... a little bit of... everything..."

Eventually she's helped herself to, indeed, a bit of everything, and Grace sits back in her chair to feed herself one slow bite at a time, electing to use a spoon instead of a fork with the way her hand is trembling. At least it didn't seem as if she were about to fall imminently asleep again during breakfast-- every bite seems to give her a tiny sprinkle of energy, and make her that much more hungry.

Toward the end of her plate of food, she interjects in Alan's direction as her spoon clatters exhaustedly back onto her mostly empty plate, "That was really... really good, Doctor Wishart--... And, ahm... thank you for my wing..." She blushes shyly, looking down into her lap at the catheter still taped into her left arm.

She starts to wonder-- and worry-- about what's taking Wren so long, even with Levi there to help her, and turns her head toward the pool deck, watching, waiting with a little crease between her brows, forgetting for a moment her state of dishevelment.

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Nick shakes his head slightly

Nick shakes his head slightly, his eyes telling Grace more than his words did. He said, "It's alright." His eyes said, 'Please, for the love of Jesus Christ, don't do that again without telling me beforehand.'

Nick smiles at Alan's sense of humor. "Yes, but nothing quite that calibur. I'd prefer to keep my original body size," Nick glances to Tobi to make his point, and then looks back to the doctor, "And I've heard of EdenTech, but I didn't know they were working on something like -that.- It's quite fascinating. I'd get right down to asking what the specs of it were, but I get the feeling most of that is classified."

Levi turns slightly when Wren runs into him, "Apologies."

After Wren's quick changing of clothes, he nods to her suggestion. "Do not feel ashamed to ask, Miss Wren. Even the bravest of warriors require a rest after a difficult battle." He adds, a little quieter, "And do not worry, Miss Wren. I will not speak to anyone of your emotional outburst. I respect your privacy."

He then holds the door open for her, having to stoop slightly. He gestures extravagantly, "After you."

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Relieved, Wren precedes Levi

Relieved, Wren precedes Levi out the door, holding her aching stomach. She really should have waited until she'd gotten some food inside her before the shower and... other things, but damn did being clean feel good. Even her ravenous state seemed a little less after the shower. She stumbles now and then, but manages to make her way to the main house. Near the pool, she crouches down to pluck a feather out of the water... and some more of the pieces from the previous night fit back together.

"Oh man... what in the hell did I do last night?" she mutters before shaking her head and standing back up.

Twirling the feather between her index finger and thumb, she makes her way into the house. Before she gets even halfway to the table, her mouth is watering badly enough that she's begun to drool.

"Food..." she whimpers, nabbing a rather large handful of bacon and stuffing it unceremoniously into her mouth. There's no 'hi guys, how ya doing?'... just a steady devouring of anything that's close enough for her to reach. Luckily, she does have enough self control not to start nabbing food off of other people's plates... but just barely.

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Alan smiles genially in Grace

Alan smiles genially in Grace's direction, a simple nod of appreciation following before he intones with thoroughly kindly inflection. Clearly if there was one place where Alan excelled, it was bed side manner,

"Think nothing of it, Grace. In the end, I've been placed on this Earth, with the skilled hands that I have to help people. I'd be a sham of a doctor if I ignored someone in dire need. And if 'dire need' includes a well-rounded and ample breakfast? Well, I can certainly do that too. Though, make sure to go easy on that wing until it's healed, alright? Last thing we need is...comp...li...cations...Uh, Ms Wren. Good to see you're up and about again!"

His words had trailed off a little as Wren had taken a handful of bacon and shoved it with abandon into her mouth, followed by two hash browns and a couple of mushrooms. However, he simply chuckles, not wanting to make a point of it and gestures to an empty spot at the table "Why don't you sit down? Take a load off."

Tobias ends up answering Nick's statement with one of his own, starting to fill his plate with food,

"I dunno, I think If you got in touch with Aban, he'd be willing to part with some secrets. Guy certainly doesn't like to pass up an opportunity to talk tech." His plate steadily filling up, Tobias continues talking, glancing to Nick and then to his...less than subtle physique,

"And well, this, augmentations and all was WAY more preferable than the other alternative. I mean, I've got a bit of learning to do, but you have no idea how much you take something simple like walking for granted until the ability's taken away from you."

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Grace is a bit chastened by

Grace is a bit chastened by Nick's look, seeming to absorb the meaning of it quite clearly and easily. She had nodded meekly a little in reply, going in for another few bites of food, having rested her body long enough to put up with moving it a little more.

Grace has been exposed, to some lesser degree, to Wren's ravenousness before, so isn't quite as surprised. The pitiful look of relief and happiness she gives Wren from under her loose, tangled, dirty hair is heart-wrenching,even if Wren doesn't see it through her deep need for nourishment.

She listens to the conversation at the table idly for a moment, then creases her brow, and frowns a little at Tobias. "...You couldn't walk? Oh. Oh... You must've been really sick-- and that's why Doctor Wishart-- and the plates and things-- and-- Oh." Some of her thought processes have come out of her mouth, while the rest of it happened silently in her head.

She blushed, and had a very long drink of water, before asking quietly, "Ahm... Doctor Wishart?... Am I going to need more of that stuff in the-- in the plastic bag?" She looks a bit pitiful, cradling her left arm in such a way that doesn't move it, hating the feel of the port under her skin, but willing to submit to being reconnected to the IV stand if she has to be.

"And... Can I maybe take a shower soon? I think I can stand up long enough, now... But I didn't bring any of my clothes extra, somebody might have to get them, or something, or maybe these can be washed?..." It looks like the effort of thinking is leaving poor Grace a bit confused.

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Nick hadn't meant to be rude

Nick hadn't meant to be rude to Grace, but he -had- been worried. He still did not eat very much, watching and listening to the group around him. He responds to Tobias, nodding, "I'm glad you got a second chance, then. Not many people get those. And I'll consider speaking to Aban, but the medical side of the project is just as important. So the good doctor here is basically half the project."

Levi enters behind Wren, closing the door behind him. He thuds over to stand behind Nick, remaining silent, surveying the people seated at the table.

Nick leans back in his seat, thinking to himself. His friends were safe, at the moment. It appeared they were in good hands. The doctor was intelligent, and Tobias and his suit looked like they could protect Wren and Grace. And now Levi was here. No one would hurt them. The fatigue of a night without sleep and constant nose-to-the-grindstone work hit him like a fright train. His eyelids became heavy, his muscles were sore, his back was hurting, and he suddenly seemed to acquire a throbbing headache.

He pinched the bridge of his nose with a forefinger and thumb. But, those mercs, or whoever they were, could come back. They wanted Tobias here bad enough to nearly destroy a whole city block, they -would- come back.

He closed his eyes for a moment, just a a moment. They needed a plan. And like, fifty contingency plans. And a patrol. Maybe some cameras...'nd...prolly a washdog...'n maybuh sum' pillows...

Nick seemed to nod off for a moment, his head slowly tilting forward...

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Wren, done with the first

Wren, done with the first wave of food devouring, makes her way over to Grace. Bending over her chair without a word, Wren hugs her sister tightly, a faint trembling the only real outward show of emotion. Her tan and blue wings wrap around Grace as far as they're able to, enclosing the two girls in a warm cocoon of spicy scent and warmth.

She murmurs softly,, "Don't ever heal me that fast again... I'd rather you alive and safe, than be healed and lose my sister." She ends with a soft kiss to the top of Grace's head.

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
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Tobias smiles warmly as Wren

Tobias smiles warmly as Wren moves to cocoon Grace in a unique hug. Clearly this group were more 'family' than he'd figured. When Grace emerges, Tobias goes on to explain,

"Yeah, I was definitely sick. It was actually a form of genetic mutation...though unlike the two of you where it comes with all sorts of perks..." He gestured to Wren and Grace in turn, smiling, then gestures to himself,

"Mine tried to kill me. Part of the project Dad was working on contained something that could fix the problem....but they couldn't really separate it from the rest of the weapons-grade in time. Would've taken time that I just did not have. And that, ladies and gents is basically the story of turning a frown upside down."

With that, Tobias begins regarding his plate of food: Eight pieces of bacon, the equivalent of half a dozen eggs scrambled, six mushrooms, four tomatoes, four hash browns and a fist-sized pile of spinach...all of which he mows his way through with surprising swiftness.

Alan nods in agreement, gesturing to the armor standing ominously in the corner,

"And the power armor was one of the associated perks...as well as the apparent...appetite..."

Again Dr Wishart found himself trailing off as Nick started to nod off at the table, a sympathetic sigh escaping him as he regarded Levi,

"I think your charge might need a bit of a rest. I'm not sure how much sleep he's had recently, but if he needs to, there's plenty of space to stretch out in the entertainment room across the way."

His wisdom-filled eyes swung to regard Grace, a gentle run of questioning following,

"I could certainly see about getting another IV bag connected if you're still feeling lethargic. It's all entirely natural. Mostly water, with some glucose, vitamins, cortisol. Just enough to give the body a bit of an extra boost and give it some extra fuel to work with. Wren, you're also welcome to such if you feel the need. I think the both of you might've overdone it yesterday."

Alan quietly stifled a yawn, then briskly shakes his head. A belly full of food was wreaking havoc on his ability to stay awake, though he'd certainly try to stay awake as long as he needed to for the sake of everyone else.

Tobias however wasn't showing any signs of faltering. Little did he know that the reactor around his heart was also filtering excess energy to his brain. At this rate, he'd not need to sleep for at least another day.

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A tear slides down Grace's

A tear slides down Grace's face at Wren's embrace, leaving a clean track on her otherwise dirty face. She lays her good right arm across Wren's, briefly enfolded in warmth and scent, and murmurs shakily back, "I'll try not to-- but I'm not gonna let you die either..."

Grace tries to smudge the tear away but ends up actually smearing more soot across her cheek instead. She huffs a little, embarrassed laugh, and assures Tobias, "...I wasn't born with these, you know. I grew them in when I was... thirteen... and it took seven whole weeks..."

She'd caught a glimpse of Nick and said to Levi softly, "I'm sorry for worrying you and Nick. I'll... It sounds like I'm gonna be here for a little while... You can take Nick somewhere to sleep if you want to, I'm sure it'd be okay for you guys to come back and visit whenever. I dunno if you can help me Levi, but I do sort of need my extra clothes from Nick's place at Whitehold..."

She rubs her neck a little bit, somewhat pink in the face. "I think I'm gonna, um, go try to get clean, but I might need some uh, advice or maybe help with my uhm... bandages... Mister-- Doctor Wishart-- can you take this thing out of my arm please? I mean... I think I can eat on my own I just... I hate having stuff under my skin..." She looks totally embarrassed but determined.

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Levi nods to both Wishart and

Levi nods to both Wishart and Grace, gently catching Nick before his head hits the table.

The bot states, "Master Ridley was indeed worried about both you and Miss Wren. He worked all night without stopping. He seems...determined to protect you both."

At all of this chatter about him, Nick groggily opens his eyes, "Watt? Nuh, Mom, I dunwanna lehv yet. Five morr minnuts..."

Levi picks him up, gently, and carries him over to the couch, laying him there. Nick curls into feral position, and is promptly in a deep sleep. Levi also places Nick's backpack beside the couch.

Levi looks over to Grace, "I will return from the Whitehold with your clothing, Miss Grace." He looks over to Wren, who is eating heartily, "Do you wish for me to bring extra clothing from your home, Miss Wren?"

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Wren moves to the proffered

She nods to Levi, "Halters, underthings, and sweat pants. Simple stuff. Could you take the suit back with you, Levi? Just toss it into the red hamper. Oh crap. I'm going to have to get a new helmet. Dangit..."

Wren moves to the proffered chair and begins filling a plate with just about everything she can fit, and then some. She doesn't say anything, but gives Alan an apologetic look as she steadily munches through two plates full of food. With each mouthful, she can almost feel the nourishment surging through her body to replace what was used up in the fight, and in the speed-healing Grace had done. Grace was likely to be the only one who knew the extent of Wren's injuries, if she even remembered after depleting herself so badly. Wren wasn't likely to say anything about it, she'd do nothing (intentionally) to hurt her family, and letting them know that she'd almost killed herself in that fight would hurt them.

Though she might talk to the doctor about repercussions, and have him look at her wing to ensure there wouldn't be any hindrance to her ability to fly. If she were unable to fly again... she stopped that thought where it was. Event thinking about it hurt.

Just seeing her family here, alive and safe... the addition of possibly two -more- people to her life... those things made all the pain and terror absolutely worthwhile.

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
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Alan smiles at Grace's

Alan smiles at Grace's request, nodding as he hefts himself up from the table, a gentle utterance of "Give me just a moment..." preceding his departing for his 'office', only to return with a band aid and a cotton ball. He rounds the table, Tobias obligingly shuffling his chair out of the way to give his father more room to work as Alan gently sets both objects in front of her, then intones calmly,

"Now, look away for me..."

In one swift series of movements, he gently removes the IV catheter from Grace's arm, collects the cotton ball, setting it against the tiny hole it had left in her elbow to staunch the bleeding and leaves it there a moment until he's confident that he can remove it. It takes only a few moments more to apply the adhesive plaster, Alan again speaking with doctorly kindness,

"Aaaand there we are. With efficiency like that, you could almost stand to think I'd done something like that before."

He smiles with well-intentioned wryness, then stifles another yawn and intones "Though, I may need to take young Nick's suggestion and get some sleep, myself. Feel free to use the house's amenities at your convenience and if you can't find anything, feel free to pester Tobias at length until it's located. We've got a TV and some comfortable couches in the next room if you want to relax...and I think I've hooked up the Playstation 4 in there correctly if anyone's got an inkling....And of course, if there's any emergencies, feel free to poke me with a stick or something. I shouldn't be too long one way or another."

With that, Alan shuffles off down the hall and to a few blessed hours of sleep, Tobias moves to stand,

"Okay, so it looks like I'm cleaning up. Though before that, I figure you, Grace, will be looking to shower at some point in the not-too-distant future, so I'll see about grabbing you a towel. Wren, feel free to chill out. I mean, not like there isn't already enough space to stretch out in this place. I'm still getting used to it after my lengthy hospital stay...though don't ask me where the PS4 came from. Probably one of my sister's brainwaves."

--------

Elswhere...

Hurried footsteps clicked against merciless sidewalk, driving their creator forward, ever forward. Actuators whirred softly, the sound vanishing amid the din of the crowd that surrounded him.

Humans everywhere. Humans in suits. Humans in dresses. Humans in clothing that was as battered as his was.

Clothing was such a curious thing, he remarked to himself. It was as if it's function had changed from simply a shield from the cold to that of ornate plumage, decoration. It had become such a part of human society that it now defined status.

He wondered as to what his clothing said at times like this: a battered, three-quarter 'trench coat', a pair of ripped and stained grey 'cargo pants', a weather-worn 'hoodie' to conceal as much of his face as possible. After all, a rogue cybernetic operating purely under it's own volition often inspired trepidation in these 'average' humans.

His thoughts returned to the present. He had a mission to complete. Those who he'd warned yesterday needed to be assured no further harm would come to them.

He'd ensured that much.

His footsteps took him from densely-populated urban streets, beside a major arterial and eventually into a suburban area, Deep-seeded hacks had given him the knowledge of his objective's whereabouts, though he'd also been very careful to re-encrypt the information he'd found to protect anyone else from finding it, too.

He now had a problem.

These streets were too open, devoid of foot traffic where he could effectively blend. He would be noticed.

And sure enough, he was.

A sharp whistle caught the microphones that functioned as ears, causing him to affix a set of dusky lenses on the approaching human, recognizing the uniform immediately:

Police.

The officer approached, likely regarding his determined stride and choice of attire as suspicious, up-nodding to the hooded figure,

"Hey, buddy, why dontcha hold up a second. Got some questions I wanted to ask you."

Another, similarly dressed figure approached from his left, hand moving to the sidearm on his belt.

It seemed his message would be delayed...

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Grace grimaces and looks away

Grace grimaces and looks away when asked to do so, definitely not wanting to see that. To her credit, she only gasps a little at the disconcerting feeling of the catheter being removed, and slumps weakly back into the chair as the bandage is applied.

She listens to Alan with a small smile, nodding and wishing him a meek but sincere, "Goodnight Doctor Wishart!" to his retreating back.

The winged girl then turns her head back to Tobias, and, after waiting a few moments for Levi to go back to the guest house to gather up Wren's wreckage of a suit, she says to Tobias shyly, "I'll just... wait here for that towel then. I feel... /awake/, but God only knows how long I'll be able to stand up. I'd... I'd appreciate the help getting back over there so I can, y'know, get clean..."

She clears her throat a little, a bit of a blush visible even through the light layer of dirt on her cheek.

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Tobias had, while Grace had

Tobias had, while Grace had been talking, busied himself with clearing up what empty platters remained on the table, loading the dishwasher...remarkably in control of his strength, where he figured he might've accidentally shattered a glass or a plate in his fingers. His eyes came to Grace again, a smile crossing his face as he nods, collecting a kitchen towel to wipe off his hands before replying,

"No problem! I mean, as much as I figure I'm really only good for helping people around the place for now, I did learn a thing or two from dad throughout the years. Nothing crazy, but I should be able to re-bandage that wing of yours once you're clean....Though speaking of which..."

He departs the kitchen for the hallway, the sounds of sliding doors being drawn back and forth, closets opening and shutting filling the air. After a moment, he returns, a decidedly plush-looking towel in his hand which he offers to Grace, before offering an arm to her in turn, It appearing that there was another series of steel plates that collectively grouped around his elbow, a genial smile upon his face,

"So if you're interested in getting cleaned up, I'm happy to say that, M'lady, your chariot awaits."

It would appear that Tobias was now a far cry from the sullen, bedraggled and bereft human being he was six months ago...and in all honesty, it was hard to believe he was capable of such a sullen personality at all.

Though there was certainly good reason for it. His life had practically been turned on it's head for the better since waking up. He was far more physically capable than he'd ever been in his life and there were currently two gorgeous young ladies at his home.

If that didn't cheer a young man up in a heartbeat, then it was impossible to say what might!

--------

Meanwhile...

Apprehended. Detained. Confined.

The mysterious figure that had been apprehended on a suburban street on his way to...somewhere now sat in a TCPD interview room, waiting and watching, his dusky camera lenses, a functional eye analogue glaring holes in the one-way, mirrored glass while his mechanical fingers rapped across the table time after time. His hood had been pulled back during his 'detainment for questioning', revealing a fully-cybernetic head wrought from gunmetal grey aluminium, carbon fiber and steel. Strangely, the configuration of plates on his face were as such that gave him a remarkably human array of expressions. At one point, a silicon mask had gone over these fine pieces of machinery, however his involvement in a rescue attempt in a burning building had seen to it this mask had been utterly ruined by the heat.

Safe to say, this mysterious figure wasn't human. Such was a fact that was being discussed behind the one-way mirror by the beat officer that had dragged him in, and a TCPD detective Clancy Ross.

"So he's a robot?"

Detective Ross nodded at the question. He was a burly fellow in his mid fifties, face starkly reminiscent of a British Bulldog and had been a former U.S Army MP before joining the TCPD as a detective. Slowly, his barrel-chested voice filled the observation room,

"Yeah. He goes by 'Sojourn' a lot of the time. Some folks, like me, know him by his actual name, Veron. He's a fully-fledged, unshackled AI...and if rumors are true, I don't think he was ever shackled at all. He's mostly harmless, but when he's not playing the part of a useful informant for the TCPD, he's usually getting himself into trouble. Mostly petty crimes like breaking and entering, wilful destruction of property, illegally accessing secured Wi-Fi hotspots, petty theft. Can't figure out why he does it, either. He's usually very civil, even when being arrested."

The beat officer folded his arms, peering at the detective with his folder,

"So why isn't he in the Pen? Guy's clearly got a rap sheet."

Ross simply shrugged, moving toward the door,

"Let me put it to you this way: in the end, he IS helping us from time to time...and what judge is going to preside over a court case convicting a robot of a bunch of crimes that would normally get a human criminal a slap on the wrist? Besides, rumor has it he was the guy who tipped off EdenTech about the attack that went down yesterday. I think he's earned a little leeway."

--------

Veron's dusky eyes flicked up as Detective Ross entered the interview room, following the packet of information that gently slapped onto the table. Immediately, his voice filled the tiny room, it gravelly, and of a slightly monotone quality,

"Detective...am I to be incarcerated? Up until today, I had no idea 'walking' was a detainable offence..."

Ross simply shook his head, frowning with exasperation,

"No, no. You're free to go...but do yourself a favor: If you're gonna go taking windy walks in an upper-middle class neighbourhood, try not to dress like you're looking to rob someone, okay?"

Veron, 'Sojourn', peered down at his mechanical fingers, watching as an index finger circled a small dent in the metal table,

"During my last apprehension, I was told I should dress to hide the nature of my being, Detective. I was told that it unnerved 'regular citizens'. I was simply attempting to comply with previous instruction. I do not want to cause trouble."

Ross simply sighed and offered Veron a sympathetic gaze. He couldn't imagine how it must be to live that sort of 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' life,

"Yeah, I know. Can't be easy being you. Did you need anything before I turn you loose?"

The machine at the table stared at the movement of his finger for a long moment, remembering the original nature of his mission, before meeting the Detective's eyes with his own,

"If it isn't too much trouble, I would greatly appreciate transport to my previously intended destination. I was going somewhere, after all...."

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Wren, one last hashbrown

Wren, one last hashbrown being nibbled at, stands up to follow Grace and Tobi. "I'll help you shower, little sister." She grins at Tobi, "We wouldn't want you getting a glimpse of the goods too early, after all." Clearly, Wren is one to poke at uncomfortable topics with this new family of hers, and her sarcastic nature only helps her comments.

Until now she hasn't said much of anything, her sole goal being to devour as much food as humanly possible. It's strange that several heaped plates of food don't somehow show through the tank top she wears. She seems to have lost a few inches, rather than having a tummy that reached to the moon, even after her session of gorging.

It was such a strange, yet warmly familiar, sense of closeness she felt with so many strangers. In the three years since she'd lost her last family member, she had made friends, even close friends, but had thought that the sense of family was gone forever. But these strange, silly, loving people had filled her with such a sense of warmth and comfort that it was hard to credit it as being real.

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
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After Levi retreived Wren's

After Levi retreived Wren's suit, he exited the Wishart's home, and the vibration of an immense jump can be felt a few moments after he leaves.

It did not take him long to reach the Whitehold, but once he reached the apartments of his friends, he realized there was a problem.

He did not have keys.

Levi stared at the door for a few moments, considering his options.

1. He could break the door down.

This was the most direct option, but with the most repercussions. It was widely viewed as rude to break doors down.

2. He could try to pick the lock.

This was the least likely to be successful. His fingers were far too large.

3. He could consult the landlord for a master key.

This was most likely to be successful. The landlord was familiar with Levi, and he was agreeable. Levi chose this option.

This all took a second at most, so he went back downstairs and spoke to the landlord. He greeted Levi heartily, and after hearing of his plight, agreed to help him.

With the landlord's aid, he retrieved clean clothing for Grace and Wren, carrying them in a duffel bag he found in Wren's apartment. He placed her suit in the red hamper while he was there.

He thanked the landlord for his kindness, and soon left the Whitehold, the duffel bag over his huge shoulder.

With a few monstrous jumps, he was on his way back to the Wishart household.

Levi was gone for a maximum of twenty or thirty minutes when he lands outside his destination. The house will vibrate slightly at his impact with ground, and he enters soon afterward.

He walks over to Wren before she takes Grace to the shower, and hands the bag over to her. "I apologize if the bag's strap is stretched. I could not prevent the occurrence."

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Grace had been reached up for

Grace had been reached up for Tobias' arm and helped herself out of the chair, smiling shyly through her bedraggled hair at the boy. She doesn't tremble this time, as the energy from a large breakfast sinks into her muscles and bones.

At Wren's wry, cheeky comment as she takes her first step toward, Grace almost misses her footing. A phenomenal blush creeps across her face, visible even beneath the dirt, and she involuntarily squeezes Tobias' arm-- though in her enfeebled state, it's doubtful whether he even felt the squeeze or not. "Wren!" she hisses in horror, uncoordinated for a few steps purely out of embarrassment.

She tries for a recovery, managing to get her voice to work around her blushing-- "Ahm, I mean... Yeah, okay-- If you could just, y'know... walk me there Tobi, then Wren can h-help..."

She knows she sounds ridiculous, but can't help the stumbling waver of her voice. She nevertheless hadn't been mortified enough to let go of Tobias' arm, feeling slightly winded just from their walk out onto the pool deck.

Grace feels the brief, subtle shake as Levi lands nearby and proceeds to come carefully back into the house, handing Wren the duffel bag. She gives Levi a grateful look, and says sincerely, "Th-thank you, Levi..."

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Tobias had rather

Tobias had rather effortlessly helped Grace to her feet, actually quite encouraged by the fact that her grasp was no longer shaky and unstable, happy to see that the mountainous breakfast had helped her situation...Though it clearly had done a good deal for Wren as well...As her cheeky comment catches his ears, again a ripple of vivid, green light flashes across the skin of his cheeks, rippling from the bridge of his nose, across his cheeks to his collarbones before fading. Almost immediately, he goes on the defensive, managing to stammer out,

"I...I wouldn't...I mean, what sort of guy would...I mean she's certainly attractive and...well....But I wouldn't try..."

He'd actually be more than aware of her fingers gently squeezing at his arm, it only making matters infinitely more complicated as it causes another ripple of light to crash across his skin.

Eventually he gives up trying to insinuate that he certainly had no intentions of peeking in at her while she showered, simply nodding in reply to her suggestions,

"Y-yeah. I'll just help you get across the way...Wren can help with the rest. Y'know, and then I'll wait outside. Only polite."

Thankfully at that moment, the ground had gently shuddered, announcing the arrival of Levi returning to the house with a change of clothes for both Wren and Grace. It was a well-timed distraction...though the exchange was brief, and again left Tobias with both his thoughts, and the fact that Grace was still clinging to his arm.

There followed a decidedly sheepish eye contact before he began helping her across the pool deck, feeling as though his skin would burst into flames at any moment. He felt entirely akin to a blathering middle-schooler in his reaction thus far, though it was hardly his fault all considered. Tobias had spent the better part of his latter teens, a time when most got the opportunity to broach the subject of dating with full force, alone and ignored by the fairer gender.

And oddly enough, he could see exactly why.

Sickly, wheelchair-ridden, unhealthily thin and constantly knocking on death's door was hardly the ideal candidate for romantic pursuit. After all, who would've wanted to date a guy who had been diagnosed 'terminally ill'? He'd never bothered with any school dances, and had arrived at the senior Prom without a date.

And suddenly, he found himself in a new state of physical excellence, and all of his prior inexperience had come flooding back...as well as the very real notion that such a thing was a possibility again.

As the three of them made their way to the guest house, Tobias rather kindly escorts Grace inside, allowing her time to take a seat on the bed before nodding and gesturing behind him with a thumb.

"I'll be outside if and when you want to come back to the house. Just call out when you're ready and I'll be there. Figure it's the least I can do, considering..."

With that, he flicks a glance between Grace and Wren, before nodding, and showing himself out, the door clicking shut behind him...before his legs rather unceremoniously gave out on him for just long enough to see him collapse into the grass with a quiet mutter of,

"God dammit..."

As he hefted himself back to his feet.

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"Thank you very much, Levi."

"Thank you very much, Levi." Wren says as she takes the duffel bag and follows Grace and Tobi into the guest house.

As soon as she gets inside, she sets the duffel bag on the bed, and begins to set out the clothing, and getting everything organized. "Don't flutter so much, Tobpocalypse, you're good." She grins, and turns to help Grace with her clothes. She remembers the time she had to help her mother in the same way after she'd broken a leg and arm in foiling some heist or other nefarious activity. Wren had been about nine years old, and it made her feel proud that her mom trusted her enough to let her help.

She helped Grace walk into the bathroom, and settled her against the counter, setting up the shower with lovely hot water. She got a washcloth together with shampoo and soap, getting everything into good places, easy to reach.

Turning to Grace, "You ready to feel amazingly clean? This shower is -beastly-." She smiles at her friend, nonchalant about nudity. Much like it's said about the Japanese in a bathhouse 'Nudity is seen but not noticed'. "You need help showering, or you gonna be ok on your own?"

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Grace chewed her lip through

Grace chewed her lip through a hidden smile to keep from laughing at the 'Tobpocalypse' nickname. "Thanks, Tobias..." she says quietly, smiling almost apologetically up into his face before being suffered to sit down on the edge of the bed again for a moment.

She lets Wren help her undress, and where she would usually be self-conscious about her body, only blushes a tiny bit and stays quiet about it. It obviously doesn't bother Wren, any, so and Grace hasn't the energy left to be modest at this point. She gets up again with Wren's support and minces her way to the bathroom, leaning against the counter briefly as the water is turned on, things are set to rights for her.

"Ahhhm... N-no, I think I should be okay for the most part, I just... I'm worried about my wing. I think I'll try to keep it out, and m-maybe you can help me clean it more carefully in a minute-- then we can get help changing the dressing." She gulps a little, and admits in a quiet, but very honest murmur, "I'm think I'm too scared to see it, anyway..."

Once the water is turned on and everything is within reach for her use, Grace smiles at Wren with the utmost gratitude. "Thank you, Wren... Thank you." She touches Wren's hand, then steps into the shower.

It takes Grace a short while to get clean. Unable to move her left wing very much without residual pain, or at the very least a fear of tearing the stitches, Grace had simply propped it up against a wall. It had gotten wet out of necessity, but would not get necessarily clean, no soap applied to it. The other, however, she's able to clean and preen for herself, though this process usually takes a while anyway.

She leans against the wall for support as she gingerly but thoroughly washes her hair, face, and body, and eventually is clean and rinsed enough to turn off the water. Reaching a hand out for a towel, she says tremulously, "Wren?", indicating she's ready for help again. Augh, it's terrible to be so burdenous, but she is highly aware that if she doesn't have help NOW, she won't be able to help anyone else for even longer. And-- God!-- when would she be able to fly again?...

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Wren nods and turns to leave,

Wren nods and turns to leave, but stops before she closes the door. "You saved my life, little sister. Anything I do will always be in gratitude for that. You saved my life and my ability to fly. I don't know if you remember how bad it was before you healed me. But you saved me from possibly having to have it amputated. Thank you, little sister."

She wanders out and sits on the bed to wait. Again, those last moments before she passed out roll through her mind. The numbness in the rest of her wing. The sick pain radiating down her body from the nearly severed limb. She takes many, many deep breaths while Grace is showering, and simply... lets it go. She doesn't shove the fear down this time. She just lets it wash out of her as she washed out the grime earlier.

Grace's call pulls her out of her semi meditative state, and she meanders back in to the bathroom with her usual smile.

"Lets get this wing cleaned, shall we?" She squeezes Grace's hand... really no more need be said between them. They were family now, and this was just what you did for family. She carefully rinsed, soaped and washed every feather, making sure to dig her hands into the soft, downy feathers to get to the skin near the bones. She was meticulous in her cleaning, knowing just how it felt to feel pampered in this way.

In the end, she takes the soft, fluffy towel, and wraps it around her friend, tucking it in, and giving Grace a gentle hug. "Lets get you dried and dressed." She simply smiles, and offers her arm to help Grace walk back to the bed area.

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
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Grace had closed her eyes and

Grace had closed her eyes and simply let those words roll around in her own head for awhile, too... She hadn't thought that Wren might've died-- she hadn't thought of anything except saving the only friend she had, her only family laying bleeding on the roof... It really was the most selfless thing she'd ever done, and it suddenly makes the fear and pain go away in an exhaled sigh.

Grace had turned around to bring her left wing into Wren's reach as the girl came back into the bathroom. She had been reluctant at first to let it be pulled away from her body, the muscles stiff from keeping it protectively close to her back, not to mention being bandaged that way... but if there's anyone she trusts with such a thing, it's Wren-- and eventually she relaxes it as much as she's able. The massaging of Wren's fingers almost puts her back to sleep leaning against the shower alcove wall, and she sighs again, this time with relaxation.

She opened her eyes again as Wren wrapped the fluffy towel around her and helped her back out into the bedroom, smiling gratefully enough not to need any words of thanks. Grace sways a bit as she sits down again, unable to stand for too long, but she manages to stay upright, combing her wet but clean hair back from her face with her fingertips.

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Outside, Tobias could hear

Outside, Tobias could hear the distant sound of the shower running, muffled chatter, but nothing decipherable. He'd opted to stick relatively close to the Guest House, managing to find a spot to sit down by the pool, quietly submerging his hand and withdrawing it to watch the rivulets of water drizzle across human skin and unrelenting, case-hardened steel knuckles while he waited. There were no sparks, no short circuits. Though he supposed that in all honestly, having augmentations that weren't waterproof would be pretty stupid considering HE was at least seventy percent water to begin with...

Suddenly the world seemed so much larger, with so many more opportunities than he'd figured. He hadn't really thought about what he would do come his emergence from the Sarcophagus. It's not like he could simply find a job hawking used cars now that he was this heavily augmented...and the events of the previous day were certainly sitting weightily in his mind.

And then the thought of the fact that there were two, winged girls occupying the Guest House suddenly came crashing back into his mind. He had no idea what would happen beyond today, but Wren seemed friendly enough, if not gifted of a decidedly mischievous streak...

And Grace...Well, she was certainly nothing to turn your nose up at.

As he stood, the notion that without their help, he'd not be standing here today hits him rather strongly. Thanks was definitely in order...though perhaps at a time when it wasn't quite so odd to blurt out...

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Wren gives Grace her

Wren gives Grace her underthings, and goes to clean up the bathroom a bit. she waits a decent interval before coming back out again.

"So, that Tobi. Kinda cute, huh? You got some interest in that area?" She grins, poking Grace's shoulder before going to help her pull on pants and shoes, letting Grace handle the halter for herself. "I think you two would be good for eachother." She looks up from where she's knelt on the floor to hold open the legs of the pants for Grace's feet.

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Grace is handed her

Grace is handed her underthings, and with measured usage of her remaining energy, proceeds to put them on in methodical fashion.

She's catching her breath, even from the small exertion she's put out so far, when Wren makes her comments about Tobi. Grace is too exhausted to react as vehemently as she certainly feels inside-- but isn't too exhausted to blush out to her ears and down to her collarbones. "Jesus Christ, Wren!" That's enough of an oath for her, considering where and how she'd grown up, and Grace crosses herself quickly, pulling her blue halter top on as an excuse for something to occupy herself for a few moments.

But... for those few moments she hadn't said anything to the contrary, as she stood up and carefully braced herself against Wren's shoulder, stepping into her favorite pair of black jeans...

The white-winged girl flicks a look at the shuttered front windows of the little guest house, and says in a rushed whisper, "F-fine, I guess he's kinda c-cute-- but really, Wren? Now? He's... he's just learning to walk again, and I c-can't fly at all for awhile-- I can't-- I--" Grace imagines herself as she must look right now, damp-winged, her hair wet and unruly, barely able to stand up, let alone fully dress herself... To herself, she looks rather like a wet goose, or something similarly unattractive.

"...Please, just... see if there's a comb or a brush somewhere..." she says somewhat meekly, defeatedly, her left wing held by sheer habit and instinct against her back again for protection, the right sagging loosely onto the bedspread behind her.

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Wren sighs, but smiles gently

Wren sighs, but smiles gently, lifting Grace's head with a finger under her chin.

"You -will- fly again. No matter what I have to do... you -will- fly. I'm sorry if my teasing is making you uncomfortable, I never meant them to hurt you, little dove. But while you're here, recovering, and he's still somewhat weak and getting used to his body not being a wasteland, he's cute, smart, and has a good sense of humor. He's a fun distraction who seems very taken with you."

She hugs her friend and moves off to find that comb. When she comes back, she sits behind Grace, and slowly brushes out her hair. Using the blunted tines of the comb, she massages Grace's scalp gently as she combs. She hums a lullaby softly as she works on her friend's hair.

"I think... while you're recuperating... I'm gonna give you some killer braids to keep all this lovely hair from getting in your way. Good times or bad?"

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Grace looks up, unable not to

Grace looks up, unable not to, at the coaxing of Wren's finger under her chin. She smiles, shaking her head a little, and it becomes pretty obvious that she's just mightily embarrassed, not hurt or damagingly upset.

Her voice is very low and quiet as she says haltingly, shyly, her eyes closing as Wren combs her hair soothingly, "...I just... I never thought about... anybody... like that before?... I don't know what to do... or say... and it seems silly and, uhm... fast?... to think about it-- just because I notice he's, you know... cute..."

She seems glad for a moment to get away from the embarrassing subject of the boy waiting outside. "...Braids are fine-- if it's somewhere between one and five, not like, a hundred... It'd take forever and I don't want to look weird..." She giggles just a little with a faint smile for how she'd look with hundreds of little braids.

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While the girls continued

While the girls continued what Tobias could only figure was preening, primping and general tidiness...stuff, he relented to sticking close to the pool deck, patiently waiting....though certainly wondering exactly what was taking them so long.

Though, all told, it wasn't like he had anything better to be doing.

He again examined his hands with their steel knuckles, the fine bands of titanium that had replaced the natural tendons, before a flash of light striking metal brought his eyes to his toes, a curved plate of steel set on the instep of each foot, just above his toes. Again, he had to wonder what people thought of these curious protrusions. Were they strange? Off-putting? Did anyone even really care about them? He supposed they probably weren't all that disconcerting, otherwise he probably would've gotten more stunned or apprehensive gazes.

Whatever the case, he turns, gazing at the door of the Guest House, lifting his eyes to the sunlight that was now pouring down onto the pool deck. Hopefully they'd be done soon...

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Wren just chuckled as she did

Wren just chuckled as she did odd things to Grace's hair. She turned the girl's head this way and that, starting two or three braids in odd spots. She continues this for quite some time before reaching into her bag for bobby pins in the side pocket. She pins Grace's hair very securely, she could go flying in a high wind and not loose more than a few tendrils. Which would probably look very fetching with the hairstyle, now that she thought about it.

"Alright, hair's done... but I'm not. I'm pretty sure you've never gotten pampered, so I'm gonna pamper you some." She smiles at her sister before taking out a small zippered pouch. "Keep your eyes closed, little dove. If you decide you don't like what I've done when you see it, then we can change it. But for now just trust me, ok?"

She waited until Grace closed her eyes, and took out several different kinds of makeup. A faint golden blush and eye-shadow with sparklies embedded in the color, a light tan-ish/gold-ish lip gloss, and a light brown eye pencil. For several long minutes, Wren does strange things to Grace's face, finishing off with a few dabs of her homemade rose/vanilla scent.

"Alright, lovey, lets give you a look at yourself." She stands, and offers her hand to lead Grace into the bathroom. Her expression is intentionally blank, giving Grace no hints to her reactions.

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
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Grace actually almost dozes

Grace actually almost dozes off a little, her eyes closed as Wren plays with her hair, enjoying the gentle tugs of it this way and that, the feel of the pins gently nestling against her scalp... It made her feel more alive, in a way, to be aware of her head. Her left wing has remained ever tucked against her side-- clean, but instinctively held very close without being bandaged to her body anymore-- the dressing over the wound is still in place, however.

She'd fluttered her eyes open a bit at feeling Wren finish with her hair, but hadn't said anything. She'd merely smiled shyly, gratefully at Wren with a little nod in response to being pampered. Makeup was a luxury-- if not a little bit scandalous to her. It was very much another act of trust to close her eyes and let Wren do admittedly strange-feeling things to her face and eyelids. The rose vanilla scent tickles her nose, making her breathe a little deeper...

When Wren is finished, Grace gets up with some help, and minces into the bathroom, holding her psuedo-sister's hand.

Catching a look at herself in the vanity mirror, Grace is given pause. Letting go of Wren's hand, she leans on the counter for support, staring for a long moment... Her skin is clean and smooth now, her freckles a light sprinkle over nose and upper cheeks. Wren has braided her hair in such a way that it circles round her head a bit like a crown, done up in a bun to keep it off her neck. The touches of gold and brown color on her face make her dark blue eyes seem a more saturated color, more vivid, the blue halter that much more blue-- and even her chocolate brown hair seems to be in technicolor, her white wings even brighter...

She reaches out to touch the image in the mirror gently, leaving several fingerprints... then reaches to touch her own lips with her fingers, feeling the slight stickiness of the lip gloss.

"Oh..." she says a bit numbly, a little breathless. "...Are you sure that's me?"

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Wren smiles, wrapping an arm

Wren smiles, wrapping an arm around Grace in a sideways hug. She watches Grace's expression in the mirror as she replies, "Yes, that's you. Enhanced a bit, certainly, but only just enough to bring out those beautiful features of yours." She backs off, and takes Grace by the hand, "Come on... lets see if this shot hits the target like I'm hoping it will..."

She leads Grace out through the bedroom and out the door.

As they come out, the sun hits Grace in the perfect way to show her as if she were backlit with a soft, golden glow. It picked out golden and red highlights in the soft bun that was made of her hair. She was gilded in a soft golden light, giving her a soft 'aura'. The color of her eyes is picked out in light, and the soft shimmer of the makeup that Wren had picked out highlighting her eyes and lips. Her wings were astonishing, each feather seemingly gilded with gold, the shafts darker than the rest of the feathers which seem to glow on their own.

Grace was an astonishingly beautiful sight, and Wren backed off to give Tobi a clear and unimpeded view of this unearthly creature.

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Grace had been carefully led

Grace had been carefully led out into the sunlight-- where, unawares as to what the light was doing to her, she blinked her eyes several times, trying to focus them on Tobias, who was likely waiting somewhere nearby. As Wren lets her go to stand by herself, Grace extends her right wing with a slight wobble to help keep herself steady and upright-- though this probably only makes the haloing of the morning light that much worse (better?) through the spread feathers. A one-winged angel, indeed!

"...Tobias?" Her voice is meek, quiet, questioning.

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The sound of the guest house

The sound of the guest house door unlatching and swinging open immediately catches Tobias' ear, augmented hearing and a body of water between him and the sound carrying it to him with remarkable efficacy.

However sound in this instance paled in comparison to what emerged from the guest house a moment afterward.

It seemed as though the very elements of nature themselves conspired to stun him to the spot as Grace stepped into the sunlight. Her hair had been cleaned, brushed and set into a bun at the top of her head, his augmented eyes picking up shades of red and gold in her hair as sunlight struck the soft, auburn strands. Her wings had been cleaned, preened and set just so to make her look an almost angelic figure, wreathed in sunlight, her skin aglow in the mid-morning light.

This...was Grace?

His jaw works a moment, words failing him for the longest time before he manages to stammer out a call of,

"W-wait right there! I'll be over in a..."

To his surprise, his first footstep forward didn't hit more warm concrete, but something decidedly softer, less supportive...not to mention decidedly colder. Considered by chemists to be a malleable construction of Hydrogen and Oxygen atoms, held in a liquid state, plainly spoken, Tobias' first step forward didn't hit concrete, it hit water...along with the rest of him.

There was a calamitous splash as Tobi fell face-first into the pool, having been about six inches too far to the left to avoid falling in, almost immediately sinking to the bottom of the deep end of the body of water. His eyes snapped open underwater in a blind panic, looking for the surface as instinct overrode intellect. He planted his feet on the bottom of the pool and pushed upward with all his might...probably a little TOO much might.

Back on the surface, the rippling water suddenly exploded as Tobias launched himself from the pool, landing on the deck into a sideways roll, finally ending up sprawled out on his back, gasping for air, utterly sodden from top to toe, the black ringer shirt he'd been sporting clinging to him with even LESS subtle suggestion than it had while dry. Thankfully his emergence from the pool hadn't directed any water in Grace's direction, though at this juncture, it seemed virtually impossible to ruin her angelic visage, the droplets scattered about seeming to respectfully avoid her.

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Grace had watch Tobias turn,

Grace had watch Tobias turn, seen his face change-- but before she could recognize what it was that had gone across his expression, he had disappeared face first into the pool with an uproarious splash.

"Tobias!"

She called out worriedly and had taken a few steps forward on her own volition-- only to jerk backward as Tobias comes rocketing out of the water again, rolling across the pool deck to end up almost at her feet, though miraculously she hadn't gotten soaked. She's so surprised and off-balance that she sits down smartly on her backside, frantically flailing her arms, but mentally terrified enough not to use her wings to save her at all.

Grace stares for a long moment at Tobias, gasping like a landed fish, her eyes round like saucers, her face as red as anything-- before she rocks herself forward onto her knees and her healer's instinct kicks in-- despite the injury to her wing and her enfeebled state. "Tobias! Tobias are you alright?" She kneels over him, instinctively using her good right wing to shield his face from the sun, her trembling hands out but not quite touching him, unsure what to do. Did he hurt his leg on the way in? Hit his head on the bottom? Had he breathed the water? Was there water in his lungs?...

Of course, it would be a monumentally bad idea to try to 'heal' Tobias in her present state, but that doesn't occur to Grace in the exigencies of the moment.

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Wren giggles and simply moves

Wren giggles and simply moves like an unseen stage hand to help Tobi up, but slips back in to the Guest house to grab him a towel instead as Grace moves to help him. She is more than pleased with the effects of her work on Grace. She waits until she's inside to giggle herself senseless, trying to hold in the mirth somewhat so she won't be heard outside.

She rummages around a bit longer than necessary in the bathroom linen closet for a towel before walking back out to hand it to Tobi. Again, she moves off, simply to watch these two.

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
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Tobias blinks his vivid,

Tobias blinks his vivid, glowing eyes several times as the sky goes dark above him, realising that a wonderfully white wing was now shielding his eyes from the harsh light of the sun. He lifts a hand to wave disarmingly, if not somewhat uncoordinated in his gesture thanks to his state of shock. Curiously it seems as though the water-dappled arm he waves, namely his forearm is grazed thanks to his landing, blood mingling with pool water as he does his best to reassure Grace that he's okay. His cavernous lungs draw breath after breath of fresh air as he manages to rasp out,

"I'm okay. Didn't quite stick the landing and my arm's kinda scuffed up, but...Do I get points for effort?"

He smiles wryly, then flicks a glance to Wren as she approaches from the guest house, handing him a towel which he readily accepted before nodding in Grace's direction, her pleasant features now halo'd by the sun above her only making matters thoroughly worse,

"You gotta warn a guy if you're spring a surprise like that. We men-folk get clumsy around captivating, young ladies, y'know."

Again it seems as though he'd spoken before his mind could filter out anything embarassing, the viridian glow normally associated with his bashfulness again rising in his cheeks and rippling across his water-dappled skin.

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Grace takes the towel from

Grace takes the towel from Wren since Tobias seems a bit senseless-- maybe he HAD hit his head-- and lays it awkwardly over him. When he lifts his forearm, she winces a little at the blood and water dripping from the muscular limb, reaching out to touch the shallow cut, getting Tobias' blood on her fingers without hesitation.

She isn't-- she wouldn't-- not this soon, she couldn't possibly-- could she?...

Before anyone can stop her, Grace exerts her subtle, hidden power and the wound abruptly closes and disappears in a flutter of green circuitry just under the skin, leaving the bloodied water to drip away and leave his skin clean and fresh as it had been when he emerged from the Sarcophagus yesterday.

But... even this small effort is too much for Grace. She swoons, her eyes fluttering closed as she tries to brace her hands in front of her-- which ends up bracing her squarely on Tobias' chest and upper stomach-- before she flits into a brief unconsciousness. Her hands give out under limp arms and she slides forward, collapsing rather gracefully over Tobias, both wings sagging awkwardly, the left in danger of splitting it's sutures if it keeps stretching further and further out like that for much longer--...

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"Shit!" Wren exclaims,

"Shit!" Wren exclaims, running toward the crumpled heap of her friend. "Get up! You take her body, I'll manage the wings. NOW!" She shouts, moving to cradle Grace's limp wings and press them to her body gently but firmly.

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
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Tobias is jolted from the

Tobias is jolted from the daze of his landing...and the sudden healing of his wounded arm to immediate reaction thanks to Wren's voice. Still sodden, but entirely uncaring at this juncture, he sits up gently, moving to assist Grace in the form of helping her to a seated position which wouldn't be so strenuous on her injured wing. There's still rivulets of water coursing down his face from his hair, a sorrowful expression on Tobias' face,

"Dammit...We need to get that wing re-bandaged. But...wait..."

Suddenly an idea formulated itself in Tobias' head as he peered at his now perfectly healed forearm. Grace's healing ability seemed to work through touch, however it also expended energy when she did so. He had not only the energy he gained from eating food normally, but the surplus energy associated with the plasmatic fusion reactor ringing his heart.

A plan began to form. His luminous eyes flitted to Wren, his tone remarkably sure as he said,

"I've got an idea, gimme a second."

Tobias immediately patted his hand against his sodden shirt several times, dampening his palm before setting it gently against Grace's cheek. He'd remembered from high school science classes that water was an excellent conductor of electricity, energy in it's purest form. Perhaps, if he could form a link, he could transfer some of his excess energy to Grace. Not a crazy amount, but more than enough to wake her up.

He gently closed his eyes, took a breath, before his eyes snapped open mechanically, their viridian glow curiously vacant. His voice took on a computerised timber, a gentle, metallic undertone accompanying the throaty voice,

"GUARDIAN Online. Scanning connected system. Compatible circuits identified. Warning, voltaic levels below recommended levels. Initiating energy transfer..."

At that moment, Tobias' eyes gently dimmed and flickered as waves of luminous, green light rippled along his arm and through his fingers, issuing Grace just enough energy to relieve her of her exhaustion-induced unconsciousness. She'd already saved his life once, a little jump-start to get her back to feeling a little more alive was the least he could do in return...

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Grace had been only lightly

Grace had been only lightly unconscious. She could feel herself being manipulated, moved, could hear Tobias speaking... but couldn't see a thing. Feeling someone taking care of her wings, she's oddly relaxed and unconcerned, thinking dreamily what a nice voice Tobias has...

There's a slight jolt, and quite suddenly her own eyes snap open and she takes a gasping sort of breath. She can see again-- and heatedly discovers that it's Tobias' streaming wet face. She blushes richly and would have sagged backwards if someone hadn't been helping hold her up-- Wren, taking care of her wings.

"Oh--... What--... Are you okay Tobias?" She asks a bit dazedly. At least she's awake, clean, and smells pretty nice!

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Wren waits while Tobi does...

Wren waits while Tobi does... whatever it is he's doing. And is mightily relieved when she sees Grace responding so well. She slowly lets go of Grace's wings, letting her get the weight of them back. Not having them to use is like a cat suddenly deprived of its tail. Balance goes right out the window.

"You back with us, lovey?" The worry is clear in her voice, though she's trying not to think too much about it. She helps Grace up slowly, letting her acclimate to each step before moving on to the next.

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
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As Grace had been helped to

As Grace had been helped to her feet, Tobias...or rather GUARDIAN had held the exact, same posture, right down to the reach of his hand now hanging in the air where Grace's cheek once was. It takes a moment, in which his eyes dim completely, then blink back online with a pulse of light as Tobias comes back to reality.

A reality in which he's still drenched from head to foot.

He shakes his head and rises to his feet, turning to find Grace and Wren already on their way back to the main house. He scoops up his towel, slinging it over a shoulder and immediately comes to their side at a slow jog, setting an arm around Grace's back to offer his considerable strength should she need further support, an amazed smile on his face.

It had worked.

And furthermore, Grace looked stunning. He wasn't entirely sure how those two thoughts held any correlation, but did it really matter?

As they enter the house proper, Tobias gestures to a nearby foot rest, it looking certainly solid enough to support her weight comfortably, with adequate room behind it to allow him to secure Grace's injured wing again,

"Here, take a seat over there and we'll see about getting your wing re-secured. Last thing we need is you sustaining any more damage to it. I mean, I'm no doctor, but that sounds like a bad idea in my book."

He's momentarily hesitant to depart, but does so in order to secure a replacement bandage from his father's 'office', returning as he effortlessly tears off the packaging and unrolls it some, smiling at the thoroughly radiant-looking girl with her equally radiant white wings,

"Thanks for the help with the arm, by the way. You probably shouldn't have for your own sake but....no point crying over spilt milk, right?"

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Grace grips Wren's forearm

Grace grips Wren's forearm and gingerly gets back to her feet, still a bit dazed, but growing more alert with every small step she takes. "Yes?... I mean-- yes. I'm fine... I mean, I'm not FINE fine... I'm just... fine..."

She sighs softly and sits down when bid to, grateful for the support of something other than her mostly unreliable legs. She looks over at the couch where Nick had curled up to rest, smiling faintly-- but the smile had disappeared when Tobias had come back from his father's office, opening up a bandage. She paled noticeably and swallowed hard.

Grace tried to smile at Tobias, but it wavered with fright, her eyes flicking to the bandage again. She hasn't really looked at the wound itself yet, just... felt it, felt it with her peripheral vision enough to know it was moderately serious. "Y-you're welcome... Yeah, I... I shouldn't have but--" She utters a nervous little sound of amusement.

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Nick was still curled up ina

Nick was still curled up ina ball on the couch sleeping when the group came in, but his body was twitching every few moments. It was slight, but if anyone stopped to watch him for a few moments it would be noticeable.

Levi wandered back into the room shortly after the other group did, thudding with each step. He notices Tobias is slightly wet, and that Grace looked much different. He scanned her face, quickly coming to the conclusion that it was the makeup.

He nods to the group, "Greetings."

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"Hello again, Levi. How're

"Hello again, Levi. How're you doing?"

She moves to sit at Grace's feet, taking her little tootsies and rubbing them gently. Apparently she needs to touch people when she's nervous or worried. She works on Grace's feet with slow circular motions of her fingertips, sensitive to those pressure points that indicate tense muscles, or blocked energy.

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

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Grace smiles up at Levi, a

Grace smiles up at Levi, a weird sense of relief to have everyone in the same room again. "Levi," she says with that clear relief-- no requests, nothing needed, just a simple, humble acknowledgement of his presence. She'd noticed his creator's twitching, and wondered if Nick was dreaming...

She's quickly incapable of thought though, instantly relaxing under Wren's touch, exhaling a long sigh that helpfully relaxes both wings to a more natural angle. She even closes her eyes, seeming to forget the imminent re-bandaging, a small smile on her beautified face. That's probably a good thing, all in all.

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Tobias certainly isn't one to

Tobias certainly isn't one to ignore cues, and seeing Grace relax gently into Wren's seemingly deft foot massage gives him ample time to set about securing Grace's wing. Strangely, of all things this tidbit of information had stuck, as Tobias had helped his father with learning to secure a wing back when his father was a part of the research board investigating with applying medical techniques to metahuman physiology. The pair of them had actually travelled to a raptor rescue center to learn and apply the techniques used there to conventional medical practice.

Somehow, through practice, Tobi had never forgotten it.

With Grace's injured left wing mantled more or less against her back, he sets about bandaging in a cross shape at the wrist joint several times, before hitching the wing to her torso with several revolutions around her waist, occasionally checking to make sure that the bandages weren't being too constricting. She'd need a little movement, but not so much as to give her leeway to inadvertently tear her stitches out.

That said, the whole activity puts Tobias considerably closer to Grace than he'd counted on being, his skin a constant shimmer of light the entire time at the lack of distance between him and the thoroughly gorgeous creature that Wren's efforts had rendered her. At this range, even over the scent of antiseptic ointments he could smell something, a unique scent emanating from her feathers. It was different, but certainly not unpleasant...in fact it was far from unpleasant, to say the least.

Though all of this was more than a little forward of him, all told. He'd just woken up out of a steel-plated coffin the day before and already he was 'scoping the scene'?

Securing the end of the bandage, he steps back and sets his hands on his hips, nodding in approval,

"Feel free to tell me if it's a little tight...though I think I'll go so far as to say that wing's safe and sound."

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Grace is patently oblivious

Grace is patently oblivious to Tobias' scrutiny, dozing with a peaceful little smile while sitting up, and getting pretty good at it over the past few hours. Her wing had remained limp and relaxed as he'd bandaged it up again-- though it rustled softly with its many feathers against one another, and it's scent was something warm and alive, animal-like... but clean, and pleasing.

She takes a deep breath and sits up a bit straighter, lifting up her arms and stretching them over her head with a cute little yawn. Her left wing had stirred only a little, but the right had stretched out to it's full breadth, just brushing the back of the couch where Nick was still resting. It quivered briefly, then snapped back against her, adjusting minutely to a comfortable position.

Grace blinks her eyes sleepily open again, and peers under her arm at the wing with bemusement, then looks over her shoulder at Tobias with a shy smile. "Thank you--... It doesn't hurt at all."

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Wren smiles, and wanders off

Wren smiles, and wanders off into the kitchen to find some sort of food-like subject, leaving Grace and Tobi alone for the time being.

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
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Levi watched the process,

Levi watched the process, remaining quiet, "I am impressed with your bandaging prowess, Mister Tobias." He soon followed Wren into the kitchen, if merely just to watch her prepare food.

If anyone took notice, the twitching of Nick's body was steadily - if slowly - increasing, and the ball he was in curled tighter around itself. His facial expression would shift slightly, from blank to slightly distressed. Grace would start to feel that something was amiss -- and the feeling would start to grow.

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Tobias blinked as Wren

Tobias blinked as Wren vacated to find further things to eat, and would likely discover that Alan's fridge was well stocked with a mixture delicious things, not excluding ingredients for one hell of a sandwich should she feel that way inclined. He then regarded Levi with a smile, nodding and explaining,

"Dad and I went to a raptor rescue center back when he was working with a panel of doctors to come up with standardized treatments for meta-human patients. Learning how the vetinary surgeons bandaged a bird wing served as the basis for treating people like Grace and Wren should they injure their wings. From what I remember, they had to alter the techniques a bit because a human with wings isn't like that of a bird but...I bandaged so many birds that day, something like this became like riding a bike."

He then grins to Grace, adding,

"Though, I'm really glad you don't have talons...or the whim to use 'em. I had to do just as much bandaging of my own arms as I did the birds."

Tobias' eyes flick to Nick laying nearby, who was curiously starting to twitch with greater and greater frequency. His expression turns from mirth to curiosity, then to concern, before his luminous gaze comes to Levi,

"Is...that normal for him?"

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Grace is a bit stunned by

Grace is a bit stunned by Tobias' new information-- and just how fate-like it sounded. Couldn't have known he'd be working on winged people, but had the experience when he needed it...

She's distracted by Nick as Tobi's gaze goes that way, and she gets up purely on her own steam. Catching her hand against the couch, she moves to Nick's side, sits down on the floor next to him, feeling that distant thunder sensation in her head. Her own brows are furrowed as she reaches out a hand to hover over his head.

"Nick?... Nick... wake up..." She says this very, very softly, and yet-- Nick would probably, inadvertantly, hear Grace calling his name once or twice in his sleep.

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Levi looks over to his

Levi looks over to his creator, and responds to Tobias's question, "Generally speaking? Sadly, affirmative."

Nick does, indeed here Grace's voice in his sleep, but the visible effect is quite the opposite -- his breath quickens, and he curls tighter around himself, his nightmare seeming to intensify.

Levi states to everyone in the room., almost sadly, if a monotone voice can be that, "If the dream worsens, he is near wakng up. Do not be distressed."

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Grace's concern deepens at

Grace's concern deepens at Levi's words, but she doesn't say anything in response, except to continue calling softly, this time laying her hand everso gently on Nick's shoulder. She anticipates him coming awake violently, but touches him anyway.

"Nick... Come on Nick.. Wake up, little brother... It's alright-- wake up, Nick..."

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Wren comes out of the kitchen

Wren comes out of the kitchen with a plate holding three very architecturally unsound sandwiches. Seeing the concern over the sleeping Nick, she calls out, "You could try giving him a good slap to shock him out of it..." And sits down nearby to begin consuming the sandwiches with a voraciousness she realistically shouldn't have after the monstrous breakfast.

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, "Why not?"
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Tobias nods, but his

Tobias nods, but his expression furrows deeply at just what might cause this sort of unconscious reaction, concern written upon his face. He turns to Levi, inquiring,

"Is it recurring memories? I mean, something must've happened to him for it to both be something you've gotten used to, and to affect him this severely."

His eyes then travel to Grace, gently trying to rouse her friend from his sleep, though the rapid increase in the rate of his breathing certainly has Tobias worried. Though, he'd also defer to Levi in this regard, the big, red robot standing in the entertainment room not making moves to dial up paramedics. It must simply be a situation that Nick had to work himself free of.

Tobias casually regarded the picture frames in the room with a glance, not really keeping his eyes settled on any one in particular before his eyes swung back to Grace. Several of the picture frames detail a fairly nuclear family: Alan, what looked like his wife, A decidedly younger Tobias and what looked to be his sibling....and then others, later images, show that the mother figure had vanished. Either there had been a split in the family or....

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Nick then nearly jumps off of

Levi tilts his head to one side, "Yes and no. It is believed that with his heightened intelligence the brain cannot function without pacification. When Master Ridley sleeps, unlike most humans, whose brain ries to rest, his creates vividly scenarios and images. His past is terrible, but it is not pleasant, and it provides him with plenty of information for his brain to work off of."

Nick then nearly jumps off of the couch, gasping for breath. It takes him a moment to realize he's woken up, and when he sees everyone is staring at him, he immediately reddens and looks down at his hands in his lap, clearing his throat and murmuring, "Ah -- I'm fine. It's alright." His voice cracks near the end of the statement, and he cringes.

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Grace had been ready this

Grace had been ready this time, and rocked back just enough to get out of the way as Nick bolts up to a sitting position. She'd look VERY different to Nick, softer and more feminine even with her wing bound. Her hair is put up in a braided crown circling in to a bun at the back, and someone's given her just enough makeup to smooth her into definite prettiness.

Right now though, she just looks concernedly up from the floor near his feet, reaching up a hand to take one of his off of his lap. "Shh, it's okay. It's just us!" Her voice is quiet, and sounds pretty weak, but she seems determined enough to stay upright. Her expression smooths with a little smile, her hand squeezing his. "I'm glad you're alright-- don't worry, I won't tell anybody."

She glares around with what severity she can muster on her made-up face, daring anybody else to make something of the incident.

It's then that she starts to notice the pictures on the wall, following Tobias' gaze toward them... She gets that funny feeling in her head again, but shakes it off for the moment, giggling a bit at Wren mowing through several sandwiches. Turning back to Nick, she says quietly, "...Are you hungry? I mean... I could eat again."

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Wren finishes her monstrous

Wren finishes her monstrous sandwich pile, and yawns. "I think... I'm gonna go pass out for a bit again." She gives a kiss to the room in general, and wanders off to the guest house. Were anyone to come in, they'd find a pile of feathers and limbs, Wren sleeping on her side, one wing over her like a blanket, the other nestled between her and the mattress.

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Nick, still embarrassed, nods

Nick, still embarrassed, nods at Grace's suggestion of food, clearing his throat and stating, "Yeah, that sounds nice."

He stands, his hair falling into his eyes, and holds out a hand for Grace if she needs it, which he assumes she does.

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With everyone seeming to feel

With everyone seeming to feel a little more in better spirits, including Wren who had likely demolished the contents of the fridge with her impromptu...and monolithic lunch, Tobias flicks a gaze around at the group...before thumbing his chin in deep, deep consideration,

"Hmm...multiple people in various stages of hunger, closely oriented TV with potential for impromptu movie viewing.... Guys, I'm calling it: It's pizza time. Who's down for some Famous Ray's? I swear I haven't had a decent pizza in probably eight months....and you better believe I miss it!"

He vanishes for a moment to collect a notepad and pen, then nods, a mirthful expression on his face.

"So who wants what? And I figure we can order for Wren and she can warm it up when she rouses herself from her food coma."

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Grace had taken Nick's hand

Grace had taken Nick's hand and pulled herself slowly, gingerly up to her feet-- but only long enough to hug Nick softly, and sit down on the couch to rest again. She leans everso carefully back against the cushion of her wings, and when the left one doesn't give a cry of protest, she closes her eyes-- and drifts into the half-doze she's so used to achieving over the past couple of hours.

She rouses with a little startle at Tobias' question, thinks back to what he'd really been asking... and smiles, rubbing her neck a little. "...I'm so lame, I would've said just cheese but... I think I need more 'nutrients'." She makes a little face and replies with a shy look up at Tobias, "...I'll have combination... please."

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