Let's Play!

Marina looked uneasy.

/ It doesn't feel normal? /

She admitted tentatively now.

Ryder rubbed his solar plexus.

"If you're really that uncomfortable, you can leave? It would be okay."

Marina reflexively grabbed at him.

/No./

Why was he sending her away? Forgive the panic, she was trying to settle and regulate.

Ryder winced at tingles shot down his arm.

"Okay. It was just a suggestion. Take it easy," he reminded her.

Marina eased slowly, checking to be sure she hadn't damaged him. She kissed him softly, offering an apology.

"I can't explain it.... but the idea of parting from any of you...... "

She swallowed the sense of foreboding and dread that sank into her very bones, eyes growing hazy as she inched closer to him. It was starting to b feel like the very walls were closing in on her.

He hugged her gently.

"I didn't say you had to be by yourself. You just shouldn't have to be somewhere you don't feel safe."

Marina hugged him back, cuddling him.

/ I'm safe with you./

She answered back faintly, curling into his hood.

"you sure? It doesn't hurt my feelings if you want to be somewhere else for now."

Marina looked at him with a tiny sadness inching in.

/ They have to have time for me, too. /

Ryker was off the table, Nikki was busy with things that she was sure wasn't safe. She wouldn't bring people anywhere her children lived, so that ruled everywhere else out, really. .. ... she could go bother people like Sterling and such, but that kind of left her in a struggle of another type. There were lots of children there that could be hurt trying to get to her.

Ryder tucked her hair behind her ear.

"You haven't asked anyone. How can they make time for you if they don't know you want some?"

Marina leaned into his touch a bit, feeling further uneasy.

"I guess.... but..."

But she didn't like being an inconvenience. Or a bother.... maybe she should try to just be alone a bit to not bother anyone. If he wanted to be away from her finally she couldn't blame him after all.

"Ok. "

It was not entirely trust so much as she loved him too much to over stay a welcome. She glanced to the darkness pushing into the house, as if it were trying to snuff out the little bit of life left inside their walls.

He leaned to kiss her.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. I'm just saying that if you want to, you shouldn't stop yourself from at least trying just because you're afraid what they'll say."

Marina looked relieved, eyes turning to meet his.

"Really? "

She asked him softly, reaching to cup his face to keep him from looking away.

"Because if you need a break I'm OK with it, you know that? "

"I just woke up," he answered with a chuckle.

"I'm not thinking about much else other than going to pee."

Ryder kissed her.

"We're fine."

Marina shifted up kiss him, letting him go use the bathroom, standing and looking at the window closely when he returned. She placed a hand on the window, splaying her fingers wide.

While nothing was physically there was a billowing blackness that pushed in against the glass on the other side.

"Ryder? "

She called over her shoulder as he returned, waiting for him to come tell her if she was going crazy.

"...I don't think you should be doing that."

Ryder looked a little pale.

Marina nodded in agreement, inching back towards her lover now.

" I think .. I think you're right. Are you ok? "

Ryder motioned her to keep coming his way.

"Yeah, I'm totally fine. I don't like that, though. Makes my small hairs stand up."

Marina nodded again..

"Maybe I'll just go grab something to wear and we go elsewhere together? "

She suggested softly

"yeah, okay. Where though?"

Ryder eyed the window.

/ You're not gonna like my suggestion..../

/probably not as much as I dislike the window./

Marina nodded slowly.

/ in this particular case, Hale's. /

Because if nothing else he had protections against most things of dubious nature.... probably because he needed it for himself, but still.

/I don't exactly know where that is./

First problem.

/And I'm positive he's not going to want me there, so I might have to drop you off./

/ He's not going to send you away. He's never done so when you come with me./

She pointed out, dressed and hooking a finger into his shirt after grabbing the kitten.

/ hang tight. /

She at least did let Hale know something was up and she was popping in with a bonus 'cubi in tow. So he wasn't entirely blindsided?

She didn't even wait for full acknowledgement from Ryder once he was dressed with her. Though she did pause long enough to wait to answer Hale's couple questions and ask about his weather. Hearing sunny, she hooked her fingers to Ryder and sifted the group.

It was like pushing a solid house through a concrete seive. It took her a long time (for a sift, anyway) to push through and ensure the trio were fully in tact. Whatever force circled the house was trying to keep them in place.

Still she managed to push through and arrive in Hale's livingroom in about thirty minutes, coated in sweat and eyes looking strained as she flipped the bag on her back open and up- ended it on the floor.

"I don't know what it is. But it tried to hold us there. "

She apologized to Ryder.

Ryder crouched, gripping his shin as blood started to coat his pants. One of his leg bones hadn't ended up at the right angle. After a second of biting his lip, he gave a whimper.

"Don't like it," he managed in strained tones.

Marina shifted to look at Ryder and flinched, moving to heal him quickly.

"I'm so sorry. .... it wasn't my sifting struggles this time. "

She offered with a sad little look. His injury was already healed and better, but she felt absolutely awful for him. She glanced over her shoulder towards the mess of things on the floor, reaching to pick up the book in a bag and the tarot deck she had started to keep with her.

"are you going to have to sell the house?"

"That depends on what is actually going on there-"

She looked up as Hale came into view and got up to hug him close, kissing him and tucking into his arms. She still looked like she'd fought an entire war on her own, but she also looked less scared now that they were away from whatever that had been.

"Don't suppose you've heard of evil clouds? "

She asked of Hale softly, still holding close

"sounds like a Pixar premise."

Hale shrugged, frowning

"You can use the shower," he offered as a hint.

Marina nodded a tiny bit, kissing Hale.

"Ok. Love you. "

She headed off to shower, looking to Ryder.

/ You and Fritz alright? "

Ryder nodded.

"Are you okay?"

Marina made a small face and took a tiny breath.

/I think I will be. I believe in you all to support me through whatever this new ..... nonsense is. /

She did like the idea of a shower, though.

"aww, I'm proud of you."

Ryder smiled.

"But... Physically are you okay?"

/ Drained.... very drained. /

More like full on depleted. Especially after healing his leg. She felt almost faint if she told the full truth.

/I'll go beg Hale for some food and stuff for you while you're showering./

/ Don't do that. He'll take care of me in a few. He always does. .... whatever else he is, he does care for and about me. /

She reassured Ryder.

/.... is asking you to stay too much?/

/not yet./

Ryder looked over her.

"There's nothing I can do?"

Marina was sort of impressed he'd followed her into the bathroom, glancing at him.

"Get in here and wash yourself? "

Now that she was clean she could tell he needed it, too.

Ryder looked down at the kitten.

"She would get all wet, though."