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GRIEF IS A STRANGE THING. Autumn is more than acquainted with her, so many of her friends falling over the years. It's part of her life, comes hand in hand with being a hero. It's not possible to save everyone, no matter how hard she tried.
And being a villain, being a monster carved from nightmares ━━ slick red had coated her hands for a reason. Grief had always been there, waiting in the shadows to pounce when she needed it least.
Over time, she thinks, she's gotten worse at it. She can deny, she can lie to herself, she can stay in one out of five stages for as long as she likes.
And right now, she does like, quite a bit. She can ignore it, she can pretend that Arisia is in New York, annoying Guy and saving the world in her own way. She can pretend that she isn't dead, that she didn't miss her funeral, that she didn't blow every chance they had.
"I still can't believe you traded in the Porche for a minivan", Garfield says.
Autumn's gaze flickers towards him, brow furrowed slightly. He seems fine, sweet, even... but she's met plenty of people that can put on a good act and now that she's here, now that the swirling storm of emotions inside her has started to settle, she can't say that she trusts him.
But Rachel clearly does. And this boy was there for her when they couldn't be, willing to stand up to the man that had saved his life to protect her. He's done enough to earn her trust, there's no denying it.
The issue lies in the fact that Autumn can no longer part with it so easily.
Rachel leans forward, looking out the window in distaste. "We're not actually staying here, are we?"
"There's probably a nicer place down the road..."
"We're being hunted by sociopaths", Dick says. "Nicer draws too much attention."
"Yeah, and they also make it easier to sleep", Kory counters.
He sighs. "One road in, the same road out. Only one point of access we have to watch. And also... who said anything about sleeping?"
Autumn frowns out the window. The motel he's chosen is cut off from everywhere else ━━ much less chance of civilians being caught in the crossfire. If they take turns watching the main road, they'll be able to move before anyone could catch them.
"Dick, as much as I hate to admit it", she says, "is right. Not about the sleeping bit... you're very wrong there... but it's a good place to defend if we have to."
Kory rolls her eyes. "Whatever. So long as you don't expect me to share a bed with you."
"Nobody is sharing a bed", he says. "We'll get separate rooms, all beside each other, okay?"
