PatientBean

Any Interest in Pathfinder 2e Revised?

OOoh what a handy tool! Gonna work on my sheet when I should be doing paperwork!

Any Interest in Pathfinder 2e Revised?

I am so excited for this! I have been in the market for a new RP/new tabletop RPG game so this fits in so nicely.

Plus wolf is an awesome person and a fantastic GM so this is going to be so fun!

Also I narrowed it down to Witch or Kinetiscist. And I will probably go elf because I love elves :D

Any Interest in Pathfinder 2e Revised?

I'm liking Witch, Psychic, or Kineticist

Any Interest in Pathfinder 2e Revised?

@wanderingwolf You know it bb!

Any Interest in Pathfinder 2e Revised?

The Dead Don't Die.

Location: New York City, Twin Seasons
Skills: N/A

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It had to happen before she got her coffee.

Verity hid her annoyance as best she could. Someone was having issues in the back, but yet that meant that paying customers got shafted? It was no wonder this place didn't seem to do well. "It happens. New York is busy, things happen quickly. We can head ou-" she was interrupted by the emergency text. An uptick in violence?

She was reminded of the scene outside of her office. There had clearly been a fight of some sort. Enough that there was someone in a body bag. Verity glanced around, wondering how everyone else would respond. Then she got a text from Trucy. Verity sighed. Her staff would be shitting themselves over the text. She quickly sent off a reply.

"Yes, send them home. And then go home yourself. We'll close early for the day. Stay safe. Not sure what is happening."

She put her phone away. "Not sure what is happening, but maybe it's best if we postpone this? Seems the city is going haywire today and from the sounds of it I'll need to put out some fires today."

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

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_{Location: Southern Plateau, Dundas Island - Pacific Royal Campus}

Take On Me #3.060: Let's Give 'Em Something To Talk About

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_{Interaction(s): Banjo (@Hound55)}

Previously: Scars and Bruises

Calliope had an interesting week. Classes were essentially a blur. She was sure she participated; at least none of her teachers appeared to worry. But her mind was racing. The events of the Trials still fresh, as well as her conversation with some of her teammates. It all blended together into an interesting smoothie.

She also kept hearing that inner voice in her mind, questioning every move. Every night she worried she would have nightmares about her appearing. Therapy was also going….she wanted to say well, but she knew she was keeping a lot held back. On purpose though. She knew she needed to get it out. But she didn’t want to in some office. She needed to speak to the one person she hadn’t yet ‘confronted’.

She needed to speak to Banjo. There was nothing else to be said about it. They needed to have a conversation. It would be tough. It would be hard. She was sure she would probably cry (and a small part of her hoped Banjo did too, though she would not hold her breath).

She made her way to his dorm, hoping he was there.

Banjo stood in front of the open refrigerator running his eyes over the same shelves again and again.

His shelf had three different meals he’d picked up from the cafeteria which had been ‘diet approved’. None looked appealing.

He’d never seen so much flaxseed in his life.

He poked at one, and then slid it aside to get a better look at another plate. He stuck his tongue out. He was only days in and he’d had more than enough tuna for the month. He nudged that plate away to view the third.

It didn’t look recognizable as food.

He growled out a long low sigh, as his stomach joined him with a low gurgle.

The door knock broke the drudgery of a life of peripheral neuropathy-friendly nutrition. He got up a half-hitched gallop and got to the door just before Alex Zimmerman, who was eager as always. Or maybe just jittery. Hard to tell. He thought to himself.

Her appearance drew a broad smile across his face until her expression made it clear that her purpose wouldn’t be all fun and games.

”Alright, eyes back in ya head, y’ dag. This one’s here for me.” He shoved Zimmerman back playfully, as he stretched an arm across the doorframe.

”Take it ya here for more than just a friendly chinwag…” He said, picking up on the level of concern that creased her beautiful brow, and the slight pout that suggested everything was less than ideal. He looked back in his dorm and surveyed the conditions. Big Steve was stretched across the entire lounge. They didn’t talk as much as he did with Zimmerman, but something about his omnipresent nature suggested that this wouldn’t be the place for private conversation.

”I could do with a feed anyway. Walk to the Mess?”

Calliope had not expected him to answer the door. Hell, if she were being honest, she sort of hoped he wouldn’t be home so she could put this off for a minute. But it was important. ”Sure.”

She waited until he was ready and out before she started walking toward the Mess Hall. She looked down to see her rubbing her wrists and stopped it immediately. Bad habit. Once they were a bit away from the dorms, she decided to bite the bullet. ”We need to talk.”

She mentally chastised herself. We need to talk? Who the hell starts a conversation like that? ”No that makes it sound bad. I mean it is bad, but it isn’t that level bad. I just…we just…” She felt a rising panic in her chest. God, how was she supposed to get through this?

One look into his eyes though, that centered her. ”I think we need to talk about stuff. Stuff that hasn’t been said but needs to be. I know you feel it too.”

Banjo double-checked his pocket for his keys, and upon confirmation pulled the door shut behind him.

”Must be big, if it takes a preamble and opening statements.” He quipped with a widening smirk, as he hobbled along.

”S’alright, hon. Whatever it is. We’ll figure it out. Now what’s got ya knickers in a twist?”

”Banjo, that’s part of the problem. There’s time for joking and there’s time to be serious. Your girlfriend telling you she needs to talk about something important is not the time to be joking.” It was one of the things she loved about him, but it was also a crux for some of the issues they were having.

”We haven’t talked much after the Trials. We haven’t explored what happened. What I saw, what I went through, it was hard, but a part of me got through it because of you. That doesn’t mean the things I heard didn’t strike a nerve. They knew what buttons to push because they were thoughts I had been having for a while.”

“And I continued not saying anything to avoid pressuring you, but I need to talk about it. And I never got the sense you wanted to listen. You made jokes or waved it off. After we got out and we were being checked out you left me to go check on Haven. Admittedly, a sweet thing to do, but part of me hated it. I needed you there with me and you left. And in the hospital when you were being checked out and told what you needed to do to get better, you seemed to not care. Like you wouldn’t listen. And I need you to listen, Banjo. We all just went through hell and your demeanor makes it seem like it was just another Tuesday.”

“I don’t believe you think that, but I need to you to know it has impacted me and hurt me. And apart from therapy, I’ve had no outlet for it apart from speaking to Haven and Harper. But as nice as it was to speak to them, I needed you. And as hard as it is for me to admit, you weren’t there. Physically, yes, but emotionally….no.”

”I just… don’t want to push you and figured you’d talk when you’re ready. I could tell you probably needed to process things. I’m not tryin’ to remove myself or make myself unapproachable to talk to. You need to talk now, I’d love to listen.”

“If you need me, I’m here. If you’ve EVER needed me, I’m here. I don’t plan on goin’ no place, you’re not. So I guess it’s just findin’ the words. Til then… I can wait.”

”That’s another thing though. The pressure to not be the type of person that constantly needs you to keep things to yourself for my benefit. I want you to tell me when things bother you or upset you. Even if it seems like I am processing my own stuff. That’s how relationships, partnerships, work.”

“On top of that I have been pressuring you into things you may not want. I want a family and marriage and all the things with it, but I never once considered what you might want. And there’s still an underlying anger at our chosen careers. I thought I was over it, but you remember our fight about you waiting to be a public defender. That resentment I had I held on to.”

“You never did tell me what you saw in the Trials. I don’t want to push you, as I said, but I want to be there for you like you are constantly to me. We can lean on each other.”

”But I’m not feelin’ any pressure. Not from you anyway. You’re the part of my life that’s goin’ sweet. I mean, am I scared of the possibilities which could come with ME havin’ a family. Yeah. But it’s not something that I don’t want to do with you. Every concern about it that I have has nothing to do with you. Hell, the way I see it, the only people who go into parenthood without at least a little bit of fear are people who haven’t given it real thought.”

He kicked dust as his leg jerked through on their walk. ”You’re probably right. But I know you did it tough, and I didn’t want to pile onto your stuff before you’d had a chance to talk it out. Mine’s not much, it’s just… more. And you’ve already been doin’ it tough. As for my bein’ a defense attorney. Well there I can’t help you. I mean, I get why it might be an issue for you. I get the public stigma as well. But that’s kind of just me. Part and parcel. But I get that it can be botherin’ you.”

”I mean, if you want me to give you a complete rundown play-by-play of what happened in there, fine. The one thing that that probably would have messed me up and stuck with me, wasn’t true anyway. That’s what the thing with Haven was about. It was relief. But you want to know everything that went on in there, that’s all good. It’s no secret. The one thing that’s botherin’ me, that’s makin’ me feel fenced in is this stupid bloody leg. And you’ve been there for me with that as well. Without even bein’ asked. I’ve got no issues, I know you’re there for me if I need. To me, it’s just about patience and time for when you’re willing to talk.”

There was a lengthy pause.

”Oh, NOW..?” He burst out in sudden realisation.

”Well, my leg being like this bothers me more than I might let on. And not because it hurts or anything, or regarding the trial. I just don’t like bein’ boxed in and told I HAVE to do stuff. HAVE to eat right. Have to exercise. Have to stop smokin’, drinkin’ and coffee. It’s all lifestyle-based. All of my problems with it. I might have LOOKED like I wasn’t listening, but it's more I just didn’t like what I was hearin’. That’s all. I mean, this is all just whinin’, pissin’ and moanin’ on my end. There’s people with ACTUAL genuine problems comin’ out of the trials. Mine… I’m pretty much good now. The one holdover which would’ve sucked… Didn’t happen. Haven’s still alive. So, I mean, I’m golden.”

”Long story short; it said it was goin’ to make me watch as it killed off all of you one by one, where I couldn’t do anything about it before I’d bite the bullet. Showed me Haven’s… bloody horrific death, then that made me realise I had to go and find you right-quick. Other than that… claustrophobia… bunch of other stupid fears and insecurities I have, that seein’ them only showed me even more how stupid they actually are. And I found you and we’re out.”

”So… How ‘bout you?”

Calli could understand somewhat over being told what to do. Granted, in Banjo’s case, it was for his benefit. ”Banjo, I love you dearly, but that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Being told to do things for your benefit so you heal faster might suck initially, but at least you’ll get better quicker. I get coffee and alcohol, but you should also quit smoking anyway. Also, if you do eventually want a family you are going to have to make sacrifices like that anyway. But it’s also cute how rebellious you are. Sometimes. I think that’s part of my worry. I know you are serious when you need to be, but sometimes you push that boundary and I hope our kids inherit some of that. Except towards us. They should listen to us.”

Then Calli listened as Banjo spoke about his Trials experience. She couldn’t imagine seeing the horrific deaths of your friends and teammates and then expecting to be okay. There was more surely, but he was at least being open.

”I was put in what they assumed was a perfect world for me. My father was dead. My mother actually gave a shit. And my brother was around and needed me. I knew it was fake and fought against it because I knew I needed to push through. Eventually they attacked me. Turned into some black ooze monstrosity. Taunting me and ridiculing me and my choices. Basically hitting every insecurity I have. I fought them off but I got hurt. And when I came out I was met with Butler who told me we shouldn’t be together. And then he shot my leg off. Or at least it felt like it, obviously.”

“But their words still had some truth to them. The feeling of always needing to be saved. The worry I am not good enough. The concerns over the future and how I expect myself to be perfect because if I am anything less than I am not living up to the potential afforded to me when I came here but also the need to fight back over the boxes people keep putting me in. I mean the only reason I was put in charge of the upcoming dance was because they said I was used to that type of thing. I don’t think they even considered that I was all but forced into being that type of person growing up and how I was expected to be what my father wanted, which put me in tough and potentially dangerous situations. And yet I have Harper coming to ask me to fix her hair because I surely know how to do it. And I don’t blame her, but I wish sometimes the others looked at me like more than some pretty face with an upper-class background. Plenty of others would say I am blessed and, to some extent, I was. But those blessings had a toll that, if I hadn’t gotten out, would have cost dearly.”

“Yeah, I– I think I saw some of that. Somethin’ horrible grabbed you by the leg. I didn’t see enough to know exactly what though. It just– It wanted me to see people at their most vulnerable. When it looked like they mightn’t make it. I heard Katie scream out… I don’t know what caused it, but I’m tellin’ ya. NOBODY should ever have to hear Katja scream out… Bloody chills you to your core. But as for Butler, you mean Old Mate? The bloke who’s been watchin’ over me? That doesn’t check out. He’d probably give you his boat as thanks and payment for takin’ me off his hands.” He chuckled.

“I’m sorry you went through that on your own.” He said, not lifting his head, his leg dragging through the dirt, kicking up dust. “And I’m really sorry, I got outsmarted by three doors with our bloody names on them, particularly when the name outside of mine isn’t even the one I think of myself as…”

“Not because you need to be saved… but just because a lot of this stuff… I wouldn’t want you to have to feel like you have to face it alone. Y’know?”

“I’ll tell you though… the thing I figured out from mine. I saw through it a bunch of times, and it was easy to tell when I figured it out. It was targeting our fears and insecurities. And the reason I cracked it was because it hammers them, whether or not they actually make sense. I used to be scared that I’d– well, that I’d eat the sun, and kill everybody on this world, as I turned it into a frozen wasteland, and could even cause the heat-death of the universe… but that’s because I was young and dumb, and trying to come to terms with these new strange powers and also coming to terms with weird astrophysics notions I was learning at the time, and my powers were opening new neural pathways… Anyway, it’s not a thing I could actually do, not in the way it was showing me. But it was still a fear that I had– well, have. Even if it doesn’t make any sense…”

He raised his head to make eye contact with her.

“Well, hon… I think it did a bit of that with some of your insecurities which don’t entirely make sense as well. Worryin’ that you’re not ‘good enough’, worrying that you’re falling short of someone else’s notion of ‘perfect’. Because neither seems to hold any merit with me. I get that your father did a number on you… But you’ve never been less for as long as I’ve known you.”

”But I don’t want to diminish any of what you went through either… We should probably actually get in touch with your brother. It’s been too long.”

Calliope felt warmth fill her chest. Her insecurities and doubts felt miles away in that moment. She could almost picture her inner voice stomping around having a temper tantrum. It was incredible to hear Banjo open his heart. She knew this was a moment to be cherished.

”Yeah, I’ve been meaning to call him. Plan a visit. His wife and child could come too. I haven’t seen them in so long.” It brought a smile to her face, knowing that despite everything she had gone through then brought her here. And while there would be many tribulations in the future, from The Foundation, from her father, from any other enemy, she knew she could face it down so long as she had her friends with her. And especially Banjo.

She felt tears form and quickly wiped them away. ”You’re incredible. Every inch.”

“Well… you’re alright too.” He said, once again mastering the understatement. “I just… don’t want you to feel you have to worry about me. I love ya.”

Before she could speak she felt her phone buzz. She had felt it before but had ignored it to focus on the conversation. She took out her phone and read the messages as her face fell in realization. How could she have been so stupid?

”It’s Haven….” She looked at Banjo, panic in her eyes. ”She’s been taken! Everyone has gathered and are on their way to where she might be. Harper just sent it. We need to go!” Calli put her phone away and stopped. Banjo was injured. But she knew him. He’d want to be involved. ”You okay to go?

The trials were over, but the Foundation and its influence remained. And with that, Haven had once again gone missing. His mind went back to everything he’d heard around the campfire. Her screams. The dramatic splash of blood as the saw found flesh.

“Couldn’t imagine anyone stoppin’ me.”

Avengers Academy: Junior Year 💥

Sabine Bassard

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Location: The Gym - Simulation
Fit of the Day: Gym Outfit
Skills: N/A

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Sabine was gradually becoming less and less okay with Gideon's shenanigans. Especially given the number of lives they and Mary Sue had left. "So, it is very much cursed so I would recommend not being alone with it, even to test something. Playing it seems like a bad idea." Despite her belief Dorian could handle it and be okay, she didn't want to risk it. Who's to say that losing a life in this game wasn't the end, even if you had a lot left?

Sabine heard the footsteps and looked at the others to see if they did. Dorian didn't seem to. "So those were footsteps I just heard up above, so the ghost is moving. We still need to figure out what type of ghost, right? Anything we can do before they get closer to us?"

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

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Peregrine Mayfield

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Location: Mansion -> Victorian London
Skills: N/A
Fit Of The Day

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Perry was truly in heaven.

She was stepping into the shoes of her favorite detectives! Which, as she thought about it, all mainly were men. Granted there were the likes of Miss Marple and Nancy Drew. And now....Peregrine Mayfield! Or Miss Peacock as her character dictated. "Well hot dog! This place is the cat's meow and all that jazz and why don't you come on over and see me sometime!" She directed this to pretty much no one. She was just having fun!

She took out the map provided and decided to head towards the pub. Once inside she looked around. If she were a clue, where would she be? There are plenty of areas in the pub and plenty to hear also. She hoped no one followed her, though she could hardly blame them given her detective prowess. But she couldn't trust any of them!

She went to the end of the pub and began her search.

Roll Request

Perry is going to search for clues in the pub. No skills applicable.

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

Calliope sat on the hospital bed, holding one wrist with her other hand as she rubbed it. Her mother sat in one of the other chairs close by the bed, though her attention was taken by whatever was outside her window. Calli couldn't see clearly but she made part of the hospital's roof with some of the air conditioning units going and not much else. Her mother must be really interested in air conditioning.

The door opened and Calli tensed up thinking it was her father when she saw that it was the doctor that saw her the other day. The doctor was a kind-faced man with light brown skin and dark hair that was turning gray despite how young he looked. His eyes had tell-tale crinkles on the sides as well as by his cheeks, formed from constant smiling and laughing. Calli had never seen those before.

"How are we feeling today Calliope? You remember the scale I showed you?" he asked, pointing to the sign on the nearby wall. A scale from 1 to 10 with 10 having a giant smiley face next to it and 1 with a frowny face. Dr. Richmond had talked her through it to report how she was feeling. He made sure she knew that it wasn't just if she was in physical pain, but also if she was feeling sad or scared or anxious. Dr. Richmond prided himself on his work with children. The other doctors and nurses knew he was wonderful at his job, able to make kids feel calm and safe even in the face of dire circumstances.

Calliope remembered the conversation and remembered what her father told her after the doctor left the room. "10." Calliope said that with sure finality, as if just by her answer she would be let go and they can go back home. She at least could be in her room with her toys.

Dr. Richmond smiled warmly. "That's very good! I am glad we are taking such good care of you." Dr. Richmond glanced at her mother, who was still taking great care to ensure those air conditioning units were up to snuff. Calliope couldn't fully tell, but she noticed his warm smile dropped ever so slightly when it was apparent her mother would not look at him. "Well, if all is going well we can see about getting you out of here soon. We have some final things to wrap up, but if all goes smoothly we can get you back in your own comfy bed by tonight. Mrs. de León? Would you mind if I have you step outside to talk to the nurse to finalize some of the paperwork? Should only be a moment."

Her mother finally turned to look at the doctor. No emotion on her face as she nodded her acknowledgement and stood up and made her way outside. Calliope felt like her mother was a ghost, just roaming the halls with no rhyme or reason to any movement. It was like her husk was there, but any semblance of her mother had been yanked out a long time ago.

Once her mother was out of the room the doctor turned to face her as he pulled up one of the chairs and sat down. "Calliope, I am so happy to hear you seem to be feeling better, but you know you don't have to lie to me, right?" Calli tried hard to remain stoic, but internally she felt herself fall. The doctor must have seen it too, but to his credit, he did not show it. "I know you said you fell off your bike at the park. But is that all that happened?"

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Calliope's mind flashed back to the moment. She didn't lie. She did fall off her bike. What she did not say was that she was pushed off. It was a park in her neighborhood so very few families ever were there as most either didn't have children or they had children that were not near Calli's age so she was often on her own or with her sister. Though more and more lately her sister kept to herself and avoided going out at all costs. Calli had wanted to ask but everytime she did her sister would get mad and shut the door in her face. Calli was sure she heard her crying, even when their father wasn't the cause.

So that day it was just her and her parents. Her father was on his phone constantly and her mother was reading a book, which left her to her own devices. Calli actually did not mind these moments. She could even imagine herself as a normal kid hanging out at the park before she went home to a family who played board games togehter or had movie nights before being tucked into bed with a story and a kiss.

But that was not how it was. Every so often she would catch her mother looking at her with a weird expression on her face. One that could be worry or sorrow. But it would be quickly erased, replaced with her vacant stare or with a wine bottle.

That day at the park she was riding around when she saw a dog. The dog was not on a leash and did not appear to have any owners. It was curled up under a tree and looking around. Calliope could tell it was probably sad or scared. She looked back at her parents, noticing they were too engrossed in their own things, as she made her way closer to it. It looked at her and did not move. She slowly reached a hand out. The dog allowed her, sniffing her hand as if to test her, before she was able to pet it. She could hear the dog whimper lightly. The poor thing was abandoned or worse. Calli felt a sort of kinship with the being.

Until she felt her bike yanked back, causing her to fall forward, hitting her stomach and lower parts against the bike. She felt the anger behind her as she saw her father. "What the hell are you doing? Do you know how many diseases that thing could have?" Calliope wanted to respond, but felt no response would be justifiable. The dog uttered a low growl. "See? It could bite you at any moment and then where would you be?" Her father grabbed her wrist and yanked, nearly causing her to fall off. The dog took that as a sign as it finally stood up and jumped at her father, biting his leg. Her father yelled out in pain and swung his leg around, attempting to get the dog to unleash him. Calliope could only look on in horror as the dog was flung every which way before it let go. Her father turned and reared his leg back before Calli looked away and could hear the yelp the dog let out. She didn't want to see what happened but she heard her father curse under his breath. Before she knew it, her bike was being moved forefully as her father kicked it, causing it to fall to the ground with a heavy thud with her on it. She felt her leg throb in pain and her arm catch herself. She looked up at her father, who was staring back. His attention was caught elsewhere and Calli looked to see two women walking forward. They clearly heard the commotion and wanted to see what happened.

Her father quickly scooped her up in his arms. It was almost loving had he not been the cause in the first place. "My daughter and I were attacked by a wild dog! Please call the police! I need to get her to the hospital!"

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Dr. Richmond waited a beat as Calli replayed the scene in her mind. "Kids will be kids, after all. It is not out of the question that there are accidents. I only want to check because you falling off your bike explains the cuts and bruises on your leg and arm, but not the ones on your stomach and upper thigh. I also noticed there was no dog bits anywhere on you despite your father saying you both were attacked by a dog."

Calli must have expressed some worry on her face because Dr. Richmond held up a hand. "You're not in trouble, Calliope. I just want to know what happened so I can do my job properly. So, is what your father said true? Is there anything else going on?"

Calliope looked into Dr. Richmond's eyes, hoping he could tell what she wanted to say. What she wanted to tell any adult that showed a modicum of care. All the words left unsaid. But he was like every other adult she had come across. If they truly cared, they were silenced. If they didn't, they were bought. Or scared. Or forced. Calli may be young, but she was not stupid. A teacher didn't quit halfway through the school year randomly.

Calli nodded her head. "It's true. My father saved me and he was hurt."

Dr. Richmond smiled again. "Well then, I am glad you are okay." Calli noticed he didn't express gratitude her father was okay also, but Calli left it at that. "Well then, let's get you processed and out of here. Your mom should be finished." Dr. Richmond grabbed the doorknob but did not exit right away. Almost like he had more to say, but he turned the knob and left her alone. A brief moment of peace.

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_{Location: Southern Plateau, Dundas Island - Pacific Royal Campus}

Welcome Home #3.043: Scars and Bruises

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_{Interaction(s): N/A}

Previously: The Sum Of All Things

Calliope recalled this moment. She had been noticing that the Trials were bringing back memories that she thought she buried. Moments in time that were there, ever present, but she thought she had control of. She was starting to see all of it being brought back to the forefront.

Dr. Trinh sat there as Calli spoke about such memories. Each one should have felt like a weight lifted off of her, but instead she felt the pressure forced on her shoulders. Like she was being buried alive.

"Why do you think this memory became so vividly remembered?" Dr. Trinh asked. Calli thought about it, but didn't quite know why.

Sensing her hesitancy, Dr. Trinh continued. "Oftentimes trauma can come back at any moment, even if there is no identifying trigger for it. It's called re-experiencing. These can be flashbacks, nightmares, or even simple body reactions, such as a panic attack from nowhere. The fact you can recall this memory so clearly Calliope is, and this is going to sound odd, a good thing."

Calli must have looked surprised because Dr. Trinh continued. "I don't mean it's a good thing it happened or that it is causing you distress. But remembering it is a good first step to overcoming it and processing it. Doing so will heal you. It is much easier to heal pain we can identify than pain we cannot."

"I know we broached the topic of forgiveness before and had a lengthy discussion about it. Do you remember?"

Calli did remember. Dr. Trinh had spoken about forgiveness as a means of healing. Forgiveness was for Calli's benefit and was to heal her of her pain. Forgiveness did not mean that the actions taken would be seen as "good" or that it wasn't still painful or hard to deal with. It also did not mean that there was no blame to be had. Dr. Trinh highlighted that it would be a part of her, but it did not have to consume her. Forgiveness would be a large step forward, but who did she forgive? Her father for his constant abuse and belittlement? Her mother for allowing it to happen and never questioning it? Her brother who tried, but ultimately failed, to be a protector of her? Any of the other adults who saw a young girl hurting and either stopped caring or couldn't quite hack it enough to save her?

"Yes, I remember. I am not ready to forgive them."

"What about Andrew?"

Admittedly, this took Calli aback. Why was he brought up? "Andrew didn't do anything to hurt me. He's been a support for me ever since we met. There's nothing to forgive."

Dr. Trinh waited a moment to see if the silence would be filled. "Then why are you punishing him and yourself?

Calli started protesting, but stopped. "By your own admittance, Andrew has been a support for you. As you and I both know, supports are vital for treatment. It is important to surround yourself with people you know have your best interests at heart so you can rely on them. Yet, in the past couple of sessions we've had, you haven't mentioned relying on him much at all. I get the sense there's something there. Something, perhaps, the both of you are too scared to admit?"

Calli sunk inwardly again. Hadn't she been having those same thoughts for a while now? Yet, when it was broadcasted to her in such a way her therapist noticed, that was....it made her feel small.

"That's not a failure on your part Calliope. Nor is it a failure on his. Relationships take work and communication is essential. Whatever is playing around in your mind, I can all but guarantee it is on his mind too. Conversations, even hard ones, are necessary if you truly care about one another. Think about it. Talk to him when you're ready."

Calliope sat up a bit straighter now. Dr. Trinh was right. Her conversations with the others, Lorcán being hurt, amongst a slew of other things. She could not reasonably be there for others if she could not stand for herself. She needed to.

She just hoped it wouldn't be a mistake.