"I couldn't concentrate on dancing at all. I'm way out of shape now." (This claim is implausible.) "I was just so worried about you all the time."

Another distressed sound; more nuzzling. "'m okay, I'm here now," and she's very determinedly not crying again. 

"I don't want to make you sad, I just-- the plan I proposed is not actually a sacrifice."

She nods and does not seem less sad. 

"— I," and her voice is very small, "slept with someone else after you left — I'm sorry —"

"Marlo told me." Hugs. "I don't mind you sleeping with other people if it makes you happy-- I, uh, kind of mind you sleeping with Harry? But I wasn't mad at you at all, I was worried."

"I'm sorry," she says again, "I —" and when she tells it this time it comes out tangled and halfway-incoherent, and the only things she's actually sure she says clearly are he was clean Christine said he was clean and never actually said no and I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.

"I love you," he says gently. "I'm not mad. --Wait, did you not use condoms?"

"I tried he didn't but I could have tried more I'm so sorry —" all in one breath, and then she's sobbing too hard to speak. 

It is literally impossible to actually be mad at Raine while she's crying into his chest.

"I love you, shhh, it's going to be okay, I promise, I'm going to keep you safe."

She nods and lets herself cry it out, doesn't try to say anything more. 

When she's calmer, he says, "I'm a little bit mad but-- mostly I want you to be okay."

She nods. "'m sorry," she says again. "That I didn't tell you. I was just — scared." 

"Of what?"

"I don't know. That you'd think I didn't care about you. That you'd be mad." 

"I know you love me. I'm never going to doubt that."

She nods and relaxes some against him. "Love you." 

Asher is going to hold her quietly until she falls asleep.

That won't take long. It's been kind of a long night. 

He likes going to sleep with her.

Lev is in the library and has no idea that any of this just happened.

When he gets back to the house he curls up in one of the library chairs and waits for Lev to be done. 

This is going to take a while. Lev is in the Research Zone.

Then Marlo might wind up falling asleep there. It's late. 

Lev falls asleep with his head in an abnormal psych textbook.

When Raine wakes up she takes a shower and shaves and puts makeup on. 

It's not a lot, just eyeliner and lip gloss, but it's already so much better.