#bergen_county

"That is not all you wanted, Adam. You admitted that before. This was not mere selflessness on your part."

A longish pause and he says. "No. It wasn't."

"Then you have done her as much harm through that manipulation as she has done you by withholding her friendship."

"She doesn't owe me her friendship." Subdued "But I shouldn't have hurt her."

Brekke nods agreement and acceptance at that. "Then there is this...what needs to happen to repair the harm that each of you has done to the other? The past cannot be changed, but the future must be different than what is happening now."

"I don't..." She frowns, eyebrows scrunched. "I'll do better?"

Eyebrow. "You do not need to know the answer yourself. You need to discuss the question so you may determine the answer." A nod.

"I'll do better."

"Fine. Ask Adam how you can 'do better' in repairing the harm you have done him." Then to Adam, "Answer her. Then you will ask her how you may heal the harm you have done."

Adam nods and waits.

A little jaw jut, hurt and resentful.

"Adam, how do I make things better?"

Brekke nods approval at the question, then looks to Adam.

"Forgive me? I tried to do the right thing but I screwed it up and I really -am- sorry. I can see why you'd be angry with me. Sometimes... you can be hard to talk to about stuff, Dag. When I tried, you got uncomfortable so I stopped but....if I'd kept going maybe it wouldn't have got to this point?"

"Hm." Brekke considers. "She cannot agree until you have asked what you can do, Adam."

"It's not fair. Why do I have to forgive, why do I have to be friends? Why can't I be... why aren't I allowed to be angry? I've been trying not to be angry, and trying to be so careful to not scare you or upset you! Because I can't be angry, or people get hurt, and it's not FAIR!"

Adam starts to ask, then stops hard, flinching.

Brekke lets the silence hang a moment after that. "Dagmar...you were afraid to hurt Adam in your anger. I have that right? So...you did not show him your anger if you could help it."

"He's afraid of it, too." Sniff. Scowl. Nose-rub. "Everybody is. Nobody says it, but everybody knows it. I'm dangerous when I'm angry, I'm dangerous if I lose control."

"It was bad before, but even more now..." She trails off, frowning. A look back at the lodge.

"Yes. But he needs to see. And you need to have it seen." A pause. "Follow me, both of you." It's clearly an order, and she turns and walks off towards the back of the lodge.

Adam follows.

Dagmar takes the rear.

...to the practice ring.

Brekke turns to Dagmar. "He needs to see your pain and anger, and you need to have it seen," she repeats. Then she points to one of the pells. "Show him." Then to Adam. "Watch without flinching, Fiona-to-be, but remember that this is what she has been trying not to show."

Dagmar looks stricken and shakes her head.

Adam nods a little uncertainly, and watches.

"Dagmar, you cannot continue to turn this in on yourself, and you cannot continue to resent him for what you will not express. Show. Him."

"I... I've been doing a lot better. Ask Tove..."

"No. You have not. Show. Him."

She clenches her hands, frowning.

He shifts in place, almost speaking but then holding back. It looks like it takes an effort.

"NOW."

She trudges over to the pell, and gives it a half-hearted punch.

"Again."

A look back at Brekke, pleading.

"Chief, she doesn't want to.... please...." he blurts.

"NOW."

Then to Adam, "BE SILENT."

Another punch. The pell rocks.

"Is that all of your pain? This little hit? This is what you have complained of?" Brekke demands.

Her back stiffens.

"Is that all?"

"SHUT UP!"

"IS THAT ALL?"

"Leave me alone!"

"I will not. He must know. Do it!"

"shut UP!" She bellows, and slams the pell. Even barehanded, the wood spinters.

"Again!"