#elsewhere

"I mean, if we knew exactly what she was taking, that'd help, too."

"But she's not crazy, so she doesn't need them."

"No, she doesn't. She's hiding. She's..." A pause "She's hiding" realization "Oh sweet ghosts of Lon Chaney Jr.... she's HIDING. She doesn't want to hurt, herself OR others. I know it makes no sense but it makes total sense. You said her dreams were powerful, real, big for you, yes? Your folk?"

She nods.

"Okay, so what if part of her remembers that, what if part of her knows she can shake the world YOUR world anyway... and let's say her power goes dark. That she discovers it is more likely to hurt folks. Folks like you. What is the first thing she'd do?"

"Subconciously if not aware?"

"May wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Damn straight. Holy shit.. she's hiding because she's worried she's hurting folks she cares about. She's being stupid to protect us. Talk about a flip... that's OUR job"

"Maybe. It makes sense as a theory."

"I.. I think a spirit is trying to tell me that I... sorry, I know I sound crazy when I talk like that" Sheepish "But you're right, can't go in SURE that's what it is. "

"That's... I mean, we can work with that?"

"Fear is.... powerful, can be."

"And not always rational."

"Fantastic advisor, terrible master" Speaking of fear

"Okay" She nods "This is gonna be tough but we can do it. You and I, okay? When she goes to the lake. Both of us approach. Right?"

She bites on her lip.

"Both? Are you sure?"

"Yes. We need to apologize together... and we need to show we are both there for her"

"Sides, you need this too, Sam. Or you'll always hate yourself for not making the attempt..." There's number called "oh, there's our Pizza"

"I... okay, pizza."

"Sec. " And Lupe moves fast, as if getting that pizza back to the table is a competition

And then returns with it, opening it ... a pizza they both love

"Mmm."

"I thought I could be... close by? Could join?"

"Mmm..." She takes a slice, dripping with cheese "Why? "

"You might as well join me so we can be sure she knows we're both going to her. If she turns away we go to plan B"

"Because you didn't totally ghost her. She might not want to talk to me at all."

"What's plan B?"

"I tackle her around the legs and say 'You're going to listen if I have to gnaw your kneecaps off so you can't run" " She takes a chomp of her pizza "Sam... has it occured to you I don't want to face her alone? I'll feel braver if you're there with me from the start"

"It... no?"

"You're not afraid of anything."

A snort "No. I don't SHOW fear, not the same thing. Sam? Don't tell the pack, but I get scared a lot. I don't want to die gloriously, That's Get of Fenris bullshit. Bonegnawers have more sense. So I get scared facing some wyrm infused horror from the ass side of the dark when it's got my throat in it's teeth. I get scared when Silverbullet comes this close to taking my life out from under me. Mostly? I get scared of leading my pack wrong, of MY slip in judgment getting one of them hurt, or killed." All true "Fear is my advisor. I just don't let it be my master,and I don't tell folks how often it and I are in conference. Only those who know fear CAN be brave"

"I... I know, bravery is 'doing it anyways.' I do."

"You do.. I've seen you stumble but you get up. Sometimes it takes you awhile to come to because you're too busy being hard on yourself, mi amiga. I can't throw too many stones see? I got my own doubts too. But I want you by my sidefor this. I need.. I need to go with someone"

"Okay. So we'll do it together. And then... kneecaps."

Snerk "Kneecaps." A smirk "Remember that game where that bitch kept trash talking me, andslipped in some racist shit? Where no one else could hear? Remember how I was afraid I was going to change and kill her? Who was it who pulled me back?" The answer is, of course, Sam

"Well, you are tiny and travel-sized."

"FUN sized" She corrects but smirks "Now eat your slice of Pizza, you're a growing girl..." A look "Yup. I think your hair grew a half inch during this whole conversation. You gotta feed it"

"Hair has a life of its own, y'know."

"So unfair, like you're not tall enough,and then your hair mocks me " a grin

She gives a small smile back.

"So... important thing to learn... how big is CJ now? "

"Oh, jeez. Huge. Look." Phone whipped out for pics!

She looks "Okay, wait... wow, that's the scale being played with right? he's not really...geez"

"THREE."

"Crap, at this rate by the time he's my age his head is gonna go through the roof"

"I mean, look at Jaymes and Tove."

"Don't ask me how but I think he's taking after you too. Look at that head of hair he's got puffing up. Like a little lion's mane"

"Ha."

"Wait, is he hanging upside DOWN in this one?"