Blood from Stone [AU]

[Marian Hawke]

"I... it's been... up and down," she admits. "I got to do math, so that's nice. Oh, ah, milk please. Nut if there is any."

[Tethras Clan]

Aveline glances at Liz, lips quirking. "Elven diet?" She sounds faintly curiously and only that as she walks back to the fridge. "Lovan can't drink goat or cow milk either. Only some cheeses as well."

[Marian Hawke]

"I can," she says, hesitantly. "I'm just... unused to it, anymore. Cindy is... strict."

[Carver Amell]

"Does she still control what you eat?" growls Carver.

[Marian Hawke]

"Ah, no, not so much, just... she... tries to eat clean," mumbles Hawke, blushing.

[Tethras Clan]

Aveline sets down the almond-based milk they keep for Merrill on the table, then kneels next Hawke. Reaching over to take the merikos elf's hand, she offers a smile. "Hey. Take a deep breath for me? You can have whichever milk you like. I drink plant milk as well most of the time. Lovan doesn't have the best of constitutions and keeps strictly away from meat and milk. Avoids fish and eggs a lot of the time too actually. So Seli and I don't get a lot of meat or milk at home, as it's simpler to just not have it in the house. Nothing wrong with that. But you can have cow milk while you're here, if you want."

[Marian Hawke]

"I..." she begins, her eyes flooding with tears. "I'm sorry," she whispers. 

[Tethras Clan]

Aveline reaches up, slowly, to stroke Liz's hair. "For what, little one?" Her tone is strange, even to Carver. It's soft and gentle, which he has heard. It's steely and strong, which is what most people hear. But this blend of both of those, seasoned with a faint elven accent of all things... That's new. Gilly and Tomas could tell them both that the tone in question is Mama Ava's voice.

[Marian Hawke]

"I... being this way. Being so..." weak, worthless, broken, useless, weepy, damaged, broken, utterly broken, no good to anyone.

[Carver Amell]

Carver turns, reaching for the back door, barely able to stand his own skin right now.

[Tethras Clan]

"Corporal, drop and push," Captain Vallen says without turning around. "Are you sorry? Really?" That's directed to Liz again, tone back to Mama Ava again.

[Marian Hawke]

Liz nods, shivering. "I can't stop being this way. But I am sorry," she whispers. "I, I thought about... leaving. Getting out of people's way. But I can't do that to the family, not again."

[Carver Amell]

Shame Liz isn't looking, because the sight of Carver dropping to the kitchen floor to do pushups is probably at least a little humorous. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Good. Running away isn't being sorry, it's about being afraid to take responsibility. But I don't think you're really all that sorry. If you were, you'd get better." Forgive me Carver, but she needs someone to be cruel, I think. "All you are right now is feeling bad for yourself. Feeling guilty makes you feel better."

[Marian Hawke]

Liz's mouth opens in a silent 'o', but she says nothing, tears pricking at her eyes. Useless. Weak. Worthless. A drain on the family.