Blood from Stone [AU]

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Troubles," she sobs, with a bitter edge to her voice. "I caused this."

[Smith Family]

"What happened?" Jaina asks patiently, no judgment in her tone.

[Coquette Blacquin]

"I... I don't know. I wasn't... I wasn't good enough, I wasn't patient enough, I didn't listen. We... We've been fighting a lot, lately, but I never thought it was this bad. I didn't think it was... she hasn't been sleeping well, and she took... she took an overdose of her sleep tonic, she'd misbrewed it as well, and when I got up she was... she wouldn't wake up. I got her father, he managed to purge the poison but..."

[Tethras Clan]

"Good." Seli kneels next to Cindy's chair so she can reach out and take one of her hands. "You did exactly right, going to get help. That's exactly right. You did your best and it was enough to keep her alive and get her to help. You focus on that, alright? I know it's hard to not dwell on how bad it got, how you couldn't stop it. But you did enough. You did your best. And Liz is alive because you did it."

[Smith Family]

"She's right." Jaina, tears on her cheeks, presses closer to her daughter. "You couldn't be expected- it's not your fault. You're not Bastion, able to heal all with a touch or caress. It's alright."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Sh-she was m-my r-respon-si-bi-bility," she manages, through dry sobs like hiccoughs, pressing her forehead against Jaina's shoulder. "And I-I w-wasn't g-g-good e-enough. I m-made her h-hurt that b-bad."

[Smith Family]

"She's not. Kyle is my husband, not my charge. Liz is- was your girlfriend, not your ward or patient. You should be trying to help her, yes, of course. But it should never, was never, all your problem to solve."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"W-we had a s-sp-special a-arran-gement," she hiccoughs. "I w-was her w-world."

[Tethras Clan]

"What kind of arrangement?" Seli is the one to ask, a tone in her voice that indicates she has an idea already.

[Coquette Blacquin]

"I-- I-- it wasn't s-slavery, she h-h-had a s-safe-word, b-but..."

[Tethras Clan]

"You mean a dom/sub relationship." Seli offers a wan smile. "It's okay. There's nothing wrong with them." If, of course, they're done properly. She hesitates a second, not sure if she should...

"I sometimes... enjoy... that sort of...," Aveline says in a stiff voice. Her posture her tense, awkward, her gaze skittering around the room as a blush creeps up her neck and cheeks. "Not... all the time. But it can be... interesting to... relax." She clears her throat.

[Smith Family]

Jaina is silent, face bright crimson and eyes wide. Her expression is not, however, offended or disgusted. Quite the contrary...

[Coquette Blacquin]

Cindy nods. "I-I was her d-d-domme, and she... and she... she hurt so badly... I th-thought it was g-g-getting b-better..."

[Smith Family]

Jaina takes a deep breath and sets the... details of the subject aside for later thought. Cindy. Worry about Cindy. "Sweetheart, you're hurt badly too." It's her best mother's voice, soft and loving, but with a solid note of 'I love you but you're being stupid' in it.

[Coquette Blacquin]

She shakes her head. "I w-w-was, but... b-but I am b-b-better now." It's a firm statement, despite the stammer, but it has all the petulance of a child, demanding that a thing be true rather than asserting that it simply is.