Lexa looked up at him flatly from her spot in bed, tired and unimpressed with his theatrics. Really? Did he have to do this [i]now[/i]? She didn't have the energy for this. It was almost a full minute before she finally opened her mouth.

[color=crimson]"You're wrong about the world,"[/color] she murmured in her rasping voice. [color=crimson]"It's not what you say it is."[/color] The hidden seed of optimism, of [i]hope[/i] that had first pushed her to become Trick, couldn't help but leak into her voice. She studied him up and down, as though he was a puzzle she was piecing together. She looked up and amber eyes met crimson. [color=crimson]"It's not your fault."[/color] The words were spoken plainly. He wasn't forgiven for all her had done. But she could grant him this concession, at least. [color=crimson]"You've only ever seen the worst of it."[/color] She thought back to 9 and the images he'd forced her to see. The pain that had felt too real, the terror and confusion and [i]anger[/i]. She had no idea what she'd be like today if that was all she'd ever known. Even just a glimpse of it had caused her to kill without a thought. Her eyes fell from Jack's and she seemed to be looking at the far wall, more preoccupied with her own thoughts than with the unhinged, knife-wielding criminal. 

[color=crimson]"But we all have scars. Just because you're dark doesn't mean the whole world is."[/color] She could've been saying this to herself rather than to Jack. Thoughts floated through her mind, painful memories and wistful dreams. Quiet thoughts she was unwilling to speak aloud. 

With a sigh, she looked back down at herself, eyes refocusing. Getting out of bed was going to end up being a humiliating idea. But Lexa would risk it if it meant leaving the odd reality she'd found herself in where speaking so calmly to Jack, sitting in his bed after he'd taken care of her. This was too surreal.  Her left hand sat in her lap, largely useless, as she removed the blanket with her right. Her entire body felt like lead, and she wasn't certain if her legs would even be able to hold her up. 

This was going to be such a pain in the ass. [i]Twelve people[/i]. What the hell. Why the hell would she think that was a good idea. The most she'd ever tried before was [i]five[/i], and she'd thrown up after. Lexa was surprised she wasn't [i]dead[/i]. But at least she'd gotten the people out of the building before it'd gone down.

She forced her knees up, painfully slow, planting the soles of her feet on the mattress. Lexa used her feet and right hand to push herself to the edge of the bed, grimacing in pain at the movement. Placing one foot on the ground, and then the other, she took a breath as she readied herself to stand.

Like ripping off a bandaid, she forced herself up to her feet [i]too quickly shitshitshit[/i] and stumbled back onto the bed. The impact of the landing sent pain splitting her shoulder and she grit her teeth together and slammed her eyes shut. Her head was pounding, and it was a fight to keep her balance even just sitting down.