Sebastian frowned as her aura went dark and she pulled her hair over her scars. He knew what she was feeling, he was a bit on the hypersensitive side today so he couldn't help it with her being so close... So long as their auras were touching he was going to feel what she felt even if he was blocking her thoughts into background noise so he wouldn't listen in. He knelt in front of her, being taller than her, this brought them pretty much face to face. Very, very gently he pushed her hair back from her shoulder and brushed the back of his knuckles against her scars. "They don't define you Serena..."

The whole time he was touching her skin he didn't look at the scars, he wanted her to see that the only thing he saw was HER.... "The only thing I feel when I see those marks on your skin is anger... Not at you, at the ones who put you through it."

He knew what she was feeling as if he was inside her skin, he couldn't help it... even if he'd wanted to. So, when the next bit sounded like he was reading her thought it was because he... sort of was. "You can think or say what you'd like, you weren't willing... I saw that... not when it started and you can't help how it ended. Addiction... addiction is a powerful thing. I've felt it in the feeders... on accident... feeling like that against your will and craving it when you know you shouldn't is torture... You survived that, you ended it yourself. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for... not many can break free."

He realized he was still touching her and pulled his hand away feeling suddenly awkward. He smiled at her a bit sadly, "You're beautiful, the scars are part of that... You wouldn't be who you are if you hadn't gone through what you did... and who you are is... pretty amazing." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "As to your question... Not really. Today will be miserable... I'm going to warn you so that it's fair... I can't really stay in my own head today. I'm already pushing boundaries now... Sorry about that... and my temper... It could be better. Just thinking about anyone hurting you had me ready to tear someone's..." He avoided that example, "head off. Keep me from getting violent if you can... but don't get hurt in the process... I don't know what I might do when I lose it."

~*~

Anna smiled, "Well... I guess that means I have to grab clothes from Niya." She flipped open her cell phone, which she'd had tucked where most girls tucked things when they wore a dress. It had ended up in her clothes pile last night. She texted Niya, begging her for some clothes and telling her where she was... explaining it away with too much to drink and Gunner had babysat her... She wasn't sure how many people Gunner wanted to know about them just yet. Once she got a response she bounced up from the bed, "Can you grab the clothes from her when she comes? I'm gonna go ahead and hop in the shower..."

She kissed his cheek, "Be right back Pretty boy." With that she hopped into the shower and washed away the memories of the day before... except the good ones. She caught sight of her wrist as she bathed and stared at it, feeling dirty... and shaking with something she refused to name. She scrubbed and scrubbed at the now healed, bruised area till it was red and raw before she forced herself to stop and climbed out. She wrapped herself with a towel and momentarily stood, staring at the scar and the bruises again. She'd seriously scrubbed her skin raw to the point of having a welt... She grimaced, she didn't want to explain to Gunner that she was having withdraws that made her want to go running to Jace or crawl out of her skin... or both. The guilt was enough on it's own without worrying Gunner too.

"Hey Marks, my clothes here yet?"