[centre][h2][color=7ea7d8]Lauren Jones[/color][/h2]
[@HecateProxy][/centre]

[color=gray]Lauren sat curled into a ball, not daring to look up lest her friend wore the expression of hate she was expecting.  After all she had said, how could Mora possibly not hate Lauren?  But instead she felt Mora's strong arms wrap around her and lift her out of her weak and febrile state.  Shocked and exhausted, Lauren lent into the embrace, wrapping her arms weakly around her friend as if she were her one and only lifeline.

[Color=teal]"No."[/color] She could hear the pain in her friend's voice and the guilt cut her deep, she had done it again.  She'd hurt her friend, selfishly prioritising her needs over those of the one most dear to her.  Mora's embrace tightened around her and she could feel the slight tremble in her friend's body.  Or was that her shaking?  It was becoming hard to tell. [Color=teal]"It was never your fault, you hear me?!"[/color] How could she say that?  Lauren had laid it out for her, she'd been tormented by it for over two years so she knew better than anyone how it was her fault. [Color=teal]"I never blamed you. I will never hate you. Law,"[/color] Mora pulled back, taking Lauren's face in her hands and staring into her eyes, through both their tears, brushing Lauren's away. [Color=teal]"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I wasn't there for you."[/color]

[color=7ea7d8][i]Why is she sorry? It's my fault, how can she not blame me? Why is she the one apologising?[/i][/color]

[Color=teal]"I'm so sorry. I, I missed the signs. I didn't let you grieve with me. I-"[/color] She was pulled back into Mora's fierce but shaking embrace. [Color=teal]"You are precious to me. Law and I am so sorry."[/color] There it was. 'Precious'. It wasn't the same, it wasn't returned feelings, but it was a sign. Mora wasn't just trying to make her feel better.  She [i]meant[/i] it.  Now Lauren felt the guilt bite deeper but it was different.  No longer did it eat at her soul, it wasn't the dream haunting, nightmare inducing, spirit sapping guilt that had plagued her since Cain's death.  Now she merely felt guilty for hurting her friend, even if it made her endlessly joyous to know how much she cared.

[Color=teal]"I'm here."[/color] She could hear Mora trying to calm herself down, her voice hoarse from crying and emotion. [Color=teal]"I am here and I'm never letting you go."[/color] Lauren leaned into the embrace, letting the warmth spread throughout her and banish the dark emotions that had flooded her, that unopened chest in the back of her mind diminishing in size with every moment.

[color=7ea7d8]"Ra... thank you."[/color] She whispered, her voice wavering but at least she had found it again. [color=7ea7d8]"I'm sorry... for putting this on you. For bringing it all up.  I just didn't know what to do."[/color] She squeezed the other girl, her muscles feeling weak and heavy as exhaustion, both physical, emotional and mental, weighed heavily down upon her. [color=7ea7d8]"There was no one else. You were only ever the one... who I could talk to..."[/color]

Sleep was taking her firmly in its grasp and, for once, she didn't fear it quite so much.  She perked up a little, resisting its grasp for a final moment.  [color=7ea7d8]"Can I... stay?"[/color] Her head nodded forwards and her body went heavy in Mora's embrace as deep sleep final took her.[/color]