[center][color=#ead2b2][h3]Darlene Kate Revie[/h3][/color][/center][right][color=silver]Albuquerque, NM: Duncan's motor pool base
August 27, 2016[/color][/right]Duncan sure talked a lot, though Darlene couldn't blame him. It gave her time to puzzle out the behavior of the teen next to her, even as she tried to keep up with all the information he was blasting at her. The car not working at first had worried her, and part of her was just waiting for the car to break down again, but she had to admit that she was impressed with how fast he was able to adapt. At how much he seemed to know. About how much he had been able to do within the past year. Had he learned all of this since the Plague had begun, or had this all just been common knowledge to him?

The tour of the base was so quick and brief, with not nearly enough time to her to take everything in. He had so much food and supplies meaning that he had probably been stocking up for quite a while. Unlike what she had been doing. But she [i]had[/i] been planning to stock up once she found a suitable place... would that place turn out to be here? 

The group she had been with, no, [i]her[/i] group. [i]Her[/i] group had been pretty much settled in one place. She had helped to scavenge for supplies and stock up the place. She had helped to build up the base, and it had begun to seem like a home. 

Before everything had changed again. 

By the time he finished the tour she was struggling to keep the smile up, and even the little goat wasn't able to cheer her up. She was suddenly feeling so tired again, a feeling that she was too familiar with. Tired, and she wanted to be alone. When she had been traveling alone she hadn't needed to hide her tears and sorrows, but she wouldn't show her weaknesses here. Not now.

But she was tired.

Darlene didn't notice Duncan's discomfort at showing her an unmade bed, a sort of distant and sad look flickering in and out of her eyes as she tried to keep her gaze bright and cheerful. Leaning against the nearest wall for support, she made herself grin. It didn't reach her eyes. 

[color=#ead2b2]"This is really quite something, Duncan. I'll think about your offer concerning the car, alright? I wouldn't want to steal one of yours, so maybe if I can find another good car somewhere nearby, you could teach me how to convert it."[/color]

Teach. 

[i]"Darlene. Not like that. You have to put your whole heart into it,[/i] concentrate[i]. Someone isn't always going to be able to help you."[/i] He had known that she was trying her hardest, but had pushed her anyway. But after they were done for the day she had seen it in his eyes, a hint of satisfaction and pride. His words hadn't bothered her after that, for she knew that he simply cared. 

They had all cared. 

[i]And they had all died. [/i]

Even that simple word triggered too many memories, why was she so sensitive all of a sudden? Perhaps too much had happened too quickly. Shock or something. How could she tell Duncan that she needed to be alone for a little without offending him or seeming weird? Answer: she couldn't.

Darlene blinked a few times quickly, bringing herself back to the present abruptly. Without her realizing it, her hand had drifted up to touch that pouch again. As if she could feel them, nestled there. But it must look weird, for her to be constantly touching a spot between her breasts. Ugh. She dropped her hand quickly, flushing slightly. [color=#ead2b2]"Uh..."[/color] What was she supposed to say now?