[hr][hr][center][h1][i][b][color=firebrick]James[/color] & [color=dc143c]Thalia[/color][/b][/i][/h1]
[img]https://v.cdn.vine.co/r/avatars/6AE78329E91063505631975227392_pic-r-1396533712688c4afde8ecf.jpg.jpg?versionId=ZnGOSit0zozlhxpJk0w6QVx4cSozVRdq[/img] [img]https://i.pinimg.com/236x/b4/fc/02/b4fc025b04e4d7775b99388fb448ca3d--grimm-first-time.jpg[/img][/center]
[hr][center][b][color=firebrick]Location:[/color][/b] The Meet (Three-way intersection near the Hershall Norred Water Plant) [/center][hr][hr]

	Though Thalia had thanked James, her mind was partly in denial. How dare this complete stranger say these things about her family? Alicia and Caesar were the two biggest badasses she knew. There was no way that she outlived [i]them[/i]. It just didn't add up. Either he was lying or... or Thalia was being foolish. She knew that they were dead and just needed to find out for herself. This odd man in the middle of the road had no reason to lie to her. They were gone. The piece of her personal quest that kept her in what used to be Georgia was done. Thalia had already mourned their loss. What she had now was closure. Finally, she was free to go.

	James wasn't sure what else to say to her. Or the Kiwi. He stood there for a couple of dry seconds before stretching his hand out to the both of them, saying, [color=firebrick]"Hey, we missed introducin' ourselves. Name of James [i]Mandingo[/i] Grady. Most folk that know me call me Black James, tout suite..."[/color] It was the general, optimistic greeting he gave when he was meeting new people, though this time the words were a little more lackluster. [color=firebrick]"I just wish there was something I could do for y'all. Most folks get tea or somethin' after bad news..."[/color] 

	He wanted to say more, extend some measure of comfort, but before he could think of anything, James heard Ryan urge him to turn around. The moment that he did, he really wished that he hadn't. Braided, blonde hair, leather armor, roundshield slung across her back. The lady in question was long dead, but that tiny detail didn't stop her from walking toward them. 

	Thalia craned her neck to see around James, taking a step to her side to get a better view. She caught herself, an audible gasp preventing a sob from escaping. In the still of the cool air, she could just barely hear the woman back at James's truck ask a pointed question as to the woman's identity. A tiny bit of shock came over James and a little more than that came over Thalia. Their voices intertwined as they both spoke simultaneously, only partly in answer to the question: 

	[color=firebrick]"Astrid."[/color]
	[color=dc143c]"Astrid."[/color] 

	A half second of total disbelief smacked them both, mirrored on their faces, each. They locked eyes for that half second and immediately returned to the corpse shambling at them. It was enough to knock the displaced Gonzalez back into the here and now. She noticed that the man who had brought James's attention to the very familiar Zed was now pointing a firearm at it. [color=dc143c]"Wait! Please. Astrid was a Shieldmaiden. I stood the Wall with her. She deserves better than that."[/color] Her voice was suddenly fierce, but colored by grief. She risked a step forward, asking everyone on the other side of the intersection, [color=dc143c]"I pull a weapon and handle this, are we all going to be cool?"[/color]