Technical words passed between Besca and Doctor Follen, floating around Quinn's head as she cried. Modioscory. Implants. Applicant. Compatible.

Taken aback, she stopped crying, jolting up with a muffled cry of pain. The last two words sounded...familiar, somehow, struck a chord in her head. She'd heard them, and heard them recently. But she couldn't place them. Not quite. They tugged at her, slowed her down, a feeling of [i]offness[/i] pulsing through her, but not enough, not quite enough. For a moment, the barest fraction of a fraction of a second, Doctor Follen's smile seemed like it was made of glass.

But then it was gone, and his smile sparked again.

"[color=lightblue]Quinn, you’ve been through [i]so[/i] much, and you’ve been [i]so[/i] brave. And commander Darroh, Besca, here, you know, she came to visit you [i]every[/i] day, for [i]hours[/i]. Once or twice I’d come by in the morning to check on you, and there she’d be, asleep in those dreadfully uncomfortable chairs. She cares about you a lot, Quinn, and I think you care about her, too. I think you're already [i]very[/i] good friends.[/color]”

"[color=FFE63D]R—really?[/color]"

She grabbed Besca's hand tight. She cared. She really cared. Mom and Dad loved her, but...but they weren't Besca. They hadn't comforted her like Besca had, they hadn't had her take deep breaths, they hadn't run their hands through her hair so nicely.

The same smile, looking her in the eye, down on his hands. “[color=lightblue]Do you want to stay here, Quinn? In the Aerie? With Besca?[/color]"

Where else would she—where could she—

Her heart nearly stopped. Mom and Dad would be coming back soon. And they would be so mad that she'd snuck out. And if Besca wasn't there and she couldn't stay with her, they'd punish her, and stick all the needles into her, and put her back in her room and lock her there again. And for some reason, she was [i]petrified[/i] by that thought. Nothing could be worse. She didn't know why. But she knew that nothing nothing [i]nothing[/i] could ever be worse than going home again. She looked up at Besca again. Her face was tight. She looked mad. Was she mad at Doctor Follen? Was she mad at [i]Quinn?[/i]

So she gasped out "[color=FFE63D]Yes, I want to stay with her, please, please,[/color]" and then a sentence that was hauntingly familiar:

"[color=FFE63D]Just don't...[i]don't send me back![/i][/color]"