Rogue. (IN REVISION)

9

 The smell of sandalwood filled the atmosphere of the garage, Fallon felt something unimaginably soft against her skin. She groaned when she felt a bit of pain shoot through her body. "Try not to move. You're still weak from your accident." She heard a voice say, the owner of the voice's hands gently clasped her shoulders to keep her from rising from the couch.

She opened her eyes enough to see Venner standing over her, "What are you..." The dizziness swimming in her head kept her from finishing her sentence.

"I came here to apologize for my tongue this morning but then I saw that you needed help." Fallon looked at him as if analyzing his soul, "...Thank you."

"You're welcome." He looked at the table in the middle of them. "I made you something to eat, to clear your head of the fumes. I hope you don't mind."

Fallon nodded and looked at the plate of muffins and an assortment of tea things, sugars, milks and lemon slices that he had painstakingly hunted for around the town. Fallon's heart swelled with gratefulness and then sank wondering why a complete stranger would do such a nice thing for her...or anyone. "What's that smell?" She asked smelling something woody in the air.

"Its my diffuser.." He took the cube shaped device and set it on the coffee table. "I thought it would come in handy to drown out the putrid smell." He explained. Hawk walked into her line of vision, his mouth and nose covered in a gas mask and his skin smudged with dark blue powder, "Hawk?"

"Hey, you're finally up. You gave us a good scare, how are you feeling?" He asked, concerned.

"Dizzy and hungry." Fallon mumbled as her stomach growled.

Venner passed the plate to her without saying anything and looked at Hawk who took off his mask, his mouth finally unmuzzled.

"Its a good thing that Venner was here the time he was or you would've slipped into a coma. He saved your life, Fallon."

Venner looked a little uncomfortable once Hawk had glorified him once more, even though he was completely right. Fallon took a bite of her food and looked at her savior, "Thank you for everything, Venner. I'm glad that you were there to help me."

"It's okay Fallon. You just rest." He reassured her with a smile.

"I'm going to wash this stuff off of me." Hawk reached into his pocket. "Benny tried to take this after he left with the Tripizole." He handed her the three hundred Crowns that Benedict had given her earlier that day and climbed the stairs to shower. Fallon glanced at it and then stuffed it into her shirt. The dirty, careless jerk. did he even care that she almost gassed herself to death for him and his business? He only cared about money and keeping The Living drugged up on Elate than to care about his own family. Venner could see the sadness and betrayal upon her face and stood to leave, "I shall get out of your hair and let you-"

"Rest?" Fallon cut him off. "There's no such thing as rest for me Mr. Stagg." She threw off the blanket and stumbled up off of the couch. She was angry and frustrated at being used again. She didn't want to sit down, she needed to work with her hands. She wanted to be elbow deep in the hood of a greasy car. Venner rushed to her aid and held her up onto her feet, "Please, Fallon. You're still not well."

"Get off of me, I have work to do. I have to fix that Axe-Dune, change the oil in that ill looking motor bike and- AH!" Venner had heard enough and hooked his arm under her knees picking her up in his arms, making his way back to the couch. She was immediately silenced and looked up at him wide eyed at the sudden action.

"You will do nothing of the sort, Miss Fallon. You can at least rest for a day." He plopped her onto the couch and sat across from her again, looking at her stricken face of surprise and anger. Silence filled the room for a moment and Fallon's gaze could be felt on his skin, "I'm sorry. I just don't want to see you hurting yourself."