Outcast Villiage

"Out the back to avoid him?"

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Ranger winced in understanding and stepped back, scratching the scar on his neck again.

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"I promise you I haven't had a seizure in months, I don't know what set it off..."

Ephraim led her quietly to the back door.

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"Not fun." Citlali grimaced and moved a hand to her leg.

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Ranger sighed. "I know you're scared of me sweetheart but I won't hurt you. Tell Moira I'm sorry but I've done everything I can to stop them from coming here. If you don't want to tell her that's fine." Ranger rummaged for a moment and brought out a packet of tissues, yanking a few out to press into her hands gently to stem the bleeding before he turned and walked away.

Ranger tried the best to ignore her tears, going as far from the building as he could before he tried a jump. The tissues only would have stung because they were antiseptic. They also had little cats and dogs of them which was strange for a man Rangers age. It suggested he had been caring for small children recently.

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"How far do you want to go?"

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"How old is she, your daughter?" Citlali shivered with aftershocks and uselessly clenched her hands on her lap.

"Had her young?" Citlali bit her lip hard to keep from shaking with a shock of pain. "Shouldn't you be with her instead of a ditzy little thing like me?"

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"I understand that, I..." Ephraim hesitated, hearing Anjuli.

"Is it safe for her?" Citlali swayed suddenly, lightheaded, and mumbled, "Can you massage the back of my neck like last time...? It does wonders for the pain..." She'd briefly lapsed into a memory but acted as if nothing had been said.

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"Is that Alex's kid?" Ephraim let go of her hand and jogged ahead.

Ephraim crouched by them and watched with a quiet frown.

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Citlali just nodded, trying to calm her breathing and arching over so far she almost had her forehead against her knees. "You don't have to stay with me. It's nice but if I'm wasting your time then..."

"Whatever you could think of would probably be better than spending time with someone like me. I'm gawky, skinny, eat like a pig, covered in scars from a car accident and dad told me they were all features that would stop people wanting to be friends with me because I wasn't normal."

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"Do you need me to carry you in?" Ephraim asked softly, as if talking to a startled animal.

"Its rugged on guys. Pretty disgusting on girls." Citlali shrugged. "So. Do you live with your kids momma?"

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Ephraim gently hooked his hands under her body and lifted her up; bridal style so she wouldn't have to hold on with her hurt hands.

"Let's go get you cleaned and patched up. You stopped he bleeding with your tissues hmm?"

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"Dad said I can't meet my mum because she planned to use me for experimentation. Think I dodged a bullet there."

"I mean, I've already been through a car crash. Who'd want someone who had issues from going through experiments..." Citlali laughed weakly.

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Ephraim frowned. "That sounds decidedly not Ranger. He's never so giving or even intelligent enough to stage something like that."

"Was he the one who hurt you?"

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"What dad says is normally true. Besides, I know I ain't attractive. Haven't even gotten a second look from guys until I came here." Citlali clapped her hands on her thighs and stood. "If you excuse me I'm going to find somewhere to wallow in self pity and maybe eat an entire pint of expensive ice cream."

"But you were scared of him and that's why you cried? Or were you scared for him?"

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"I doubt it. Seen some pretty brutal things. My best friend was a girl who'd lost half her face involving a scuba diving accident and a speedboat." Citlali walked to the door, hands on her lower back so she could bend bakers slightly and stretch, slightly sticking out her stomach and chest in the process.