Clamor in the Hideout

As Cathleen slept, Dave listened to her shallow breaths, his gaze taking in the scrapes and bruises covering her arms and face.

He had helped in washing most of the dirt and blood from her, but there still seemed to be several layers coating her skin. Her lips were chapped and broken, and her usually porcelain skin appeared ghastly ashen. She looked extremely enervated.

She would appear dead were it not for the gentle rise and fall of her rib cage.

Dave took her small hand in his own, tracing his thumb across the back of her scuffed knuckles. As distraught as he felt about seeing Cathleen like this, he could only imagine what Zen was feeling when he learned about Anastasia. Perhaps, there was little left to the imagination, considering that how he reacted practically turned the whole place upside down.

It was already chaotic when Zen burst out, and Dave hoped that Anastasia would return soon to keep him from exploding for good - he knew she would.