She hasn't forgotten Marco at all. It's fortunate Daniel doesn't mention that, because if she can't stand the affront to her sanity, mentioning Marco would send her off the handle.
And as much as she knows her son will be scared and ashamed of what she did, she also knows he'll know the strength it took to take responsibility and surrender herself to captivity. And he'll know that she's a little better than she was five years ago, when she was first freed, when even being caught in traffic felt like such a trap she'd lash out and break windows. Right now, this is the last good example she feels she can set.
"This is a temporary stay in the brig. Two weeks, maximum, depending on how we figure time works here." She bites her lip until blood pools at her teeth. "And I don't know what happens after that."
She can plan to take herself out of combat situations, but despite her trigger temper she knows she's generally more of an asset than a liability. Staying away would be hard for her. She can give herself a goal, like coordinating and protecting younger members. Maybe she'll do that.
But she doesn't appreciate Daniel's attempts to rehabilitate her, as if she's a project to be worked on. A delicate excavation of damaged debris to find that good that must lurk beneath the surface. She knows she's good. She also knows, now in crystal clarity, that she's twisted and violent and unwell. It occurs to her that maybe Daniel needs to hold onto her good more for his sake than just for hers. Maybe he needs to convince himself his first impressions of her weren't all wrong, or that if she, the brutal basketcase shell of a host can be recovered, his wife can. Or maybe none of that matters.
no subject
And as much as she knows her son will be scared and ashamed of what she did, she also knows he'll know the strength it took to take responsibility and surrender herself to captivity. And he'll know that she's a little better than she was five years ago, when she was first freed, when even being caught in traffic felt like such a trap she'd lash out and break windows. Right now, this is the last good example she feels she can set.
"This is a temporary stay in the brig. Two weeks, maximum, depending on how we figure time works here." She bites her lip until blood pools at her teeth. "And I don't know what happens after that."
She can plan to take herself out of combat situations, but despite her trigger temper she knows she's generally more of an asset than a liability. Staying away would be hard for her. She can give herself a goal, like coordinating and protecting younger members. Maybe she'll do that.
But she doesn't appreciate Daniel's attempts to rehabilitate her, as if she's a project to be worked on. A delicate excavation of damaged debris to find that good that must lurk beneath the surface. She knows she's good. She also knows, now in crystal clarity, that she's twisted and violent and unwell. It occurs to her that maybe Daniel needs to hold onto her good more for his sake than just for hers. Maybe he needs to convince himself his first impressions of her weren't all wrong, or that if she, the brutal basketcase shell of a host can be recovered, his wife can. Or maybe none of that matters.