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"Iout by ourselves"

"Aren’t we doing that right now?"

"Yeah--I mean, uh--," I stammer, then notice the wicked s withher aran a so bad," she says gently,a war here, Sa out You know that"

"Um, John and Sarah went to the zoo today"

"But I don’t want to have a John-and-Sarah thing with you," Six says, like it’s thein the world

"Oh" I shrink back, feeling gut punched "I just thought--when you went to Spain, John told ed--uh, crap, I’m an idiot I should’ve known you wouldn’t be interested in so my hand before I can make a break for the door "I’m sorry, Sam I didn’t mean it like that I do like you"

"You just don’t likein the rest of the classic line

"I didn’t say that I do Well, I ht" Six throws her hands up "I don’t know! Look, it’s just, John and Sarah, they think it s easier for them, but it doesn’t It just causes trouble"

"They seeht now," Six says "But what about when soood leader and all, but he’s not a realist Do you think we’re going to fight an entire aradorians without some casualties?"

"Jeez, that’s dark"

"It’s the truth Everything’s gonna go to shit eventually, Sam" She reaches out and plucks a loose thread off the front of my sweater "I wish you’d stay away fros could be different"

I let loose with an incredulous laugh "Ugh, seriously? That’s, like, the kind of crap that Spider-Man tells Mary Jane when he’s trying to break it off with her Do you kno eirlfriend?"

Six laughs too, shaking her head "I’ what a hypocrite I’ave to John about Sarah"

"Maybe you’re right and things are going to get bad," I say "But that doesn’tall about the war all the tiood Maybe you should spend like ninety-five percent of your ti Maren"

I didn’t plan that little speech; Six’s old human name just pops out Herat first, the nauard

"Maren," she whispers "I’m not sure I even re in the way she’s looking atcaution to the wind It’s not the sort of devil- uard just a little I don’t let go of her hand

"Promise me you won’t die," she says, bluntly

In that"I proers intertwined with ain and I reach up to brush soainst her cheek

And that’s when Eight teleports onto the roof

Six jumps away froht right then and not feel any reht to crack some joke, but his face is set and serious

"Guys, we need you downstairs!"

"What is it?" Six asks, starting towards Eight "Mogs?"

Eight shakes his head "It’s Ella"

I guess hts

Eight takes our hands and I i the world yanked out fro in the room that Marina shares with Ella

Ella is on her back in bed, all the blankets kicked off, rigid as a board Her eyes are squeezed shut Perhaps thedown from the corner of her h to draw blood

Marina kneels next to the bed, dabbing at Ella’sElla’s na to wake her up Ella doesn’t move except to clench and unclench her fists in the sheets

"How long has she been like this?"panicked "She went to bed beforeI found her like this and she won’t wake up"

I look around, not really sure what I should be doing PrettyEveryone has crowded into the roo a look of uncertainty

"This has never happened before?" I ask Marina