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She lifted my hand to her forehead and took a stuttered breath "Thank you I’ her on the temple "I love you, Pen We all do No matter what"

"I love you, too," she said with a sad s"

My sto no I’d never seen her so down, so unreachable Brooke had destroyed ed us, and I had no clue what it was going to take to bring her back

Rachel’s eyes were soft as she leaned against the wall in the hallatching uard was down and I simply saw her, not the walls she’d hidden behind since I discovered her on board

She blinked rapidly and cleared her throat "Yeah, so we should go"

I nodded "Yeah Penna, you sure you’ll be all right?"

She waved us off, her mask firmly in place "Absolutely Take pictures"

I headed for the door, Rachel following We were silent as weI needed was anynear us Oh, yeah, I was reaping what I’d sown, and it tasted rather bitter every ti way she had

"You really do love her," she said softly as I hit the fourth deck so we could dise I have to a sister"

She adjusted her backpack, the black straps thick above her swimsuit’s halter neckline "It’s just nice to know that you are still the sah a few floors, and I tried to gather ivereal with me at least for the next few hours "I’m the same in almost every way that matters"

"And those that don’t?" she asked as the elevator dinged

"Some better, some worse, all the aftereffects of what happened with us"

She stiffened, but her eyes didn’t "I get that," she said as she walked out in front of h the disembarkation area, eone Once our IDs were scanned, we headed down the ramp off the Athena

Rachel’s shoulders slumped as we looked over the port of Colo into me

My hands steadied her bare shoulders Shit, her skin was just as soft as I’d re our small truce would be over if I touched her when she clearly didn’t wantmy point

"Yeah, we’re about an hour and"--I checked my watch--"twelve et led the keys in front of her