Re-l woke up much too late. It had become habit, in the last six days, to wake with the first hint of daylight, but when her eyes opened the sun was at least a hand-span above the horizon. She was very warm, and there was a heavy presence at her side. She wondered if Vincent had gotten lonely during the night, and was mildly impressed that he'd had the courage to try anything. Still, she could tease him about it when he woke up.

Then reality reasserted itself.

Re-l leapt to her feet, her tangled hair flying around her head like snakes. The blanket, caught around her legs, was jerked with her, and slid completely off Gabriel.

Inside her head a war was raging. Her hands were shaking, and part of her wanted to lash out. She spun around and kicked a nearby rock with all her strength, sending it flying off into the canyon, where it landed with a loud bang. A flock of birds awoke at the sound, springing into the air, their wings cracking out across the ravine.

Re-l strode away from the makeshift campsite, her hands still balled into tight fists, and knelt down by the fast flowing stream. She dunked her head under quickly and came up dripping. With water streaming down her face and filling her eyes she felt better, and she shook herself off vigorously. Her eyeshadow, washed away by the current, needed to be reapplyed. She flipped open her compact and began to work, using short even strokes that had become second nature to her.