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Author's Note: This story contains mature themes, including sexual violence. Proceed with caution.

Lex Talionis
by Tara O'Shea

Part V

I'll close my eyes, and it'll all just be a dream. Just a nightmare.

God, please let it just be a nightmare.

There were birds singing, outside. She had almost forgotten what that sounded like. It seemed impossible that there could be birds singing.

Kaylee sipped the water slowly, trying not to grimace as she swallowed. Her throat burned, but she'd been so thirsty. Like she hadn't had a drop of water in days. River had gone down to the kitchens, to see about getting her some grub. She didn't feel hungry, but she needed to eat something, as she hadn't since breakfast the day before.

Simon had woken up almost as soon as she'd had started crying, her face buried in River's shoulder, while the other girl had stroked her hair and whispered in her ear. He had come awake quickly, and she'd wondered if he'd done that at the hospital—caught sleep where he could and got in the habit of just going from sleeping to waking, no grey space between full of yawns.

Thinking about that gave her something else to think on, besides how bad he looked. How bad she knew she must look. One side of her face was stiff and swollen, and she gently probed the inside of her mouth with her tongue, and tasted blood still, the copper tang of it bringing back thoughts she wanted to keep at bay.

"I'm so cold," she said, her voice sounding muffled in her own ears, a