The Muse Manor

After nearly a day of being stranded in the Gulf, Helen and Will were finally rescued and taken back to the Sanctuary. Helen had spent most of the remaining travel time very quiet. Coming up with a believable lie as to what they were doing so far off their flight plan and how they'd gotten down there in the first place, she'd had to deal with the helicopter rental place. Those encounters had taken her remaining strength and stability. She no longer had it in her to converse.

She barely even paid attention to what Will was doing during their plane ride back to New City. Her Old Friend picked them up at the airport and soon enough, they were back in the Sanctuary. Helen didn't even say more than a handful of words to anyone, telling them all that she needed to rest before she turned and strode for her office.

That had been two days ago. Ashley's birthday was two days from now and the closer that day came, the more Helen felt her heart tearing itself out of her chest. So much had happened in such a short period of time. She'd asked Will to stay with her for this and she knew that her seclusion would worry him. If Will knew her at all, and if she knew him, he would soon come to poke at her and that was likely for the best. She needed a friendly, supportive, and unbiased face as her own was none of these things.

And the memories hurt too much to endure alone.