DT Serum, Primary Testing In Progress

Lex came inside a little late and climbed into bed with a quiet groan.  The headache was just a headache, not a migraine, but still annoying.  Maybe he should talk to the doc, but he wasn't that desperate.  Not yet.  He closed his eyes with a sigh and let himself drift off to sleep.

Layla softly talked to Hugs a while before she too fell asleep, snuggling the cat.

(Alter as needed)

The next couple of days went by fairly uneventfully, aside from the standard.  True relentlessly kept up the exercises Gaster showed him, pushing himself to the limit of his body's capabilities.  Shuni happily continued his cooking, teaching the kittens tricks, except Night who refused to listen to anyone except Ashton.  As for Lex, he suffered three more attacks of being unable to breathe, but none were as bad as the time in the park, and a migraine immobilized him only once for most of a day.  Things seemed stable.

Lex moved along the rooftops slowly.  It had been four days since the park incident, and he could tell the others seemed to be relaxing some, but he knew better.  Could feel the difference.  Even so, he kept silent.  He didn't know how to explain it, and he saw no need to shake things up now.

~~

Meanwhile, Tramp slunk through the shadows, seeking Echo.  Bobo was nowhere in sight, and he did not look his normal happy self.  A frown tugged at his usually smiling lips as he sought out the girl.

Kat of course supported True and helped motivate and push him through his exercizes. Also, she would make sure he rested and took care of himself and didn't push himself too far, and even played for him some on her keyboard. She started to jot notes down on songs they came up with on the fly, as well as just any half baked idea to come back to whenever.

Layla had grown steadily more and more worried for Lex. She did her best to take care of him and make him comfortable and happy, down to the little things like making cookies he liked and setting aside a glass of water after he had the breathing attacks. However, she steadily felt like there had to be more she should be doing, or that what she did wasn't enough.

~~

Echo was on the ground for once, pawning off some jewelry she "acquired." She exited one of her normal dealers through an allyway door and started to quietly walk along in the shadows. The air was a little bit cooler again, but she hadn't minded too much, simply wearing her favorite hoodie.

Lex found a perch on the roof where Echo would leave pebbles to find him and sat in the shadows so still and silent birds thought he was a part of the roof and landed around him.

Tramp stepped up behind Echo.  "We need to talk," he said abruptly.

Echo turned and nodded to Tramp. "Yeah, sure. What's up?" She asked her friend, still walking to another dealer. She had some things for him in particular.

Tramp grabbed her shoulder and spun her around.  "Now, Echo," he hissed, eyes snapping in fury.  "I need to talk to you NOW.  I know what you did."

Echo started to tremble and she swallowed hard. Uh oh. She had hoped he wouldn't have found out, and never asked questions about it. She wasn't prepared for this! She mutely followed Tramp, not that she had much choice in the matter.

Tramp half pushed Echo into an abandoned shop.  "You had no right!  NO RIGHT!" he hissed, trembling in rage.  "You meddled in MY business and knocked off MY supplier!  Now I can't get what I need because of YOU."  He held up his hand before she could say anything.  "Don't you dare say anything about trying to help me or be my friend.  If you were really my friend, you wouldn't have cut me off at the knees.  You're nothing but a self serving Female dog.  I want you to stay away from me.  You hear me?  Stay away from me!"  He turned and stalked away.

Echo screamed after Tramp, eyes blurring with tears. "I'M SORRY FOR WANTING TO PROTECT MY ONLY GOD DAMN FRIEND!!!" She howled after Tramp before she ran out of different exit. Her vision was distorted as she sprinted into the street. A car screeched to a stop mere inches from her, laying on the horn, but Echo didn't care. She kept running, not caring anymore. Finally, she ran to the point her legs collapsed under her. The fall skinned her hands and ripped her jeans to skin the knees too. Echo stayed down like that, sobbing brokenly.

Lex heard the cry when Echo fell and the sobs.  He slipped down from the roof slow and stepped out of the shadows.  Soundlessly, he knelt down and put a hand on her shoulder.  "Hey."

Echo flinched away from Lex's touch at first. "Leave me alone..." She whimpered. Shakily, she sat with her back against the ally wall. Her hands and knees now throbbed in pain, little bits of loose asphalt stuck in them, but Echo didn't care right now.

Lex moved his hand from her shoulder, instead putting it on her knee.  He said nothing as he picked the gravel from her knees then took her hands one at a time and did the same.  "Got any water?" he asked quietly.

Echo shook her head slowly. She was distraught, and felt lost. She knew exactly where she was geographically, but she had no clue what to do. She was told by her best friend that he never wanted to see her again.

Lex glanced around then took her elbow.  "Come on.  The water hose to this house is just around the corner.  Let's get you washed off."  He didn't leave her a choice, gently but firmly lifting her to her feet and guiding her around back to sit while he turned the water on low and began rising out her knees.

Echo limped after Lex. She felt hollow and defeated, and provided no protest to his care. A part of her duly thought she should be doing this herself, but she had no motivation now.

Lex tore off some of his shirt and used it to wrap up her knees and hands.  "How's it feel?" he asked.

Echo mutely shook her head. "What's the point..." she murmured.

"The point is that you ain't dead yet," Lex told her matter of factly.  He pointed to the roof.  "Let's go up.  Come on."

Echo looked down. "But... he knows." She said hollowly. "Tramp knows it was me that cut off his supplier, and now he said he never wants to see me again."

Lex snorted.  "He's the friend you needed to save, right?  He's a druggy.  He hates you for taking away the love of his life, but as soon as he either gets clean or finds a new supplier he'll love you again."

Echo didn't look so convinced still. WHat Tramp had said... it still hurt a lot.

"Come on.  It's not as safe on the ground," Lex urged, guiding her up onto the roof.  "Let's just sit up here a minute."

Echo looked at Lex, eyes still a bit wet, but the light was next to gone in them. Slowly, Echo got up and followed Lex.

Lex led her up to the roof and sat down with her.  "So.  What happened?" he asked like he would ask Ashton to report.