She was silent. He turned to her, his first instinct being to yell... But she was weeping.

He remained silent, and let the weight in the room speak for itself for a moment; it was strong enough to pull the girl down the wall to a seated position. Alex was still standing there.

"Young man... I daresay your presence is no longer necessary. Thank you for your time."

Without turning to see if he left, Roach stood, and walked over to the weeping girl, crouching down, and slowly, very slowly placing an arm on her shoulder. "You are safe here. You survived. You were stronger. I'm going to need you to stay strong, though. I need you to speak to me. The men who did this to you... You escaped them. Where are they now?"

He was calm. His heart was beating like nothing else he had ever experienced; Everything felt real... Human. He hated it, but pushed through it because he would not let the feels defeat him. Still, he could not help but try to sound as comforting as he could.

Allison jumped when the... whatever bugs had instead of hands... touched her. She was already against the wall though, so she couldn't get away, just try to curl into herself more. It didn't seem to work. Her head hurt; her mind wasn't working right, it was reciting statements and facts at her, just noting reality, not bothering with any indication of what it meant or what anything might be connected to. She was pretty okay with that, really. Allison stared at the inside of her arms, and couldn't tell whether her eyes were open or not.

She wasn't looking at the bug. She knew it was the bug, but as long as she didn't look she could sort of pretend it wasn't. Bugs didn't talk. And anyway she couldn't get away, so it was better not to look. She cringed again, and the wall was still there.

She could answer that, though, probably. Just pretend they were talking about some other men. Like she'd watched a movie he'd missed the end of. It still took a while to get ahold of the words. "I... don't know. Someone showed up, he killed... most of them, anyway... I wasn't looking." And if the bug wanted to know any more than that, he could go figure it out himself. Allison wasn't.

Megan screamed again. Allison flinched from that, too.

Someone else had intervened?

It appeared he owed someone Megan's life. He wasn't the type to enjoy owing someone; maybe he could kill them so that he didn't owe them. No sense thinking about that now, though.

"I see... She is going to live; We got to her just in time... Thank goodness... What is your name? I am Greg. I am Megan's... friend, and should you be hers as well, then you are among friends. You are safe, and you may stay as long as you'd like... I noticed you have some wounds as well. Do you want a healer?"

He lifted his hand from her after she recoiled; silly him, physical contact was likely the last thing she wanted right now.

"I can arrange one, though I understand if you'd prefer someone didn't... put their hands on you. It appears retribution may be out of the question, though I may send some people out just to be sure... Why... Why were you there in the first place? It's a bad neighborhood for... our kind."

"I live here." Allison didn't need permission to be here, and it was easier to resent being given permission than anything else. Easier than thinking about healers, and needing a healer, and what she'd need a healer for, and the last thing she wanted was a healer who'd touch her and ask what happened and know what happened and make her think about how she was hurt and what caused it, but she was thinking about it anyway and the more she tried to forget about it the more she could feel all of it, and... maybe she could just pretend they were only fixing burns. It wasn't working at all, but she was burned, and she thought burns were really at risk of infection, and she couldn't even breath without crying because of the one on her throat. It was easier to blame crying on that. "I should."

...Because we knew it was bad, and I wanted to taunt them into attacking us so we could attack back. Allison tried to bury her face further into her arms. She hadn't thought about it that way. Hadn't thought about it at all, really. Realizing it was her fault made her sick again; her stomach thrashed and she had to stop breathing for a few seconds to be sure she didn't throw up. She could maybe have dealt with it if it was just her, but... Megan.

"I live here." Ah.

"Ah."

Well, he couldn't remember every face that lived in these walls; there were hundreds, after all. It was of no consequence, though; he mainly kept an eye on trouble makers and people who would be good for the cause. He wondered, now, if she were either of the two. No, that would be something to ponder on later. For now, such thoughts were not necessary.

"I... Shall see if we have a less effective, but less... Physical healer... I... Unfortunately, there is little I can do to combat mental anguish."

He turned over to slide the curtain closed once more, muffling Megan's screams. He would most likely spend all night by her side. Perhaps he would flog her for putting herself in harm's way; There were healers around to make it right afterward anyway.

"Many women in this sanctuary have felt your pain. It is unfortunately common these days. Perhaps... We can make a world in which such things do not happen to our kind..."

His antennae stuck up straight as he heard Megan scream again.

"So... Do you wanna go get some ice cream? Maybe... Maybe a sooooooda?"

He could leave. How about that? That could help combat mental anguish. Or he could stop asking her about it, that would help too. Talking wasn't helpful, though, and the last thing Allison wanted was to encourage him to talk more. So she stayed quiet.

Yeah. Yeah, definitely, the giant bug needed to stop talking. Hearing that this was common and normal and maybe someday we can daydream was the last thing Allison needed. Granted, it didn't change anything, and maybe in theory not being alone was better, but it still hurt. If it was that common, she'd never had any chance; if it was normal, then she ought to be happy for being more normal now, and either way now she had to worry about it happening again. Lightning didn't often hit the same person twice, but mosquitoes did. And 'our kind'? Allison felt a little more like womankind than mutantkind at this point, even if it was both that mattered. Protecting herself by passing the attacks down to someone even more helpless was not a solution she liked at all. That was what they'd been trying to prevent.

...Maybe not talking wasn't the best option. Allison couldn't cringe anymore when Megan screamed, but it wasn't for lack of trying.

Okay, yes, it was. Or maybe it wasn't; anger was easier, after all. Allison was back on her feet and glaring before she realized. "You tried to eat me!" And then, when she did realize, she was shying back along the wall; toward a corner, but away from the giant bug. And shaking, again, but she thought this time it might be at least partly anger. That was okay, that was easier; it was easier to notice the fight between fear and glaring that was taking over her face, and trying to sort it out and tone them both down than it was to think.

Suddenly, the screams stopped. Footsteps could still be heard from on the other side of the curtain, but otherwise all was quiet.

"You tried to eat me!"

"uuh... he tries to eat everyone. S'his way of sayin' hi..."

Groaning again, the twenty six year old cracked an eye open and found that she was staring at a ceiling. She also discovered that it was hard to move... and she couldn't recall how she had gotten onto a table. Nor why there were curious faces peering down at her from above.

If this was some kinda abduction, they were doing a poor job at it.

Someone touched her ribs, and a lightnight bolt of pain struck her. She managed not to scream this time, instead hissing through her teeth and weakly batting at the offending mutant. "Get the hell away from me!" Where the @#$% was she? Why had she heard Roaches voice, and Allis--

...Allison...

"...Allison!" An equal mix of panic and anger pushed past the pain, driving her to push herself up against the protests of her body. She had herself up and off the table quicker than her healers would have expected, and before they could try and corral her back in she'd torn straight through the curtains.

Blinking more times than was normally required, as the world was fuzzy and didn't seem to want to sit in one place for too long, it took her a moment to notice where the girl had backed herself into a corner. She all but ignored Roach for the moment, lurching toward her fellow Lilith, and collapsed onto her knees a step away from the ink wielding mutant.

There were a lot of questions that needed asking, many of which had to do with what had happened and if she was okay... but words just didn't seem to want to come together at the moment. She wasn't even really processing that she's nearly died.

"...Alli..?"

"uuh... he tries to eat everyone. S'his way of sayin' hi..."

"Well... Not quite, it's very interesting, actually. If you survive the first encounter you're pretty much fi- I suppose that's a topic for another time. I'm glad you're not dead."

She sounded half awake, so he figured he was talking to a wall at this point; few people had the willpower to stand up after such a close brush with de- He stared as she freaked out and burst through the curtains.

"Huh."

She then rushed right toward Alli.

He watched as the woman collapsed at Alli's feet, and by instinct he stepped forward until he was at her side. reaching down to help her to a standing position once more. "Dearest Megan, you do realize you are without upper body clothing..."

It was about that time Alex got second thoughts about leaving so quickly, and stepped back in.

He immediately locked eyes with said upper body, his mouth hanging wide open. Roach gave it a good few seconds before he chimed in.

"My boy, it is quite rude to stare."

The silence didn't register; the half-slurred comment did, though the source did not. The bug's following commentary registered more completely, and Allison glared at him in disbelieving anger. Interesting? Trying to eat her--or anyone, really, but right now Allison was most concerned with herself, since she hadn't seen him try to eat anyone else, yet--was not ever acceptable. And definitely not interesting.

The yell did register, and this time, so did the fact that it was Megan yelling. Allison jumped, and turned the few inches necessary to see Megan burst through the curtains, stop, and then... that was not smooth enough to be called a walk... toward Allison. Allison managed a few steps forward, despite wariness of the bug, which did no good since Megan collapsed anyway. "Megan?" Allison followed her down, kneeling, only for the bug to pick her up. Allison stared up for a moment before fighting her way back to her feet, too.

Megan... was, indeed, lacking a shirt. Allison hadn't been paying attention until the bug pointed it out. Her first instinct was to give Megan one, but--but then Allison wouldn't have one, and as much as the shirt still made her cringe, she just--couldn't do that. Not now, not with these people around; she just couldn't, and she ended up clutching at the edge of her shirt in indecision for a moment, before the bug pointed out something else.

Alex. Staring. Sure, Alex had been helpful, and he was from Sanctuary, and there was absolutely no reason to worry about him, rationally, but--staring. That the bug had called him boy didn't help. Allison's head snapped around to glare, and then she spun, marched over, grabbed his arm and wrenched him around to get him off balance--his surprised yelp was ignored in favor of her hissed "get out"--and used the lack of balance to shove him out the door.

Oh hey, and there was a Roach too. Great, an Allison, a Roach... why was she cold alluv the sudden? "What--"

And then very familiar buggy hands were pulling her back up. She was grateful at first, and then when everything pitched suddenly to the left, she regretted it. "...What happened? Where are those... those..." Though hazy still, memories were slowly starting to creep back to her. The patrol, the alley... someone dying, and a short fight. She couldn't recall words, nor faces just yet, but emotions were coming back strong.

It didn't register that she was shirtless, seeing as when she glanced down all she saw was ugly, body devouring bruises. "The #%$^?! It suddenly made sense to her why she'd woken up on a table, surrounded by people poking and prodding at her. Allison being involved was a bad sign, especially since she was clinging to herself and looked downright... bad, but Roach being involved had her worried. No, actually, more than worried.

Allison moved the boy out, a boy Megan hadn't bothered to notice enter, and the twenty six year old pinned her gaze on Greg. She'd probably be able to pry info out of him later... once Allison wasn't around. But first;

"Who's the mother@#$%er I've gotta kill for this?" She was tired and out of it, and it reflected in her voice and actions. Her knees threatened to buckle, so she happily set herself back down on the floor before she could crumple.

As soon as she was somewhat stable, Roach skittered out for a moment; He wasn't at all sure why humans were so insistent on wearing shirts, but he knew that it was something they appeared to care about, and in their somewhat fragile state, he imagined any creature comfort might help.

By the time he returned, Megan was sitting on the floor, asking who she had to kill for this. While he'd been out, he'd sent the speedsters to go check up on the place; they were young, but competent fighters, so he trusted they would arrive home safely.

"According to her reports, someone else did the job for you. It is that someone I owe your life. Unfortunately I know nothing of them." He looked at Alli for a second, figuring it wasn't prudent to ask her any more questions; Every statement thusfar had been met with little fear sounds and yelling. He'd think that since she lived here and likely saw visible mutants every day, she'd be used to a giant cockroach.

Perhaps she was upset because he'd apparently tried to eat her once. Why, if all of the people he'd tried to consume held a grudge... Well... Actually, he usually succeeded in consuming people.

"I brought two changes of clothing... It's not much by your standards, and quite boring by mine... Sweat pants and white shirts. I could try to dig into Aura's clothing, but I believe she's off on a mission." and he couldn't be sure everything wasn't blood stained. "Isabel has stated numerous time that her wardrobe is off limits, and Lenna's clothes smell like human. I trust these will suffice?" He held the clothing out to each of them.

Allison still glared at Roach as he answered Megan's question--normal greeting or not, she did not trust him--but nodded. "I don't know who he was. Might've just been insane." Allison winced at the memories of his expression, though that particular bit of disturbing was comfortingly normal. "Probably...." She certainly couldn't think of another reason.

Nor could Allison decide whether the bug or the clothes he was holding were more deserving of a wary, skeptical eye. She settled on shifting away a bit, and eyeing the bug; the clothes, probably, couldn't jump at her or Megan. "No, thank you." The words might have been polite, but the tone was abrupt and distracted. Really, even the words had only gotten out because she was too distracted to pay much attention to what she said. Different clothes would be good, but clothes that (might have) belonged to the bug, and certainly weren't hers, were not. Nor was the idea of having to undress when people were around; the healers were still hovering in the background, and Allison knew she couldn't really get rid of them, no matter how much their presence made her twitch. And she didn't dare try to shove the bug out; he was probably too heavy, and certainly too violent. So she had to deal with them until she could get herself and Megan away.

...And, apparently, Aura. Isabel could take care of herself, and the bug seemed to respect her orders. Aura could probably protect herself too, but that didn't make Allison any more willing to let the bug near her. She glared at him. "You know Aura?"

Clothes were clothes; didn't matter to her where they came from. Or, apparently, who'd owned them last. None of the names Greg dropped were familiar, so she ignored them. "Thanks, Greg." She pulled the shirt on and then worked on the sweats, glad to be rid of her old pants which were sticky and uncomfortable. She wanted to try and introduce Alli to greg, but figured that the whole 'tried to eat her' thing would kinda get in the way. People didn't tend to react kindly to it.

"So...someone saved us?" And from what exactly? "... I... uhm... i'm having a hard time remembering stuff. How bad was I, exactly?" She had a vague idea, based on how many people were still hovering behind her, but getting an exact description was probably best.

Her eyes turned to Allison, who was still... shying away from everyone, and she paused. "... How bad were you? Did they already patch you up?" She pointed a thumb at the healers.

Then... paused again. Something was coming back, faintly. One word... Mutt. A dark expression settled on her face, and she shifted her eyes back to Greg.

Megan took the clothes. He nodded. Allison refused. He placed them next to her. "In case you change your mind."

"So...someone saved us?... I... uhm... i'm having a hard time remembering stuff. How bad was I, exactly?"

"You nearly died... I'm only sorry I didn't receive word sooner; Had I not been keeping an eye on you, you never would have made it in time. I suppose you should thank little Hubert for your quick escape to the sanctuary. He's been keeping tabs on you." A small roach with a missing leg skittered out of the shell, did what could only be considered as the bug equivalent of a bow, and then hopped off to crawl into the wall.

"You know Aura?" He turned to the other girl, and nodded firmly. "I consider her one of my good friends, and a valued employee. If she were not already on assignment, I would have sent her to assist you."

"... How bad were you? Did they already patch you up?"

". . . Perhaps... I should give you some time to talk..." He motioned to the medical staff, and they immediately started filing out of the room. "I shall be just outside if you need me." He then turned and exited as well, leaving them in an empty room.

Allison edged away when the bug--Greg, apparently--set the clothes down. Whether she was trying to avoid the clothes or him wasn't entirely clear, but it was probably both. At least the shirt helped Megan.

...A bug. Megan had survived because they had been stalked by a bug. Which bowed. And had a name. Granted, Allison was used to Megan controlling spiders so it shouldn't have been that weird, but then she didn't worry about Megan's spiders stalking her. Or who they were reporting to if they did, or why. "Hubert" did not have that trust. Allison gave up, found a bed to sit on, and buried her face in her hands. "I can not deal with this." The comment wasn't really meant to be heard, so it wasn't very loud, but then neither was the room, so it might have been heard anyway. Allison ignored Greg's answer about Aura; she didn't really care that much how he knew her, as long as he did. Presumably, that meant Aura also knew him, and that he knew Aura was powerful. That was useful. "Right. She's my girlfriend." And, like most girlfriends, will probably not be very happy with anyone who tried to eat Allison. Hopefully the bug could at least figure out that implication.

"...No. They haven't." Allison's face was still hidden when she answered Megan, though she looked up to watch Greg leave. Whether that was good or not she couldn't quite decide; getting rid of the bug was definitely good, and having the healers gone was a relief. But talking was really not what Allison wanted to do. There wasn't really anything she did want to do, specifically, but still; talking was definitely not it.