The X-men run missions and work together with the NYPD, striving to maintain a peaceful balance between humans and mutants. When it comes to a fight, they won't back down from protecting those who need their help.
Haven presents itself as a humanitarian organization for activists, leaders, and high society, yet mutants are the secret leaders working to protect and serve their kind. Behind the scenes they bring their goals into reality.
From the time when mutants became known to the world, SUPER was founded as a black-ops division of the CIA in an attempt to classify, observe, and learn more about this new and rising threat.
The Syndicate works to help bring mutantkind to the forefront of the world. They work from the shadows, a beacon of hope for mutants, but a bane to mankind. With their guiding hand, humanity will finally find extinction.
Since the existence of mutants was first revealed in the nineties, the world has become a changed place. Whether they're genetic misfits or the next stage in humanity's evolution, there's no denying their growing numbers, especially in hubs like New York City. The NYPD has a division devoted to mutant related crimes. Super-powered vigilantes help to maintain the peace. Those who style themselves as Homo Superior work to tear society apart for rebuilding in their own image.
MRO is an intermediate to advanced writing level original character, original plot X-Men RPG. We've been open and active since October of 2005. You can play as a mutant, human, or Adapted— one of the rare humans who nullify mutant powers by their very existence. Goodies, baddies, and neutrals are all welcome.
Short Term Plots:Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
The Fountain of Youth
A chemical serum has been released that's shaving a few years off of the population. In some cases, found to be temporary, and in others...?
MRO MOVES WITH CURRENT TIME: What month and year it is now in real life, it's the same for MRO, too.
Fuegogrande: "Fuegogrande" player of The Ranger, Ion, Rhia, and Null
Neopolitan: "Aly" player of Rebecca Grey, Stephanie Graves, Marisol Cervantes, Vanessa Bookman, Chrysanthemum Van Hart, Sabine Sang, Eupraxia
Ongoing Plots
Magic and Mystics
After the events of the 2020 Harvest Moon and the following Winter Solstice, magic has started manifesting in the MROvere! With the efforts of the Welldrinker Cult, people are being converted into Mystics, a species of people genetically disposed to be great conduits for magical energy.
The Pharoah Dynasty
An ancient sorceress is on a quest to bring her long-lost warrior-king to the modern era in a bid for global domination. Can the heroes of the modern world stop her before all is lost?
Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
Adapteds
What if the human race began to adapt to the mutant threat? What if the human race changed ever so subtly... without the x-gene.
Atlanteans
The lost city of Atlantis has been found! Refugees from this undersea mutant dystopia have started to filter in to New York as citizens and businessfolk. You may make one as a player character of run into one on the street.
Got a plot in mind?
MRO plots are player-created the Mods facilitate and organize the big ones, but we get the ideas from you. Do you have a plot in mind, and want to know whether it needs Mod approval? Check out our plot guidelines.
As soon as she closed her mouth, Juliette knew that she'd gone too far. She'd been too forward; revealed too much. Sure, there was definitely a connection between the two of them, but they had only met twice. That was fast for someone to be admitting to feelings, especially since neither of those times had been actual dates. Instead, both of the times had been rather strange meetings where they had pretended that nothing was going on. They were not times to develop feelings in.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. That was stupid and forward of me to say," Juliette shook her head and raised her hands to her face. She wished she could go back and retract that previous statement. Start fresh with a new approach to things.
She was well aware that it was too late for that, though. What had been said had been said, and she couldn't take it back. All she could do was try to fix it from there.
>>”…but…just for me?”
She raised her head and looked back up at him, blinking. "Break up with him just for you? Well, no," she began to explain, "there were other reasons... several of them." She stopped there, deciding that it would be best to not get into the nitty gritty of Sam's drinking, the sleepless nights, the ex-girlfriend that had shown up and made him lose it, his adopted son, or the nagging feelings that she had been more like his parole officer than his girlfriend. No, he did not need to know all that.
"There was an... incident a week or so ago. It made me realize that I want something else," she added slowly. Would she have stayed with Sam if Booker hadn't happened? Would she have mustered up the devotion to stick by his side when he was hurting himself and those around him? Perhaps - Juliette didn't often end things lightly, especially when it was a long-term thing. However, she'd glimpsed a future that was on a different track, and she knew that it would only hurt her more the longer she stayed.
>>”I mean…w-we just met… We don’t…know one another except for a few things. Do you like salsa dancing? I love salsa dancing. What’s your favorite color? Mine is teal.”
He was right; they had just met. Really, it was only the third time that they'd seen each other, and already, things were weird and messy. Plus, Juliette had just been awesome enough to make them worse. Oh, so much worse.
"I've never been salsa dancing," admitted Juliette, her shoulders slightly slumped. "I can't say I dislike it, though. And my favourite colour is forrest green." Further proof that they knew absolutely nothing about each other. She didn't even have his phone number, for God's sake, and she was there, admitting things she shouldn't have admitted. She should have just stayed at Becca's and waited out her breakup like a normal person. She should not have travelled to the library to go ruin Booker's life yet again. Where had her mind gone?
She lowered her head and ran a hand through her hair, trying to think of the easiest way to run out of the room and see the fewest number of people.
>>”I like you, Juliette… I…really, really, really, really…like you.”
The woman looked up, a little shocked. She had expected him to just continue to let her down easy and then leave her life forever. Instead, he'd admitted feelings too. Not quite to the same degree as Juliette, but feelings nonetheless. She gave him a small, slightly shy smile and tried to decide what to do.
His hand was on her arm, and it felt... extraordinarily right. She stepped forward, closing some of the distance between them, and tried to think of words. Any words. "Then... maybe we could try getting to know each other?" she suggested gingerly, not wanting to make anymore crazy leaps of faith without giving him a chance to think things through. She'd probably scared him enough the first time around.
She so wanted to kiss him again, though. That, or just keep staring into his eyes for a while longer.
It had been a few weeks since she'd seen Booker, but there were some things that a person never forgot. He had on a similar outfit to the one she'd seen him in last, though the colours and his tie were different. His eyes, though... his eyes were exactly the same. Somewhat intoxicating.
She'd spent her minute or two without eye contact on her opening comment, which she then regretted. She should've just said what she'd intended to say before he made it harder on her. Now, she was going to have to force out her words while he stared her down. That sounded absolutely impossible.
After a minute or two use to compose herself and a deep, deep breath, Juliette searched for the words the explain why she was there. She'd spent the entire taxi ride rehearsing them, and yet in that moment, they escaped her. She was left standing foolishly, unsure of how to tell him how she felt. Part of her wanted to just kiss him and leave the talking until later, but she knew that wouldn't work. They'd tried that before and it had ended poorly.
Then, a thought overtook her. What if she'd waited too long? Or scared off any chance that they may have had before? It had been several weeks since she'd last ran out on him, and she had absolutely no claim on the tall librarian. Perhaps he had moved on to someone that wasn't attached. Someone that wouldn't make him feel so horrible or guilty. She wouldn't blame him in the slightest if that was the case.
Her leg twitched and she thought about just leaving again, leaving him to live his life without the mess that she had become. Deep down, she knew that wasn't an option. It had hurt her to do it the first time, and it would hurt more to do it a second. Even if he had moved on, even if he wanted absolutely nothing to do with her, she had to take a shot. She had to at least present the option of what they could be.
"I broke up with my boyfriend," she heard herself saying in a voice far more sure that she had thought she would be able to summon. That really hadn't been how she'd meant to start. She'd meant to give a bit more lead up, a bit more... fluff. Damn those eyes, making her skip all the cushioning. "I've been doing some thinking, and... that's why I'm here..."
She needed to take a minute. Compose herself. Her eyes wandered down to the book he was holding. A dusty copy of Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. Was that fate? She didn't normally believe in things like that, but it was inexplicable. It gave her what she needed to say what she was about to say.
"Booker, I think I'm falling for you," Juliette breathed. Immediately after it came out of her mouth, she regretted it. Wow, what a stupid thing to say.
It had taken a great deal of doubt and second guessing, but Juliette had finally come to a conclusion. She was going to see Booker again.
Her entire life had changed in the matter of a day or two when she put an end to her relationship with Sam and then temporarily moved in with Rebecca. She'd only meant to stay there for a few nights or so, but it had turned into a few weeks already, and Bijou was starting to really like it there. She worried that she might never muster up the courage to move back.
When those two things changed, so did everything else. Sure, her work life was mostly the same, but the way she viewed it was different. Usually, after teaching she'd go see Sam or do some of his paperwork. By that point, she was avoiding even walking near his door.
So, she'd tried her best to maintain some level of normalcy in any other area of her life that she could control. The only other thing that she could think of to do that was to not see Booker again. Possibly ever.
Of course, if their second meeting had been any indication, that was not a possibility with them. They were far too drawn to each other for that. For days, when she should have been focusing on getting over other things, she couldn't seem to think of anything but Booker. She cursed herself for it, but it was a fact of life: if she didn't see him again, she would lose her mind.
The taxi pulled up in front of the gorgeous building, and, for the second time, she ventured into the library, her heart beating as she searched for a family form. She might have gone somewhere other than his work, but she'd never gotten his number, or, really, any other details from him.
Dressed in a light sundress and heeled desert boots, she entered nervously. Already, she could feel her hands shaking and her head whirling.
She spotted him within seconds this time, and she approached cautiously. Things had ended so strangely the last time, but it had to be done. She wanted to see him again, among other things.
"Booker..." she said quietly, announcing her presence. He was facing away from her, and she was glad of that fact. She didn't think it would help any of he was looking at her while she spoke. "I need-" to touch you again "-to talk to you."
Sitting on the couch felt better than standing or sitting in the cab had. So much better. She was with her friend, able to talk openly in a supportive environment, and there was chocolate and wine that could be grabbed when they were ready for it. Rebecca was true blue.
She’d worked up the courage to tell her what had happened that evening, and now that she’d said it, she felt a little lighter. It was almost as if she’d been trying to bottle in the fact that it had happened since she’d left, and now that she was able to admit it, a weight had been lifted from her. There was really something to be said about friendship and what it could do for the soul.
”I ended things,” she nodded, beginning to fill in the gaps. She didn’t really want to go into detail or recount the whole tale right off the bat, but she was willing to answer questions. It was easier to talk now that she’d gotten the largest bit out of the way, and she was feeling more and more like herself every minute.
>>”Um… by ‘explosife,’ dae ye mean figuratife, ur… Jist, ye know, wi' yer mutation, it's probably worth askin',”
Juliette smiled weakly at the idea but shook her head. It was a fair question, considering her mutation dealt with explosive light blasts, but that was not the case. She almost wished it was. They might have been able to deal with that if that was what had happened.
”Figurative,” she answered through a sniffle, ”he… um… did I ever tell you about his night terrors?”
Sam’s night terrors weren’t exactly public knowledge (they could be heard through the walls, but people had learned not to ask questions), and Juliette didn’t tell just anyone, but Rebecca was one of her closest friends and confidants. If she would have told anyone, it would have been her, but only for support or advice. In that moment, she just couldn’t remember if she had before.
”His ex-wife, the dead one… she showed up at the mansion, and he… he lost it.” Juliette stopped there and looked down at the couch, taking in small breaths and she unloaded the experience. ”Do you think that we could open that wine now?”
The more that Ignacio spoke, the more that Juliette got the sense that using logic wasn’t going to help all that much. He’d set himself down a path that could only lead to more pain, and he wasn’t going to be deterred from it easily. She had to try something else.
She paused and considered her options for a moment, unsure of what exactly to do. She didn’t quite know him well enough to be able to know what would sound good to him. All that she really knew about him was what was in the file and what he’d told her in the short time that he’d been sitting in that office.
She’d taken part in a psych rotation during her degree, but she didn’t remember all that much of it. In fact, she tried her best not to get too invested. She’d heard horror stories about nurses in there, and while not everything in the E.R. was sunshine and rainbows, she was okay with where she’d ended up. However, it meant that she didn’t have a ton of training for dealing with cases like Ignacio’s. Whatever she knew, she knew from personal experience.
What she had learned was that physical exercise and punching things were often good ways to get emotions out. It certainly wasn’t the only way, and it definitely wasn’t a permanent fix or something that should become a crutch, but it seemed to help. It helped Sam, at least, though she was trying to keep her mind off of thoughts of the ice mancer.
”So you feel like you need to be hurt and to get into fights,” she noted, summarizing what she’d picked up thus far. ”I’m not saying that that’s a good thing, or something that should be encouraged, but have you considered… becoming an X-Men Trainee? I mean, it might give you a way to work out some of those feelings in a healthy way.”
She was by no means a counsellor, but she was hoping that something she did would be able to help him, even just a little bit.
They hugged for a good while, for which Juliette was grateful. As much energy as it had taken to get there, the companionship was exactly what she needed in that moment. She knew that if she had gone much longer, she would have been in a far worst state. Silently, she made a mental note to do whatever she could to repay Becca once she was feeling better. She so owed her.
When the hug finally broke, the tears had almost stopped. Juliette breathed a deep breath and wiped the last of them from her cheeks, finally feeling like she could breathe again. The evening had been so surreal, and only now did she feel like things were starting to feel grounded again. Only now did it settle in and she realized that things would be okay in a while. She just needed time.
She followed Becca into the apartment, having dropped her bag near the door. It looked the same as it always did, only there was a massive array of chocolate and alcohol set out on the table, clearly meant for the two of them to have while discussing things. She raised a hand to her mouth, actually a little shocked that she would go through all that trouble when she'd just dropped in on her quiet night alone. Rebecca really was an A+ friend.
She wanted to thank her and express all the things that she was feeling, but words weren't coming all that quickly to her. Mostly, she was just focusing on keeping herself together and the tears at bay. They still wanted to come, despite having been stopped a little while earlier. She would have assumed that she would have cried them all out by then.
The loveseat seemed like the best place to sit down, so she did so, appreciating her friend's hand that was placed on her knee to comfort her. They had reached the moment where they would talk about things. Rebecca did deserve as much, seeing as Juliette had just come into her apartment, a complete mess, and made her drop everything to give her support. She was even offering to make up the couch, as if she wasn't already doing everything perfectly.
"I..." she started to speak and then stopped, taking another moment to catch her breath and think through what had actually happened that night. "I broke up with Sam. I was... it was a little explosive," she said finally, thinking back to the events of that evening. The actual breakup had been smoother than she would have imagined, but what had happened before had shaken her up. There was still a lot that she hadn't even processed in the whirlwind.
It wasn't as if the breakup had completely blindsided her. Somewhere deep down, she knew that it wouldn't last forever, and after Booker, she knew that keeping things from Sam like that was wrong. She almost felt bad that she had let it go that long and let the blame fall mostly on him. Maybe that was part of why it hurt so much.
Juliette kept her focus on those kaleidoscope eyes that gave her nothing. There was no hint as to what he was thinking as he chugged the glass of water she'd placed in front of him, so she had to wait until he was willing to respond to get an answer.
>> "I honestly don't know what to think anymore. I mean, what do I do? I...I punish himself enough. I also volunteer at Sanctuary. I even helped a little boy with his homework the other day."
Guilt was a horrible thing. It ate away at people and made them believe things about themselves that weren't true. Juliette had grown accustomed to witnessing varying levels of it from the people around her, but it wasn't until recently that she knew what it felt like. After seeing Booker and breaking up with Sam, the time that followed was difficult and painful, even with Rebecca being there for her. She did feel like she should punish herself for some of the things she did, although she didn't act on any of the impulses. She knew that her level of guilt was nothing compared to what Ignacio was feeling, so she couldn't imagine what it was like for him.
"Maybe it isn't a matter of atoning for anything?" Juliette suggested lightly. She knew that he likely wouldn't take well to the idea at first, but she needed to plant it in his head anyway. It was a matter of correcting his thinking and pushing him away from self-destruction. "Maybe... you need to learn how to let go and say goodbye."
Yeah, that was certainly easier said than done. It would take a lot of work, but it would be worth it in the end if it meant that Ignacio got to live a normal, healthy life.
The taxi ride was all too long. She hated sitting in the back of the car, trying to wipe the tears off of her cheeks while the driver gave her worried looks from the front. Not a word more than what was necessary was shared between the two, but it was clear from the looks that she was flashed that the driver was a little put off by the sobbing woman in the back of his vehicle. Still, even that wasn’t enough to make her be able to stop crying.
The yellow car pulled up in front of her friend’s apartment building. With a deep breath in, Juliette gathered all the courage she could, paid the driver, and stepped outside. The night air was bitterly cold and unforgiving.
For the entirety of the ride, she’d been putting off checking her phone. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to take it if Rebecca had other plans or any sort of reason why she wouldn’t be able to take her that evening. She didn’t have a backup place to go at 11 pm on a Monday.
However, she knew that she couldn’t just walk upstairs if she’d gotten a text telling her not to come. She stood there on the street, her bag in hand, and closed her eyes for a minute. Only after she had time to prepare for the worst, did she take out her phone.
You’re not intruding. Never. I’ll see you when you get here. We can talk then, if you want.
Her brown eyes closed again and she raised the phone to her forehead, quietly thanking whoever was pulling the strings for a good outcome. She let out another breath and walked forward. As much as she wanted to just stop and sit for a while again, nothing would get better if she didn’t get somewhere warm and friendly.
With a new resolve, she walked into the building and through to the elevator. She stood at the back, letting a few others file in after her. The tears, thankfully, had stopped, but she still garnered a few concerned looks. Juliette consoled herself with the fact that she would soon be in the presence of one of her best friends, and she would likely never see those people again. (It wasn’t like she was going to stay there long, right?)
The elevator reached Becca’s floor, and Juliette stepped out into the hallway. She knew by heart which one she was looking for, despite only having been there a few times. It didn’t take her long to find it, but it did take her a few seconds to knock.
Her hand was poised and ready, but she’d stopped. Why had she stopped? She’d gotten the go-ahead, and she was safe, so there was no reason to. She just knew how much it would bring up if she started to talk about what had happened. There was nowhere else to go, though, and she was going to have to talk about it either way.
Without even realizing, she was already knocking at the door. She waited a few seconds, and suddenly she was face to face with the redhead. There was a brief pause where they stared at each other, then they were hugging.
Everything that Juliette had done to stop the tears had been for nought, it seemed. They started up again as soon as she was in the embrace of her friend. Really, there was no reason for it, but there was also all the reason for it, and there would be no stopping them at that point.
>>”It’ll be okay,”
”Thank you,” she replied quietly. There was too much to thank her for separately, so it was all encompassing. One thank-you to cover all that she had just done for her.
After an uneven breath, Juliette wiped the tears from her eyes, having taken refuge in her room. She stood against the closed door and slid down the wood as her knees buckled beneath her. Breathing was not coming easily to her and she had to work to suck in breaths between sobs.
Had that really just happened? Had her life really just been shattered in front of her? Had she really just made a choice that would change things forever? It felt so surreal, and at the same time so many emotions had just crashed down on top of her. It was the weight of them that had left her on the floor of her room, unable to keep it together.
Breathing was somehow getting more difficult the longer she sat there, despite the fact that she was actively trying to pull herself together. It felt like her body was rebelling against every attempt to make things better. Her head fell back and she rested it on the wood of the door behind her, feeling her neck stretch in response.
The door. The door that faced Sam’s door. How could she sit there with him directly outside, with the possibility of running into him as soon as she opened it. Hell, with the possibility of him opening it himself with the key she’d given him. No, it was too much. Far, far too much for her to be able to carry in that moment.
Where else could she go, though? She’d sold her apartment in order to move into the mansion and still be able to afford to live, and her entire life was there. With Sam. Their lives were so intertwined by that point that she didn’t even know where to take refuge. She could get a hotel, but that sounded like the worst possible end to the worst possible day. She didn't want to go somewhere alone where she would have to sleep in a strange place. Maybe she could crash at… Rebecca’s. She could crash at Rebecca’s.
Forcing herself to take deep, slow breaths, she stood up and took out her phone. Carefully, she typed out a rushed text, avoiding the tears that fell onto the screen. By the end, she wasn’t sure if it made any sense, but she didn’t know what else to do. Hopefully, Becca would have mercy and take in a broken friend.
She threw a few things into a duffle bag and grabbed a few things out of her room. A soft mew sounded from her laundry bin, making her look up. Her hands faltered slightly as she realized that she couldn’t take Bijou, but she hoped that he would be alright for a night alone. Surely she would be back after that.
Juliette exited the room and made her way out of the building, careful not to run into anyone on her way out. All she had to do was make it out of the mansion and into the street, and she would be out free. It was a difficult thing to do, but fate was kind to her that evening. Clear of the front door, she ran into the street and hailed the first taxi that she saw.
She'd been poised and ready to end things like that, maybe even for a screaming match. She'd been ready for everything but that. Sam had gone and made himself a martyr. How was she supposed to deal with that? How was she supposed to stay angry and stay the course?
Juliette met his eyes and was yet again surprised by what she saw. His expression reminded her of something that she hadn't seen for a long time, actually. She remembered seeing it early on in their relationship, but she hadn't thought much of it. It was almost like she was looking at the person he used to be. Had she really done that much to change him?
The bottle dropped into the trash with a thunk, stealing Juliette's attention away. Again, another surprise. He was still drinking, but he'd thrown away a perfectly good bottle of expensive alcohol, almost as if to show her or himself what he was capable of doing. In that moment, it was not what she wanted to see. A week ago, sure, but it was not a week ago. Too many things had happened since that time.
>>”You did more than you know though.”
He'd just released her, absolved her of guilt, which almost made things worse. She didn't want to hear about all the things that she may have done to help him, or the fact that he was slowly coming out of his dark place. That only made what she had to do harder.
Worse, she was letting him think that the onus was entirely on him, which wasn't the case. There were several things that had made her come to that place, some of which weren't his fault. There she was, though, letting him take the blame. She silently hated herself for that.
She turned, not wanting to meet his eyes as the tears started again. Juliette hated everything about the situation, including what had gotten them there, but she knew that it needed to be done. They couldn't continue like that, and she couldn't live being his entire support system. There was too much damage for them to try to repair.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly through fast-flowing tears, trying to stop herself from breaking down further. She just didn't have it in her to be strong. "I think this is for the best. For both of us." She really wasn't as good for him as he thought she was, even if he couldn't see it. She hoped that he would in time.
>>"...I know." Iggy whispered, "I know, I just don't know how..."
"I know," she nodded. Who really did know how? It was an impossible situation. How on earth could she expect a seventeen-year-old to know what to do? It was asking a hell of a lot. "That's why we're here, Ignacio. The staff, I mean."
She took a deep breath before continuing, letting him gather up some strength or courage or whatever it was he needed in that moment. God knew that he would need more if it if he was going to work through his issues. It was going to take time and perseverance, but it would be worth it in the end. Plus, Juliette had witnessed the effects of pushing stuff down, and it was never pretty.
"I don't... I can't expect you to work through any of this soon, but I want you to at least take a stab at it. I'm here to talk if you want to talk to me, or if you want to talk to someone else, then that can be arranged. The bottom line is that we're here to help you and make sure that you get through this in one piece, yeah?" she explained. Again, she stopped to let that sink in.
She stood up, picked up his glass, and refilled it from the jug before sitting back down. There would be a lot to work through, which meant that if he chose to talk to her, it would be a large time commitment. She was willing to do it, though, even if it meant that she had less free time on her hands. Helping out a student who needed it was more than worth it in her opinion.
"Let's start with something simple, yeah? Nothing deep or buried." She began, "what are you feeling right now? What's the first thought that comes to your mind?" Already, she knew what it would be. He was feeling guilty. If he was going to work through it, though, then he needed to admit that to her and himself. They could work from that point.
Before any words were spoken, there was a bottle of alcohol on the desk. Of course there was a bottle of alcohol on the desk. It never seemed to be lingering too far away when Sam was around. Sometimes it didn't feel like he was trying in the slightest to cut back. Or like he cared about doing anything other than hiding it from her. Juliette raised a hand to her temple and shook her head.
Despite her anger at the fact that he was drinking again, she took the glass that she was offered. He wasn't going to be stopped, so why did she have to pretend like a drink wasn't the only thing she wanted in that moment. She swirled it once and then took a long sip, keeping her eyes on Sam the whole time.
Juliette waited while he explained a little of what she'd just witnessed. None of the explanation surprised her in the slightest. She might have been out of the loop, but she wasn't stupid. She had been able to gather the information herself, and she'd been right. The woman was his 'wife', Alexandra. The former love of his life that still seemed to follow him wherever he went.
Wonderful.
Again, she leaned back on the door and rested her head against the wood, trying to think of something to say. She didn't want any more explanations or reasons why he acted the way he did. She just wanted to deal with the fallout, whatever that meant.
She still didn't know what to say. Or what approach she wanted to take. After a minute, she came to a conclusion. "I... I can't do this, Sam," she said quietly. She followed it up with a long drink from her glass. The burn helped her focus.
