'There was probably no way you could have known,' said Armin. 'I guess he seemed fine when you met him, otherwise you'd never have settled down with him in the first place. You couldn't have known how things would turn out. You're not Lucci, for gods' sake.'

Esme stirred slightly, opening her eyes and blinking quietly. However, she seemed content to sit there with Dianne for the time being.

{Dianne's demeanor didn't improve with Armin's words. Seeing that Esme was awake, she sits up with her back against the wall.}

Dianne: "...Of course he seemed fine...I fell in love with him for god's sake! This is why I have trouble trusting people...one moment, they seem like a perfectly stable person, and the next...you're trying to pull your daughter out of their mouth...b..but...her entrails get stuck in his teeth....a.a...a..and....you think she'll die if you pull too hard....and....Gods....."

{Judging by her face, it seems she was starting to have a vivid flashback.}

Armin's expression turned serious as he slowly sat up as well, being careful not to touch her or make any sudden movements. 'Hey, it's alright. Just breathe. Everything's OK,' he said in a calming tone.

Esme shook herself a little and squeaked, nudging her snout against Dianne's hand. She was uncertain what was going on, but could sense the change in the atmosphere.

{Dianne started to shake, tears streaming down her face. She took Armin's advice and controlled her breathing. She began to stroke Esme in an attempt to calm herself.}

Dianne: "I...I'm sorry....I'm sorry...."

Armin continued to watch her with concern, keeping his distance, not sure if she was entirely out of the flashback yet. 'You don't have anything to apologise for,' he said in a low voice. Esme rubbed her soft-spiked head against Dianne's hand, looking very pleased that she was playing some role in helping.

{She continues to stroke Esme, hunching over slightly from the anxiety. Very slowly, her shaking begins to fade away.}

Dianne: "I'm sorry.... I scared you....I....Gods, why was it so...vivid?...It was like I was right back there....Why?"

'I guess talking about things so closely related to it triggered something... I don't know.' Armin's posture was tense as he sat by her. 'I've never seen this happen to you before. I know you recall things in nightmares, but I've never seen this happen in the middle of the day...'

Esme remained passive and still, allowing herself to be a source of comfort.

Dianne: "I...I don't know....That's never happened before...."

{Although she was calming down, this clearly bothered her.}

Dianne: "That was...frightening..."

/'Never/ happened before? That's a bit concerning. Maybe it was a one-off, but... I do wonder if something in particular caused it.'

Armin absently reached out to rub her back slightly as she began to calm down. //That was alarming... Why'd it happen? Was it just because of what we were discussing, or something else?//

{Dianne closes her eyes, trying to focus on the feeling of Armin rubbing her back.}

Dianne: "...It was...just the thought that...I might have caused her death....That //I// am the reason she suffered...It brought back unpleasant memories..."

'I don't think your actions had anything to do with it. I doubt you could have done anything to prevent what happened, either.' Armin continued rubbing her back in a soothing motion as he spoke. 'Why are you so determined to blame yourself for it?'

Dianne: "Because it doesn't make senese, Armin...We were fine, we were happy, why would he do that?"

'...I don't suppose he said anything? Gave any kind of explanation for why he did it? Before you killed him?' Armin asked.

Dianne: "...All he said was that he was replacing me with a more beautiful bride...That I never mattered to him..."

{She sounded depressed at this, looking morose.}

Dianne: "Heh...Never thought I was so mediocre...."

Armin's expression darkened at that. 'Sounds like a superficial jerk. Gods, I hate people like that... I suppose he was only pretending to care about you the whole time. Just biding his time until he found someone 'better'.' He put a derisive emphasis on the last word.

Dianne: "But that's just it...he didn't act like one while I knew him...I just don't understand it...I don't know what to think, or even who's to blame...I blame myself because it's the only thing that makes any kind of sense...I messed up, and he got mad...but that doesn't make sense either..."

'He could have just been a very good actor. He was pretending to be nice, and nobody could tell the difference. But your theory that he did it because you messed up really doesn't make sense, if according to him, he didn't even like you to begin with.' Armin wearily scratched his head with the hand that wasn't busy rubbing Dianne's back. 'It's weird... Can't Lucci explain why he did it?'

Dianne: "Lucci just says that he was a sociopath, never capable of feeling anything anyway, and that he fooled everyone he met by acting..."

{She sighs, affectionately cuddling Esme.}

Dianne: "I know I should move on...But it's just so...painful..."

'Well, maybe that's the truth. Maybe you're looking for a deeper reason that just isn't there. He was probably just insane.' Armin gazed pensively at the opposite wall. 'I know moving on must be difficult. I wish there was some way I could help you with that. Though maybe having Esme will help, in the long run...'

Dianne: "You know what...I think it will...Thank you, you've been a great help...."

{She doesn't seem as stressed now, just focusing on Esme and the back rub.}

'Ah, that's what I'm here for. To be the voice of reason and optimism,' said Armin with a joking grin, as he continued slowly kneading her back. Esme was gazing at the supply crate, seemingly thinking about food, but unwilling to leave Dianne yet.

{Dianne chuckles at that.}

Dianne: "Right, says the posterboy for pessimism."

{Dianne looks at Esme, following her gaze.}

Dianne: "I think Esme's hungry..."

Armin threw a glance down at Esme. 'Looks like it...' He let his hand fall from Dianne's back. 'Do you want to get up and feed her, or shall I?'

Dianne: "I got it."

{She stands up, carrying Esme and walking to the crate. Reaching in, she grabs an apple and a mango.}

Dianne: "Anyone got a knife?"

Armin remained sitting on top of the blankets, leaning back against the wall. At her question, he looked around vaguely. 'They should be wherever you keep them when we're not having dinner,' he said. 'Aren't there any in the box with the food? There might be.'

Dianne: "...I think...Ah, here we are."

{With Esme in one arm, and the knife and fruit in the other. Sitiing down, she hands the apple to Esme and proceeds to cut up the mango.}

Esme began devouring the apple with the ravenous brutality of a predator tearing into prey. Armin remained on the bed, watching Dianne cut up the mango. He was fully awake now, but didn't have any reason to get up, so he just stayed there.

{Dianne fondly watches Esme devouring the apple, trying some of the mango herself.}

Dianne: "So, besides my anxious break down, did you sleep well?"

Armin gave a hum of affirmation amid the loud crunching noises from Esme. 'Yes, I did. No creepy dreams, and I didn't wake up until around the same time you did. It was nice.'

Dianne: "I'm glad to hear that. Maybe this will work for your insomnia."

'Hopefully. It is nice to get a good night's sleep for a change.'

Esme finished most of the apple before realising that Dianne had mango, and eagerly lifting her head.

{Dianne smiles as she feeds Esme the mango.}

Dianne: "Yeah, I'm glad you're not sleep deprived for once. You're much cheerier when you're not half dead."

'What, so I was being grumpy before now?' he said, amused. 'Though, you're probably right. I do feel a lot better when I'm not tired.'

Esme began to snap up the offered mango, chirping with appreciation when she remembered it was one of her favourite fruits.

Dianne: "Yes, the difference is very noticable."

{Once she finished feeding Esme, she stood, looking out the windshield.}

Dianne: "Oh hell...Is that another stormfront ahead?"

'Wait what? Are you sure?' Armin kicked the blankets aside and stood up, going over to the front of the truck so he could look out the windshield.

{Sure enough, there were massive thunderheads blowing in from the sea. Dianne agitatedly runs her hand through her hair in response.}

Dianne: "Well...I guess we'll have to stop early again..."

Armin ducked and peered through the windshield, observing the oncoming storm.

'...Well, it can't be helped. Dam.n, there's a lot of storms around these parts, isn't there? At least we're making pretty good progress the rest of the time...'

Dianne: "Yeah...It's the time of year to be honest..."

{She proceeds to crank down the window, yelling out to Titan.}

Dianne: "Titan! Set us down a bit further inland this time!"

'I don't mind the storms, really,' Armin mused, as he gazed out the window. 'I don't like that we're being delayed, but... Storms are cool. Also, why further inland?'

Dianne: "Because I want to cook food before it gets too rainy, and there's hardly anything to burn on the beach."

{Titan sets down in a grove of wild apple trees, about a mile inland.}

Armin walked to the back doors and opened them, peering out at the surrounding land. 'Hey, apple trees. Esme will like that, I guess...'

{Once Armin gets to the door, Dianne grabs him by the shoulder and pulls him back.}

Dianne: "Wait. I'm not having a repeat performance. Barnabas, make sure there are no sentient as$holes around."

Armin let himself be held back, despite seeming eager to go and look around. 'Yeah, probably a good idea.' Esme came up, snuffling near the open doorway, but not jumping out.

{Dianne reaches down and picks up Esme. Barnabas appears after a few minutes.}

Barnabas: "There's nothing nearby."

Dianne: "Great. Armin, do you mind getting some fish for us? Like, a couple this time?"

Armin jumped out of the truck and looked towards the coast. 'Sure, though I might be slow coming back. It's kind of hard to carry two large fish in bird form. If I can't fly with them, I'll have to walk back, and it's like a mile away.'

Dianne: "Then take Barnabas with you, he'll help carry them."

Esme was gazing around the area, sniffing as she picked up the scent of the apple trees. Armin nodded. 'OK Barnabas, come on. We're going down to the sea.' Without another word, he shifted to hawk form and leapt into the air, heading for the shore.

{Barnabas disappears, presumably following Armin. Dianne proceeds to put on her armor and exit the truck. Getting the shovel, she proceeds to dig a fire pit.}

Dianne: //That storm's getting close....It should be here in a few hours...//

Esme sat down to watch Dianne dig, deciding she wasn't hungry enough to pursue the fruit trees. Armin flew down to the water's edge, eyeing the storm as he went. //Looks like a big one. We'd better hurry up with the food and get back inside.//

He swooped low over the water and quickly caught the first fish. Only then did he look around to see if Barnabas was there.

{Barnabas was standing on the shoreline, staring at the vast expanse of the ocean. He said nothing, simply gazing into the blue. Upon finishing the pit, Dianne digs a box out of the truck and starts picking apples, keeping a close eye on Esme.}

Dianne: "This was lucky. Not a whole lot of places to stock up on fruit for Esme..."

Spotting Barnabas gazing across the ocean, Armin swooped down to where he stood and hovered before him, gripping the fish in his talons. //Are you having an existential crisis?// he said telepathically. //Also, take this. I need to go find another.//

{Barnabas reaches up and takes the fish, scowling a bit at Armin.}
Barnabas: "No, you a$s...I'm just remembering my beloved..."

//Oh, right. Sorry,// said Armin, in a slightly more subdued tone. It wasn't the most apologetic, but it was about the closest he could manage with Barnabas. //What does the sea have to do with it? Did they drown or something?// he said as he flew off to look for more fish.

Barnabas: "Wrong again. The sea reminds me of her because only the sea could come close to matching her beauty. Oh, my Aphrodite..."

//That's... kinda slushy,// Armin commented as he dived to latch onto a fish. //I'm not sure how a person could be compared to the sea. But, alright.//