[She looks down at the kitten, and scratches him beneath the chin for a moment, until Jinks starts purring. Then she gently takes him from Tim and sets the white ball of fluff on her bed, sitting down beside him.]
...I know I've mentioned Steve's name before, and that he was my partner for a while back home... But he was also.. Is. He is... my best friend. [She seems determined not to use the past tense with that.]
But, uhm... [She bites her lip a little, and looks down at her hands.] He left. They'd told me he'd been fired, for insubordination. But the truth is he was spying on our enemy. I didn't find that out until my trip back home. [Fidget, fidget.] The last time I was here I... I felt a little like he'd abandoned me, or maybe that I'd driven him away. That's why I never spoke of him very much, because it... Well, it hurt...
[She glances over at the kitten, who has made a little nest of her pillow. She stares at him for a moment, silently, before squeezing her eyes shut.] ...They killed him.
[Spam]
...I know I've mentioned Steve's name before, and that he was my partner for a while back home... But he was also.. Is. He is... my best friend. [She seems determined not to use the past tense with that.]
But, uhm... [She bites her lip a little, and looks down at her hands.] He left. They'd told me he'd been fired, for insubordination. But the truth is he was spying on our enemy. I didn't find that out until my trip back home. [Fidget, fidget.] The last time I was here I... I felt a little like he'd abandoned me, or maybe that I'd driven him away. That's why I never spoke of him very much, because it... Well, it hurt...
[She glances over at the kitten, who has made a little nest of her pillow. She stares at him for a moment, silently, before squeezing her eyes shut.] ...They killed him.