Her eyes were on the parchment when Sabel pulled it out and handed it to Lexi. The girl had returned her wave and smile with another one of her own. She would stay silent for the most part. If Sabel got out of hand she would speak up. So far.....he seemed surprisingly calm though. That was either a really good or really bad thing.

Lexi took the parchment and looked it over. Sigh. "Yeah I sent in the owl that said that you guys seemed to be involved, that is all though. This person skewed what I said immensely, Sabel. Arya, I apologize to you both. Really I do," she said looking between the two of them. Then a lightbulb went off...

"OH! If you want to set the record straight let me interview you for The Quill. We decided that since the Aparecium writers are so... whatever that we would let everyone give their side of things. Please, let me make this right. I am happy for the both of you, really. I never imagined that this person would be so... crazy." She truly was sorry for her actions. She wouldn't send in info in the future... She would set right all of the wrongs though. She felt like a superhero. Heh.

He had been worried once, that Lexi wouldn't fully recover from what had happened in fourth year. That somewhere along the road, her smile would never be the same. Once, he realized, he had lost some hope and faith in her. It was a realization that smacked him in the face as surely as her words did, setting him to blink rapidly, all thoughts jostled from his skull.

An argument, a denial, a retort. Those were the things he had been expecting. Not this. A straight out apology of honest and sincere intent. There was the urge to tell her to mind her words and make sure she had her facts straight next time before yabbering to someone, but it would have only ended up being hypocritical. Instead, he found himself at a complete loss for words and standing on the edge of shock at how he had been prepared to address one of his friends.

A small nod left his head as he slowly came back to the present, his eyes focusing gradually back on his friend. "I.....I am sorry...for...waking you up..." To accuse her. A few more blinks along with a wrinkled brow accompanied his quiet words, and he shook his head. "We...aren't a couple." It was more of an afterthought of clarification than anything else.

Well.....this conversation was going better than she thought it would. She was sure that Sabel would explode on the girl after she admitted to giving the information the to Aparecium. After all, he seemed more than peeved when she was talking to him in the pathway. Maybe the long walk from the grounds to the tower had simmered some of his anger. She would have to remember to try this next time he became upset.

She wanted there side of the story. Hm. There wasn't much to tell. "We're just friends. Best friends. Always have been, and always will be." The small puff didn't like guys, but even if she did (and she never would), she would never date one of her best friends. It would just be too weird for her.

Where they done. Cause if so, Sabel could tell her more about the duel he had been in. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know about the detention with Lafay.

Lexi looked between the two of them for a moment and then ran a hand through her crazy hair before saying, "Can I quote you on that? I really am sorry... I didn't realize things would be this way. I hope you both truly forgive me for my ignorance on this. Trust me, I won't be giving them information in the future. No way."

She wanted to give Sabel a hug but she didn't know if he would allow it. Meh. Things had been so strained between them lately that it hurt her heart. Truly. She did, however, pat Arya on the shoulder and give her a big grin.

"We are all great right? No harm, no foul?" Lexi said, her thick Northern Englich accent rearing it's head. Totally because she was tired. She hid her accent well enough more often than not. Meh.

"Hey I am hungry. You all want to go to the kitchens with me?" she asked as she rubbed her eyes with her fists once.. twice... then smiled.

He was still somewhere between here and the past. Perhaps it had something to do with the events of the day and how emotionally, and physically, exhausted he was. Placing his bandaged hand on his neck, he blinked slowly at the ground and then up at Lexi, giving her a small nod. She could quote them and... "Could you interview Raiden as well? I believe, there is a rumour that he would love to have cleared up." The look on the Prefect's face when he first read the paper was still fresh in his mind. Horrified and worried sick it would change everything. Hogwarts, seemed to be rather complicated this year.

Another slight nod rolled from his head at the mention of food. The morning was the last time he had eaten, and even then he wasn't particularly hungry but it would have been rude to say no. But there was one thing he had to say, and his eyes found Lexi's with a weak smile. "It's good to see you again..." And no, he wasn't simply talking about seeing her again.

Friends. All of them. And he could trust them. He had to remember that. Had to.

"You can quote me." She grinned back up at the girl when she patted her on the shoulder. Good. This had gone really well. And the quill could get this out to everyone and stop the rumor before it spread.

Oh. Raiden. She had almost forgotten about the bit she had read about him, but now that her business had been handled, she could give all her thoughts to that part of the paper. Then, as soon as she thought about it, she pushed it away again. This time confused, she didn't know how someone got that from the defense class. But it was a lie. Case closed.

"I could go for a snack." Now that this was over, her stomach was able to remind her that she didn't eat the delicious chicken nugget mountain and was still empty. Now seemed like a good a time as any to eat.

Lexi smiled at Sabel and without pause walked forward and gave him a tight hug. She really loved him like family. He was one of her best friends. It was good to feel like she had him back.


"If I don't interview him one of the others will, for sure. We want to give everyone a fair chance to set the record straight," she said in a matter of fact tone.

She released him from the hug and said, "It is glad to be back, really. I have been back for a while, but Finlay really brought me back to myself."


Lexi turned her attention back to Arya and gave her a hug too. They deserved it. The hug that is. Heh. She would definitely quote them in her Quill article. Indeed.

Her tummy then rumbled in response and she giggled. "I need food too! I am not sure if I ate lunch... I have been a bit busy lately," she said with a blush to her cheeks. She stepped forward and linked her arms through her friends and started steering them toward the kitchens. Maybe the elves would fix them loads of yummies.

The hug was what did it. Somewhere along the events of the day, he had lost time to truly think and comprehend. Now, at the end of it all, it had piled up and was teetering on crashing down over his head. He returned the hug for a long moment, all his words contained in the silence of the embrace.

When they parted, he stood watching from a distance, hands in his pockets and mind swimming in and out of the present. Something in him wanted to explode, but he suppressed it for a weak smile as Lexi linked arms with him and Arya and started them off towards the kitchen.

Arya gratefully returned the hug. Hugs were good and she welcomed them, especially after the day she just had. Lexi speaking of lunch was just another reminder that she had missed hers. It was really good to. Maybe Treyen had stayed behind and ate it for her, so all her hard work hadn't gone to waste.

If Arya had glanced up at Sabel, she would have noticed that something was still off about him. That he still wasn't the Sabel she knew. But as it was she simply linked arms with the both of them and headed down to the kitchens.

Wow she's blind.

Like no kidding Salander.

The lad had to blink, seeing Arienna's eyes for the first time. It wasnt aversion, as most people would probably feel right about now, but likely it was stark reminder of a faculty that he has always taken for granted. He knew he would be completely helpless without his sight, and couldnt imagine what life would be like for those without it. Yet here was a girl who in all respects can function as normally as most people. More, if her actions at the Goblet were any indication.

"Right.... " he whispered as Arienna finished his sentence. He started to feel like a doofus until she indicated that she seemed to be used to it. It got him to relax and started to chuckle at her motley background not much different from his own. "You're family is from Ireland? Like U2's Ireland? "Oh he knew about the legendary Muggle band. Any daydreaming wannabe rocker would.



Salander couldnt help but laugh at Arienna "Say that ten times real fast-- kidding!" he added quickly

"I'm a 4th year. Slytherin." he responded to Daisy. He slumped his shoulders involuntarily and looked away, since he was more than aware that he looked a little older than most 14 year olds in his class.

Adam walked 'round the corner from his Common Room and sighed. He'd given up searching for the music he'd written, and now he was in a bad mood. A verrrry bad mood. He wanted sugar.

Or chocolate.
Yuppers, it was chocolate he wanted, not sugar. Chocolate frogs to be precise. Just thinking about them made him a little happier, and he began to stroll down the corridor more confidently, more Adam-like. Maybe he'd sneak down to the kitchens and see if they had any. Maybe he'd get Hermione Granger on the card. She was pretty, for an ollllldie. Not that she was old; the picture had been taken when she was in her twenties. But still, pretty.

Not as pretty as Lori though. Maybe he'd find her instead - she made him happier than chocolate frogs. But a rumble from his stomach silenced this though. Nope, it was definately food he needed now. Maybe more than chocolate frogs, maybe a CHOCOLATE CAKE.

That sounded goooood, hehe.

Maybe it was lack of sleep that knocked her consintration levels from 10 to 0,or maybe it was the reason of lack of sleep that did the trick. Why had this all come on now? This was crazy.She hadnt even heard of this man yet he was making such proposterous claims. She didnt even know she'd had an uncle to begin with. Though she blamed the disappearance of her parents for the lack of knowledge of her family.

Cally hadnt had much of a family.Just her best friends family. That was all she had. Her parents had disappeared when she was 2 and a half years old. So it wasnt as if she had anyone to really miss.She didnt know them.

But now was not the time to think about this. She needed to get to - CRASSHH. Ouch. That hurt.

Cally rubbed her head, as she had just head butted something solid. She looked up her eyes a little blury from the impact and shock, where she saw someone rather familiar.

So to the kitchens it was, Adam decided, a little smile lighting up his face at the prospect of food. His tummy was quiet too - maybe it knew that it would be satisfied soon. Or maybe that was how Tummy Rumbles worked: they did one, then none. Then one again later. But Adam wouldn't know; the seventeen year old ate far to much for him to ever actually be hungary.

Today was.. different. He hadn't even had breakfast. And it was getting lateeee. He didn't know what time exactly, but his personal-tummy-clock said it was late, and his personal-tummy-clock was always right. Adam nodded to himself, looking like a fool in the middle of the corridor, but he didn't care.

HE WAS GETTING FOOD.

- HRRRRMFT. At least, he thought he was, until someone ran and hit him HARD in the tummy. Blinking and stepping back for a few paces, Adam looked down to the girl who'd bumped into him. A girl who looked a little familiar.

There again, everyone in the Castle looked familiar - he saw most people all of the time. But she was.. "Cate!" he cried. No wait, that wasn't right. Frowning, he mulled it over. Last time he saw this girl he'd been hyper, and incredibly so, what with the extra-large sugar quills. "Cally?!" he tried again, a little less enthusiastic, a little more hesitant this time.

That was right, yeah?

Ari could feel the awkward pause that she usually felt when she removed her glasses. She knew, with just a bit of disappointment, that he would politely dance around the subject. Just like she knew that there was a bit of animosity between him and a 'close' family member. He was intelligent. Cunning, although not dark like a stereotypical Slytherin. He liked a challenge--and maybe she'd have one for him later. He was observant. And he knew muggle music.

"To be sure'n i'tis the same," she retorted in her fully Irish accent--even though few people were able to understand it. Back to her BriMerIsh, she added, "Although I've never been there. I've never been outside of England." Not that it would make a difference. She had no way to identify countries. Only rooms and spaces--things with audible and tangable qualities.

"Thank you very much," Ari replied, dipping her head in a half-bow. "I can play anything string on my cello--anything at all...Well, if I know the song, of course." And she. Knew. LOTS.

Ari had a small moment of 'Um,' when the girl asked her year. Hadn't she just...? When she...? Could she really've...? Uhh... "Sixth," she nodded, "Though I've only been here since my fourth year." Gr. That stupid disabled school.

"Oooh scary," Daisy said laughing. He was a bit taller than her which was kind of scary. Not to mention she was kind of short for a third year. Grr being short. "So what type of music to you like?"
"Well you're rally good. I wish I could play like that but I'm more of a piano type." Diasy frowned as she remembered her already saying that, "Right sorry bout that. really short term memory loss." She nodded. "Where did you go before you came to Hogwarts?"

"Oh so you've never been to Ireland? Oh right you said-- aak!" he facepalmed. She just said she was born in England. Yeah great total recall there Salander "Uhm, no plans of visiting it? Just out of curiosity or anything? I mean, sometimes I'd get curious whats happening in Anaheim-- the neighborhood and stuff, since its been a while since I've been back there"

He looked at Ari's instrument in her hands, and found it curious that she would select such a large string instrument. "Why the cello?" he asked her "I mean other than the fact that you cant drag a piano around?" he chuckled.

He turned to Daisy replying "Me? well... i kinda like rock music, so yeah practically anything that has a beat to it. The more drums and guitar riffs the better." he laughed. "Of course I know not a lot of people likes it-- calls it noise." he huffed. Eh, everybody's a critic.

He shifted his attention back to Ari when Daisy asked her her last school "Yeah where did you go to school before Hogwarts? " then he added "And what about you Daisy? How long have you been here at Hogwarts?"

Ari couldn't help but giggle a bit at his fumblings. She had probably made him nervous or something. Ah, well. "Well, I have no reasons to visit it, and not exactly an overwhelming desire. But I wouldn't object to the chance to go, I suppose."

She smiled when he asked about her cello. Not many people did that. "Well, my parents had wanted my sister Alice to play it, but she never really got it. And seeing as I wasn't allowed to do things as she did, I picked it up whenever I could and tought myself to play." She ran a hand down the polished wood. "I like the way it feels, I guess, as opposed to a viola or violin or guitar. I like the sound it makes. It's deep and powerful, yet light." She reached up and touched the small scar on her neck where a string had broken and it struck her. She turned so they could see it. "And it's the only instrument to fight me back," she laughed.

Ari just smiled, "Not a problem. I have friends with wierder and more annoying idiosyncrasies than short-term memory loss." It was true. But she didn't mind.

She felt the corners of her mouth droop slightly as they both asked about where she'd been. "Before I was here, I was forced to go to a school for the disabled," Ari had to force the word, "where I spent actually five years there, but I decided, at fifteen, I wouldn't accept 'no' for an answer anymore, so I came here, even though I was placed in the fourth year." She compulsively touched her glasses, making sure they stayed close to her eyes, "I was never suppossed to come here, according to my parents, but they don't seem to understand that being blind is nothing more than a label. I certainly don't think I'm dis-abled. I see more than most people," she nodded.

"Rock is a good choice of music," Daisy said smiling. Definately not noise to her.

"Well I've been here since my first year... but this isn't the first school I went to." She shrugged. Stupid foreign schools. "I spent my first two years at different schools. One at Beauxbatons but I failed my first year there. The other was at Dumstrang, but again I failed my first year there." Stupid jerks hiding all he school things. "So I came here and passed my first and they even skipped me over my second year to my third year because I was overly prepared for it." When I should be in my fourth, she thought bitterly. But she was planning on skipping it altogehter because she was reading the books for her fifth year already.


"I'm sorry you forced to go somewhere you didn't want to," Daisy said not mentioning her shock at finding out the Ari was blind. Daisy could be so oblivious at times. Why else would someone where glasses like that in a school anyway? "I bet you have really good hearing and sense of smell, touch, and taste though. That usually happens, at least that's what I've heard."

As soon as he was out of the portrait, the words were coming out with heated anger. Trying to keep them between the two of them would be the issue. "Bloody hell Lexi! Did you ever stop to think that my words weren't exactly well planned out because I had no desire to be at Hogwarts period? That it had nothing to do with you? Not everything bloody well about you!"

"And not enough of a friend for me? Damnit Lexi, do you not remember two years ago? How I tried to be there for you every bloody step of the way? Even when you insulted me and my friends and pratically shoved me away to go fall into the arms of another?! I never stopped being your friend even when you did that. And do you know how bloody much that hurt? To be pushed away? And now you say that I don't find you as a friend? That you aren't good enough simply because I needed some space and said a few words at the feast?!"

A deranged sort of laughter left him as he shook his head. "I have only ever been your friend Lexi. Ever. I have bloody always been there for you and I have never judged you harshly. I wouldn't have written to you in St. Mungo's if I did. I would have cut off all contact if I thought so lowly of you. But you want me to judge? Is that what you want to hear? Perhaps you should get a grip on your own self esteem before you go throwing it in other people's mouths to hear the words against you that you seem to want to hear."

He was going to go loopy. He swore he was going to go loopy.

Lexi kept walking briskly... it was a long corridor after all. She tried to block out Sabel's ranting as she went. She was NOT going to continue this argument. She was NOT. Ohhhh, he did not have to mention St. Mungo's in front of the ENTIRE population of the corridor. That brought her up short and she spun around to glare at him and ALMOST flicked her wand out of it's holster. That is how angry she was. Yeah. It was BAD.

"Sabel Dakest you lower your voice when you speak to me and do NOT mention my personal business for the flippin' world to hear, would you? Oh that would be the payback of your dreams wouldn't it, though?! Have MY name plastered all over the school gossip because poor little Lexi Denver is a nutter," she spat the words at him vehemently. Gah! How DID he get under her skin so?

"WHOA! Wait a bloody minute! You have an awful odd way of showing that you EVER cared for me in any way. You could NOT have understood what I was going through then Sabel, hell you can't understand it now. Dylan could and still does. He lets the past haunt him still to this day. I think I am one of the lucky ones. The Denver's care so much that made me a part of their family... they took me in! I KNOW you cared. Past tense. And yeah I DO know how badly it hurts to be pushed away. You should recognize the gesture now, eh. I basically threw myself at you and you couldn't care less. You never even... Ugh!" she said in a low hissing voice. Getting angrier she turned quickly and stalked off a little ways down the corridor again and then turned back.

"You needed space? TWO BLOODY YEARS WORTH OF SPACE, EH?! You are incorrigible, Sabel. You ARE so perfect in your own eyes that you really don't realize that maybe you could have been even slightly wrong in ANY situation. It is amazing to me that you can even bare to listen to yourself talk. You asy you don't judge, but this "blunt truth" crap you spew is more often hurtful and AWFULLY judgemental, not truth as you say it is. There is a way to speak to someone with a little tact and class and you, my friend, fail at it miserably. I think that is why you and that toss pot get on so well," she blew up at him jabbing her finger toward him as she came closer and closer inch by inch.

Oh now she had no self esteem... that was a new one on her! She too laughed derisively and shook her head letting her jabbing finger drop as she retorted, "Really? Everyone seems to think I have enough self esteem for myself and the whole school combined these days. But you would know that if you took time to spend with the person that you so vehemently claim to be a friend to." Did he even know what being a TRUE friend meant? Did he treat everyone like this or was Lexi a rare case? She shook her head again and turned on her heel once more, this time walking quite slowly.

Something inside him simply clicked. Or flicked the wrong way. Or broke. He had no idea. Whatever it was it had him brewing with such intense anger he wasn’t sure he knew right from left. Seething was a mild method of describing the slow, rageful breaths that left him and the icy stare of his eyes to meet her own. Surprisingly his voice came low and malicious. “Stop bloody telling me what to do Lexi. I’m not your bloody toy, boyfriend or slave. I have my own thoughts and feelings and my own ways to act and I’m not going to bloody let you dictate them.”

“I could point my finger at your right now Lexi, and tell you this is how it bloody feels to be tossed out onto the street like a used rag, but I am not one for revenge or payback and you damn well know that. So don’t you dare think that me not being around you, or even speaking up in this hall is to hurt you, because it has nothing to do with you."

Slowly he moved up to her but not so much that he was in front of her, watching her jabbing finger that he wanted to bite off. “Do you know what your bloody problem is? It’s always about you. Every single time it’s about you. Lexi this and Lexi that. You have so much self-absorbance I’m surprised you aren’t drowning in it. You can’t even look past your own nose to see how much others have sacrificed and wept for you. You can’t even consider how other people may be feeling or how they might react to what you do; it is simply about how you will react. I have been a damn friend for you even when you treated me lower than the dirt on your shoes. Just because one person understands more than another does not mean you slap your other friends in the face.” That hurt beyond belief; that she didn’t even recognize how much he had tried to be there for her when she had scurried off to Dylan’s arms.

Pausing in the middle of the corridor he watched her turn around and leave again. “I know I have a bloody problem with the presentation of words, but at least I have the respect and balls to face someone when I am talking to them. You walk away. Every. Single. Time. You have no desire to face things. Walking away just makes everything better because you bloody know that I will come back, as I always do, and things will be better. And you think you can treat me whatever way you please.”

A small shake of the head and another near maniac chuckle left him as he pocketed his hands. “Really Lexi. flaunting looks and bashing eyelashes is not self-esteem. It’s promoting yourself and it’s bloody well concerning. Perhaps you find my words, and Stern’s words, so offensive because they are what you do not want to hear and face in yourself. It is not up to us whether they bother you or not, it is your perception of them and yourself that determine that.”

It was kind of like walking towards the living room while a family member is watching a soap opera on maximum volume. Considering he'd just rented two library books, Kellen wasn't exactly tuned in to the screaming match that seemed to be going on, except registering that it had one male and one female voice. Yup, staying out of that.

He was at the top of the stairs and about to turn for the Ravenclaw common room when he heard 'Stern'. Maybe the boy had shouted something about stern words, but he was pretty sure it was a capital, name kind of Stern. And then of course his brain politely informed him that the voice belonged to Sabel, and he had to wonder if every single person in this school was out to destroy every scrap of of happiness Sabel could collect. Or maybe Sabel was being self-destructive in that cavalier, Gryffindor way.

Either or, he looked in both directions before picking up an innocent whistling and drifting a little towards the argument. Heaven forbid he interfere, but his bestie-alert was going off. If he had to drag Sabel all the way down to the kitchen again, he would.

Lexi stopped in her tracks and began to laugh. She laughed so hard tears came to her eyes. Then she wasn't sure if the tears were from rage, hurt, or the laughter but she let them flow as she laughed some more. "Oh yes, you are right as always, Sabel. Indeed. Everything is about me. Yep that is it. I didn't lose COUNTLESS MONTHS of sleep over the things I did to you and everyone else at this school. Hmmm? Yeah, I never feel bad about anything I do. I KNOW that I screw up, Sabel. I know that I am not as perfect as you would like for me to be. I am not as witty as you and STERN, but I am ME. You have to take the good with the bad and that is all I can tell you," she said as she wiped at her eyes with the sleeve of her pyjamas. "And I do not recall treating you like dirt, Sabel. Your perception of the events are totally different from mine. I am inexcusable though, so I would imagine you would point out a flaw somewhere. I swear, I can't win for losing with you. I apologize and apologize, I try to make things right but it is NEVER enough. I am never enough," she said as she fought back the tears this time because she knew they were hurt showing through.

"And I choose to walk away to avoid saying hurtful things like I am right now. I don't WANT to fight, I want to cool down and try to speak about things rationally, which believe it or not, I can do. You just push me and push me until I act out. And your words are not the issue, they never are it is the HURTFUL manner in which you express them. Get that straight right now. And I never once pretended that you were anything I can toy with. Never. I am appalled that you would even say that to me... But oh wait, I shouldn't say how that makes ME feel right? Is that how this works? You get to say whatever you want and my reacting is merely my being selfish. Well know this, I have never cared for anyone's safety and well being the way I care for you, but you simply won't allow me to be there anymore. That is fine, you can block me out and hold my needing someone else's arms to hold me whie I cried because you kept telling me that I needed to get past it, let it go, blah blah blah... You will NEVER understand what I have been through. I am sorry that you can't get that through your skull. It was not that I didn't want your friendship, it was just that I needed someone that could relate to my problem. That is why Reese, Dylan, and I became so close, Sabel," she said her words coming out less heated. She was running out of steam. She was simply tired of it. Tired of it all.

She chuckled at him again and just shook her head, "Yeah, take a shot at me, Sabel. What you have to say about me no longer bothers me. I have seen all of the judegement in your eyes and heard what you have said here tonight. YOu finally got it all out. How you really feel. I hope it is satisfying. I truly do. I don't bloody need you anyway. I have people that actually care about me now and I am not promoting myself to anyone, Finlay and I are perfectly happy together and that is that."

Without having realized it her fists were clenched so hard that her fingernails had dug into the day old wounds on her hands and she was dripping fine little drops of blood on the floor around her. Oh she didn't even care. Running her hands over the legs of her pants she left the blood smears there and just shook her head. Walking back toward Sabel she said as she pushed past him, "This is me walking away... I have nothing more to say to you, Sabel Dakest. Whatever you feel about me now is evidently negative and I want no more of this." She waved her hands back and forth between them as she shouldered past him. She just didn't care anymore. She was so over it.

Twisting his words. That's what he felt like she was doing. Twisting and skewering them until they were lodged back in his throat and caught in his gullet. The rest, caught in his stomach for despite his rage he understood some of her words as true. Some. Perceptions were so skewed and opposite in this that it was like looking at a mirror and trying to figure out how to get the reflection to move the way you wanted it. Pointless, tiring and maddening.

But damn her and damn the blood that had started to drip and stain her clothes. Damn it all.

When she moved to shove by him, he stopped her, grabbing her wrist with a gentle firmness that simply told her to stop. No would not be taken for an answer as he drew her hand up and uncurled her fingers, inspecting the wounds upon her skin. Something inside stung for the injuries, while something else fed off his rage against her and fired at whoever had hurt her.

Slowly, he moved to step in front of her so she would have no where to go and pulled her other hand up between them. His eyes were on the blood, the wounds and the phsyical representation of pain. "I do not hate you because of who you are Lexi." His voice, though still thick with rage, was quieter, more controlled. "I hate you, because you never let me in." Gently, he drew his thumb over the wound to shift some of the blood so he could get a better idea of the severity of the injury. "And I imagine, it is the same for you."