<span style="color: #4000FF">It was funny, that a fall could have jumbled her thoughts so completely. Even as she sat there, nursing her now throbbing knee, she tried to get her thought train back in order. An impossible feat.<br/><br/>It was a slow thing at first, her conscious so lost within itself she'd not even realized that someone was picking up her possessions. Instead, she was so completely lost at her realization...It was as if, she did her performances, did what she did, to fill her own void, the hole that was inside her that ached for something, some unknown thing or person, that couldn't be filled. She'd never focused on it, never let herself feel what was there, but now...she couldn't escape it.<br/><br/>The ache hurt, made every breath she drew in all the more painful. Her chest felt tight, her throat feeling thick with oncoming tears, she fought to hold them back. She never cried; Not when she got hurt (whether it be physical or emotional), and she certainly wasn't going to start now.<br/><br/>It was a small miracle that Nex caught her attention when he did. The sound of her purse's scattered items pouring back in it pulled her from within herself back to the ill-formed reality around her. Her eyes dropped to her purse as he zipped it up, focusing on his hands as he turned around, offering to help her up. His words made her feel...comforted, in an odd way. Her eyes opened wide, in a sort of shock, as they washed over her, her hand gingerly accepting his. It wasn't until she was standing that her eyes traveled the rest of the way up his form, coming to rest on his eyes. His eyes held her own, still wide with a sort of shock, a startling vulnerability she'd not yet masked as she was so completely taken aback by his gesture.<br/><br/>For a few moments, she drank him in, his accent, his demeanor, realizing he was probably more broken than she was. Which made her feel worse for having shown such a weakness. Her eyes took on their usual facade, as did the rest of her body to accompany the change. Accepting the purse as he handed it, she nodded, a faint smile taking hostage of her lips, though an embarrassed one. <br/><br/>"I'm fine, yes...It's only a bit tender." Her reply was low, quiet, the usual melodic tone a bit more turned down than usual. The smile that'd once taken refuge on her face had quickly vanished, her eyes locking with his own once more. It was as if she could see directly into his soul, see the spark that she saw in so many others...far too dim in him. <span style="font-style: italic">What could make someone so dejected...so broken?</span> she wondered silently to herself, watching the smile that took hold of him. She noted it, seeing it not reach his eyes, but not wanting to press that with a random stranger.<br/><br/>While his thank you was sweet, it was sad. She wanted to smile, to simply tell him "You're welcome" and move on. But she couldn't. For once...someone had entranced her, had made her want to know them better. She wanted to make him better, even if in some small way.<br/><br/>When he turned to walk off, her hand twitched by her side, wanting to reach out and stop him. Instead, she took a step forward; Well, the step more closely resembled a limp as she'd momentarily forgotten about her knee's ache. Her voice was almost pleading, almost, as she spoke once more.<br/><br/>"...You're not invisible...Far from it..." she admitted quietly. "And, to whom do I owe this thank you?" Valencia continued. <span style="font-style: italic">Just keep him talking,</span> she told herself. <span style="font-style: italic">You can help him somehow...Just keep him talking.</span></span>