It took Kai long enough to answer that one might've thought he had fallen asleep. He laid with his head in her lap and his eyes closed, breathing steadily. Strangely enough he had missed this, too. Cherry's habit of deflecting things that made her uncomfortable by claiming it had all been fake.<span style="font-style: italic">Gods,</span>He thought.<span style="font-style: italic">I didn't realize how much I missed her.</span><br/>Finally, he smiled softly. Not a smirk or the shit-eating grin he offered whenever he got one over on her. It was a genuine smile, if a little sad. "We wouldn't play the games we do if it had all been fake, Cherry. What we were...it was more than a costume. We both know it." He sighed again, opening his eyes to look up at her. They were tinged with regret. "I don't want to come after her, Cherry. Shit's hitting the fan and I don't have time to deal with her turning."<br/>The shifter sat up, back to Cherry as he kept speaking. "Just...take care of her, yeah? Her shit's gonna go upside down when she turns. She won't know how to deal with it. I..." Kai trailed off, staring at nothing.<br/>Another long stretch of silence passed between them before he turned to look at the vampire, just taking her in. Then his eyes fell to the floor, and he frowned. "I'm sorry, Cherry. I'm not feeling like myself. Too much shit happened way too fuckin' fast and I feel like I gotta play catch-up now." Kai shook his head. "Take care of yourself, too. Whatever's going on, whatever got started, I got a feeling we're all fucked in one way or another."<br/>More silence, cloying and impenetrable, at least until the shifter saw fit to reach out and place his hand over hers. "I'm here, if shit goes sideways." Then his hand was gone, and Kai stood to leave. "Oh fuck," He said, walking out the door for a few minutes. When he re-entered, he held a tabby cat in his arms. "I think this is her cat. Found him roaming around about a mile away. Could be a stray, but it looks like hers. Take it to her. Maybe she'll be easier to deal with."<br/>Kai handed the animal over, and turned once again to leave. "I'm going back to PM. Keep yourself scarce, Cherry. Stay out of public as much as you can."