<div align="center"><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Monday, January 6th - 11:00 PM</strong></span><br/><em>Kitchen</em></div><hr/><div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/06/8a/78/068a784bd2176ad1eed0bd4e56afc321.jpg)</div><strong>WHO:</strong>Marley Ann (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=316749.msg15283294#msg15283294)<br/><strong>WEARING:</strong>Dressy outfit as pictured<br/><strong>DOING:</strong>Teaching, making grilled cheese<br/><strong>NOTE:</strong>Moderate burn, healed<br/><strong>TAGGING:</strong>Amber | OPEN<br/><hr/>So Amber hadn't seen anyone else today, or at least anyone she could remember. “I’m not upset, Amber,” Marley reasoned, noticing the defensiveness in both Amber’s tone and body language. “I’m concerned that you aren't protected if I'm the only one here that knows who you are and what you can do.” Marley did not elaborate, instead she gave Amber one, last long look, before walking into the empty kitchen. She opened the refrigerator, finding the ingredients she needed. Grilled cheese wasn't complicated, which was why Marley was good at making it. Anything beyond grilled cheese or pasta and Amber would need to ask Eric to cook her dinner instead. “When I was a few years younger than you, schools for supers didn’t exist in my area." Marley began, turning on the stove top and feeling the heat vibrate against her body. "Twelve years ago, there were only a few and they had incredibly high standards. My powers, if I'm careful,” instead of placing a frying pan on top the red hot burner, she suddenly placed the palm of her hand on it. She grimaced as her<em>skin</em>sizzled and burned. But, she raised her hand so that Amber could see the ugly, red, blistering wound. It disappeared completely in a matter of seconds, as new, unmarked skin healed over top of it. "Can remain a secret. I can act like I don't have powers at all. So, twelve years ago, I led a pretty normal life." Marley flexed her healed hand, which<em>did</em>appear completely normal, and finally set the frying pan down on the hot burner.<br/><br/>She kept talking as she assembled two ham and grilled cheeses, placing them in the frying pan with a spatula. “I worked evenings and weekends at a fast food restaurant called the Burger Shack with a bunch of other teenagers and young adults. We were right across the street from a bank, which I always thought was handy. That way we could run over and get more change for the till throughout the day. A lot of late nights at the grill though, just like this,” she flipped both sandwiches over with ease, watching the cheese melt against the ham like her skin had done against the burner a moment ago. “There were five of us working the night that three bank robbers decided they should eat beforehand. My best coworker Sam was taking the trash out at the time. He was in the alley behind the restaurant for ten minutes, maybe less. In those ten or less minutes, the other four of us were shot and killed in a random act of violence." She flipped one sandwich, then the other.<br/><br/>“Do you know they shot me first? My unfortunate timing of working the cash register I suppose.” She pushed down on each sandwich, hearing<em>them</em>sizzle, before finding a plate to set them on. She then placed the full plate on the table behind her for Amber to eat. "The time it takes me to heal can vary with my injury." Marley explained, turning back to the stove and turning off the stove top. "Healing a burn takes a few seconds, but healing from a few bullets takes a few minutes. In those few minutes that it took to heal from the bullets in my chest, I remained unconscious, while the robbers killed three of my other coworkers and fled. It didn't matter that the restaurant had security. It mattered that I was alone, and there was no other super to defend them."  She turned back to Amber, and pulled out a chair, sitting at the table across from her food. But her impromptu lesson wasn't over yet.<br/><br/>“I don't<em>care</em>if you make friends, or have sleepovers or spill secrets." Truth be told, Marley herself was rather terrible at all of those things. "I care that people know who you are, Amber. The Cathedral isn't just a school, it's a team. Yes, our security is a priority, Amber. Yes, it is important that you spend time on it. But some new horror will always break through your security and render you vulnerable, especially when you least expect it." Security was<em>never</em>going to be a perfect system. "The only way we will ever be completely defended," Marley used Amber's choice of words, "especially after the Eclipse, is if everyone here works together." Amber needed to interact with the other members of the Cathedral. She needed to build her strength, and theirs -- not out of friendship, but out of survival. Marley eyed her, strongly. "You can't be the lone wolf anymore, which trust me, I<em>know</em>fucking sucks sometimes. Now give me half of that grilled cheese," she suddenly gestured an arm towards Amber's plate. Talking about echoes of her past made her stress eat.