<div class="floatleft">(https://womenandhollywood.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/dollface-1024x576.png)</div>Karina was on the verge of getting sucked into the pain of the memory until she felt his hand on her shoulder. Despite the fabric that shielded her from skin to skin contact, she was still able to feel how numb he was. Or at least how numb he tried to force himself to be. It shouldn't have surprised her - he was a trained assassin. Emotions and feelings were unnecessary for him. In a way, it was a blessing that he was so cold and distant. Though there were a few times tonight already when she felt genuine concern from him.<br/><br/>"I... Sorry. I don't..." She stammered softly. Her world had turned upside down tonight.<br/><br/><em>"It's gonna be alright... We can rest soon, figure out what to do."</em>James reassured her, and she truly believed him. She nodded but didn't speak. She stared down at her hands in a daze. The small puncture wound on her palm had stopped bleeding some time ago, and the dried blood cracked as she flexed her hand. It was a weird and painful feeling.<br/><br/><em>"C'mon."</em>James' voice startled her with its closeness. She snapped her head towards him, not having even realized he had gotten out and opened her door for her. He held his hand out for her to help her out. Without thinking, Karina moved to place her hand in his. She caught herself at the last second and stopped just before they touched.<br/><br/>"I...probably shouldn't...touch you." Karina said as she slowly moved her hand away. She appreciated the gesture, of course, but had come to the realization that the more she came into physical contact with him the more he would effect her. She still wasn't sure what was happening with her ability.<br/><br/>As she stepped out of the car and wandered towards the entrance of the safe house, she wondered what kind of effect she was having on him. Well, if she was having any effect on him at all now. The initial shock of her somehow breaking him from his programming seemed to have worn off of him. She still wasn't sure how it happened in the first place, and part of her mind figured neither of them might ever know why.<br/><br/>In spite of what she had just said, there was a part of her that<em>did</em>want to touch him again. That same curious part of her that always won out and kept her sneaking back to his containment chamber. She wondered if those numerous visits had something to do with him suddenly waking up that fateful day. Had she been building up some kind of...empathic rapport with him without realizing it?