<div class="floatright">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/7/74/Siren2.jpg)</div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>Aline Myobi -</strong> <em>Contemplating the next steps...</em></span></div><br/>After the head count, it was a relief to see that everyone had managed to make it out safely. As the group slowly converged at the Waffle House, some seemed to be in better spirit than others. Aline herself still felt slightly dazed, as if everything would shatter in a moment.<br/><br/>Picking at her food, she managed a few bites before settling with just pushing her eggs from one side of the plate and back to the other. When everyone seemed to have gotten their fill, the chatter seemed forced as if they were all waiting for something. Just as she was. Except she didn't know what to say.<br/><br/>Putting her fork to the side, she looked around the overcrowded table, at the people who she had become dependent on and some she even deemed 'family' almost. Where would they go now? "Guys," she paused as if not quite sure what to say, "I'm glad everyone made it out safely, and I'm sorry you all got caught up in the fire." Everyone had undoubtedly lost something, whether it be physical possession or mental attachments. "I don't know how much of the gallery can be salvaged...but from the looks of the building before...probably not much." She could hear the defeat she felt in her own voice.<br/><br/>"I just want to say 'Thank you' to all of you, for sticking around as long as you did." Her voice quavered slightly but she continued with a small half-hearted smile, "Even though a few of you just joined us, I'm sorry you didn't get to experience Waxing Rhapsodic's full potential." Here, she stopped and looked distant for a  moment. The quiet lasted for a minute or two when Aline seemed to snap back, her eyes roved over them again, stopping briefly at each face before she finished softly, "But now that the gallery's gone, I won't ask the unreasonable and expect all of you to stay...I can't guarantee anything and...and honestly, it's probably smarter to start looking elsewhere. " Her voice cracked near the end but Aline managed a weak smile -- though it held no traces of amusement.