Cassie fell into the puddle of water that formed on the concrete walkway. Sebastian crouched down, concerned that she may have hurt herself in the fall. But she mutter something that sounded coherent, which alleviated some of his immediate concerns regarding her physical health. Then, she rolled her self over onto her back, covering the top half of her face with a waterlogged arm.<br/><br/><em>'She's in the throws of a traumatic personal event. Severe in nature. The woman is feeling low, vulnerable and prone to making some decisions that could have negative consequences. Regardless, I need to stay with her until she stabilizes.'</em><br/><br/><em>"I have nothing left to live for. My life as I have known it is over. I got kicked out of my own home, my best friend hates me, and I just spent all of my savings on a present for her. I have nothing left..."</em><br/><br/>"Cassie? Come on, you need to sit up, preferably on the bench." He helped the numbed young woman up off the ground, easing her onto the bench. He held the umbrella over them both as he sat beside her. "Cassie, you said that right now you feel that there's nothing to live for. That your life has changed very dramatically, which includes being kicked out of home and finding out your best friend hates you. Also, you spent most of your money on a gift for her, and leaving you close to broke. Finally, if I heard you correctly, you feel that there is nothing left. I'm not sure if you were referring to money, or to something broader."<br/><br/>Sebastian kept his voice calm, the umbrella over them both, while keeping a clear gap between them. His first action was to let her know that he was listening to her, understanding what she was talking about, and getting her to open up more. He needed to anchor her in the real world, rather than the world that was forming due to her emotional state. He needed to remain calm, focus on the young woman and get her to focus on him.<br/><br/><em>'Just be there for her. Let her talk. Don't question her. Ensure that you've heard everything. Let her get it all out first. Remember, this is a walk in the park compared to others you did this with. My God, that was a bad fucking choice of words.'</em>