Kate lingered by the doors for a moment, stepping out onto the small balcony. From here she could see the few lights of Windy, brave against the dark, and the stars flecking the darkness. The waves wobbled beneath the night sky, lapping at the shore in a regular motion. The cold pierced her to the core and, for a moment, she felt alive. 

Stepping back out, she closed the doors, but, in a concession to James, she left them ajar a crack. She was a Snowe, after all. She was tough, and the covers were thick. “Yes,” she said. “Things are not exactly bright and sunshiney.” 

“Nirah?” he said. It was a small question in itself, from what she had told him before she left. 

Kate settled on the edge of the bed. Lena twitched, but continued sleeping, breaths coming regularly, curls rumpled. Kate reached out and put a hand to James’ cheek, the roughness of his stubble bristling against her palm. “Yeah,” she said. 

Lena slept on. James watched her. He looked rumpled, too, unshaven and lines of pain about his eyes that made her heart hurt. 

“James?” she ventured, hesitant. 

“Hrm?” 

“Do you ever think we’ve only made things worse? We wanted to make things better, and we’ve just destroyed everything instead.”