I sit in uncomfortable silence next to Broom. Watching Violet break down feels... invasive, somehow. Like she's ripped open a wound, raw and ugly, and all we can do is watch her bleed. The dog cowers in her lap, ears drooping and tail still as Stove continues holding Violet's shoulders from the side. A smug feeling of satisfaction ripples through me.

naptime

My shadow loses some depth, Pete's hyper-vigilance coming to an end. I nudge Broom with my elbow.

"Pete went back to sleep," I whisper, not wanting to disturb the sobbing girl in the chair. "Do you think it's okay for me to leave? I don't think she's going to attack anyone while she's like this, and she looks like she needs space."

Before Broom can answer, Stove makes a shooing gesture with her free hand. I thought I had spoken low enough for only Broom to hear me, but apparently not.

"I think Stove is going to be busy for a while with this one," Broom whispers back. "Go find your next melty rock, Sky."

I slip quietly out of the room, leaving behind a still-weeping Violet. I'm glad that Stove was able to get through to her. She must have never had a Mind to help her growing up.

...I don't understand anything anymore. There's not an infinity out there where that should have worked, yet here we are.