After Ewan escorted her to the Sanctuary, she just stood at the gates, well....the shadows of the gates. She wasn't ready to stand in front just quite yet. She just needed to....figure things out. What had happened to her" Not physically, she knew the answer to that. But her mind...she had missed so much in two weeks. Who knows what was happening with the Towers....the Murders....Training....even her brother. Not to mention her friends that had thought see was....well, some of them thought. Ewan made it clear that he never thought...but he said there were others who did...How tremendously awful to think....She shook her head as grey eyes traveled to the gates as a figure was coming into view. A black dress with red sash and long brown hair.

"Janet." She said quietly, but enough for the Scathachian to hear her. Brows hair whipped around and ready amber eyes met grey. They widened, and time seemed to stand still as one friend faced the other.

"Where in the hell have you been?" Janet's version of a welcome. She took the few long strides to close the distance. "And what has happened to you?" Amber eyes went directly to bandaged feet.

"I have called Sanctuary." The only explanation given. She still....felt bounded by it now. But....she wasn't given many options at the time. And, she didn't make any forward objections. A decision she would ponder on later.

Janet's complete attitude changed. Embed understanding of Sanctuary temporarily took over the friendship aspect. "Come inside then, I will escort you when needed. We will....talk, but inside." Seemed to be Janet's bigger concern....inside. And she opened the gate to prove her point.

Storm just blinked and watch the change in her friend. Everything was changed. She could no longer defend herself in other's eyes, friend, foe....anything. No longer was she allowed to be walking alone. No longer were others coming to for her help...they were coming to help her. She followed Janet inside, ready to explain things to her.

This was the transition time; and she didn't know what she was transitioning into.

It was meant to be a quick stop after Ewan walked her again to the Sanctuary. Clean the wounds, and head back to the Air Realm. The meeting with the Earth's could not be missed, even by her. She made sure to check in with which ever Sister was awake and around....though many were out patrolling. She then went up the stairs absently, mind elsewhere to the night previous conversations, replaying them over and over, catching any missed details. She shut the door to her room, still so bare, and she started the constant routine of cleaning. The turtleneck was swiftly removed as she leaned down to pick up the proper cleaning product, making sure it was not the same one for her burns.

She then moved towards the single mirror in the room. It's only purpose to help her clean the wounds herself. Grey eyes glowed dimly as the air pulled off the old gauze....little blood on it. It was wonderous improvement. Her eyes narrowed to inspect the wound that had to be re-stitched by Janet. Should not be much longer before the stitches were out and she could move her arm and shoulder freely. That, and they had their moments of itching horridly, and she had no way to relieve herself of the itch on her back. Her attention went to the gauze, applying the ointment on the gauze before floating the gauze onto her back, over the wound. At least it wasn't dirty, that would take a considerable amount of more time.

Once that settled on correctly, hands reached out to find her grey silks, and placed the top on without fuss. Now the more grueling work; her lower half of her body. First thing was first, and she carefully sat down to remove the giant boots off of her feet. She did her best, to occupy her mind with others things than her present actions, like the store, or how she was going to start training the elf, Assadar. Boots removed, she carefully removed the traveling pants. It was now that she had to force herself to swallow, stop staring, and continue. Her legs were covered with various bandages, and her feet completely covered. She hated seeing them, every moment she had to look at them, she hated it. Hated him for what he did to her. Marred her body beyond repair. A price to pay for her carelessness. She would never forget.

She bit on her lower lip without thought as she started removing the bandages, her skin in various stages of healing. The less affected areas were already fully scarred, skin forced to close, still bright pink. The further down she went, the worse it was. Plenty of sores still red, open, and very painful. She did her best to keep infection down, but she was not successful with all. Those sores received a different ointment all together. And her feet....just a glance at them, she already felt it, the mixture of anger and sorrow. She wiped away a tear that threatened to fall as her eyes narrowed on her feet. At least she could still walk on them, she had to constantly remind herself. She could have a whole different set of problems if they could not function.

She swiftly applied healing ointment to all of her sores, hand going back to her face to catch unfallen tears, smearing some ointment onto her face. Maybe it was the conversation of the Event, of her wounds, that made her feel so delicate. She was not going to let him get the best of her. Even if he couldn't see, she could not afford to be so weak. They were only feet, only legs she assured herself.

Only hers.

She bit on her bottom lip till it started to bleed. "Cripes, I do not need this." She winced as she inflicted her own pain. Just another thing she had to attend to. She quickly applied new bandages to her sores, and slipped on the rest of her outfit. She then carefully bandaged her feet; she could not wear boots to this meeting.

She stood and gazed into the mirror, wiping away the small trickle of blood form her bottom lip, and the ointment she had smeared under her eyes. Her eyes narrow again as she spots more threats of tears. She was so very tired of this. She quickly tended to that new amount of trouble, before opening the portal to her Realm.

It is only a body, only a Temple for the real me, she told herself.

Only me.

"Hold it."

Storm winced at the voice that called behind her. She should have paid more attention. She had practically floated up the stairs, lost in her own thoughts. The thoughts cost her to be caught by a Scath.

And Janet, at that one.

"Were you not going to tell me that you returned safely?" A smirk could be heard through the voice.

"You know that I would arrive safely." She didn't turn around, not yet. Was this a safe time to throw the friend card" She was hoping so. Issy or someone else would not let her slip by so easily.

Footsteps came behind her, as the Scath looked down to her friend, amber eyes almost slits as she studied the Air. Fortunately, Storm had to gall to hold the gaze, waiting.

Janet then nodded with a grin. She was slowly overcoming the fact that Storm had called Sanctuary. She was still a friend. A friend in need of help. Janet wanted nothing more than to give it to her. "Well, you do not smell like dirt. You smell like...."She frowns, thinking.

"The yellow jar." A slow smile appears on her lips.

Janet laughs and starts walking Storm towards her room. Not much farther. "Anyone notice?"

Storm thought, for a moment, her brows furrowing. "I do not know. No one said that I smelled of dirt.." A slight chuckle at that.

"No, but I can see it on you still. Make sure you clean your wounds thoroughly Storm." The Sister-like moment past. "And your hair" Did anyone notice that?"

A small smile. "Yes."

"See" I told you! Those works wonders. I can have spilled blood all over me, and still smell decent." Though this would sound a bit morbid, Storm understood where Janet was coming from. It was Janet's life, the best analogy she could offer. "I will give you the yellow and clear jars in the morning." She didn't ask. It simply was to be.

And Storm was smart enough to not argue. "I will use them religiously, then." She presses a light kiss to Janet's right cheek, and Janet did the same. She understood the customs of Storm's kind, and gave the the comfort of the motions. "I am going to get some sleep. Finally. Enjoy your patrol Janet." And with that, Storm stepped inside her room and shut the door behind her.

Storm did not waste time as she tended to her wounds methodically. Though as she was cleaning her feet, checking for dirt as Janet demanded, her thoughts drift to Ewan's words. Perhaps she was making a fuss over nothing. It could not be helped though. She had scars all along her body, it came with her job. But these represented so much more.

Her foolishness. Her reasons for not being a true Guardian.

Perhaps that's where the problem was. She did not find herself suitable to be a true Guardian anymore. And here she was, fulfilling two positions.

Why' Because she could not save herself.

She shoved the thoughts to the back of her mind as she readied herself for bed. Her thoughts going back to those lovely green eyes. No matter how much or how often her emotions and mind argued.

The thought brought a warm, small smile to her lips.

As promised, she had every intention of resting tomorrow. It was going to be the last true day to waste before she was going back into the middle of things again.

Too soon' Absolutely.

She returned from the field to have a late lunch, a sheen of sweat on her face. They had worked on more than her bow, though her left fingers were already showing signs of blisters. And both of her shoulders ached. She peered down at her fingers now as she continued down the hall.

"Go eat and rest; you said that we have a long night ahead of us."

And so she had every intention of sneaking in that nap that sounded absolutely wonderful. A peek in the kitchen to reveal that whatever was served for lunch was long gone by now. A small shrug as she moved to prepare her own meal. She actually wasn't half-bad as a cook, it was just that she had little time to enjoy preparing nice meals.

So, settling for a sandwich of sorts, she started up the stairs and to her room. A pleasant smile for any Sisters that she happened to pass along the way. No matter how she complained to Janet about not letting sleep, she was glad that she trained today. Even if it caused mild discomfort to her feet and shoulder, she needed to do something. Well...she was doing something, her lips curving at the idea. Erin's lessons were going better than she expected. Even though it was tedious work, she was getting somewhere with it.

Boots padding softly on the floor, Storm realizes that she is really the only one walking around today. Seems as though many of the Sisters were out and about....or sleeping. Halfway done with her sandwich, she starts to hum to herself softly. A song that was once given to her when she was very ill as a child. When nights were nothing more than grueling hours of terror and fear.

*While the moon her watch is keeping, All through the night While the weary world is sleeping, All through the night O'er thy spirit gently stealing, Visions of delight revealing Breathes a pure and holy feeling, All through the night.*

She walked through her door, sandwich long gone as she sighed softly. So many did not see her this way - she was considered unpure, tainted. She brought a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose. She could hardly manage a nice thought without ruining it.

Shoving all matters aside, she washes her face before slipping back in her bed. If she hurried, she might have caught Ewan at the Inn. Though, he would more than likely noticed the blisters, and being tired. Another sigh before she turned over to her side and closed her eyes.

It started all over again tonight.

True to her word, Storm walked straight to the Sanctuary and inside. A glance to the clock, surprised to find the hour as late as it was. Seemed as though she had missed Janet anyways. Not that she would have gone or anything. Her cough echo's through the hall as a reminder. She knew she was going to have a hard time sleeping this eve, holding in her coughs with deep sighs instead. She headed for the kitchen, and towards the cabinet with a variety of medicines. She was humming softly to herself as she searched.

Beloved. Amato. " il suo amato.

A smile at the memory. The blissful memories that she cherished with each passing day. Her moments of true happiness were so limited with her injuries, with time passing and no answers coming forth. Why not relish the good times for what they were"

She found the proper bottle and measured, taking the liquid in one drink. She wrinkled her nose in distaste, but at least it would help her sleep. She then put the medicine bottles back, before heading up the stairs quietly. Her head was not off in the clouds, but grounded in what was. The moments of her heart skipping beats past....unless she dwells on moments long. Instead, she was lost in thought, pulling and meshing words spoken. Honest, onesto, she had been. And in return, so was he.

She placed another piece to the Ewan puzzle.

She continued this picking apart of their coversation as she did her nightly routine of washing her wounds, her face. Inspecting her hand then.

And the box was there, just waiting to be searched through.

Cripes, how could she have forgotten? The answer buzzed in her mind as she sighed softly, sitting on the floor and gathering the box in her arms.

She opened it, and there was nothing.

Either he had already taken what was inside....or this box was more than what it seemed.

"Are you ready then?"

Storm looked up from her seated position on the floor. Per usual, she was lost in her thoughts and her grey eyes came to focus on the Scathachian.

"Ready for what?"

The Sister held a small but sharp knife in her hand. Grey eyes traveled to the knife, before she nodds and Janet came to join her on the floor. Finally, time for the stitches to come out. The itching would cease, and movement in her left shoulder would be considerably easier, and she wouldn't have to get help for her cloak.

Not that she was complaining of the help.

Storm then slipped off her shift off her back and her head, though the front part remained. Not that it mattered with Janet, but Storm was not sure if she was going to remain indoors tonight. Janet then shifted the bit of undergarment that was in her way, and started the practiced motions of removing the stitches. Storm's face remained motionless, save wrinkles her nose as the thread was being completely removed. Not in pain, just....always an odd feeling, taking them out. Janet then cleaned the wound left as placed a bandage on top. "Should do the trick, leave the bandage on a few days more, yeah?"

"Yes, I will. Thank you Janet." She slipped her shirt back on and looked up as Janet stood effortlessly.

"Are you coming with me?"

"No, not this eve. But next, I promise I will." A faint smile as the Scath left to start her patrol.

Storm sighed and rubbed her face, perhaps a bit harshly. No, she could not go patrolling with Janet tonight. She had her own duties to attend to. Some that she had left alone for quite sometime.

It was back to sneaking out and heading towards Twilight Ilse.

Bloody moron. She thought to herself as she placed folded clothing into a simple bag. She didn't have much as it is.

When was she going to stop letting opportunities pass her" When was she going to take a stand for herself" Something that mattered to her"

To have one act of selfishness"

Other similar thoughts ran pleasantly through her mind as she continued to fold and pack whatever was hers. It would be her last night at the Sanctuary. Others needed the wonderful protection and support from the Sisters. She was lucky enough to hold her own again...after....

She would give others a chance to get back on their feet.

He'll be gone tomorrow.

She turned her head away from her pack and closed her eyes. Deep breaths taken to steady herself. She could make it. She was strong enough to continue on through the worst circumstances. A survivor to the end.

But, did she really want to make it out on her own again?

Just as things were placed into her hands, they were threatened away so easily.

Bugger luck.