'Don't drag us down, Natalia.' It was what Luke had said back then, and it was what Natalia was currently doing - and doing rather literally.

She found herself sitting on the edge of her bed, and it took another moment for her to compose herself, brushing away tears with the back of a gloved hand. She had to look absolutely awful. This wasn't the side of herself that she wanted to show Asch at all, the side that was weak and emotional. She needed to be strong right now.

With an effort, Natalia managed to pull herself together and murmured quietly, "Isn't there anything we can do to stop it...now that we know?"