Playing Dead (HIVE)

Nina was sat on the kitchen counter drinking a big mug of expresso, her eyes looking a little like panda eyes, but it wasn't the cute fact that she hadn't managed to get all her makeup off, it was the fact she hadn't been sleeping well. Ever since the incident with Ixen's passing she'd kept having nightmares, and feeling that it was her fault he ended up like he did. She couldn't help but go over what his last moments might have been like in his head...fear...desperate need for her help...she should have been there...she should have been there to protect him but she wasn't...

Nina gripped the mug tightly as tears started to roll down her face again, her nightmares didn't let her escape the guilt, only worsened it. Even coming to Hive more often didn't always help her relax, she just couldn't get use to such an empty home again. She then just started sobbing as she sipped her expresso, one hand gripping the fabric of her jeans tightly.

Nina suddenly looked up at the familiar voice "oh great is this some hallucinogenic side-effect from all this expresso? Ahwell maybe it can bring back Ixen for a few moments" she said as she stared at Quinn, thinking she was just a fragment of her sleep deprived and hyped up mind. "Well Quinn while we're here, how's the afterlife treating ya? You look pretty good" she said as she tried to calm down and wiped her tears on her sleeve.

Nina blinked and poked Quinn's face and pinched her cheek a little "huh...you are...welcome back Quinn" she said with a soft little smile through her tears "I always figured Tibs was doing something suspicious when he was so secretive about you disappearing and stuff" she said "or maybe it was just my inner conspiracy theorist talking" she added "so how's life been treating you?" she asked softly as she sniffled.

Nina nodded understandingly as she drank the last drop of her espresso then put the mug into the sink "yeah I can see how that would feel" she said softly "things haven't exactly been good here either, you see the Zydons killed my best childhood friend and fiancée, I came home to a mess and a pile of ashes, so...yeah...that happened" she said softly with a frown "its been difficult to think of much else, hence why I've been coming here more often, desperate for any social interaction to take my mind off the guilt" she explained.

Nina nodded and grabbed Quinn in a big, tight bear hug "thanks Quinn, this helps a little" she said softly as she just stood there hugging her friend and sniffling a little, trying to calm herself down , wiping her tears on Quinn's shoulder and trying to breathe slowly "at least you're back...I need to try look on the positive side, we should go watch a movie or something when we can" she said as she gave Quinn a little smile like to say 'I really missed you buddy'.

"I thought I would find you in here, Nina. Kris told me- whoa!" Pix had overheard Nina's voice from outside in the corridors. Upon entering the common room kitchen though he pulled up short. Two girls hugging was usually a good sign. It led to many happy results. But considering Nina's recent loss, Pix judged it in very poor taste to try his luck at vulgar humour. It'd take a ghoul to laugh at the passing of another, "Quinn! What did you do? Hugging?! Not a day back and you've already undone all my hard work." Great, two akward conversations for the price of one.

Nina glared at Pix when he entered the room, once Quinn backed away from her, she flicked Pix hard, right in the forehead "that's for being insensitive" she said simply before Quinn said she would have to hold off on a movie "that's okay, take as long as you need" she said smiling "I'm sure we can decide on something good to watch once you're back in Tib's good books" she said before she breathed softly and put her hands into the pockets of her jeans casually, staring at her two team mates, her ears twitching cutely.

And then in stepped Ethan, a soda in one hand and a towel slung across his neck with that trademark cigarette tucked behind one ear. He was wearing a tanktop and shorts, obviously the young man had been exercising which made sense in the context that even if he was gifted with amazing powers and physical constitution, it still felt good to run and jump and well, stay in shape. Of course he noticed pix and Nina first, and Pix, well, Ethan had a sort of begrudging acceptance of him. "Hey Nina.....Pix." He looked at the little moron with narrowed eyes, a small bead of sweat on his forehead as he took a swig of the clear colored softdrink and let out a satisfied gasp. Before heading for the fridge itself with the intent to dine on something sugary.

"What's going on in h-" That's when he noticed Quinn, stopping in his tracks as a blink was all that registered on his face before he moved up to the fridge and...pilfered pix's slice of cake. It was the little things like this, that made having pix around so bearable. "So, what's giggles mcgee doing back from the dead?" ever the master of tact and grace, Ethan went for the blunt handed approach as he bit into the chocolate confectionery and eyeballed the cheerful mass-murdering thief. Really, those two words could not be more of an oxymoron as he mused on it, then took another bite of cake. "Anyways, shouldn't she be, ya know, six feet under or something? Not standing here in the flesh and, you know, not stealing pix's snacks?"

If only six feet under had been an option. Quinn would've taken that over the weeks that she spent wasting away in the Pits. Ethan will surely feel the same way if that is an experience he is to ever have one day. By now Quinn had finished her snack of a few sliced carrots, throwing the bag with minimal reserves towards Pix - Ethan did say they were Pix's snacks. "Ethan". That's right, yo. She knows ya' name dawg. Courtesy of dossiers and being brought up to speed with a few things thanks to Tiberius of course. Nope, she hadn't been trying to steal his identity. Why would she? Seems like a loser.

"I suppose I should offer you lot some clarity. Tiberius, he didn't lie to you... I did die". She did, just not in the circumstances any would believe. It wasn't in combat, or even on a mission. More of a training exercise, a test, an experiment with a big risk. To see whether Quinn had inherited the same set of skills to survive as her mother. Judging by the fact that she is now stood in the HIVE base, very much alive. It's fair to assume that she passed with flying colors. "As you can see, though. I'm very much alive, and back here due to Tiberius' orders". Anyone going to argue with the Big Cheese? I don't think so. "But if you think I should be six feet under, Ethan. I welcome you to try to put me there". Quinn said, and for the first time looked towards Ethan. She had been aware of Ethan eyeballing her, so met his gaze with an ice cold glare of her own.