Rue: Prelude to Discord - Part 1

Life, Organisation Association

With one day to prepare themself for their journey into Hell, Rue wastes no time in visiting with some of The B-Team's strongest allies to call in some favours, but with self-doubt encroaching from every angle, will they be able to hold themself together long enough to see the mission through?

If it wasn't for the videos on social media and the images splattered across the front of every newspaper, it would seem as if the city had forgotten the red, stormy skies from the night before  . Instead, the sun shines brightly, a gentle breeze bringing just a hint of comfort to the early morning commuters. Indeed it appears that most people in Bathala have grown accustomed to the bizarre events that occur here every other day, the battles between heroes and villains nothing more than a blip on their story feed.   Rue walks through the still relatively quiet streets, running through the day's schedule in their head. They make a quick stop to purchase a hot chocolate, the sugary drink going down a treat despite the rising late-summer heat.   By the time they reach Vigilant Tower, employees are gradually filtering through the doors, scanning their badges and filing into the lifts. Rue uses their hero ID to gain access to the building, joining a couple of people as they wait for the next lift to take them up to their respective floors.   Rue steps off on the 32nd floor, entering the laboratory and scanning the room for Cryogen. The place has been opened up a little since last they were there, with The Starshine Device having been embedded into the walls and a lot of the clutter having been cleared away to make room for further experiments.   When they see her, the Vigil hero is standing, taking readings off her wrist computer as a familiar set of rings float around the open space overhead.   "Alright, Sara. Now, hold them steady," she says, speaking down to another person sat seemingly meditating cross-legged on the floor before her, "And now... Open."   With that, the rings spin into life, expanding as Rue had seen  them do while under the control of Cryonic, before opening a portal between them, allowing Cryogen to peer through, seeing Rue approaching from behind, her brow furrowing in confusion, "Oh, Rue? What are you doing here?"   Rue, for their part, looks equally perplexed, observing the portal rings with a level of curiosity. “Okay, that’s pretty cool,” They comment, pointing at the technology and acknowledging Sara with a friendly (albeit somewhat puzzled) nod in her direction, before drawing their attention back to the matter at hand, “I came to talk about the other portal we spoke  about.”   "Holy sh-!" Sara exclaims as she sees Rue, the portal rings deactivating and clattering to the floor as she loses her concentration. She sheepishly looks up at Cryogen, "Err... Sorry."   "It's okay..." Cryogen says, with uncharacteristic understanding as she stares at the technology she's just seen crash to the ground, "Just... ah. Rue, let's go through to the other lab."   She leads Rue towards the other part of the lab, and closes the door behind her, speaking in her usual flat affect as she begins to work on some devices on a table, "You're here about Zaebos and Harmony, right?"   “Uhh… Right…” Rue says distractedly, peering back at Sara, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt anything there, but you’re right. We banished Zaebos and Harmony back to the Hellscape last night  , and we’re going to have to move quickly now. We’re bringing in anyone who may be able to help…”   For a moment Rue trails off, a familiar knot twisting uncomfortably in their stomach, but they force themself to carry on, “We’re moving tomorrow  evening, and we’ll need your help with the time reversal.”   "Yes, Blue told the rest of the Vigil to be ready so, naturally, I've been waiting for this," she says as she finally retrieves a hand-held device from its housing and shows it to them.   "It's a variation of my timecrash grenades," she continues, turning a dial on the side of the device, "Now we know how far to rewind down to within 24-hours, I should be able to program it correctly. What we gain in precision though, we lose in strength, so you're going to need to weaken her first or she may be able to resist it."   “Yeah, we gathered as much…” Rue says with a sigh, smiling humourlessly, “what’s one more ass kicking, right?”   Straightening their posture, looking more determined than before, they continue, “I appreciate your help. We all do. I was wondering- about Blue’s heads-up to the Vigil… Did that go out to all of you?”   "It's my job," she says, flatly shrugging as she speaks, "I'll be there tomorrow to provide tech support as needed. And, no. It was decided that Rachel and Jeremy were to be left out of this one. Blue thinks they've got enough on their respective plates."   ''Glad we're in agreement on that,'' They say, nodding their approval, ''What about Blaze? I know she's been through a lot, so I'd understand if she doesn't want to get close to this... But I'd also get it if she'd feel better with the opportunity to get a little payback.''   Cryogen cracks an uncharacteristic smile at the mention of her sister, "Blaze has been quite... animated about the whole thing. Last I checked, she was saying something about 'shoving her hammer where the Hellfire doesn't shine'. So you can probably count her in, too."   ''That's... Can she at least wait until we separate Zaebos from Harmony?'' Rue chuckles, glancing back over at Sara, ''I didn't expect to see her here - working on the portal rings together?''   "I'll pass on the request, but no guarantees," she says, shrugging before following Rue's eyes towards Sara, "Yeah, Blue asked if I could use someone to help out around here, and a technopath can be extremely useful when working with supertech from another dimension, even if she is a little... distracted at times."   ''Can you blame her?'' Rue shrugs, ''She's been through Hell  ... No pun intended.''   "Well, I don't really know about that," she says, shrugging, "I haven't really asked, but from what she's mentioned, it was more like an extended coma. She did mention that she wanted to meet you and your teammates though, if that's something you're interested in."   ''Huh, really?'' They ask, raising an eyebrow, ''I mean, sure. I haven't got much time today, but I'm sure I could spare a couple of minutes.''   "Alright," she says, quickly moving on, "In the meantime, I'll prepare some equipment and in the morning Blaze and I will head out. Where is all this taking place?"   ''At the power plant,'' They say, ''We've got some people there now doing damage control after last night whilst we prepare to open up the portal.''   "Okay," Cryogen says, nodding over to a familiar Cylinder, "I'll bring the fabricator and a few other things and see you there tomorrow."   ''Great, thanks,'' They say with a small smile, ''Do you mind if I...'' Rue trails off, pointing towards the woman picking up the transporter technology, ''I'll just be a minute, after that I'll leave you two to it without any distractions.''   "Oh, yes. Not a problem," Cryogen responds dismissively as she begins to head back to the main lab, "She's here voluntarily and I need to go set up for the next test anyway."   ''Thanks, Cryogen,'' They answer, walking in Sara's direction, ''Hey,'' Rue starts politely, pointing at the rings on the ground, ''Need a hand with those?''   "Hey," Sara responds, smiling at them as she waves her hand over the rings. "No, I think I've got this," she continues as the rings begin to slowly move, rising into the air and placing themselves neatly back on one of the laboratory tables, "There. All fixed. Now, you're Rue, right? One of the core members of the B-Team?"   “Nicely done,” They say with a nod of approval, “Yeah, I’m Rue. I suppose this is technically our first time meeting, so uhh…” After a moment of hesitation, they extend their hand for Sara to shake, “Nice to meet you. How have you been these past few weeks?”   Sara takes the proffered hand and clasps it warmly between both of hers, "It's so nice to finally meet one of you guys in person. I've been keeping an eye out whenever I'm around the tower, but you're the first," she says, eventually letting Rue go and straightening up, "It's been a... crazy few weeks, like waking up in a whole new reality. I've really not got a grip on everything yet, but Alec has been helping me get situated, and doing things like this has helped," she continues, motioning to the rings, "Listen, can I buy you lunch? I really want to get to know the people who saved me."   “I can imagine that must be very difficult,” Rue says sympathetically, “As for lunch… Could we do that another day? It’s not that I don’t want to, but I’ve got a lot to take care of today, so I wouldn’t be able to give you the time you deserve.”   Pursing their lips in thought, they retrieve their notebook from their pocket, opening it to a blank page, “I can give you my number and we can plan something, if you’d like?”   "Oh, okay then," Sara responds, a little disheartened but still optimistic, "No, I get it. Big superhero stuff going on. We can do it whenever. It's not like I've got much going on at the moment anyway," she chuckles in a self-deprecating manner, "I'll take that number then."   “I’m really sorry,” Rue says with a grimace, writing down their number and handing it over, “I promise we’ll arrange something soon, it’s just…” They hesitate momentarily, taking a breath, “Well, it is sort of an all hands on deck situation. Would you- you don’t have to, of course, you’re still adjusting to your own situation… But we could really use all the help we can get.”   Sara furrows her brow momentarily, "Oh, wow. Superhero stuff?" She says, her mind clearly racing, "I don't..." she stutters, "What's happening?"   “We’re, umm, well, we’re hoping to rescue one of our own...” They explain, nervously scratching their temple, “…and defeat an Archdemon in the process. My point is,” Rue quickly carries on, “I’d get it if you won’t, but perhaps we could get you to help with the comms. You know, considering the, umm…” They wiggle their fingers at the tech on the table, trying to get their point across.   "Wow, you guys do a lot of rescues," she remarks, her brows raised, "I mean, yeah. Of course I'll help you. It's the least I can do. I'm sure I can find something to help with," she thinks for a moment, "I suppose Cryogen is in on this too?"   ''Part of the job, I suppose,'' Rue chuckles mirthlessly, ''Big part, actually. But yeah, Cryogen is helping us, too,'' They frown at Sara inquisitively, ''You got something in mind?''   "I mean, not really," she says, giving another thoughtful look before shrugging, "But if there's anyone who'd know how to make use of a technopath, it'd be her."   ''Or The Cyberwitch, perhaps?'' Rue asks with a bemused smile, ''I'm sure she could use your help with... Something... Sorry, I'm not very good at the technology stuff.''   "The... who?" She says, furrowing her brow, "Sorry, I'm still getting caught up. There's so many superheroes now."   ''Yeah, no kidding,'' They huff, ''There's a group we've been working with; The Trinity. They're less of a hero group and more... hunters of the supernatural? One of their members is a woman who goes by the name of Cyberwitch. I don't know how much the two of you have in common, if there's anything at all... But you may be able to help her in some capacity.''   "Ooh, supernatural, you say?" She beams, her interest clearly piqued, "Well, I'll be sure to do what I can, even if that's just to fetch the tea. Just text me the time and place. You should already have a message from me on your phone."   Rue frowns, taking their phone from their pocket and seeing an unread message notification, ''Okay, that's pretty damn cool,'' They laugh, ''I'll send you the time and place, and perhaps we can schedule in that lunch after?''   "Well, you could say it's my party trick now superhumans are out in the open," she shrugs, "But yeah, that sounds good to me. I'd better let you get going for now, though. Eh?"   “Pretty handy party trick,” Rue says truthfully, “Sorry, I do have a lot left to take care of before tomorrow.”   "Alright, Rue," she says, smiling with a nod as she prepares to continue working with the rings, "It was nice to finally meet you properly. Good luck with the rest of your preparations."   “Nice to meet you too, Sara,” They say, “I’ll, uhh, see you tomorrow, I guess. I’ll send you the time and place.”   She gets back to work as Rue makes their way out of the laboratory and back into the lift. Leaving the laboratory, Rue is about to press the button for the ground floor when they pause, thinking for a moment and then pulling their phone from their pocket.   They smile politely when another employee enters the lift, the employee looking at them curiously as he realises that none of the buttons for the floors had been pressed, but Rue gives him a casual shrug as if to say “I’m exactly where I need to be right now.”. The employee, though clearly still baffled, presses the button for the floor he needs, keeping his distance in the limited space.   Returning their attention to their phone screen, Rue sends a quick text to Blue: “You at the tower today?”   "Hey, Rue," the reply comes a few moments later, "I'm up on the roof if you need something. Had to get out of those offices."   Satisfied to have a direction to go in, Rue steps forward and presses the button for the top floor, waiting patiently for the lift to bring them up. From there, they walk through the hallway towards the staircase that leads to the rooftop access, getting to the metal door at the top and pushing it open. Though the wind is much stronger this high up, the weather is actually rather pleasant, the view over the city as impressive as the first time they were up there.   “The day is just starting and you’re already sick of the office?” Rue teases as they approach the hero, “I know paperwork is a bitch, but that has to be a new record.”   Alec looks over at them fondly, his blue hair waving in the wind as he leans against the safety railing, "I'll have you know that, when it comes to getting sick of paperwork, I'm quicker than Transonic," he sighs as he looks over the city, the morning sun casting a beautiful light over the stark white of the buildings and the greenery hanging over the streets, "I like to come up here sometimes and think about how things used to be. Uncertain and exciting, I wasn't kidding when I told you that  heroes tend to be the obsessive type. God, I miss it. Being cooped up in an office all day is nothing compared to soaring through the air, ducking between buildings and making a nuisance of yourself."   “Ahh, you’re feeling restless.” They move forward to lean against the same safety railing, taking a beat to listen to the hustle and bustle of a still waking city.   “Well, in that case, I’ve come bearing gifts,” Rue says, their tone not nearly as cheerful as their words would suggest, “How about a little break from paperwork to help us get Harmony back?”   "Yeah, I thought I'd hear from you after the sky went red," he says, turning towards them, "Zero hasn't filed his report yet, but I assume that was her?"   ''Yeah, that was her...'' Rue sighs wearily, ''We banished her back to the Hellscape and are getting ready to go down there and end this once and for all.''   "Well, my promise still stands," he continues, "The entire might of the Vigil is behind you. What do you need?"   ''We need all the help we can get,'' They say, meeting Alec's gaze, ''I could really use your networking and coordination skills. I'm calling in all the favours I can, but we can't just send every person we know into that Hellscape... I don't think any of us want it on our conscience if anything happens in Bathala whilst we're away, so we're going to need to decide who we can bring with us and who should stay and keep the people here safe.''   "Hmm... Alright then," he says after a moment's thought, "I'll liaise with L of Century and the BCPD to get some on-hand equipment ready at the location, and I'll mobilise The Vanguard to keep an eye on the city in our stead. Bo has been itching for a chance to get back in the field. I'll also call up the rest of the Vigil and see who we can bring in," he says, "Have you told Rachel yet?"   Rue visibly winces at the mention of Rachel, looking down in shame, ''Actually, I'd prefer it if we could keep Rach out of this...'' They admit sheepishly, ''You know what she's like, she won't back down from a fight even now, and I can't let her endanger herself like that.''   Alec sighs, his eyes furrowing in sympathy, "We've known each other a while now, Rue, and I know how much you care. But are you sure that's the right choice? You and I both know how hurt Rachel will be once she finds out the truth."   ''I know she'll be hurt, but-'' They let out a shuddery breath, pinching the bridge of their nose, ''It's going to hurt her either way, and I can't fight her on this right now. She can kick my ass after, and I'll do anything I can to earn her forgiveness, but I can't have that conversation right before going into Hell.''   "Alright, Rue. I understand. If you need some help breaking it to her, then... Well, my bones are less breakable," he gives a slight chuckle as he thinks about Rachel's fiery temper, "In the meantime, we'll gather what resources we can and meet you outside the power plant. Do you need anything else?"   “I left her a letter to explain- well, maybe not everything, but enough for now.” Rue elaborates, “And whatever happens afterwards is my mess to deal with.”   They pause and look at Alec, raising an accusatory eyebrow, “I never mentioned that we were going to reconvene at the power plant.”   "I'm one of the City's highest-ranking law enforcement officials," he says, his voice humble yet proud, "I hear things."   “Once a detective…” Rue rolls their eyes, but there’s a small upturn to the corners of their mouth, “Thanks, Alec.”   "No need to thank me, Rue," he says, smiling at them with the warmth of an old friend, "I'm just waiting for the happy ending here, so I can say I told you so."   “Yeah, well, there’s still a bunch of messes to clean up after this,” They say, exhaustion momentarily evident on their face, “I just hope that there’s a happy ending here for some… We owe them that much.”   "That's the thing about this superhero life, Rue," he replies, trying to sound sage and dramatic, "No matter how much we do, there are always a bunch of messes to clean up."   “Yeah, I can see that,” Rue snorts, running a hand through their hair to keep the wind from blowing it into their eyes, “I, uhh, I spoke to your sister about maybe getting a bit of support… You know, so I don’t get buried underneath the messes.”   "Really?" he says, raising an eyebrow, "Rue, that's great! Indigo's an excellent psychologist. What made you finally take the plunge?"   “Well, I didn’t actually go to her to get help at first,” They admit sheepishly, “I actually went there to speak with her about what happened with her and Quade…”   With recent events chipping away at their already limited resilience for the subject, simply saying his name out loud has a visible effect on Rue, a faint tremor building throughout their body. Fear spikes up sharply, and they need a short break to just breathe and keep their emotions under control.   “S-she offered her services - said that since she knows some of what I went through, she may be able to help…” They chuckle sardonically, the sound coming out more like a panicked huff, “I could definitely use some help.”   "Do you need some time off, Rue?" Alec asks, his brow furrowed in concern, "I've noticed that your team doesn't seem to take a lot of holiday time as it is, but I can always have your spot covered for a little while should you need it."   “I…” They start, their same old dismissive answer of ‘I’m fine’ getting caught in their throat, “Maybe, yeah, when this is all over. I’m not too sure about these holidays people keep suggesting, but some time to catch up on some sleep and get my ducks in a row might not be the worst idea…”   "That sounds like a pretty sound idea, Rue," Alec continues, smiling through sympathetic eyes, "Just take some time for yourself and get your head in the right place. This job can be tough on anyone, and you guys have been through a huge amount over the last few months," he thinks for a moment, considering whether to keep talking before continuing, "We've been thinking of expanding the B-Team's roster a little, anyway. Maybe keep some heroes on retainer to allow you guys to take some actual time off and not be on-call 24/7."   “A B-Team for the B-Team,” Rue snorts, running a hand over their face, “Not even half a year in we already need backup - we really fucked things up, didn’t we?”   Alec chuckles at their reliable cynicism, "It's not like that, Rue," he says, rolling his eyes, "We just didn't expect the level of supervillain activity in the city to skyrocket with the announcement of the change like it has. There's a lot of people out there who think that with the Vigil on hiatus, they can just swoop in and take what they want. A lot of people around here are very pleased with how wrong you guys are showing them they are."   Rue meets Alec’s eyes with a doubtful expression, but there’s a level of gratitude mixed in at the reassurance he offers them, “I definitely didn’t expect half the stuff that’s happened since I signed up for this,” They say softly, “I’m pretty sure my contract mentioned nothing about alternate universes, or Hellscapes, for that matter.”   "I think that comes under the 'Other activities of a superheroic nature' part," he replies, "But hey, if you want to quit..."   “I don’t know, I was thinking about using it to negotiate a pay rise,” They quip with a playful glint in their eyes, “Or at least get a couple extra paid days off.”   "To add to the pile of days off you haven't used?" Alec says, returning their jab with a smile.   “I’ll use them for the various holidays people are telling me to go on,” They shrug, starting to count them on their fingers, “Some time to get my head on straight, Rani's surprise holiday plans, Warp's trip to Ireland…”   "Damn. Looks like you'll be needing a tour bus."   “Didn’t think you could get a bus to Ireland,” Rue retorts, “Figured I may need a plane or a boat instead.”   "Never heard of a ferry?" Alec remarks, "Now, before this becomes a whole back-and-forth, I'd better get on the phone to the Centurion and get organised for tomorrow. Was there anything else you needed, Rue?"   Rue chuckles, pushing away from the railing to stand upright. They consider the question, “Actually, yeah,” They say, “A couple of things, if you don’t mind?”   "Oh, right?" He says, nodding for them to follow him back inside, "Well, do go on. I'm all ears."   “If you’re coordinating with Century Group, could you check up on something for me, please?” Rue asks as they follow him towards the rooftop door. They swallow past the nervous lump forming in their throat, suppressing the whirlwind of emotions that threatens to bubble to the surface, “There’s a kid who’s currently in their custody… Could you please check to make sure she’s well taken care of?”   "A kid?" Alec remarks, stopped in his tracks, "Didnt realise you were the friend to the children type. Though, after Rani, I probably shouldn't be surprised."   “She’s…” They start, their next words barely audible over the wind, “She’s Quade’s daughter.”   "That psychopath had a kid?" Alec replies, becoming more bewildered with every response, "Christ. How'd you come across her?"   “We found her  in The Railyard, pretending to be you,” Rue elaborates, visibly uncomfortable, “She’s got a bunch of different powers…”   "Oh," he says as he continues the walk back into the building, opening the door for them, "So, he's finally figured out how to transfer powers without you. I guess we always knew he'd get there eventually."   Rue stops in their tracks, biting the inside of their cheek as they struggle to remain in control. Their chest feels tight, like someone is pressing the air out of their lungs, and the tremor from before comes back with a vengeance. There’s a ringing in their ears as they clench their jaw, mind and body unable to form the words they know to be true.   "Hey. Hey, Rue," Alec says, recognising a few of the familiar signs of their distress. His hand moving towards their shoulder, but flinching away before making contact, "Alright, Rue. Stay with me. Breathe. Can you look into my eyes?"   They greedily suck in a deep breath at Alec’s prompting, but they squeeze their eyes shut, one hand moving up to pull the collar of their hoodie away from their neck, the fabric feeling suffocating. Counting down from five throughout their shuddery exhale, they try to push everything back down, not quite ready to face this head on just yet, afraid that if they look at the cracks now, they just might fully break.   “I- Sorry…” They stammer, opening their eyes and offering Blue a weak smile that more closely resembles a grimace, “Sorry, I’m fine... Look, I- I should go. Just make sure she’s okay, please.”   They move past Alec and halfway down the stairs with a swiftness that speaks to their desperation to avoid the situation, only pausing and turning back around as they remember their other request, “Oh! Um- Amelia - maybe she could coordinate with the Vanguard?”   "I'll, uh..." Alec stammers as he watches them flee, "I'll see what I can do."   “Thanks,” They say quickly, “I- um. Yeah.”   Without so much as a goodbye, Rue bolts down the stairs, their body welcoming the escape for the nervous energy as they descend through the building. Their lungs are burning, legs wobbly as they carry on in favour of taking the lift, cursing under their breath when they miss a step a few floors down and barely manage to keep upright by clutching onto the railing.   They pause then, blood thrumming through their veins as they urge themself to get a grip. Breathe, they remind themself once again, Alec’s voice echoing through their mind.   “Keep it together,” They tell themself, gritting their teeth and willing their body to stop shaking, “I don’t have time for this… Just keep it together…”   For a moment, Rue is tempted to seek out Brainiac, to ask her for another brain boost, but they’re still a little afraid of the effect it might have on their ghostly entourage. Not to mention the possible lecture that would come with the boost.   After a few minutes, they instead pull out their phone, sending a text to Dr. Upton: “I need your help, can we talk?”   "Of course, Rue," comes the quick response, "I'm in the office right now, or do you need me to call you?"   Swallowing down the bile that rises in their throat at the prospect of visiting a hospital, Rue writes to Indigo with trembling fingers, “Any chance we could meet somewhere else?”   "I have a meeting in two hours, but perhaps if you can meet me nearby?"   “Nearby is fine.” They slowly carry on down the stairs as they hit send, typing out a second message as an afterthought, “Thank you. And sorry.”   Given the Hospital's location in the outskirts district, Rue quickly realises that there isn't really a glut of options as far as a meeting point goes, and the pair are eventually forced to meet on the side of the ring road around Bathala. The wind is picking up when they eventually manage to rocket blast their way to where Dr Upton can be found.   "Good to see you again, Rue," she says, opening up the back seat of her car, "Care to step into my office?"   Feeling a little less on edge than they did on the Tower’s rooftop, Rue silently slips into the car, not quite able to meet Indigo’s gaze.   They fidget with the hem of their hoodie once seated, and they can’t quite tell if their heart is racing from the exertion of rocket blasting through the city, or because of everything else.   “I uhh…” they clear their throat, leg bouncing anxiously, “I’m sorry about this.”   "It's fine, Rue," the Doctor says, "When I said I'm here for you when you need it, I meant it. Why don't you tell me what's going on? How have you been since we last spoke?"   “Oh, just peachy.” They say dryly, stopping themself from making any further sarcastic remarks.   They take a shaky breath, the scent of the car freshener filling their nostrils, their voice betraying some of the vulnerability they feel, “Sorry, I’ve not really done this before,” They dare a quick glance in Dr. Upton’s direction before looking back down, fingers picking at a loose thread, “Is, um, is this still confidential?” They ask hesitantly, “I know it’s not exactly an official setting, so I don’t know if that changes anything…”   "Of course, Rue," Indigo says in that usual reassuring if somewhat stuffy professional tone, "As long as I don't deem you a threat to yourself or others, then everything you say to me in confidence will remain between us."   Rue glances up again, longer, as though Indigo might go back on her word.   “You know how I said I was tired of running away?” They ask softly, not waiting for an answer, “I just ran. Left Alec on the Tower’s rooftop.” They have lost the thin thread that had kept their hands occupied, leaving them picking the dirt from underneath their fingernails, “I can’t afford to break down, not right now, so… I ran.”   "Well, that's alright," Indigo says, an uncharacteristic grin appearing on her lips as she tries to lighten their spirits, "I often want to run away from my brother too."   ''He does have that effect on people - mostly on criminals,'' Rue smirks faintly, ''but I wasn't really running from him. I mean, I was, but that's not, you know...''   "Did you have another panic attack?"   ''Yeah, I did...'' Rue admits uneasily, pursing their lips. ''I don't suppose there's something I could do right now that'll ensure it won't happen again? I can't exactly have a panic attack in Hell...''   "Well, unfortunately Rue," she says reluctantly, "I can't exactly prescribe you anything without a proper evaluation."   Rue nods their understanding, leaning forward and raking their hands through their hair. They heave a deep sigh, ''What would a proper evaluation entail?''   "Well, we'd have to do make you an official patient record and do a pretty in-depth series of interviews rather than these off-the-books chats we've been having," she begins, turning towards them in her seat as she speaks, "We'd also need to perform a physical exam and do some lab tests for any underlying physiological conditions. Only then can I make a formal diagnosis and begin to figure out a treatment plan that may or may not involve psychopharmacological intervention. It's not a quick process, but if you are struggling to function and think it may be affecting your ability to do your job, I'd highly recommend it."   Indigo can see them tensing up as she describes the process, and for a moment it looks like Rue might jump out of the car and run away once more, but they stay in place, jaw clenched as they focus on keeping their breathing calm.   ''That's... a lot,'' They stammer fearfully, a lump forming in their throat. They remain silent for a while, debating their options, and when they speak again, there's an almost childlike vulnerability there, ''I want to get better - I need to get better, but... I'm scared.''   "I know it is, Rue, and I know you are. It's a perfectly normal response for someone who's been through as much as you have," the Doctor says, her voice softening, "We won't rush you, and you'll have support available every step of the way. We just want to help you live your life the way you want to."   ''I know.'' Rue says meekly, letting out a dry chuckle, ''I'm less frightened about going back to Hell than I am about this.''   They lean back in the seat, allowing their head to fall back against the headrest as they close their eyes. They breathe in through their nose, deeply, then try to release some of the tension in their body as they exhale. They repeat this process for a minute, the tremor in their hands gradually fading.   ''So when could we start the process?''   "Whenever you want to, Rue," she replies, "There's no timetable here, and I won't pressure you into anything you're not ready for. You have the last word every step of the way."   “Well, I was talking to Alec about taking some time off to get my head on straight…” They mumble wearily, finally turning to look at Dr. Upton, “I don’t suppose you have any time available next week? To get started?”   "I'll clear a day in my schedule," Indigo says, smiling in a way that seems to genuinely crack her professional exterior.   “Thank you.” They say softly, not quite feeling relaxed, but feeling well enough encouraged to take another step forward, no matter how small.   "This is a great first step, Rue," she continues, "You should be proud of yourself."   “Proud isn’t the word I’d use,” Rue says not unkindly, smiling sadly, “Who knows, if things go south tomorrow, I may never have to deal with any of this…” At Indigo’s less-than-impressed look, they sheepishly add, “Just kidding…”   "Well, I'm glad to see your sense of humour hasn't been too badly affected," Indigo responds flatly, "But let's try to remain positive, hmm?"   “Yeah, okay,” Rue nods affirmatively, “got anything positive to share?”   "You're going to get your friend back, right?" Indigo says, "And, based on what I know about you, getting your own back on that demon is probably going to be quite cathartic for you."   “Oh yeah, that’ll be nice,” Rue says with a genuine chuckle, “Pretty sure that sentiment is shared amongst all of us.”   "Alright. Well, hold onto that for now, and when you get back we can find out the next thing."   “I’ll do that,” They say finally, their determination somewhat rekindled, “thanks.”   "Of course," she says, smiling as Rue prepares to leave the car, "You know where I am if you need anything else."   “Sure do,” Rue says with a small smile, stepping out of the vehicle, then turning around and leaning down to speak to Indigo through the door opening, “Guess I should probably meet you at your actual office next week?”   "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," the Doctor says as she exits the car and move back to the driver's side door, "You've got other things to think about for now."   “Alright,” They close the car door, “I’ll, uhh, see you next week, then, I suppose.”   "Good luck tomorrow, Rue. If you need to talk after you get back, I'm here," Indigo replies before entering the car and beginning to drive off, leaving Rue alone once more but feeling a little better about their current situation.