[ she's never considered them coming here. her concern was always going home, bringing something with her, like a... a rabid dog. her being the cause of something irreversible.

there's no reaction to his touch- no, there is, it's just slow. she has to pull herself together, she thinks, she can't be the one to fall apart. if she does, then who- ]

The car was flipped. Crushed. There were others. People. Cars. [ factual. she's giving him a report, even as her breath hitches. no, this shouldn't be so difficult. another deep breath. too deep. ] All the debris- it must have taken more time to find them. I could have found them. If I'd stayed.

[ she's breaking up, but she can't. if she does, then who...?

ah, she realizes. there's no one to keep it together for anymore. there's no one. ]

If I'd... w-worked ha-harder... I-I worked s-so h-hard to k-keep them safe...!