[It is the first time in years since Karen last raised her tone by that many octaves, and even then it barely qualifies as a yell. The words come from behind gritted teeth, and her hands are, once again, balling into fists, closed so tightly that it wouldn't be surprising to find red marks on her palms later; to those who knew her well - and Will certainly did - it was clear she was trying oh so hard to cling to that last bit of cool composure she normally presented herself in, but it was growing steadily harder not to give in to a whim and--
--no, absolutely not. There had to be an alternative, anything that wouldn't lead her to the one outcome she was striving to avoid. And what follows next will have to work.]
Now, you listen to me. [She closes the gap between them at last, grabbing the psychic by his collar with the kind of physical prowess to make even Bruno proud - it was enough to lift Will to a semi-seated position, Karen herself using one knee on the mattress for support.] I don't care if your body shuts down, or about how pathetic you sound. I don't even care if you forget my name. Because that is the one part of this whole ordeal you can't change by yourself.
[By this point, she has abandoned all pretenses of speaking on behalf of their colleagues; this was all very much Karen.]
But if you leave behind the people who care for you before it's time, if you willingly abandon the people who have contributed to your so-called sentimental garbage and will still remember you every single day of their lives, all for the sake of your selfish reasons? That will be all your doing, and your doing alone. That, I will not forgive.
[And perhaps she wouldn't forgive herself for that burning sensation in her eyes, either. Ah, so much for fighting the tears.]
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[It is the first time in years since Karen last raised her tone by that many octaves, and even then it barely qualifies as a yell. The words come from behind gritted teeth, and her hands are, once again, balling into fists, closed so tightly that it wouldn't be surprising to find red marks on her palms later; to those who knew her well - and Will certainly did - it was clear she was trying oh so hard to cling to that last bit of cool composure she normally presented herself in, but it was growing steadily harder not to give in to a whim and--
--no, absolutely not. There had to be an alternative, anything that wouldn't lead her to the one outcome she was striving to avoid. And what follows next will have to work.]
Now, you listen to me. [She closes the gap between them at last, grabbing the psychic by his collar with the kind of physical prowess to make even Bruno proud - it was enough to lift Will to a semi-seated position, Karen herself using one knee on the mattress for support.] I don't care if your body shuts down, or about how pathetic you sound. I don't even care if you forget my name. Because that is the one part of this whole ordeal you can't change by yourself.
[By this point, she has abandoned all pretenses of speaking on behalf of their colleagues; this was all very much Karen.]
But if you leave behind the people who care for you before it's time, if you willingly abandon the people who have contributed to your so-called sentimental garbage and will still remember you every single day of their lives, all for the sake of your selfish reasons? That will be all your doing, and your doing alone. That, I will not forgive.
[And perhaps she wouldn't forgive herself for that burning sensation in her eyes, either. Ah, so much for fighting the tears.]