Private Finished accidental meetings

His hunch was right. Hal sighed, "You're not just an experiment, Caspian," Hal spoke quietly. Her words struck him, as usual as when everyone did the same. Saying they were born for something and that they couldn't change the fact. Hal hated that. But he couldn't hate her like this. She was hurting as someone who was trapped in a fate they didn't want.

Just after he said those words did he finally hear another unwelcome sound. Really? Edward didn't go down completely. Figures. If he was another experiment, he was bound to have some immunities. Hal's reaction had been slow, having been distracted by speaking to Caspian but when he turned his head back to the intruder, he was already ready to charge at them if it wasn't for Caspian's quick reaction.

And again, she caved in, tears falling from her eyes. Hal's heart went out to her, a tinge of sympathy as she wept. He knelt down next to her; Hal reached out, lifting her chin up gently as he could, the lingering static almost just a slight tingle to her skin by now. His eyes were soft as he met her gaze.

"Hey, don't say that. You're not a monster. You don't have to be one. You're a person with your own feelings, your own insecurities, and your own likes; that's not what experiments do. You're a person like everyone else," he told her quietly. "You didn't want what you did before and I can tell you regret it; you don't have to keep doing it. You can move on from that; you don't have to die for what you were forced to do." Hal gave her an encouraging smile.

Hal hadn't expected her to suddenly get too close but he managed not to fall back; at least since he'd actually almost froze up with the shock of it. It was probably because his friends hadn't really been the affectionate ones, he thought. Though hearing her words in between her sobs, Hal figured he said the right thing. For that moment, let her cry in his arms as he wrapped her in a hug.

He would have almost laughed at Edward when he heard him getting cut off-- though he didn't get to see it, he could imagine what Caspian had probably done. He didn't sound injured but he must be in a very uncomfortable place. The guy was lucky that was the only thing done to him. If Hal wasn't trying to comfort the girl in his arms, he'd have walked to him and did exactly what he said to Caspian just earlier.

"You'll be okay," he whispered to her. He'll wait for her to calm down, before he decided they should be heading back to the school.

"It's alright," Hal replied quietly, his voice seeming a little more somber than earlier on. Still he didn't seem to be any more different other than his mood shifting into a sort of quiet. His reaction to Caspian hiding back behind him was glancing towards Edward, equally throwing a glare at his direction. This time he didn't falter, eyes just as threatening as his words from before, for a moment electric blue seemingly turning lighter.

He said nothing though and turned his attention back to Caspian, "We could probably head back to school now," he suggested as he tried pulling the both of them to stand. He was sure the school would need to hear about this too. And might have to admit fighting back and possibly injuring other students. Oops.

It almost didn't occur to him that they'd been moved from their initial spot, leaving most of her things in the mix of the metals that erupted from the ground. He left his own bag near to the lake, not having taken it off until he made his approach to the five intruders. "So about your things though..."

Hal hissed under his breath; as much as those things were easy to replace on his part, there was always the thought of losing books to unforseen accidents. This one included. "Shouldn't be too much of a problem," he said confidently.

"And just ignore him, he has nothing better to do with his life," he added, making sure his voice was loud enough to be heard by the other guy. Seriously though, what was his problem? He was doing a good job getting on Hal's nerves for one thing but he wouldn't let it consume him as he hadn't let his emotions reign over him since he recovered from his depression.

Regardless of the look Edward was giving him, Hal continued, "So you know, nothing better to do than to pick on little people? That's pretty basic if you ask me." If the guy gets mad, it only proved he was right, Hal thought to himself.

Hal didn't turn around, mostly because he was watching for Caspian who still seem too agitated about the whole thing. The psychic mildly wondered how he'd ended up in the midde but that was already a thought abandoned. He was pissed off, really and he was very hard to ignore with everything he was doing.

A tired sigh passed him as he went to pick up his school bag next to them. "We can leave now," he said without much feeling into it leading Caspian with him after she gathered what was left of her things. He didn't spare Edward another glance or his friends who were now lying unconscious, even when they passed them all, being already done with his piece. He had a bad feeling this guy would remember him after this little encounter.