Hayley was lingering wearily in the process of recovery when Krystal started. She was only subconsciously aware that the woman had begun to speak and the words were inaudible and muted, due in large to the fact that she was nearly certain her heart had shifted during the run, and was now beating inside of her skull. A groan gurgled in Hayley's throat and she braced herself more steadily against the wall. There was too much to concentrate on all at once and she found even her basic motor skills would fail her if she did not remain keenly aware of each of them. It was embarrassing how weak she was, and how greatly that running had worn her out. Granted, she was well aware that her lazy lifestyle hadn't built her much endurance, and she'd known all along that the unhealthy amounts of coffee she consumed would come back to haunt her. Inevitable, yes, but humiliating nonetheless. Her breathing still came in deep, heavy gasps and she was trembling at the mere effort of staying upright. Were she not in such a state, she would have been embarrassed, flustered at her own instability, and perhaps have even tried to recover more quickly. But she was too far from coherent to care, and kept her position against the wall for a bit longer so as to avoid the reality that had befallen them.
It wasn't until Ashton spoke, prohibiting Krystal from leaving in search of Darren, that Hayley found herself able to muster strength enough to open her eyes. She did so slowly, and pushed off the wall to stand upright. Her gaze flicked across the room frantically and she took her own head count for assured visual confirmation. Krystal, Ashton, Priya, and Andrew were all there. None of the guards had managed to keep up with them, but neither had Aramis or Darren. Noting their absences personally worsened the paranoia, and when Krystal lunged for the door, Hayley pitied and sympathized with her. Her only stronghold in this place had disappeared, and the possibility that he'd fallen victim to the seething patrol men of this land haunted all their thoughts, predominantly Krystal's. They were obviously close friends, and though Hayley didn't think they were in a sort of romantic relationship, she'd discovered that it was sometimes harder to lose a best friend. Then again, they were all only assuming that he'd been injured. They had no evidence of such a thing, and he could have very well been safe with Aramis. Trying to convince Krystal of this was going to be the issue, for she seemed adamant that he'd been lost forever.
Inhibited hatred towards Ashton was obvious in the blond girl's every move. Her voice trembled as she struggled to overcome the venom in her tone, and she bordered on hysterics before collapsing completely in a single, swift instance. Before she could fall too far, Ashton caught the Krystal's tiny frame in his arms and held her up, attempting to console the girl while simultaneously refraining her from leaving. Hayley watched on with teary eyes, glancing between Ashton and Krystal to Priya and back again. Priya seemed like she'd know what to do in a situation like the one presented, and any attempt on Hayley's part would probably seem foolish to the wizard. Still, she felt as though she owed something to the others. Hitherto she'd been useless, a dead limb being dragged along by the older members of the group, dragging them from their full potential at thriving in this place until they could find a way home. The very least she could do was help soothe a sobbing girl until her friend could be recovered, particularly since Ashton was planning on leaving to find Darren. She didn't think it was a great idea--in fact, it would be nothing less than irrational of him to leave while they were already missing two others. But Ashton was a man, naturally stubborn and with something of a Messiah Complex to him, so questioning him would no doubt prove to be a waste of time and effort. She only hoped he'd recognize the faults in his plans before it was too late.
Before she could convince herself otherwise, Hayley blinked the tears from her eyes and approached Krystal, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, now." Her voice was soft, gentler and smoother than she'd thought possible of herself in such a scenario. "Darren will be fine. Any moment now, he'll walk through the door with Aramis, and you'll see. It'll be alright." She patted the girl's small back lightly, then glanced up at Ashton. By this time she was so far from her comfort zone that eye contact with him was easy--for the moment. She dared not speak her mind for fear of frightening Krystal even further, but instead cast a wary, warning look, begging him to stay in the safety of the small shop and to keep himself as far from danger as possible. If, God forbid, something had happened to Darren, they wouldn't survive without Ashton. He was the keystone to their survival, or at the very least, Krystal's.
featherbee Community Member 
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