While Dennis and his crew were rounding up the supplies and going over the logistics for tonight's performance, Matt texted me asking if I had a few minutes to join him in the coffee shop.

This time I had the presence of mind to dress more modestly, and only received the usual amount of head turns as I made my way to the coffee shop.

I saw Matt at a far table, looking somewhat haggard. As I made my way over, I was approached by a handful of shop patrons. My Katherine glare repelled them like a stun-stick and quickly dissuaded others from trying. I usually felt somewhat guilty using this Katherine power, but today I just wanted to be left alone and wielded it mercilessly. A disturbing notion flashed through my mind. Was I becoming as jaded and misanthropic as the real Katherine? And was that an unavoidable consequence of the job?

I filed that thought away. It would need to be addressed. But right now I needed to talk with Matt, who was not looking so well.

“Hi!” I forced a breezy smile, which quickly melted to my genuine concerned face. “How did you sleep?”

Matt snorted and regarded me... searching my expression for something. I just clamped on that impassive, unperturbed Katherine face and hoped nothing slipped through. Apparently it worked because Matt seemed to give up examining me and cast his eyes back into his coffee cup.

“Kinda rough.” He said with a sardonic smile. “And you?”

“How's Nancy? Have you talked with her?” I hadn't intended to avoid his question, but I felt this was more important.

“She's pretty rattled. I think you shook her out of her rabbit hole.” He looked into space and I could see the wheels turning as he formulated his next statement. I waited patiently, knowing he was not finished. Finally, after a few seconds that felt far, far longer, his face quirked into an expression that displayed a jumble of feelings that ended up coming out like dark mirth. “You didn't just shake her out, you kind of threw a stick of dynamite down that rabbit hole.” He shook his head at the thought. “We talked a LOT. The only way I could get away from her was to tell her I needed to check on YOU.” He grinned. “She wanted to come along, but I told her one on one works best.... the way I talked with her.” He grinned sadly. “She couldn't refute my logic. Anyway, I think she needs some time alone to reflect on the things we talked about.”

“So she'll be OK?”

Matt saw my genuine concern. I thought Nancy tagging along on the photo shoot would be at most a minor annoyance. I thought I might give her a little shake now and then to jar her slightly out of her own tangled head. Using Matt's metaphor, maybe I'd throw a pebble or two down her rabbit hole to loosen her grip. I had never intended to traumatize the poor girl, and guilt over that was just one of the many things that was haunting me.

Matt flashed a rueful smile. “Well, the good news is the charging rhino you unleashed seem to have completely scattered all the little mice scampering through her mind.... and maybe one big thing is easier to deal with than countless little things.” He furrowed his brow. “Remember, I'm just the first year student.... SHE's the grad student.”

“AND cautionary tale.” I held my finger up with a gentle smile.

Matt returned my smile and nodded. “Yeah... Well, having said that.... I'm in no position to say, but my feeling is that she's been so badly shaken, she's finally ready to work all this stuff out with someone who IS fully qualified to help her. So, despite the WAY she got there, I think she's in a place where she will finally seek proper help.”

The relief swept over me like a wave, and I could tell by Matt's smile, it showed.

“And you're going to be OK?” I asked gently.

He nodded. “It'll be a process, but remember, this is the field I wanted.... I'm kind of familiar with a lot of trauma stories, most far more grizzly and ghastly than this.... so it lends some perspective. Although the ….visceral.... nature of actually living through something relatively minor is still far, far more ….powerful.... than witnessing a third party account of something far worse.”

“So the fender bender where you broke your nose from the airbag is more intense than watching a horrific plane crash on the news?” I ventured.

Matt nodded. “Yeah. It's a lesser assault, but on all the senses. It digs deep into your memories.”

I nodded. Then Matt slowly formed a sly grin.

“Which brings me back to the question you ducked. How did you sleep?”

I shrugged. “Not great. My mind wouldn't calm. I kept going over the day, trying to figure how I could have done things differently... from not playing with that tail, to not forcing you into that kayak for the water shoot.... to just saying no to the whole silly shoot in the first place.....”

“None of those would have been sensible choices without knowing how the day would end.” Matt said matter of factly.

I nodded. “Still, I couldn't stop thinking about it. And when fatigue finally did get me, I know I was churning it over in my dreams.” This was getting too sullen. I forced a grin. “So yeah. Not the best night's sleep. But I think it was necessary, and helped me process everything. I'll be fine.” I declared airily.

Matt just shot me a look.

“I'll be ….OK.” I smiled. Genuinely, this time.

Matt nodded. He seemed to believe me. And if HE believed my words, maybe I could start believing them too.

“So you'll sleep well tonight?” He smiled.

I shook my head, surprising him. “No time. Have a command performance for the corporate suits. Apparently this Spartacus nonsense has blown up and we're all being wrangled for a mandatory Luau.”

Matt shook his head, grinning. “Now who do you have to blame for THAT?”

I shrugged. “So, it's paste-on-the-permasmile, polish the razzle, amp up the dazzle, and put the WOW in Luau.” I said with over the top fake enthusiasm.

Matt laughed. “A starlet's work is never done, it seems.”

I put on a melodramatic pout and whined in my best Barbie voice “Fame is HARD!”

That actually made Matt laugh so loudly all heads in the coffeeshop turned in our direction. He squeezed my hand and gave me the warmest gaze. “Yeah. You'll be fine.”

He then pushed his chair back and hoist himself into his crutches “Nancy, may still need someone to help her find her way out of the woods, so I ought to go.”

“If they don't sell breadcrumbs in the giftshop, drop my name to room service, they're used to my requests.” I smiled.

“GoodBYE Katherine.” Matt chuckled. “Have fun at your Luau.”

I smiled and nodded as he left. If things went as planned, I would indeed.