The Lambert House, Planet Denver

[Manticore]

He reached down and patted her on the back, his face stoic while he worked through what she'd told him.

"You did the right thing, even though you didn't have to. That's the mark of a good person, Pita. You never belonged with the Rogues, and certainly not with Ruby. You're different than she is, remember that."

He sighed, letting go and stepping back. He looked her in the eye. "But I will never do anything like that to you, like you said. When you're here, you're here by your choice. You can always leave if you want to."

He smiled, trying to reassure her that things would be fine from now on.

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