JP - Being a Bitch to Everyone

“And you have a lot of people that care about you,” River reminded her. “We’re here for you and he won’t get near you or the kids.”

“He can be more clever than people realize. And…” Tzeitel drank a few gulps of the water, then set it down. “Last time he was brought back from the dead they made him stronger, enhanced his powers, gave him rapid healing- is he going to be stronger again?”

“I don’t have that kind of information, Tzeitel, but if so, we’re also stronger. We’ve grown and changed over the past five years. We may not be invincible, but we can work together to stop him.” River replied in a calm tone.

“I feel like throwing up again.” Tzeitel groaned, remembering who he hurt and how badly when he came back. She wanted to kill Loreen too for bringing him back, and was not entirely convinced that she had not done this herself.

River frowned with concern. "Do you want something for the nausea?" She asked.

Speaking of Loreen, she was stepping into the kitchen with that confused look on her face and gazed at the two women. "Can I…get something to drink?" She asked softly.

Tzeitel leapt to her feet, automatically smearing immunizing oil on River’s hand as she moved towards Loreen, touching her powers. “What the fuck is she doing wandering loose?”

“She’s not hurting anyone, Tzeitel.” River interjected as she got up. “Miss, you shouldn’t be up and about with that injury you have.” Going over to the confused Loreen, she reached toward her, only for the amnesiac to flinch away as if afraid to be hit.

Falling to the floor and cringing in pain, she moved away from both women, staring at them in confusion.

“This is how she’s been since I brought her into the cabin,” River explained. “She scared of being touched and can’t remember anything, not even her name. We’ve told her she’s named Loreen, but she doesn’t recall ever having it. Something has happened to her…we won’t know the full details until the others get here.

Going over to Loreen, River crouched down and spoke in a soothing voice. “It’s okay, we’re not going to hurt you. Lets get you back to bed, okay?”

Loreen glanced at Tzeitel in fear but nodded.

Tzeitel watched Loreen like a hawk. "Lock her fucking door. I don't want Dr Frankenbitcher near Ami."

River only glanced at Tzeitel as she helped Loreen back to her room. “I’ll bring you some water, okay?” She said softly and let her go back into the room. Thankfully, there was an extra bathroom attached to the room, so they had no worries about her needing that.

Returning to the kitchen, River set her hands on her hips and tried to remember where the glasses were in this place.

“Probably shouldn’t trust her with glass.” Tzeitel said, taking a plastic tumbler from a shelf too high for River to reach. “I don’t believe her. It’s easier to pretend to not remember something you know than pretend to remember something you forgot. And her little cringing act- she probably learned the by observing the metas she tortured, or the metas she had Canestone rape.”

“What if it’s real, though?” River asked as she filled the tumbler with some water. “What if she really doesn’t remember anything and doesn’t understand why we’re being so…cautious?”

“I don’t understand why she brought Canestone back the first time, I don’t give a fuck if she understands why we’re being cautious around her or not.” Tzeitel said. “I’d rather that bitcher be confused and have her feelings hurt than risk her experimenting on my kids.”

River just stared at Tzeitel and shook her head before going to give Loreen the water, who didn’t cause any trouble the entire time.

“There a reason you sound like you want to stab someone?” Klaire asked as she walked into the kitchen, half asleep as she held onto a snoozing Lotus in her arms.

“The Bitcher was wandering around the house loose.” Tzeitel said. “River is worried about her not understanding why we’re being cautious.”

“Well, I mean, she is confused and lost. I smell it on her. She’s not lying and she actually has no clue what is going on. At least her scent suggests it…” Klaire said with a shrug and got some water in a glass. “Shouldn’t you be in bed? If Cody catches you awake he’ll blow a gasket.”

“How do you know she hasn’t cooked up those scents in a lab?” Tzeitel asked. “I wanted to ask Abraham about the tranqs for Canestone, and..” She gestured to her nearly empty glass of pollen water. The pollen was having little effect tonight.

Klaire looked at the glass. “Go to bed, Tzeitel.” She warned, giving her friend ‘the’ look.

Tzeitel scowled. “You’re not Frisk.”

“Jesus christ, Tzeitel!” Klaire glared at her now. “Are you going to be a bitch to everyone now?” Leaving, she slammed her bedroom door shut with her foot.

“Geeze…” Tzeitel muttered.