He called Lena first.
She picked up on the second ring.
She had been waiting.
He could tell by the speed of it.
"I'm okay," he said.
Lena: "You're more than okay. I can tell from your voice."
Damian: "Don't make it weird."
Lena: "It's already weird in the best possible way." A pause. "Is the bond—"
Damian: "Yes."
She made a sound.
Not a word.
The specific sound of someone receiving news they had been hoping for and being moved by it anyway even though they had expected it.
"I'm coming over," she said.
Damian: "Not right now—"
Lena: "Right now."
Damian: "Lena—"
She came.
---
She arrived at 10am with the specific energy of a person who had gotten up earlier than usual and had been waiting to leave for an hour.
She had brought nothing.
No coffees this time.
No groceries.
She had come with herself and that was enough.
She sat across from him at the kitchen table.
Kendrick, having read the situation correctly and without being asked, had gone to his office.
