Lake Rodney outside the sky waits, beckoning

Reyes listened, understanding it hadn't been Towhee's choice but more of a collective agreement. Maybe being set so low among the other Redhawks was a caveat they presented to her, rather than the other way around. Maybe she did want him back and went out of her way to plead with her friends to allow it -- but even as Reyes thought of this, he knew it was wrong. Towhee did not beg for anything. She made her decisions and stuck to them with a stubborn streak he had once found quite charming, only now that it was turned upon him, Reyes found it problematic.

The last thing Reyes wanted to hear was some sympathy grab from Ruenna; he didn't know her well, did not really care to. Besides the fact she was a hard worker and attentive to his children, which made her good to have around, she was clearly still in "Camp Towhee" and as far as the young man could tell, only told him this story to somehow form a bond with him. Perhaps to placate him. She spoke of redemption as if Reyes had done something heinous - he didn't kill anyone; he'd made one mistake and then profusely apologized for it.

It wasn't his fault that Towhee struggled now, without him there. That had been her decision when she had refused to listen to him. Now what, he was supposed to put all of that behind himself and pretend they were on good terms? Pretend he had friends at the Caldera who would back him up? He didn't; he only had his children, who by now could have been turned against him too.

It would take some thought.

I'm not a bad person. Reyes didn't need to be convinced of that. He'd felt like a shithead after-the-fact and maybe ran his mouth a bit, but he had only voiced what everyone was already thinking — what everyone always thought about him, when things got difficult. He knew better though. And he certainly didn't need to be told.

I'll... he sighs, I'll think about it. Obviously I want to return and be a father to my kids, but with things as they are now... I just need a day or two. He didn't want to give the wrong impression, but he also didn't like the idea of grovelling or begging, or the chance to return just to be at the bottom of the pile again; he was better than that. What would the kids think of him?

Thank you for the opportunity. He closed with, looking more grim than when Ruenna arrived.