Sun Mote Copse Record scratch, freeze frame.

"I am," Towhee rejoined with a cocky grin, sobering a little to add, "It was tragic, though they weren't together very long, so it wasn't..." She trailed off with a shrug, unsure how to tactfully articulate what she meant. "She'd grown on me a bit," Towhee admitted, though she didn't say anything more on the subject.

Motioning again for Niamh to lead the way, the mercenary said something else. "I came here to tell you something," she admitted, pausing a beat before catching her friend's eye and saying simply, "I get it now. Not completely or anything. Not perfectly. But..." She let out a long breath. "I don't have a mate but I have kids now. And they're all that matters anymore. Not that everything else doesn't matter. Shit, you know what I mean."

Okay, but that was clear as mud. "I'm trying to say that I get why you decided to move, to be with Colt and have a family, at least in part. And..." Her heartbeat picked up a little, tapping against her ribs as she admitted, "I was out of pocket to get so bent out of shape about everyone going to the Firebirds. And now I'm a big old hypocrite." She smiled sadly as she used one of @Tegan's phrases, this admission borne partly from the ashes of their relationship. "Because I'm about to do it too."