“Only if you promise to . . ." the big man started as he appeared in her view.

"I promise to break your neck if you don't let me loose!" Red was frantic and was prepared to morph into her lycanthropic state, even if it killed her.

“You're in no condition to help her!" Tarloh said, pinning her to the table with his mammoth hands. It broke his heart to see Red Like this.

"Calm down Sis," Robbie said from nearby.

"Tarloh's right. We've gotta ..."

"Don't you fucking dare tell me to calm down!" Red growled.

“Why aren't we going after Jane?!" Red looked around. Tarloh, Natasha, Talia, Mindy, Robbie, Anya, Arthur . . . if everyone was still at the Den, who was saving Jane?

"We can't rush into this," Tarloh said, trying to be calm.

"We're at a disadvantage. You know I care about Jane, but I'm not going to sacrifice everyone else in a foolish. . ."

Red might have well have been slapped.

“Jane saved one of us, when she had no powers and no reason to do it. She would've died for one of us, and you aren't even going to try? I thought we never left our own behind." Red's eyes were clouded with grief and rage, both fighting for dominance in her sight.

"That's not damn fair," Tarloh said, though he felt doubt and saw that same doubt on the faces of others.

“Fuck fair," Red said coldly.

"Untie me. You have no right to keep me. Dammit, I'll go by myself."

"You'll die," Robbie began, stressed beyond words. His sister was all the family he had left in the world.

"That's my choice," she told him, meeting his gaze.

"She saved us all. She saved you," she added directly towards Robbie, “and she saved me. I can't do nothing. I won't. Fuck it Robbie," she started openly crying now. It was the first time Robbie remembered seeing her cry.

“I love her and I have to save her."

Natasha felt cold for a moment, then oddly free. The cold was because she had to accept that things with Red were over, and free because they could both stop waiting for something they knew was never going to happen. Red's heart had found a new home. Nat grabbed one of the buckles and undid it. No one moved to stop her.

"I'm going with you," Natasha said, giving her friend a brief smile.

Tarloh looked at the remaining Strays. Some had chosen to flee after the battle, no longer able to withstand the fear. Between the departures and the deaths, only twenty or so Strays remained. They had all gathered around, and many were hanging their heads in shame.

Then his mind cleared.

"You're right," he said softly, the crowd noise dying.

"For decades, the Strays have fought battles no one would ever hear about for no reward, on behalf of those who can't fight for themselves. If we give that up, then we're nothing but street rats." His eyes darted from face to face as Natasha removed the last of Red's constraints.