"Shit," said Anya and Talia in unison from near the broken front of the building. Both of them had been there when Jane had ripped a Hellspawn apart, saying that same name. They knew who he was, what he had done, and the anguish it still caused the girl. What had brought on this episode, neither of them knew, but ...

Red began to speak. She had fought many battles, but this was one she knew she wouldn't win with her fists, feet and fangs. Whatever had happened to Jane down in that dark hole, it had changed into something more powerful than Red could contend with. But what a lot of people didn't know was that Red could win fights many different ways.

"Jane!" she shouted with what strength she had left, "This isn't what your father would want!"

Jane stopped in her tracks.

“Father she said, her words trailing off. When her father was alive was the last time she had ever felt safe. He would have never done the things that her stepfather did . . . he would've protected her and held her when she cried. Those were her last good memories until . . . until the Strays. Until Red.

But madness had a momentum that was not so easily dissuaded. Red was making Jane feel again, and Jane didn't want to feel anything anymore.

She lunged forward and grabbed Red by the throat with broken arms, but her hands held no strength. Red, even weakened, broke the girl's grip and wrapped her arms around Jane's shaking body. Jane's hair was flying around madly, but mo longer held any menace. It was Like a child throwing a tantrum.

Jane's eyes had stopped glowing and her blood had returned to its normal reddish hue. The strength she had gained from her interaction with the Dark One had faded. The curse of consciousness was lifted from her, as it was from a hurt and battered Red shortly thereafter.

Natasha, who had recovered from Jane's attack, walked over and picked up both women and the shocked but determined Strays faded into the darkness of the forest.

Jane was lying in Red's bed, as she had been for days. She hadn't spoken to anyone, and barely even seemed to notice when Arthur came in to work his healing on her. She felt a shame so deep it could swallow the world, for the things she had almost done.

Red had requisitioned a cot and had taken to recuperating there, not wanting to disturb Jane but refusing to leave her side.

Out around the broken council table, there were only a dozen Strays left. The rest had died in recent conflicts or had left, their hearts heavy with remorse but their souls filled with doubt. They had signed on to help take on gangs and drug traffickers and even demonic crime in the streets. They hadn't planned on tangling with the servant of an Elder God.

Tarloh, Talia, Arthur, Michael, Matthew, Mindy, Shield, Nathaniel, Anya, Robbie, Chris and Johan were trying to decide what they should do next. Natasha had postponed her return to Los Angeles indefinitely and while her presence was a comfort, being reduced from more than fifty to barely over a dozen was sobering. With Red out of action for a while longer and Jane practically comatose, things were Looking bleak.

"I wish I knew," Tarloh was saying, echoing the confusion of he comrades.

“Unless Jane comes around, we may never know what happened in that basement or where the Shoggoth is. And once word on the streets gets out that we're weak, there's going to be anarchy up there. Do we fight them? Do we prepare for the Dark One?"

"I say we hunt down Patrick and rip his spine out," Robbie muttered grimly. When Patrick was seen flying away during the fight and his treachery had been confirmed, many of the remaining Strays had promised themselves that the flying man had a date with pain.

"As tempting as that is," Tarloh grumbled, "the traitor is the least of our problems.

Natasha glanced at the group as they began to debate, but she slipped away. She would support the Strays however she could, but didn't feel comfortable about making decisions that she herself wouldn't have to live with. She walked down to the lower ramp and on towards Red's sanctuary. She traced the wall with her finger, remembering somewhat fondly when the two of them had decided to create a little place of their own. Even then, Nat had begun to grow a bit stir crazy being cooped up underground.

She descended the stairs and found Red sitting on her cot, staring at Jane. Natasha had never seen the redhead look so . . . caring.

"Hey," she said from the door.

“They're getting ready to start. You should go. I'll stay with her," she added softly.

Red looked up, her eyes hard and cold. She hated leaving, but knew the rest of the Strays needed her. Without a word, she gripped Jane's hand, stood up and hugged Natasha on her way out to the meeting, hobbling as she went.

Natasha sat next to Jane's bed.

"Hi," she said, brushing the girl's hair out of her face, though the hair seemed to move out of the way on its own accord.