It was Honora and Phoebe.

She tried not to let any misgivings show on her face. No uncertainty. No anxiety. She tried not to feel the sickness rising in her lungs because he wasn't there. It didn't mean anything. It didn't mean anything. He was still alive. Klaude was alive, Klaude was alive, Klaude was alive.

" Hey, Vida, I know it's been a while, but would you like to ride the train with us today?" Phoebe asked, with all the charm of a puppy trying really hard to not fall down the stairs.

" Y-yeah, of course," she replied. She didn't really understand Phoebe's enthusiasm but she didn't want to tell her no.

It still...

It felt fundamentally wrong, that Klaude wasn't there.

He had been there on the other September first. The one before this one.

... Had that been a dream? It had all felt so real. A whole week where Klaude was alive. A whole week.

I love you, Vi.

Had.... Had he really said that?

He had said that, before, too, in River Hell.

...But that was a dream too.

It was all from the car crash. Her memories getting addled.

" Well, then, let's go," Honora said, waking to the door. Her voice felt uncharacteristically short.