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PREVIOUSLY ON SACRIFICE ═══════════════
"Robin..." Maria spoke in awe, moisture clouding in her gray eyes.
Then, a force crashed into her, almost knocking her off her feet. Arms squeezed her torso, and the Asian woman's sobs wet Maria's shirt. "Maria... Maria, Maria." Robin was a broken record.
Jeanie hesitantly glanced at Maria, then with a teary smile, ran over to hold Robin. The two cried together, Robin running her hand over the girl's buzzed head, Jeanie muttering, "I knew we would find you. I told her we would."
"It's so good to see you guys. You have no idea. Jean, I know someone who is gonna be super excited to see you."
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They stepped through one last door, and there, standing with his arms out in front of him, his legs shoulder-width apart, a gun in his hand, and his back turned to them, stood a boy. His hair was longer, now just below his shoulders. He was taller, reaching above Jeanie's height. Maria's eyes clouded, and she hadn't even seen his face yet.
When their eyes connected, Jeanie wanted to jump at him. The twelve year old boy looked from Jeanie, to Maria, to Jeanie, to Luther, to Robin, and back to Jeanie. Then, he threw the earmuffs to the ground and barreled towards the blonde girl.
Before their bodies collided, and their arms squeezed around each other, they were both sobbing with the relief of seeing each other again.
They laughed while they cried, Jesse's hand running over Jeanie's buzzed head, pulling her impossibly closer as he hurried his face in her sweatshirt.
Jeanie closed her eyes, wanted to fall to the floor and just hold her best friend close. "Jesse," she cried out, sobs shaking her form.
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Robin took steps closer, and Maria turned away in shame as the voice in her head grew louder, degrading her even more.
"I can see that you two have been through hell."
"You have no idea. You don't know what we have been through," Maria snarled, her only defense.
You're a cornered mutt with your tail tucked between your legs. Give up and take the beating.
Robin's obsidian eyes pleaded with the woman as she stepped closer, "So tell me. Tell me how I can make this easier for you. For both of you."
