It felt, in the moment, like the tears weren't going to stop. That this would somehow become his new Hell loop, sitting here and sobbing into his boyfriend's shirt for everything he'd lost.

Slowly but surely though, the tears slowed. Leaving Duke feeling sore and hollowed out. He breathed softly for a few moments -- out of habit, he'd have to assume -- and tried to recenter himself.

It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that the first thing he said when he had his voice back under his control was "Tavi?"

Was she alive? Alone somewhere? He couldn't stand the thought.