[And that's when everything in Ellie's head comes to such a screeching halt that Riley could probably see smoke coming from her ears.
For a minute... for a good long minute that seems to stretch on forever, Ellie isn't sure what to feel. It's like a mix of drowning and being strangled - both feelings she unfortunately knew well - all while a bucket of ice water dumped over her. She can't think she can't even breathe as she turns around cautiously, like she's worried she might be hearing things...
... But she's not. Riley's there. Standing in front of her in neat, clean clothes. No hints of the injuries she'd succumbed to, or any sort of transformation...
no subject
For a minute... for a good long minute that seems to stretch on forever, Ellie isn't sure what to feel. It's like a mix of drowning and being strangled - both feelings she unfortunately knew well - all while a bucket of ice water dumped over her. She can't think she can't even breathe as she turns around cautiously, like she's worried she might be hearing things...
... But she's not. Riley's there. Standing in front of her in neat, clean clothes. No hints of the injuries she'd succumbed to, or any sort of transformation...
She's okay. And she's real.]
.... Riley?