LXXII

New York (July 2019)

His injury was more severe than it looked, so he was left behind. His squad has gone to Hell without him to rescue Tina while Alice took off somewhere LJ didn't know, muttering about a chance to reverse something. He figured it had something to do with Veronica, but he could not be certain. LJ couldn't even bring himself to think what it would mean to him if Alice could somehow find a way to stop Veronica from becoming human, or if she'd failed.

As if stirred by his presence, Veronica awoke from her slumber, her lashes fluttering weakly as she opened her eyes, "Latte?" she whispered. She looked slack, so unlike the woman who almost sucked out his soul the first time they met, and every bit the girl who had clung to him when they were in Hell. "Your head...are you alright?" she tried weakly to touch his bandaged head with her right hand, but it didn't quite reach.

LJ gave her a small smile, "I believe you already asked me that." he told her gently, catching her h