Much to her dismay, her eyes landed on James. He was sitting in the furthest booth from the door, and appeared to be trying to slide under the table. Mary took a deep breath and made her way back to join him- they had some unfinished business to attend to.

Mary: "Feeling okay?"
James: "Good, yeah."
Mary: "Fabulous. Now do you want to tell me what business you had paying my medical bill?"

James shrugged.

James: "No thanks necessary, I'm the one who dragged you there in the first place. Kicking and screaming, as I recall."
Mary: "Do I look like I'm trying to thank you?"

James frowned, realizing that, while he wasn't completely sure he'd recognize it if she were trying to thank him, this certainly wasn't it.

James: "No… Though I'm starting to regret saying it was unnecessary."
Mary: "You had no right to inquire after my medical records!"
James: "I didn't! I asked how much, she told me, I wrote a check! That's all!"

Mary: "The last thing I need is to owe you anything. I'm repaying it - every penny. With interest."
James: "Fine! Great!"
Mary: "Oh, you'd love that, wouldn't you? Making money off of someone else's ill health."

James: "You got me. I'm a dirty, evil loan shark. Did I mention that my rate is prime plus 200%?"
Mary: "That is just like you to turn everything into a joke."
James: "You know what? Do whatever you want- pay me back, don't pay me back, whatever. I honestly don't care. I don't need this right now."

Mary stared at James for a second, momentarily thrown for a loop.

Mary: "What, you think you can just get off that easily?"
James: "Mary, if you came here looking for a fight tonight, you're not going to find it. I'm too tired and too old for this."

James made as if to leave, gathering up some of the papers he'd strewn around the table. For nearly three weeks now he'd been coming to this diner nightly, afraid of being alone in his house with only his thoughts to keep him company. He'd called Markus once or twice, but felt as though he was only bothering him. Emily had been distant as well; on the few occasions she'd called him, they'd only spoke for a minute or two before she'd suddenly have to go. He'd even tried going to the Xenon once, but never made it out of his car. All those smiling faces and forced laughter- he just didn't have it in him to put on a show. Now he felt like he was being made to leave the one haven he'd managed to find.

Mary: "But… what… you can't just leave. I'm not done talking."
James: "I'm sure someone else will be along shortly. You can bother them."

Mary: "James…"

Something in her tone of voice caused him to pause- surely he was imagining the desperation he thought he heard.

James: "What?"
Mary: "I'm sorry your friend left."
James: "Yeah, sorry to disappoint you by not leaving myself."

Mary stared ahead at where James had sat, her eyes glassy and distant. She didn't like this creeping sensation she'd been feeling for the past few months, didn't like the idea that her life was starting to fracture around her. She'd brought Emily out here to help her, and now it seemed as though she was just slipping back into the same dark places.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a lone piece of paper. She looked around the mostly-empty diner before leaning over and picking it up off the ground. The handwriting was oddly old-fashioned, contrasting with the words. She read the page three times before folding it up neatly and placing it in her pocket, heading out the door for the nearest bar. She suddenly needed a drink.