She cried for quite sometime until her breath become shaky little hiccups. Alaric just waited patiently as a silent support letting the silence settle without trying to rush her out of grief.

After a while of small hiccups, she finally lifted her face to look at him. Her mascara had smudged from the tears and her cheeks flushed as she met his gaze.

She looked down embarrassed and muttered softly, "I didn't mean to fall apart like that. Sorry."

" It's alright, " Alaric said softly his eyes gentle," people come here for all types of reasons. This is one of the good ones. It's good to let it out. "

She looked at him her eyes widening a fraction and let out a humourless laugh, "good one huh. I haven't done anything good in months. I feel like I'm failing at every thing, " she rubbed the edge of her cashmere looking down," I'm a failure at motherhood, grieving, life...hic.." she chocked back another sob.

Alaric helped her stand and guided her towards the bed. He made her sit on the bed while he stood beside it keeping her company. He didn't want to make her feel cornered if he came too near her abruptly out wanted to be close enough for her to reach him .

" I used to talk to my husband about everything," she said her voice shaky," he was the only person who ever existed in my eyes and listened to me but not he's gone, my dad might be next and I don't even know who I am anymore. I'm just moving through the day with routines or I would have already fallen apart."

Alaric sat beside her putting his elbow on his knees looking Infront," you are someone who was loved very much. That's why it hurts so much."

For a moment she was just silent, staring at her hands . Then she whispered softly," can I ..can I just sit here? Next to someone? I don't want anything else."

" Of course," Alaric said," your time here is yours. You don't have to perform. You don't owe me anything. "

She leaned her head against his shoulders cautiously. When hhe noticed his acceptance, she closed her eyes as she took deep breaths trying to calm herself down.

Alaric activated soothing precense after seeing her starting to calm down. He did want to do it from the since he wanted her to grieve without it being affected or influenced by him.

" I saw your picture on the internet and it just gave me this sense of calm that I had never felt before, so I just decided to come since I saw your website was closed," she said her eyes closed her body fully relaxed.

" I have that effect on people, " Alaric said with humor in his voice.

She chuckled softly.

" Thank you, "she murmured looking at him," I just needed.. a place to stop pretending. "

Alaric rested a gentle hand on her back , just a plain comforting touch and said," then don't pretend. Right now it's just you and me. You can let everything else fall away. "

A soft tired sigh escaped her as though releasing the last of her tension. Tonight she wasn't a widow, a worried daughter or a burnt out mother but just a woman who needed to be held.

And Alaric stayed beside her until all the bottled up emotions she had had been released and she became steady again.

After a long stretch of silence she lifted her head from his shoulder. Her eyes were still red from all the crying but the panic and despair had turned to peace . Her eyes were brighter than the time she came.

She brushed her hand over her face wiping the tears from her face.

" I'm sorry.. again I didn't mean to use your time like this," she said with a small smile forming.

Alaric shook his head. " You used it exactly how you wanted to," he assured her.

She gave him a tired small but grateful smile. " I don't know the last time someone let me be a mess."

He didn't know what to answer so he simply offered her handkerchief. She took it with a quiet thank you.

Slowly she rose to her feet stambling a bit before gaining her balance. She straightened her sweater and tucked a loose hair behind her ear and inhaled deeply.

Alaric watched as she put on the serious face she had when she came in her vulnerable mask disappearing like it never existed.

" I think I should go," she said gently removing her phone from the pocket,"my baby will wake up soon... She doesn't sleep long ."

She held her phone Infront of him waiting to pay, he took out his phone and lined with hers. After a moment it pinged signaling he had received his payment.

Alaric stood as well." Do you want me to escort you out?" He asked putting his phone back in his pocket without looking.

She hesitated for a moment then nodded.

As they reached the lobby, she glanced up at him her eyes softer," I'm glad I came tonight," she said," you were... Kind and comforting. I didn't expect that. "

Her words landed deeper than he had expected ," you don't have to expect anything here," he replied," you just come as you are."

She smiled faintly at him again," thank you, really."

She left with her head held high and her shoulder straighter. Alaric watched as she opened her car and entered then she waved at him while driving away. He waved back as she disappeared around the bend.

He leaned against the wall and exhaled softly .

In his interpretation the job had only a few rules. Give what the client wants,be the fantasy and stay detached. He just had to be a tool for his clients and give them what they needed. Sex.

He had already know that people who came to him were mostly lonely or just looking for a release but today it was different.

She didn't want any pleasure, distraction or fantasy but just a safe space. A human one at that. He'd assumed that anyone who came to the brothel would only look for sex and maybe just a bit of comfort.

It now standing outside with the evening wind hitting him did he realize that this work wasn't only about bodies and desire but for some people he might become a place to go and collapse with no judgement.

This realization unsettled him and humbled him. This made the job heavier but also strangely meaningful. He felt like he wasn't just a body for hire and the people weren't just clients. Plus he wasn't just performing anymore but he could become someone's moment of refuge.

" First time for everything," he murmured to himself as he went back inside.

The system interface appeared Infront of him the moment he sat down in the lobby.

(HIDDEN QUEST COMPLETE -EMOTIONAL RESONANCE)

System reward: Soul bound professionalism.

Type: passive

Condition achieved:

Remain composed and present during an unexpected emotional breakdown.

Details:

1. Emotional crises no longer shake your confidence.

2. You gain +15% Reputation with clients who seek comfort or conversation.

( Reward: +3 empathy,+1 reputation)

Alaric looked at the quest in shock. This hidden quest always got on his nerves since they only appear after completion. The system must have noticed his emotional destress and gave him the skill which was helpful since he could connect with the clients but not fall into an emotional rabbit hole and get over whelmed by it.

Despite the enlightenment he had gotten from Britneys case he still won't forget his purpose but he will improve as he continues forward.

....

The van bumped along the old road leading up the hill. The sous of car had disappeared as they drove up into the woods.

Inside Alaric, the driver, and the girls stared out the window in horror as they looked at the overgrown surroundings.

" Are you sure this is the right way? Blue asked as the car ran over a stone . They bounced up before settling down to shaking.

Alaric smiled but didn't answer, he couldn't wait for them to see their new home.

" Relax," June says busy combing through her hair," Alaric wouldn't do as dirty maybe it's worth see."

Alaric gave her a thumbs up before focusing on the road.

" Look," Alaric said after they turned the bend. In a distance one could see the mansion silhouette, it's dark frame looming past the treeline with it's tall windows reflecting the morning sunlight.

" Wow," an exclamation came from the seat behind, one of the twins.

" Almost there," he said as the huge metal gate appeared.

June who was next to him at the front leaned forward and said out loud, " you bought this place.. ..it's huge?"

" I know, that was one of the reasons I bought it," he said answering her.

When they reached the huge gate, he got out of the car and pushed open the door before getting back inside and driving in.

He turned to the girls and said," welcome home."

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