[ she listens to the car idle (barely a sound above a whisper, to be honest, that's how quiet it is between them) and glances out her window at the trail. not a soul for miles, save for that blue toyota who hangs back at the other end of the road, somehow less innocuous there than if it followed them in completely.

kate listens to the silence coming from benedict and fears she may have crossed a line, but when he responds she only feels a modicum of relief. ]

Hey.

[ she turns in the seat again, reaching out to rest her hand over the back of his. ]

It's me, okay? [ a gentle reminder that, no matter what, she is always on his side. ] I'm not going to make you do anything you're uncomfortable with. You have nothing more to prove to these people.