AN: A word of forewarning to Cara fans or fans of Cara and John together—you may find the characterization of Cara a bit uncompromising.

"Are you really okay with this?" Cara stood akimbo, looking off in the distance to where John sat talking with Astrid. John seemed completely relaxed, leaning back into the corner of the battered couch. Beside him, Astrid sat precariously near the edge of the couch, with one leg tucked under her, her body turned to face him. She was speaking, and John was listening thoughtfully. Her red boots glinted even in the dull, filtered light. Her curls bobbed with each movement of her head. She was speaking animatedly now, gesturing from time to time with her hand. A smile lifted the corners of John's lips, and then spread upward to his eyes.

"Okay with what?" Stephen stood beside Cara, arms folded across his chest, feigning ignorance of the subject of Cara's incipient rant.

"With John 'helping' Astrid all the time," she punctuated her response with air quotes.

Stephen studied Cara's profile for a moment before responding. She was beautiful, yet impassive. He noticed too her ever-increasing brittleness. He thought of the countless times and varying ways in which he'd admired Cara, but she had hardened. Even in the short time he'd known her, she'd become more rigid. Leadership wore heavily on her, and began to take its toll. Everyone knew it, and everyone treaded lightly where she was concerned.

"I guess after what they went through together … the whole mutual life-saving thing … he saved her life, and she saved his …"

"With my help," Cara added bitterly.

"Of course," Stephen conceded, "with your help. Anyway, you don't go through something like that without ... I don't know ... bonding … I mean, especially for Astrid." He was finding it hard to find the right words, and wondered whether any words, no matter how well-chosen would reach Cara in her current mood. "She's not like us."

"Right. I get it," again Cara's words were tinged with bitterness. "Astrid's vulnerable. She's human. I've heard it all from John." She let that sink in before adding, "anyway, I thought she hated it here. I thought she couldn't wait to get home. Yet here she is again."

"She wanted to see John, and this is where John lives, so …"

Their eyes met for a moment before Cara resumed looking at John and Astrid. "So you brought her here. Do you really think that was a good idea?"

"She's been here before. Remember? And if I recall correctly, you didn't seem to mind, when you tried to use her as a pawn in your plan to get leverage against the Founder." Stephen knew his words were harsh, but saw at once that they hit the mark. For the first time since Stephen arrived with Astrid in tow, Cara's face softened.

Stephen put his hand on Cara's elbow, and angled her away so that John and Astrid were no longer in view. He tried again to explain. "I've known Astrid forever, and I'd never seen her like that. She's usually so funny, and focused, and creative. I don't know … she just has this spark." Cara said nothing. "And then she lost it for awhile. Whatever she and John talk about, or do when they hang out together, it makes her feel better, like her old self again. So, yeah, I'm all for it."

By now, John and Astrid were making their way across the expanse of the underground lair, to where Stephen and Cara were waiting.

"I'll let you know how it goes," Astrid was saying to John as they approached.

"Just don't keep me in suspense," he returned, smiling again.

"Oh, I would never do that to you," she gave him a gentle nudge with her shoulder.

"Are you ready?" Stephen asked her.

"Yeah." But then she turned to John and drew him into a parting hug. He deepened the embrace, and then planted a gentle kiss on her temple before releasing her.

Stephen extended his arm to Astrid, "Your carriage awaits."

Astrid grinned and accepted his arm. In a moment, they dematerialized in a blur of teleportation.

Cara looked at John, "What was that about?"

His brows drew together and he smiled, "I don't know. I guess you might call it a private joke."

"That's not what I meant," she responded tersely.

"I know." With that, he turned and headed back in the direction from which he came, leaving Cara to ponder the change that a single bullet had wrought in their lives.