It's a hard thing to accept that she needs help, because Christine is the one who provides help. She's the one who has to keep it together; the one to stay strong when others are weak. They are allowed to be weak because they're hurt, but she can never allow herself to be. It's not that she's made of stone: far from it, actually. She wouldn't be half as good a healer if she didn't have compassion for others. But her reactions are measured and her mind logical. She pushes away all the things that bother her so she can get the job done, and that causes it all to burst out of her in one passionate explosion every now and again.

Right now she has to resist the urge to push all this back again and insist she's fine. Inessa is trying to help, and it does no good to close doors in the faces of her friends. It takes her a moment, but then Christine caves and gives her friend a solemn nod. It's a good step forward for her.

"I will go and ask."