I. the doctor is kind. she reminds billie, somewhat, of the old witch; a mysterious maternal aura to her. but, ah well, perhaps all those who originally wanted to heal and help feel like that.

II. the strangest thing about it was that most of them didn't act as if those years should have had an impact and billie, with her tragedy of twenty-four, didn't know what to make of it. later, she would learn that most of them had gone through much worse things in their younger years - that she had more in common with the others than she'd initially thought.

but for now, she relented that at least she was useful to them, and pretended that it didn't bother her that the only things that brought a sense of comfort and home to her now were apples and the cloak the witch had given to her. she was sure, in time, the pack would begin to feel like a home, as she assumed it did for the others.

billie just wasn't sure how long 'in time' would take.

III. the feeling she has is reminiscent of: a child's loving embarrassment when a parent goes all out in their support and is just a little bit over the top in doing so. even worse is the name she'd jokingly told them all was her real name and, although she was certain they knew it wasn't by now, it had apparently stuck.

IV. tough skin or tough luck - which one would it be for billie's opponent? which one would it be for billie herself? would the other prevail simply through being a stronger species than the werewolf, or would she fail due to her incompetency in a fight?

V. "Nikki, huh? Nice name," she says, smiling softly at him to try and placate him, like the nurse giving her her vaccine shots as a child had done. It had worked on her then, and she sure hoped it would work here and now.