Mack hadn't known Professor Gray well, but she had taken a few of her classes and felt like she owed respect where respect was due. She hoped that if she ended up in a pine box that people would offer her the same courtesy. She was feeling a bit lost at the moment anyway, her disagreement with Tatum the night before still fresh on her mind. She had sat through most of the service without a single tear, crying wasn't something that came to the blonde easily, but she had still felt an oppressive tightness in her chest. Mackenzie didn't like it one bit. It made her think about things that she really didn't want to think about. What if it was Hunter? or Michi? What if it was Sera or Jenny who were gone? What if it was Tatum?

Mackenzie didn't think she could sit through much more without breaking, and so she excused herself quietly from the back of the hall with one idea in mind. She had always been a smoker, but recently she had been going through more cigarettes then normal. The instant she was clear of King's Hall, she pulled a beat up pack out of her jacket pocket and was soon watching the white vapor rise peacefully as she walked. It felt better out here, it felt alive.

She made her way slowly towards the lake, wondering what she was going to do about everything. Blue Ridge had been more of a home, more of a family, than she had ever had in her own home. She loved it here, felt like she belonged, and she knew that Hunter felt the same way. She loved Tatum though, and that counted for a lot.

She was about to light another cigarette when she heard singing coming from the edge of the lake. Looking up, she saw Dani and frowned slightly. She didn't know the younger girl very well, she had seen her play in a few Quod matches and she had glimpsed her talking to Tatum at the New Years party. She did know that her cousin was non other than Alex Quinton, whom she definitely owed a knuckle sandwich. Dani looked as though she had been crying, and although that made Mackenzie uncomfortable on a whole new level, she still felt a pang of sympathy.

The blonde walked over to the other girl, flopping down on the ground next to her and holding out the pack of cigarettes as a peace offering. "You okay kid?" She asked a bit gruffly, waiting for Dani to either tell her to screw off or accept a cigarette.

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Dani was surprised when Mack joined her, she looked at the other girl with her puffy eyes and took a cigarette silently. She had watched her on the quidditch pitch over the years and sort of looked up to her and Hunter as two of the baddest ass chicks on campus. She didn't know her very well though. "Gotta light?" she asked, sniffling a little. She wasn't much of a smoker, just the occasional cigarette at a party or over the weekend.

She leaned back on her palms and took a deep breath. "I aint never know someone that died before," she said. She figured there was no use in lying. "Aint never felt so pissed off that someone came into our home," she said more quietly.

"Professor Gray mighta been a hard ass but she was my friend," she laughed, looking out at the lake. "No one ever could put Alex in her place like good, old Amelia," she grinned.

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Mack pulled out her lighter and flipped if open, offering it to the other girl after lighting her own. She adjusted her sunglasses absentmindedly before laying back on the grass with her hands tucked behind her head. "My step dad died a while ago," Mack offered. She blew out another plume of smoke straight up into the air before continuing. "It wasn't like this though, he was sick."

"Hey," Mack said seriously, sitting up on her elbows and lifting up her shades to look at Dani. "We'll find the son of a bitch that did this, we have to. No one comes into my home and fucks with it." She puffed out her chest cockily and gave Dani a reassuring smile. "Don't worry kiddo, Hunt and I'll get 'em!"

She wasn't good at saying the right thing, she never had been. When Dani started talking about the professor she just listened, and gave a small snort of laughter as she talked about her cousin. "Yeah?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "I could'a used her at the New Years Eve party! Your cousin was way out of control."

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Dani lit her own cigarette and handed the lighter back to Mack. She inhaled deeply, trying not to concentrate on anything but what the other girl was saying. They were going to catch the bastard that did it. She was sure of it and Mack only reconfirmed that belief. She nodded firmly. "We gotta catch him," she said. "Sick fuck like that can't be around no kids and it aint right," she shook her head.

She wasn't a nonviolent person, she loved fighting, had a lot of fun doing it, but this was different. This was sick violence, this was unnecessary suffering. It was the work of an animal. "And that Ellis guy looks like a good cop too," she grinned. "You guys'll make a good team. I know this bastard won't get away."

Dani snorted. "That bitch is always outta control fer one thing er another. If I'da know I'da thrown her over my damn shoulder and brought her home," she shook her head. "Worst part about family is ya always gotta take care of their stupid asses."

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Mackenzie just grunted gruffly in agreement and nodded her head, her glasses over her face again. She wished that Tatum was as gung-ho about catching the culprit as Dani was. Would it have hurt the younger girl to encourage her a little bit? She could feel her frustration welling up all over again as she thought about it, and sat moodily for a few moments listening to Dani talk.

"I'll let you know next time she decides to run her mouth," Mack grumbled, forcing a smile. "Damn kid doesn't know when to back down, does she?" As much as Mackenzie was referring to Alex, she couldn't help but feel a bit of shame at how her words also applied to her behavior. She sat in silence for a few more moments before lifting her glasses up again and glancing sideways at Dani.

"Hey kid, can I ask you some advice?" She felt slightly awkward about asking some random underclassmen for relationship advice. Especially since opening up wasn't her strong suit. It wouldn't be the weirdest thing that had happened over the past week, she figured. At the very least, Dani seemed to think like her and Hunter, but was just different enough she might be able to help. "Like, about girls? I don't really know what your sexuality is, or care really, but you seem smart enough and I'm at my wits end. Plus, you kind of owe me for the smoke."

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"Definitely," Dani nodded. "I'll make sure to just kick her ass," she grinned. There was probably nothing that would make her feel better than kicking Alex's ass. "She don't know when enough is enough, stupid lil' bitch is gonna meet her match some day though. And she just... she don't listen," Dani shook her head. For as much as she despised her cousin, the girl was still family and family had been instilled in her from day one.

Dani had been taking in the brief silence when Mack asked her the question. She looked over curiously, intent to hear every little nuance in the other girl's voice as she spoke. Dani nodded briefly, sexuality had not been something that Dani had put a lot of thought into until recently. "Well, uh... to be honest I didn' think 'bout it er anythin' but ya know... I think girls are real cute and I think boys are real cute too. So I guess I'm like... bi, er somethin' right?" she could feel her cheeks getting warmer just talking about it. She hadn't admitted it aloud except for gossiping with Tatum.

"But yeah, yeah... lay it on me," she took another puff from her cigarette and prepared for the question. She wasn't sure how good she would be at giving advice.

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"I'll be sure to hold you to that," Mack replied, giving her a small grin back. She usually didn't like to let other people handle her business, but unless she wanted to be arrested for assaulting a minor, she felt like letting Dani handle the situation was a good idea.

Mackenzie couldn't help but smirk a little at Dani's answer. At a different time in her life it would have been a useful bit of information. She probably would have been trying to charm her way into the girl's pants by now. Dani was good looking, and her rough and tumble attitude was something the blonde really liked. Things were different now though, Mackenzie had Tatum. Or, at least she hoped she still had Tatum.

Flopping back and looking up at the sky, Mack took a moment to think about what she really wanted to ask the younger girl. "Do you think I'm being selfish for wanting to do the watch even if the girl I'm with doesn't want me to?" She asked finally, taking a drag from her cigarette. "She's just worried about my well being, but I'm going to school to do this with my life. It's whats expected of me as a second year in the program. I want to protect my home and the people I care about. But do I back down because she asks me to?"

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"Nah," Dani said honestly. "My ma asked me not to sign up too," she shrugged. "It aint selfish cause it's the right thing to do. We wanna protect our home and the people we love, we should be able to and the school is letting us have the opportunity," she reasoned.

"It y'all were to back down, even just this one time, it's not bein' true to you. You're gonna do this with your life so she's gotta get used to it. I know she's a nervous lil' thing, but she's gonna have to deal with the fact that you aint one to sit around when your home's in danger," she leaned back on her palms, and looked at the older girl thoughtfully.

"I'm worried, but... I'd be more worried if I didn' know there were more people like us out there fightin' it."

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