"Well, they died." That was a long and complicated story made very very short. And it had taken a long time in therapy for her to sound that -- not quite casual, but some form of neutral and factual about it. "And then me and my friends started heroing. So I guess it's more like I'm making up for their bad actions than anything, but, yeah."

There was another little shrug. Followed by a lopsided smile.

"I'm just here trying to do my best," she said. "Sounds like maybe you are, too." In a manner of speaking. 'Best' was not always 'what someone else wanted from you'.