"Let me go, Elliot! I can't! I can't just… I have to-" Rae fought against Elliot's grip for a few seconds as he held onto her and tried to keep her from running forward. Deep down, she understood his motives but she couldn't bring herself to care. She just wanted to save her mother. Was that so wrong?
She probably could have broken her friend's grasp, but she felt her father's hand clasp her shoulder, and he shook his head. She instantly stopped fighting, and looked up at her father. "Rae, he's right," he spoke, his accent thicker in his grief and his eyes were glossy and his face was completely downtrodden as he told his daughter that they needed to give up. "We both know that your mother is…" he paused, unwilling to say the word, "and that she wouldn't want us to risk ourselves to try and save her. We can rest easier knowing that she won't become…" he stopped talking, yet again unwilling to finish his sentence.
His attention turned to Elliot and he gave a weak, sad smile. "Thank you for stopping her. I know how stubborn she can be," he said. "Let's get onto the bus."
As a rule, Rae tried to stay cheerful. She tried to look at the situation with optimistic eyes and smile, no matter what the world threw at her. But she knew that she was lucky, not ever having really lost someone to this stupid infection, and to have the first person she lost being her mother – her best friend – was… well, it was a harsh hit.
She turned to look at Elliot once he'd released her from his arms and gave him what she hoped was an apologetic look, but it probably looked more sad and desperate. "I'm sorry. And… thanks for stopping me. I know I'm a bit of a fighter," she laughed bitterly, then nodded toward the buses. "Let's just… get out of here."