Easily done, and easily more comforting as well. Up until now, Elliot hadn't been fortunate enough to bunk in a safehouse that sheltered this many people. The greater amount of noise coupled with the competition for personal space were a small price to pay for the rise of hope it gave Elliot. Living faces, whether they wore scowls or were decorated with tears, were a gift these days.
A sneer that didn't quite hide his amusement came in response to her jest about not drowning in the crowd. "Please," he rolled his eyes, "Crowd-swimming is one of my favorite hobbies, especially these days. So you can rest easy knowing you'll at least be exempt from saving me from that."
"So there really is a garden up there?" He mused aloud, tearing his curious gaze away from the two bottles of alcohol. "I thought that was just a rumor. Guess Old Mac chose a good place to take us, after all." His expression sobered upon mentioning the bus driver, one of many who had lost his life today.
Elliot shoved his bags out of the way. "You're welcome to sit, if you want," he said, gesturing to the empty space and using the distraction to keep his thoughts clear while he had company. Slouched down as he was, he could no longer see over the balcony, but he could envision the people down below. That, as well as Rae's comments about the general mood of Carnegie Hall, conjured up memories of his brother. His tired body protested against his sudden desire to get up and search, however, though he made a mental note to make that the first thing he did the next morning.
Rae was speaking again, and Elliot forced a smile. "Yeah, those two had their share of adventure for the day. I'm surprised they stayed awake this long." The smile became a smirk that was genuine. "Hey, the only time I don't like being stuck is if I've stepped on some kid's gum, or if a bunch of zombies have me surrounded."
Rae's expression sobered then, and Elliot felt his do the same. "Thanks." He sighed, staring down at his legs for a moment. "I'm... hanging in there. Of the three of us left, I guess I'm doing the best. Aaron, he's just a kid, lost both his parents a couple years back. And Miriam, she lost her son..." It was easier to talk about what others had lost, rather than his own casualties. "I did the best I could."
"We let our guard down," Elliot explained. "Back at Trinity. One of our Immune guards had just gotten back with some supplies from a shop nearby, and we were celebrating, because it was so rare for us to have that much at one time." He took a sip from his water bottle and wished he had something stronger to drink. His eyes flicked back to the alcohol and just as quickly flicked away. "A few hours to celebrate without worry. That's all everyone wanted..."
Elliot trailed off then, realizing Rae probably hadn't wanted or expected such a weighty answer. "Though with so many people here, I'm sure you've heard this kind of story before."