Katie? Did he just call her Katie? Where they on first name basis now? This was weird. Marcus was acting weird. She didn't know how to take it. She cast him several sidelong glances through their walk just to look at him. She was trying not to be obvious about it, but when they only have whats ahead and themselves to look at, it was quite obvious was she was doing. It wasn't just staring, it was gawking in a most unethical fashion. Her grip on her wand loosened up at his statement. And just for the time, she entertained the idea that he was being absolutely truthful with her.
Then suddenly, he had grabbed her arm in an effort to dodge something from the ceiling. It kind of happened so fast and so quickly that Katie was unsure what was happening. All she did was look to the ceiling, then to the floor. A beat, then to his face then hand on her arm. His hand was holding her arm increasingly tight and it stung. But even as his grip diminished, it stung just as bad. She realized it wasn't the pressure but something else entirely. Locking eyes with him, her hand reached to gently, and in a slow deliberate fashion, peel his fingers off her arm. She was intimidated by the way he was grabbing her -- in more ways than one.
Katie took a deep breath, curling her arms around herself as she promptly took an exaggerated step over the small bit that had fallen from the ceiling. It brought back a battle memory. The whole place did, which is why she avoided this place like a plague -- how ironic a plague was keeping her here. She had been pinned, practically crushed, between hobbled debris from the battle on the grounds that day. She remembered almost dying from rocks and parts falling from the ceiling. The little bit that Marcus saved her from brought the traumatic event back to the forefront.
She sucked in another breath, holding back any emotion that wasn't stern, hardheartedness. Katie wasn't ready to relive experience, and certainly not in front of him. He was prod her for ages about she was sure. "Thank you Marcus," She managed out, coolly before continuing on. Her arm still tingled oddly from where he was holding her.