Ben honestly spent a decent amount of time at the Midnight House these days. He was well known by now with all the doves and often walked in carrying chocolates or pastries for them all. He had even brought back some Lorendale specific candies once after being there on duty. Whenever he wasn't working he was either here or at home with Ellison. He was an expert at being discreet and even when Ravin was busy he enjoyed getting to know each of the doves and even took turns watching Hollie and Otto so the others could work. He adored those two kids with everything in him.

Phoenix was still one of his favorites, and he enjoyed talking to him, though he hadn't been physical with anyone but Ravin since that first night unless Ravin had specifically invited them. He talked to Divine a lot because she was so often was with the kids. He knew the names of her husband and her three girls. Tulip was as fun and bubbly as ever though he always felt bad for her and a little guilty, knowing her feelings for Ravin now just as much as the others did. He found Indigo's quirky personality to be very entertaining and was still getting to know Velvet and Poppy as they were newer. He had heard about Eden but had not met her yet.

Today was one of those days. He had come to see Ravin and they disappeared into his room for only a short time before they were interrupted with something urgent. Ben had ended up sitting with Divine in the back, playing with Hollie and Otto on the floor when Banks had come in. Apparently there was an issue with one of the guests and Ravin wasn't around to help. Ben was there immediately to be of assistance. "I'll take care of it," he told Banks. Had this been a month or so ago, Banks probably would have been hesitant, but Ben had become a trusted member of the family in his own way, so the guard nodded and led him to the room where Apollo was with the upset woman.

He quietly knocked on the door before pushing it open a crack and looking inside to see Apollo and the woman sitting on the bed. He didn't want to frighten the woman or make her feel worse so he waited for Apollo to make introductions or something first.

Apollo’s face immediately washed with relief as he saw Ben in the doorway. He almost let go of Regan right there and then, but instead, he gently let go of her, making a ‘shhh…’ noise as he draped a blanket around her shoulders so that she’d at least mostly decent. “You just stay right there,” the dove carefully got off the bed as if she were a bomb ready to explode. Apollo moved to Ben, talking to him in hushed tones. “I don’t know what her name is,” Apollo said, “But she’s a soldier from the looks of it. I don’t think Tulip realized that she’s, I don’t know, on something. If she did she never would have sent her up here.” Apollo shrugged, glancing back at Regan, “We didn’t do anything, she’s just been screaming and crying and stuff. Ben, I gotta get back out there, I’m sorry.” If Ben gave him leave to go, Apollo would glance back at Regan one last time before exiting.

Regan, however, didn’t hear any of this. She felt Apollo leave, registered some sort of murmuring in the background. But she didn’t turn her head to see who it was he was talking to. Instead, she just sat on the bed with the blanket around her, staring with distant eyes that were bright red from crying.

Ben caught Apollo's eye and saw the relief that filled his features. The dove carefully moved over to him and explained the situation, Ben glancing from Apollo to the girl briefly. "Yes, of course," he said to Apollo with a smile, squeezing the man's shoulder. "I'll take care of it." Apollo left and Ben watched him go for a second before he stepped into the room and gently closed the door.

He moved slowly towards Regan, cautious and not wanting to scare the girl like a possum who had got trapped in a corner. As he got near her he tried to choose between sitting beside her on the bed or to pull up a chair in front of her. He decided to risk the bed. Ben really was a pretty personal guy and if Apollo had been there maybe she wouldn't immediately startle. As he neared her he spoke, "Hey there, I'm Ben," he introduced himself before slowly sitting beside her. "What's your name?" he asked her, his voice calm and his eyes filled with warmth.

When Regan felt the weight shift on the bed, she looked over. It was Ben’s eyes that drew her attention first, followed by his face. A handsome face - a familiar face. She couldn’t quite place it until he offered his name, then her face changed.

“You’re Ben Delaney,” Regan looked like she was about to cry again, “Am I in trouble?” Even though she was calmer than she was before, she was still disoriented and, therefore, regressing. Her reaction was that of an orphan child who was about to get dragged out back and whipped for stealing biscuits from the cupboard.

Not that she’d know anything about that.

Ben was surprised that the girl knew his name. He didn't know her. At least, he didn't think he did. It was hard to tell with the tear streaked face but if she knew him as a solider then...maybe she was one too. She did look mildly familiar but he couldn't place her. "What? No, of course not," Ben said with a gentle smile.

He reached out to gently rub her back in a comforting motion. "Why would you be in trouble?" he asked.

Regan’s bottom lip was trembling, but she was managing to keep it together. She relaxed, shifting naturally a little closer to Ben as he started to rub her back.

“Because,” She sniffled, “Because I’m a soldier. And we’re supposed to be better than…this. I have to be: for Grant, and - and the Commander, I have to be.” Regan sniffed again.

Oh!!! Suddenly it all came back to him. He had seen her at Rosamere's engagement party with Grant and he had also seen her training with Uncle Logan on more than on occasion before he'd been sent to Nevermere. Remembering who she was only made him more curious as to what had led her here tonight. "Oh, you're Regan, uh...Lassiter, right?"

He continued to stroke her back, more than willing to allow her closer. He was naturally a caretaker and she was in need of care tonight. "Hey, we can't be perfect all the time, it's unrealistic. Everyone has their issues, their bad days. It doesn't mean you deserve to be punished for it," he told her. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked. There must have been something that had tipped her over the edge.

“Regan. Yeah.” The Lassiter part stung a little. When had that started? It’d never bothered her this much before.

When Ben asked if she wanted to talk, the first thing she thought about was Logan. But the thought faded as she pushed it away. Regan had said told Grant about him in a moment of weakness: she didn't regret it, but that was as far as the circle needed to go. She wouldn’t do that to Logan - certainly not where his family was concerned. Besides, it was the easy way out to make this about Logan. It was far more complicated. It was years of heartache she’d buried deep that was now just starting to rise to the surface. Regan opened her mouth, tongue still loose from the potion’s effects as the words just started to flow.

“At Lassiter House, you were either an Adoptable or a Unadoptable. You were an Adoptable if you were pretty and well-behaved. You got nicer clothes, got fed, didn’t get beat, and, eventually, you got a family,” Regan picked at the skin around her nails. “But if you weren’t, you didn’t get fed and you didn’t get a family. And I tried so hard, but I was always good, but not good enough. Pretty, but not pretty enough.” A single tear dropped down to Regan’s knee. “And if you’re still pretty but not pretty enough, nobody's watching when the lights go off and people’s backs are turned. So on one of those nights, I got backed into a corner, but I fought back and-” Regan turned her head so that Ben could see the scar on her face, “Well, I won.”

Her words started to gather speed, becoming breathless, “Problem is families don’t want kids with damage you can see. So I decided if they weren’t gonna want me, I’d make myself so un-wantable that no one would ever try to touch me or hurt me ever again.” Regan shrugged, shoulders falling like a wilting flower, “And nobody did.”

Ben listened intently to her as she spoke, telling him about her life as an orphan. He hadn't known that about her. His heart absolutely broke for her, imagining her as a little child who was just trying so dang hard but was never able to measure up to the unrealistic expectations of her elders. The idea that she had been hurt...that twisted in his gut and he felt an almost physical pain when she turned enough so he could see her scar. That was despicable to have happened to her.

The end of her story was just as heartbreaking as the rest of it. His hand never stopped moving, gently stroking her back comfortingly though it had slowed a couple of times during her story. "Is that why you came here tonight?" he asked her softly. "To feel wanted?"

Regan didn’t say anything. She just nodded, silent tears falling down her face and into her lap. Her hands started to shake, body shivering as she pulled the blanket around herself. The tears kept coming, even though there were no more sounds of sobbing or screaming as there had been before.

“Please don’t tell Grant.” Her voice was soft, still like that of a child.

Honestly Ben's heart broke for her. It was so sad to see her, or anyone, feel like this. He wrapped his arm more securely around her and held her close to his side as she cried. "Not a word," he told her. "I promise. I'm really sorry, Regan." His hand rubbed over her arm softly.

He didn't speak for a while, just letting her cry and patiently holding her before he eventually spoke again. "Can I get you something to eat? A drink?" he offered.

She shrugged, not really sure what to say. Regan supposed she was also sorry on some level. Sorry for the childhood she could have had, sorry for all the other kids that had to endure what she did. But she’d gotten out. That was the most important thing.

Regan nodded at his offer. “I’m hungry,” She said, still operating at the level of a helpless child. “But can I come with you?" She added quickly, “I don’t want to be alone.”

Ben smiled warmly, eyes sparkling when she asked if she could come with him. "It would be my pleasure, let's go," he said kindly. He stood and waited until she was ready before he guided her back out the door and downstairs. Ben spotted Apollo and gave him a reassuring smile and a wink before he guided Regan through the Midnight House and towards the door.

"I know a quiet little tavern not far from here," he said. He'd stopped there plenty of times to grab a bite after spending time at the Midnight House before going home.