[ As his gaze bores into her, the fear takes hold of Riley again. That he's analyzing her, a witness on the stand, picking her apart like a thing to be dissected. Like her mother would, for as long as she can remember.

But...then he speaks. And it's Giorno. It's just Giorno. Listening to her stammer out her name in the dark tunnels. Kneeling before her, covered in blood. Waking her in the soft snowy forest. Shining, in a beautiful garden in a house under the hills.

She sees him again. Hears him again. The one who won't hurt her. ]

I... [ Another step closer. ] Giorno, I—

[ When he says that, no one else— she doesn't think that's true. There were always other people involved. Other people she hurt. But, she hurt them by taking away someone good. Someone loved. She thought, if the people weren't like that—if it wasn't like Chess or Farrah, or even Clark who died not by her hand but her actions— then it would be okay. She would make it okay. Whatever complications arose... Riley would give everything of herself, to make it okay.

But. That was just another delusion. She can see that now. One just as dangerous as what got her here.

It is different. Still. Because— ]

I'm not- [ She swallows, and automatically her claws come together, picking at dried skin on her hands. ] When I... woke up.

[ Back there. She starts again. But this time— ]

...It was over for me. I- it felt...like it was over for me. That I'd— ...They...broke me. Too much to be fixed. And I thought- all those kids... I'd been looking for them, you know? Ones to...help. To do something with, but I didn't- I didn't know what, how, but I thought—

[ How long ago did she break? How long ago was she damaged in such a way that no one...or nothing could fix her? ]

How many of them...are like me? How many of them...could one day make a difference? I thought, If I didn't do something now...

[ She shakes her head, looks away. ]

I know, it doesn't- it can't excuse it. But it's not... It won't...happen again. Not...if I can do anything to stop it.