Luke took her other foot in his hand and performed the same healing technique, trying to peel away as much of the pain as he could. While he worked, he tried to think of a way to get his point across without sounding harsh, but still being firm. When the light faded from his finger, he reached out and took her hand, letting his eyes meet hers.

"Adele," he began slowly, in a stern voice. "Pain like this is never temporary, and overdoing it can leave scars and damage your body in ways you will never be able to recover from. Whatever it is you're dancing for, if you keep this up you'll burn yourself out faster than a supernova."

He stood and grabbed his on chair, sliding it over so he could look the teen in the face . His face was concerned, and his ice-blue eyes sparkled with interest. He had more to say, but he needed context first.

"What do you need to be good enough for? And who is Marie? You've never told me much about your teenage years, though you know plenty about mine."