Malory Penn was helpless at the baggage claim.

She held her phone to her ear with her right hand, and watched her bag continue to go around the carousel over and over, unable to grab it with her left hand, which was heavily bandaged from the burn. So heavily bandaged that her hand could not fit through the handle on the suitcase.

No one approached to help, because her right hand- the one holding her phone- seemed perfectly fine. But she refused to put down her phone, because Rachel was walking her through as promised.

"Mal- Malory, just put down the phone real quick and grab the bag." Rachel sighed heavily, laying down on her desk.

"There's nowhere to put it except the floor, what if it gets stepped on?" Malory hissed into the receiver, speaking quietly and accidentally looking very suspicious as she covered her mouth to cover her volume and looked around the area.

"How about hanging up and getting a cab on your own?" Rachel took a very deep breath before she said this, rubbing her temple tiredly.

"I can't stop talking to you I need help what if someone talks to me?!" Malory exclaimed, the words sounding more like one big one. She, looking around in a rather alarmed way at the suggestion.

Rachel only growled in exasperation and frustration in reply.

The paranoid insomniac rushed forward to the baggage carousel, only to miss her bag again. She cursed under her breath, still holding the phone.

But before she could say anything to Rachel, a small blonde woman with big blue eyes grabbed her bag for her and set it down in front of her with a friendly smile.

Malory, being the socially inept being she was, just stared at her with her mouth halfway open.

The small woman laughed made a strange gesture with her hands.

Mal blinked and looked at her hands, ignoring the doctor on the other end of her call who was calling for her patient's attention.

It took her a moment to realize the woman was using sign language.

"S-Sorry, thanks. Um. Thanks." Malory stammered, speaking very quietly and looking rather flustered.

The woman laughed again and nodded.

"MALORY TAMRYN PENN!" Rachel screamed.

The female being screamed at flinched and grimaced at her phone.

"Hold on, Rachel." Was all she said in reply, before hanging up and putting her phone in her pocket.

Malory squinted at the woman thoughtfully before signing out each letter with her right hand of the phrase,

"Sorry I'm rusty. Thank you for the help."

It took about seven minutes but the blonde seemed amused and happy to wait.

In reply, she signed like an expert (which of course she was),

"I can read lips. No need to sign though I appreciate the effort. I'm Ash."

Then she offered her hand with a polite smile.

Malory nodded and awkwardly shook her hand, standing stiffly, then mouthed without actually using her voice,

"Malory. Thanks for the help."

"Of course. What happened to your hand?"

Ash signed, but as Malory was still deciphering it, a man came up behind Ash and put a hand on her shoulder, then bent down so she could see his face and smiled widely.

Ash squealed and hugged the man tightly.

Malory stepped back away from the two, examining them both.

Ash was deaf, but not mute cos she laughed and squealed... She was remarkably tiny... Only five foot, Malory estimated. A foot shorter than Malory herself... Mal assumed her a child, for her size and facial structure. Or maybe she was just tiny.

If she was a child, she was remarkably beautiful. Malory found herself being jealous, especially since the man hugging her was rather attractive.

"Hey kid. How are you, how was your flight?" The man asked her, grinning brightly with a hand on her shoulder.

"It was nice. The food was good." Ash signed, grinning herself.

Kid. She was a child then. Malory nodded to herself and looked the man down, not realizing she looked rather creepy staring at them.

"Good, I'm glad." He laughed, kissing the top of her head then glancing back at Malory and waving slightly.

Ash tugged his sleeve to get his attention then signed,

"This is Malory. Her hand is hurt so I helped." She smiled proudly, pointing at Mal and her bag.

Malory blinked again, giving a barely half-smile and slight hand raise to the man as he looked to her.

"Hello Malory. I'm Reagan." The man chuckled, offering his hand to shake.

Why all the hand shaking? Was physical contact really necessary? Malory shook his hand despite her thoughts and nodded.

"Hello Reagan... Nice kid." Malory replied softly, barely audible, and gestured to Ash, who positively beamed.

"Sister, actually, but thanks." He chuckled, taking his apparent sister's bag.

Malory nodded and looked to Ash.

"I spilled coffee on it. It got burned fairly badly." She mouthed, answering the girl's earlier question.

"That's too bad. I hope it heals fast." Ash nodded and gave Malory a friendly smile.

The insomniac nodded and picked up her bag.

"Nice meeting you." Reagan smiled and waved to Malory as he began leading Ash away.

Mal nodded and waved back, and stared after them, in a state much like shock.

She quickly exited the airport and got into a cab.

As soon as she did she called Rachel again.

"I can NOT believe you hung up on me!" Rachel began sternly.

"Rachel, I talked to someone." Malory answered quickly, ignoring the rude greeting.

There was a long pause before Rachel answered.

"...what?"