She blinked, Alison's offer unexpected. She thought it would be pertinent to accept, as she was reliant on what came here versus what she could go to, but she paused, brows drawing closer together, clearly going from 'considering' to 'declining'.

"I'm not certain of the wisdom in associating too closely with me..." she murmured, as if trying to parse this out aloud. Was accepting Alison's offer 'close'? It implied Alison knew what she was, not that it was difficult to mistake her as anything but, Noelle thought.

What were Alison's thoughts on XDAV? She wondered. Were they as negative as Jordan's?