"I have never been most people," Merlan says gently as she fixes her own with cream and sweetener. She's at ease now and the flood of words seems to have died down some.

"Though I do I ramble on a fair bit when I'm a little nervous," her smile is a touch rueful, the Irish/Australian lilt of her voice apologetic. "Feel free to tell me to hush."

There's something about the quiet that demands to be filled sometimes. It's why interrogation with silence and staring is so good of a method. For Merlan, she thinks it's because she'd been alone so much that having someone sat across from her is just so novel that she can't shut her gob. The coffee is hot and good and helps her relax more, which in turn, makes her less prone to words. She'll just enjoy the company without that need to put words everywhere.