"So, tell me about Melanie as a child, what was she like?"

Karen Irres was seated on the couch that was in the room Leah was given to perform her therapeutic duties at the mental home. Seeing as she wasn't technically employed there, and was only there to help Melanie, and thus her family by extension, she didn't consider it her "office". Karen sighed and leaned back against the couch, slowly shaking her head.

"What's there to tell?" she asked, "I mean, life's been fucked ever since her father died. There's no big mystery. She lost herself in a delusion and now she's here trying to get better."

"You are happy she's here getting help, right?" Leah asked, and Karen nodded almost eagerly.

"Of course, absolutely yes," she replied, "I've been pushing her to do it for years but she never would. I think maybe she needed things to get their absolute worst before she would even begin to entertain the idea. Though...didn't she start seeing you alone a while back?"

"She did, at a friends request, yes," Leah said, "but I'm just one woman, there's only so much I can do, and I'm not entirely equipped to help her with the exact things she needed."

"That's why she has to see a second doctor, right? Because she only wanted you to treat her but-"

"Yes, and she now recognizes how improbable that actually is. I still see her regularly, though, and I'm going to help her until she's better. Karen, can I ask you a question? I know she has a brother, Shane, as she's mentioned him now and again. With all this focus on Melanie, did you ever think about what having to look after her might've done to him?"

Karen looked at her shoes and, after a moment, she shook her head.

"He was always stronger than all of us. I guess I just sort of took that strength for granted," she said quietly, "I've tried to talk to him about his father, but he doesn't want to discuss it so I stopped broaching the topic. And when it comes to the topic of Melanie...well...he doesn't wanna relive any of that childhood whatsoever and frankly I can't say I blame him, but...but perhaps I did rely on him too much. But after Chris's death I was a single mother, and I had to work much more, and I couldn't be there all the time. I needed help. I needed Shane."

Leah nodded, writing all this down in her notepad. Karen ran her hands down her dress and then, sniffling, looked up at Leah.

"...am I a bad mother?" she asked softly.

"Oh honey, of course not," Leah said, "You did what you could the best you could at the time. You were all in shock. If you made mistakes, they certainly weren't intentional. In hindsight, yes, perhaps they weren't the best choices, but you'd lost your husband and were floundering yourself. You did what you thought you could for your children, and I'm sure in the moment, and even today, they appreciate the effort."

Karen smiled a little, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve. She had to hand it to her daughters friend, she had a hell of a therapist.

                                                                                                 ***

"How's your week been?" Shane asked, sipping his coffee as he relaxed into the booth.

Emma stirred cream into her mug and sighed, brushing her bangs from her face with her free hand. She lifted her mug to her lips and took a long sip, then looked around the restaurant and then looked back across the table at Shane.

"Actually, it's been surprisingly okay," she said, "Though I am getting a little tired of shopping for napkins."

"Hey, don't knock the napkins. Fancy napkins are how people know you're rich," Shane said, making her giggle.

"We're not though!" she said, "Anyway, I've been talking to my mom a lot about a wedding dress, about bridesmaids, all that kind of stuff. I mean the wedding is still so far away, but it's important to hash all this stuff out beforehand, obviously. Especially when you want as nice a ceremony as we do. How about you? How's your week been?"

Shane picked at his teeth and then slid his jacket off himself, letting it fall next to him in the booth.

"I don't know," he said, "I guess it's okay. Mom went to therapy with Melanie this week, so that was weird. She came home and she started asking me if I was alright, if I blamed her for a crappy upbringing or whatever. I told her I was fine and I don't blame her or Mel for anything."

"But you do?"

"Actually no," Shane said, picking up his mug again and sipping it, "I blame dad. If he hadn't died, none of this would've happened."

Emma had to admit...she didn't see that admittance coming.

                                                                                                ***

Darren was making dinner that night, cutting up some meat on the counter when Emma came in through the side door of the kitchen. He stopped, turned towards her and she leaned up to kiss him. Then she made her way to the kitchen table, pulled her heels off and let her hair down. Darren, meanwhile, continued chopping up his fish.

"Long day?" he asked.

"Extremely," she said, "...can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, shoot," he said.

"What would you say if I suddenly told you I...I might be open to the possibility of having kids?" Emma asked, and Darren stopped midchop. He slowly put the knife down on the counter, then turned around and looked at her, grinning widely; she laughed and said, "Well gee, you don't seem all that happy about it."

"What brought this on?" Darren asked, approaching the table and sitting down with her.

"I don't know, I guess...I guess just dealing with my mom, talking about Melanie's mother - she went to therapy with her this week you know - and just the wedding and stuff," Emma said, "now I'm not saying I'm gonna be all gung ho suddenly or whatever. I'm not saying let's make a baby tonight right now. I'm just...I'm just saying that perhaps I'm not as against the idea as I once was."

Darren knew why Emma didn't want kids. She'd always felt like she'd failed her own little sister who'd killed herself, and after her parents didn't openly grieve for her, Emma had felt like they didn't care. She didn't want to go through with that. She didn't think she could be good enough. Darren had stopped pushing the issue a while ago, and instead just accepted that he loved Emma and wanted to be with her, children or not, but he couldn't deny that this news made him ecstatic. Darren reached out and took Emma's hands and kissed them.

"Whatever you decide is fine," he said, "I love you either way."

Emma blushed as Darren stood back up, kissed her forehead and then went back to preparing dinner. Emma stayed seated, watching him, and smiling like an idiot. She couldn't believe how lucky she was. But...if she loved him so much, if she was so lucky...why did she feel so much more comfortable with Shane?

                                                                                                  ***

Melanie was sitting in the entertainment area of the home, reading a magazine from a nearby rack. She heard the doors open, and she glanced up to see her mother entering the room. Melanie smiled, put the magazine down and sat upright in the chair as her mother seated herself across from her.

"Hi sweetheart," she said, "You look nice."

"I'm only allowed one outfit except on Fridays," Mel replied.

"Well, you really make it work," Karen said, making them both chortle a little; Karen crossed her legs and cleared her throat, then asked, "do you mind if I ask you a question about your brother?"

"Um, I guess not," Mel said, "Not sure I can be much help, but you can ask."

"Did Shane ever come off as...angry? Regretful? For, you know, having to help? Did he ever make it seem like he was manipulated or used? Has he ever said anything to you that might indicate that he feels like he had to grow up too soon or-"

"Shane is angry, yeah," Mel said, interrupting her mother before adding, "But...but it's not at you. If anyone, he's angry at me, I think. I think he feels like maybe if I wasn't around, he could've had a normal adolescence, a normal life, without having to always clean up his crazy little sisters mess."

"That's what family does though," Karen said.

"Sure, but to an extent. Not to the point where it hampers their respective mental health," Mel said, "That isn't fair. And he's not wrong, either. He shouldn't have had to look after me, to help me, he should've been able to just been a teenager and an adult without worrying about me. But dad...dad left us all so broken and confused, and now it's too late for him to do anything with his life other than feel like he needs to be there for others. An admirable trait, certainly, but...not something one should dedicate ones entire life to."

Karen was impressed. She hadn't heard Melanie speak this coherently maybe in forever. Whatever she was doing with Leah, medication and various doctors here seemed to be working. Karen sat back in her seat, a little more relaxed now, and uncrossed her legs. She looked down at her hands in her lap, her chipped nail polish, and she let out a very long breath.

"I think we should bring Shane into therapy too," Karen said.

"Right, like he'd ever agree to that."

"That's why you're going to ask him. He won't say yes if I do it, but if you did..."

Melanie looked at her mother, then after a long moment she nodded, agreeing to do it.

                                                                                             ***

Gus, Bea and Leaf were going through a nearby park, with Leaf rollerblading while Gus and Bea walked. Bea squeezed Gus's hand, making him blush as he lifted her hand to his face and kissed it. Leaf whizzed by them, doing little loops, trying to get their attention, to which they both acknowledged and praised her efforts.

"I can't rollerblade so I don't know where she picked it up from," Gus said.

"Does her mom?"

"Not particularly no, neither of us were very athletic," Gus said.

"She is a peculiar specimen then," Bea said as Gus raised an eyebrow and looked at her.

"Did you just call my daughter a specimen?" he asked, the both of them chuckling. As they continued walking, a bike rolled up beside them, with Jeremy on it.

"What're you two doing here?" Gus asked, continuing to walk.

"Just out for a bike ride," Jeremy said, "Chi's got work today, and I didn't have anything to do so I thought I'd get a little exercise."

"Oh, so maybe you're to blame for my daughter suddenly becoming interest in athleticism," Gus said, making Bea snort, and Jeremy smirk.

"Well, someone has to set a good example, right? It's good for kids to get outdoors and do things," Jeremy said. Ahead of them a bit, Leaf stumbled and fell on her butt. Bea excused herself and raced to help her up, leaving Gus and Jeremy alone now. Jeremy brought his bike to a full stop and leaned one leg against the sidewalk.

"You don't have to assert your dominance on your day off," Gus said, "I'm sure there's plenty of chances for you to do that elsewhere, right? I know I'm not super manly, there's no need to bring it up on the day I get to see my kid."

"I'm sorry," Jeremy said, laughing a little, "I'm not trying to assert anything. I'm just saying it's good she gets out of the house for a bit, gets some fresh air. She spends all her time holed up in her bedroom, drawing up designs and drafts for stuff, it gets stuffy and whatnot. It's good for kids to run around."

"Well, if she gets hurt I'll be blaming you," Gus said.

"That's understandable," Jeremy said, "but let's hope nobody gets hurt," he added quietly.

Gus grimaced. He couldn't stand Jeremy, and he was beginning to get the feeling he was far more monstrous than he could've imagined before. Something about him rubbed Gus the wrong way. Bea brought Leaf - who was perfectly fine - back to the guys and they stopped at a bench.

"You okay kiddo?" Gus asked.

"Yeah, I just turned my ankle," Leaf said, "...hi Jeremy."

"Hey kid," Jeremy said, the interaction between the two making Gus feel uneasy for a reason he couldn't place. After a moment, Leaf fixed her rollerblade and got back up, zooming away once more, leaving the adults there. Bea looked at the guys and stared them down for a moment.

"So," she said, "Everything alright?"

"Couldn't be better, good seeing you Bea," Jeremy said as he adjusted the strap on his helmet as Gus walked away to join his daughter. Bea approached the bike, grabbed the strap on Jeremy's helmet and yanked his head towards her as she lowered her voice and narrowed her piercing green eyes.

"You listen to me you oversized bag of unrestricted testosterone," she said through her teeth, "if you ever harass or threaten Gus, or his family by extension, I will personally end you. I am trained in combat, I can lift 200 pounds with ease and I will not hesitate to shove my sword in your stone, you got it?"

Jeremy's eyes widened, a bit surprised by Bea's attitude, but he nodded slowly.

"Yeah, you got it girl," he said, putting his feet on the pedals and taking off on his bike as Gus approached again, standing back by Bea.

"Where's he going?" he asked.

"Nowhere hunny," Bea said, kissing his cheek.

                                                                                                  ***

"I don't really have anything to add," Shane said, sitting on the couch between his mother and his sister, his arms folded.

"You don't have anything you'd like to say about your role in the family growing up after your fathers death?" Leah asked, "Nothing at all? Cause it seems like it'd been rather stressful."

"It was, sure, but someone had to do it. There had to be a man of the house, right? So it was up to me," Shane said.

"There didn't need to be a 'man of the house', Shane, that's certainly not how your father saw things. He saw the house as a team effort. The family was one group. There was no leader or anything," Karen said, "What makes you think that-"

"You were so busy trying to make enough money to stay in the house, to help Melanie with her problems when I couldn't, it just seemed like the right thing to do. Learn how to fix things. Learn how to fix pipes and doors and windows so we never had to pay someone for repairs. To follow Mel around when I could to make sure nobody screwed with her. Someone had to keep everything together."

Karen looked at her lap and sighed.

"I'm...I'm so sorry if I led you to believe that was necessary, that wasn't fair to you," she said softly.

"Not your fault, and not Mel's fault, it's dads fault," Shane said coldly, surprising everyone in the room as he added, "I mean, if dad hadn't died, if he hadn't made it seem like someone had to watch over everyone...I don't know. I hate him. I hate him for leaving us like that. That wasn't fair. I know it wasn't on purpose, I know he didn't have a choice, but...but I'm still mad at him."

"...I was mad too, for a while," Karen said, reaching over and taking Shane's hand in her own, squeezing it gently, "but after a while I realized that being mad wouldn't be what he'd want me to be. He'd just want me to keep going. To keep you kids safe and happy."

Shane stood up, excused himself and left the room. Nobody said anything for a moment, then Melanie stood up and joined him. She found him in the hall, leaning against the wall, crying into his hands. She approached cautiously.

"Shane?" she asked, "It...it wasn't fair, but...for what it's worth, you did good and-"

Shane threw himself against her, putting his arms around his little sister.

"After losing dad, I couldn't lose you too," he said, surprising her, "that's why I tried so hard to keep you safe. It got so difficult and I said some mean things but you're my little sister and I'll always love you. I couldn't lose you too."

Melanie stood there, momentarily dumbfounded by this display of emotion from her usually stoic brother, but then she smiled and put her arms around him too and hugged him. She shut her eyes and patted him on the back.

"It's okay," she said, "You didn't. I'm here."

As it turned out, Melanie was learning, she wasn't the only one affected by her fathers death. A kingdom is only as strong as its citizens, and it was her job, as princess, to make sure they were okay. She promised herself she would be there for her brother and mother a lot more often now. She was visibly ill, sure, but they were in just as much pain. What a better family activity, she thought, than to get well together?

Talk about your quality bonding time.

"Tell me," Doctor Linquist asked, "How are you feeling today?"

It had been about 4 months since Melanie had come to stay at the mental hospital, and since then, she'd been undergoing therapy regularly with Leah, but she was still required to see a hospital mandated therapist, and that woman was Doctor Helena Linquist. She was a trained specialist in derealization, dissociative and schizoaffective disorders, and to Mel's liking, she was extremely warm and kind. She was older than Leah, in her sixties in fact, which probably was what made her so sweet. She'd been doing this for a long, long time.

"I'm okay, I guess," Mel said, shifting in her seat, "I guess I'm a little nervous, cause my friends are supposed to come see me, and it's been a while since some of them have been here, so I am scared of what they'll think of me."

"They'll probably think you're doing great," Linquist said, smiling as she jotted something down on her clipboard before putting her pen down and looking back up at Mel, asking, "Are you worried they won't be your friends anymore if you get better?"

"What?"

"You wouldn't believe how many people who come to get mental help are scared that they're only worth knowing because they're sick," Linquist said, "and that as soon as they're quote unquote 'normal', that that will lessen their friends interests in them, as though their friends were only invested in the amusement they could gain out of their illness. To that, I say, those weren't really their friends if that was what they really liked about them."

Melanie took a second, then shook her head, her blonde ponytail swinging behind her.

"No, no...I know they're not like that," she said, "If anything, they all so badly wanted me to get better. They'll be happy I'm better. I'm still scared though, cause I've never known how to be me without being...me? Does that make sense?"

"More than you could believe," Linquist said, chuckling, "When you spend your life in a delusion, when you never know a true sense of self because your sense of self is warped by said delusion, then yes, it's definitely understandable to be nervous about that. But Melanie, I gotta tell ya, I've worked with a lot of sick people, a lot of people who didn't want to get better, and you're not one of them. You're working with me, and that shows you do want help."

Melanie smiled and looked down at her hands. She had to admit, much as she preferred Leah because of their history together, she did like Dr. Linquist. She had this warmth about her that made her feel safe, and Melanie didn't have a great track record with feeling safe with people older than her.

"What time are your friends supposed to be here?" Linquist asked, checking her watch.

"About 4pm," Mel said.

"Well, then we should wrap up, because it's almost 4 now," Linquist said, "You should wash your face, get dressed, all that. Wanna look nice for them, don't you?"

Mel smiled and nodded.

She had had Gus bring by a handful of clothes that he and Bea had gone and bought at a thrift store. Bea and Mel were about the same size, same height, so she tried everything on. It then had to be checked out by someone at the hospital to make sure it was appropriate attire, and only then could it be given to Melanie. This meant Melanie's current wardrobe was bland and generic, but it was hers, and it wasn't clothes the hospital gave out. She appreciated this. Mel washed up, changed into a pair of brown shorts and a salmon colored button down shirt and then was escorted to the visitors area.

As she sat in a chair by the window, nervously picking at her hair, Melanie couldn't help but feel thankful that she had people who cared so much about her, who wanted to visit her. Not everyone here had friends willing to buy them clothes, to come see them, and support them in their efforts to get better. She really did have it pretty good, all things considered.

                                                                                                   ***

"Why are there so many italian foods with different names when they're essentially the same thing?" Gus asked as Bea drove and he sat in the passenger seat, snacking.

"What?" she asked, half laughing.

"Well, take the calzone and the stromboli for instance. Both these hot pocket-esque creations wherein the food is encased within the wrapping, right? But aside from the shape...they're essentially the same thing right? Why can't we just have one name for all these things?" Gus asked.

"Dude, you really know how to talk to girls," Bea said, guffawing as he took another bite.

"What can I say, I'm a charmer, the ladies can't resist," Gus said, smirking as he chewed.

"Are you nervous?" Bea asked.

"Not really, should I be?" Gus asked.

Bea shrugged, tilting her head as she said, "I don't think so, but it might be a little weird. I mean, you guys haven't seen eachother in almost 5 months. That's a long time to let a friendship just sort of sit on the backend. Besides, she's likely not gonna be the same Melanie you knew. That could be awkward."

"I'll like her for whoever she winds up being," Gus said, "So long as she's doing better, I can adjust to whoever she is."

Bea smiled and reached over, taking his free hand and squeezing it gently. She was appreciative to have found such a caring boyfriend, and at a ren faire no less. As they pulled into the parking lot and parked, Gus looked around and didn't see Darren or Emma. He sighed. They were supposed to be coming, but he also knew they'd be very busy as of late. Maybe they'd show up. He gritted his teeth. No. They'd better show up.

                                                                                                   ***

"What about this one?" Emma asked, holding up a nice crystal glass, and Darren shrugged.

"I really don't know enough about crystal to make what I feel would be considered an informed decision," he said, and she smiled.

"I know, that's why I'm asking. You're the everyman," she said, setting the glass back down and continuing to look at the surrounding shelves in the store.

For the last two months, Emma and Darren had been making wedding plans. They had a certain time they were supposed to be at the hospital for their visit with Mel, but Darren didn't wanna rush Emma. Besides, she knew too, and she was not one to miss deadlines or appointments. He just liked seeing her happy and shopping for something that meant so much to her. He smiled watching as she inspected various placemats, napkins and silverware sets. All he ever wanted was to make her happy, and this seemed to be doing the trick. Still, he cleared his throat and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Uh, I hate to interrupt, but I think we should get going," he said.

"Right, I know, I'm sorry," Emma said, "This is just all so exciting!"

They made their way out of the retailer and into the parking lot outside. Darren climbed into the passenger seat while Emma climbed into the drivers seat and started the car. The only time Darren had seen Mel since she'd been institutionalized was a few weeks after, when he'd brought her a storybook full of fantasy tales and read some to her. He was definitely nervous. To calm his nerves, he looked out the window at the fall colors blooming in the trees and he sighed.

"You okay?" Emma asked.

"I'm anxious."

"I'm sorry, but I figured as much."

"I've never had a friend with such mental instabilities before, so this is all kinda new to me," Darren said.

"I believe it, but hey, she's getting better, right? She should be, if anything, all the easier to handle now," Emma said, adding as she turned a corner, "besides, I've spent a good while being frustrated at her myself, and I'm finally trying to move past it and instead just...understand and accept her. She put me through the ringer, emotionally, what with getting you stabbed and all, but if I can forgive her for it then anyone can forgive her for anything."

"You know that wasn't her fault," Darren said.

"Oh, I do, yes," Emma said, "Yeah, that's why I'm able to move on from it. I wanna see her get better too. I think...I can't believe I'm gonna say this but, I think we could actually be friends. I've never had a lot of female friends in my life, but Mel gets me in a weird way nobody else does, and it'd be nice to have a female friend for a change."

Darren smiled and patted her on the leg. He was proud of her, because she was right; Mel had put them both through the ringer, and they'd come out the other side stronger if nothing else. He was grateful for her intrusion in their lives. She made it all the more interesting, if nothing else, and that was, admittedly, fun.

                                                                                           ***

"What are you eating?" Mel asked, squinting at the stromboli in Gus's hand.

"It's a stromboli," he said, mouth half full.

"It looks like a calzone," she said quietly.

"Thank you!" he said, looking at Bea, who just shook her head, chuckling.

"So, have either your brother or mother been around lately?" Bea asked, and Mel nodded.

"Yeah, they come around twice a week," she said, "It's nice to see mom. Shane's a little stand offish, but he does seem happy for me. Neither of them will go to therapy with me yet though. I think the idea of talking about how they feel makes them uncomfortable. Ya know, it's funny, for the one who went 'crazy', I seem to be the more well adjusted one who's in tune with their feelings. I was so in tune with my grief and loss that I created a whole fantasy world based around it."

"Based around running away from it," Gus said, catching Bea off guard with his sternness, but Mel just nodded.

"Yeah, okay, but that's still at least dealing with it. Unlike mom and Shane, who just...ignore it," Mel said, letting her ponytail down and twirling her hair around her finger as she chewed her lip and said, "but, ya know, they've dealt with it in their own ways, I guess. At least mom has. I don't know what Shane has ever done about his feelings regarding dad."

"You know, when I was little, my dads sister died in a car wreck, and he just ignored it for so long. Finally, when I graduated and was getting ready to go to college, he broke down cause he didn't wanna be left again. He bottled things up so deeply that it took me going to further my education to get him to finally crack. Some people are just really good at ignoring things, but they do eventually come back up, and sometimes not in the prettiest ways," Bea said, "Just something to think about."

Mel nodded. Bea was right. If she had dealt with her dads death the way she had for so long - and come out the way she had as a result - she could only imagine what Shane was going through. Coping mechanisms, she'd learned, weren't always healthy. In fact, more often than not they weren't healthy at all. Gus reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small booklet.

"Here, by the way, I got these for you when we were at the grocery," he said, tossing the booklet across the table at her and saying, "they're shiny princess stickers. I don't know if they let you have things here, but stick 'em under your mattress and decorate your room with 'em."

"Wow, thanks," Mel said, picking them up and smiling at them, "Did you also bring me a file hidden in a cake?"

"I tried, but I ate the cake on the way here, so," Gus said, making them all laugh. Mel was so happy to see her best friend, and realized that, the more things changed...the more they stayed the same. After Gus and Bea left, Mel waited patiently in the room for Darren and Emma to arrive. As she flipped through the little stickerbook, she smiled at the imagery. She might be more an adult these days, but that little girl hidden inside her was never too far away, and sometimes all it took to bring her back out was cute glittery stickers. Eventually the door opened and Darren and Emma entered. Mel stood up and ran to them and, to their surprise, hugged Emma first. Emma patted her on the back and laughed nervously.

"Hi!" Emma said, "Geez, I didn't expect a welcome like that, I have to admit!"

"It's just so good to see you guys," Mel said, pulling away and hugging Darren now as she added, "it makes it feel like things haven't changed much after all. Come on, come walk with me in the garden!"

Mel led them through the back doors that opened to the outdoor garden. Emma was surprised by how pretty and lush it was and felt a sudden jealousy that she wasn't spending time in a place so pretty and well landscaped.

"They recommend we take walks often," Mel said, "they say it helps clear our heads and keep the fantasies out."

"Are you on medication?" Darren asked, and she nodded.

"A few, yes," Mel said, "and I'm taking them every day. The world seems...less bright on them, though. I don't really know how to explain it without sound like I'm romanticizing mental illness, but...I feel like the world was more fun and interesting when I was losing my mind. I know that isn't safe, and I know that this is better for me, but does that make sense?"

"Sure," Emma said, "Absolutely. When you become accustomed to a reality - genuinely real or not - any change to that perception is jarring and often times upsetting. You mourn the life you thought you had while trying to live this new scary life."

"Exactly," Mel said.

"Hey, is there a bathroom here?" Darren asked, "I'd just pee on one of these plants but I'm sure they'd frown on that."

The girls laughed and Mel told him where the nearest bathroom was. Darren excused himself, saying he'd be back in a minute, while the girls found a beautiful marble bench and sat themselves on it. They listened to the wind gently blowing through the plant life, and Emma opened her mouth to speak when Melanie interrupted her.

"I'm so sorry," Mel said, "I...I almost ruined your lives, and I'm so sorry. I didn't do it on purpose, I really believed in the things I was saying and doing, but...that doesn't make it okay and I still have to take responsibility for my actions, especially since they impacted you guys so severely."

"I know it wasn't on purpose, and I know that you believed in your fantasies," Emma said, taking Mel's hand and softly squeezing it as she said, "I'm sorry too, for the way I behaved at times. It was reckless and inconsiderate and I...I was scared of losing Darren because I've never really had good relationships, or many men interested in me to begin with, and the thought of losing Darren terrified me."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore," Mel said quietly, "I...I don't think I'm...interested in men."

Emma's brows raised at this admittance.

"Really?" she asked, sounding surprised, "Uh, wow. Well then why-"

"Because I thought that eventually a prince charming would come along in my fantasy world and rescue me, take the place my father left in my life. That's what all these princess stories do, is have the girl eventually saved by a handsome prince. Only once I broke free of that thinking did I realize that I might actually want princess charming instead."

Emma threw her head back and cackled, which made Mel laugh a little.

"I'm sorry, I...I'm not laughing at you, I just...that was funny," Emma said, "I'm happy for you, Melanie. It takes a lot of strength and courage to live your truth like that. I don't think I'd be capable of being out if I were queer, so you have my upmost support."

"Thanks," Mel said softly, "I haven't talked to my family about it yet, but I can't imagine they'd be unsupportive of that after indulging the fantasies they did for so long."

"Fair."

"...is Darren angry at me?" Mel asked, surprising Emma who giggled and shook her head.

"God no, no, he's...he's just all over the place. It's been a weird year for him. Between being stabbed, getting engaged and your institutionalization, it's been hard for him to adjust to everything. Before you, our lives were dull and ordinary. You changed all that, and rest assured, for the better."

Mel smiled and laid her head on Emma's shoulder, as Emma softly stroked her hair.

If what Mel wanted out of Emma and Darren was a parental situation, then Emma could deal with that.

After all, everyone deserves parents.

                                                                                                 ***

Gus was sitting on the steps of the front of the apartment complex, sipping from a bottle of tea when Bea walked out and sat beside him, opening a bag of jerky and sharing it with him. They sat in silence for a brief while, drinking and chewing, relaying the day in their head. After a bit, Gus sighed and spoke.

"It's so quiet without her here," Gus said, "She fought so hard to be my friend, to worm her way into my life, and I was so hesitant, and now I can't imagine why. Why'd I fight it so hard? I know I was upset and damaged from my life falling apart, so I was somewhat scared to get close to someone else, but...when someone tries that hard to get to know you, maybe it's worth letting them."

"Unless they're a stalker," Bea said, making him laugh.

"I can't wait until she gets out and comes home," Gus said, "It's so empty without her around. She looked good, but she also seemed so...sad. In a different kind of way too, not the kind of sad I've known her to be."

"Well, I guess it's up to us to cheer her up regularly then," Bea said, smacking him in the chest and whistling, "Come on, let's go upstairs and bone."

"Romantic," Gus said, half laughing as he got up and followed her.

As they went down the hall and approached his apartment, he watched Bea get through the door and start to tug her shirt up. He stopped and turned around, looking at Mel's door across from him and sighing. All he wanted to do was protect the women in his life; be it Bea, his ex-wife, his daughter or his best friend, and he seemed to be incapable of doing such a thing. He shook his head, trying to get those intrusive thoughts out and think about Bea waiting for him in bed, but he couldn't forget the look on Mel's face today.

She looked so empty, yet so...ordinary, and for the first time he found himself questioning what Mel herself had asked...was reality worth the effort if it made you that unhappy? She couldn't have continued the way she was going, she was out of control, even he recognized that, but...

...maybe fantasy was more than a genre after all.

He stepped inside his apartment and shut the door.

                                                                                               ***

Mel was lying on her bed in her room, looking through her new stickerbook and thinking back on the days visitors. As she flipped a page, she heard a tapping on the window that looked in through her door and she looked up to see a woman about her age looking through the glass. The woman smiled and waved energetically at her, before being walked away by an orderly. Mel just shrugged and laid her head back down on her pillow, hugging the stickerbook to her chest.

Meanwhile, Emma was lying on her side in bed while Darren was getting into pajamas and going into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He stepped into the doorframe between the bedroom and attached bathroom and brushed as he looked at Emma.

"You okay?" he asked, and she shrugged.

"I didn't wanna be a mom," Emma said, "and now I...I guess I am, in a way, a mom."

"Are you upset about that?" Darren asked, leaning back into the bathroom and spitting into the sink.

"...actually no. I'm not saying I want my own children, but...if this brings her some kind of comfort then why shouldn't I do that? The world is so cruel and mean already, and people like Mel need support and help and understanding. What kind of monster could turn that away? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did."

Darren switched the light off, then walked around the side of the bed and climbed in, leaning over and kissing her neck.

"I love you," he whispered, and she blushed.

"I love you too," she said softly, taking one of his arms and wrapping it around her waist.

Darren fell asleep fairly quickly, but Emma laid awake for a while. After a while, she got out of bed and slipped into the kitchen. She picked up the phone and dialed a number as she seated herself at the kitchen table. After a few rings, Shane answered.

"Hello?" he asked.

"You sound up," Emma said.

"I'm very up, I'm watching a horror movie marathon," Shane said, "You okay?"

"I'm...can we meet?" she asked.

                                                                                             ***

Emma and Shane found themselves sitting in a nearby diner sipping coffee and sharing a plate of french fries. Neither one had talked since they'd arrived, and it'd been almost a half hour now. Emma, honestly, appreciated the silence. She always felt like she had to make conversation with Darren, and with Shane she could just sit and not say a single thing, and she felt that intimacy was so much more appealing.

"How's the engagement going?" Shane asked.

"It's nice. It's nice to have something to look forward to," Emma said, "Plus I love looking at all the decorations and whatnot. But I'd be lying if I didn't say it made me scared, cause eventually it's gonna be a real social thing I'm gonna have to endure."

"That's a nice way to describe your wedding," Shane said, chuckling as he lifted his coffee mug to his lips.

"I saw your sister today," Emma said, "We went and visited the hospital. She was doing really well. I think...I think she sees Darren and I as sort of pseudo parents to her, and I think I'm okay with that. I'm pretty okay with everything right now."

"If that's true, what am I doing here?" Shane asked.

"...it's just nice to be listened to," Emma said, making him smile.

"Well, talk away. I've spent my life listening to womens problems. I got room for one more."

Emma smiled back and started talking. Talking about the wedding preparations, about her visit with Melanie (sans her sexual admittance, as she didn't want to out her) and about her growing acceptance as a sort of mother figure to Mel. The whole time, Shane sat there and listened, never putting a word in edge wise, instead just hearing her speak. The way Shane saw it, the world never listened to women. He decided a long time ago that that wasn't fair, and he'd made it his mission to hear them, no matter what it was they had to say.

But he'd failed, deep down he felt, because he'd somehow failed to hear Melanie when she needed to be heard the most.

The banging had started again, just like the last few weeks, waking every dog in the neighborhood, cajoling them into fits of barking, filling the night sky with frustrated howls. Melanie groaned, sat up out of bed, put her tiara back into her hair and opened the window, leaning out to see where the noise was coming from. Same place as always...Paul. She crossed her arms on the windowsill and yawned.

"What time is it?" she asked, as Paul stopped his banging and looked up at her.

"6:30 in the morning, I didn't wake you, did I?" he asked, and she smiled sweetly, shaking her head.

"What're you building anyway?" she asked as Paul continued to hammer.

"I'm building an Ark," he replied.

"Why?"

"Because he told me to."

Melanie squinted, a bit confused. She stretched and stood up a bit straighter now, rubbing her eyes.

"Who told you to?" Melanie asked.

"Do you believe in angels, your highness?" he asked, and she nodded.

"I believe in some sort of higher power, some sort of power that guides us along a path of eventual..." Melanie said, stopping and scratching her head as Paul set his hammer down and looked up at her, hands on his hips.

"Destruction?" he asked, and she laughed.

"No, that's not it," she replied.

"Redemption?"

"A path of...like, understanding, you know? It'll show us what we're supposed to do, so if this power tells you to build an ark, then you build an ark! It told me to find my kingdom, and that's exactly what I'm going to do! So what's the plan with this ark once it's done?" Melanie asked, checking the clock beside her on the desk.

"Well, hopefully it'll be done before the flood," Paul said, picking his hammer back up, "I'll save you a throne, if you wish."

The Ark now sat completed, over a year later, in Paul's backyard. And on this very day, the day that would forever change Melanie Irres life, it would in fact be proven useful. Paul wasn't wrong. A Storm was indeed coming, and his ark would be there to save lives.

Just turns out it wouldn't be Melanie who needed the spot within it.

                                                                                             ***

Leah Wilkerson was having a decent enough morning.

She had gotten her coffee with ease, managed to get a good breakfast in, and was now sitting in her office trying to fill out paperwork for potentially upcoming clients for psychiatric evaluation. Her hair pinned back, her nails painted well, she felt more put together than she had in ages, and it was nice. She didn't need a therapist, she was her own therapist. As she scribbled something down, taking another sip of coffee, she heard her office door knocked on heavily, and she glanced up from her desk towards it across the room. The door was locked - Leah always locked her office door in the mornings - so whoever it was couldn't get it, but she was still curious what they could want. So, Leah stood up and strolled across the room, unlocking it and opening it just a tad to see Melanie's face on the other side.

"Miss Irres, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I need help," Melanie said, "Can I come in please?"

"...well, I have an appointment in two hours, but, sure, you can come in," Leah said, opening the door further, allowing Melanie inside; Leah continued, "this is highly unusual, as I don't normally let people without appointments in to speak with me, but since I'm a friend of Emma's I'll make an exception. What's going on? Do you need a referral for something?"

"I need..." Melanie said, wringing her hands together, "I need help," she repeated.

Leah looked Melanie up and down. She was soaked, likely from the rain outside, and her eyes were red, like she'd been crying or rubbing them for hours. Leah leaned against her desk and motioned for Melanie to take a seat on the couch, which she did.

"Are you alright, Melanie? You don't look very good. Do you want me to call someone?" Leah asked.

"I have to lick your outlet," Melanie said, taking Leah by surprise.

"Ex...excuse me?" she asked, almost laughing.

"I have to lick your outlet," Melanie repeated, "I'm sorry but I don't have the time to explain."

This...was going to be an interesting day for Leah Wilkerson.

                                                                                                  ***

"It's very sweet of you to get Melanie a gift," Emma said, looking at the box Darren had put in her lap in the car; she continued, "Gus told me she hasn't been doing too well. She moved in with him for a bit until she feels her apartment in safe again, which I completely understand, but he says she's an absolute nervous wreck, like she's on the verge of a total breakdown."

"I would expect no less after what she's been through," Darren said, "She needs to know we care about her. I'm not going to hold what happened to me against her, it wasn't her fault. That girl was unhinged. I'm just glad everyone got out of it okay."

Emma smiled and laid her head on his shoulder as he drove. She hadn't been this happy with him in so long, and it felt great to be close to him again. She knew he was right...easy as it would've been to blame Melanie, it wasn't fair. After all, she had enough to deal with as it was.

"So what'd you get her?" Emma asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Darren replied, smirking.

As they pulled up to the apartment complex, they could see Gus sitting on the steps outside with Bea, her drinking an ale and him drinking a soda, a bag of chips open in front of them, and an umbrella propped up overhead. Darren parked and got out, Emma following him, as they approached Gus and Bea.

"Hey," Gus said, "What're you two doin' here?"

"We're here to see Melanie," Darren said, "I have a gift for her."

"Well, that's a shame, cause she ain't here," Gus said, "She took off like an hour ago. Didn't say where she was going or when she'd be back, just that she was going somewhere to do something really important."

"What are you two doing outside? It's, like, going to storm," Emma said, pulling her coat up tighter around her.

"We know, we like this weather," Bea remarked, grabbing chips from the bag and eating them noisily, "It makes everything really peaceful."

Just then an enormous crack of thunder was heard overhead, startling Emma, who grabbed Darren's arm tightly, making him wince. Gus and Bea grabbed their things and started to head inside, while Darren and Emma headed back to the car.

"Well, this stinks," Darren said.

"We'll come back," Emma replied.

"uh," Darren said, tugging on the door handle, "...that's...not good. I think I locked us out of the car."

"What?" Emma asked, sounding annoyed, "It's about to start really pouring and you locked us out of the car?!"

"It was an accident, christ, pardon me for screwing up," Darren shouted.

"Hey!" they heard a voice shout from behind them. As they turned to see the house beside the complex, they spotted a man standing there, waving his arms in his rain slicker; he continued, "You folks need some coverage? You can come over here!"

Emma and Darren knew they had no other option, so they hustled on over to the yard and followed the man past the fence and towards his backyard.

"This is supposed to be the worst storm this city's seen in years," the man said, "I'm Paul, by the way. Hear you were friends of the princess. I am too, and you're totally welcome to wait here for her until she gets back, or til the storm passes by, whichever."

"That's very nice, thank you," Emma said.

"Just climb inside and you'll be safe!" Paul said, holding his arms out in pride, gesturing to the ark.

"...you've gotta be fucking kidding me," Emma muttered.

                                                                                                  ***

"You need to lick...my outlet?" Leah repeated, leaning against her desk, "Melanie, can you give me a sensible reason as to why you'd need to lick my outlet? I mean, first of all, it's dangerous, not to mention unsanitary, so you're going to have to really manage to convince me why I should let you do such a thing."

"There's a storm," Melanie whispered, "a really bad storm, and a man told me I had to do it to save us from the storm. I had to save you from the storm. He told me that...that I had to...that you'd be really important to me getting better, and that-"

"Who told you this? Are you taking your medication?"

"Yes, but it...it isn't working well," Melanie said, something Leah could clearly see; she added, "but he told me to save you from the storm. I woke up this morning and he was in my friends bathroom with me, and he said 'Melanie, there's a huge storm on the way, and your therapist is going to be in danger, and if you ever want a real shot at getting better, you have to rescue her and lick her power outlet'."

"...I....don't even know how to respond to that," Leah said, "This man, did he have a name?"

"His name is Allen."

"Allen...isn't that the man you said moved into the building recently?" Leah asked, picking up a pad of paper and starting to write things down.

"He isn't real," Melanie replied, surprising Leah, "he isn't real, but he...he tells me things. He shows me things about...about me and my father, and...and now he's telling me to help you and I can't ignore him."

"You have to ignore him," Leah said, setting the pad and pen back down, approaching Mel and kneeling on the floor so they were eye level; she put her hands on Mel's shoulders and smiled, saying, "You can and you will ignore him, because he isn't real, as you said. Melanie, clearly the medication, the therapy...none of it is working. At least not how it's intended to, and I really didn't want to suggest this but it seems you're having a complete break from reality, so I feel if I don't suggest it you may harm yourself by accident. I think you need real care from highly trained professionals. There's a nice mental home up in Lakeview, I used to intern there, and I know the head of staff. I can get you in no problem, and those people can really help you manage to discern reality from fantasy. I want you to get better-"

"I want to get better too," Melanie said, crying now, "I do! But first I have to lick your outlet."

"Melanie, just listen to me, you're sick, and you know you're sick, but you just said it yourself...YOU want to get better, and that's fantastic. I can help you do that, okay? Just stay here, I'm going to make a call to the hospital and see if I can get you in for a consultation as soon as tomorrow, alright? I'll be right back."

Leah stood up and headed out of the room, leaving the door open as she exited. She walked to her assistants desk and began thumbing through her rolodex, realizing she'd taken her own home for reorganizing and hadn't brought it back in yet. As she looked for the hospital's number, Melanie watched, but her eyes soon glided towards the wall across the office, to the outlet by the desk. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Allen standing beside her.

"If you want to get better, if you want to go to the hospital, and if you want this woman to continue being here to help you...you have to do it," he said, "It's the only way."

Melanie nodded, stood up and began heading across the room. She stopped dead center in the middle of the office and noticed Leah was staring at her from the other side of the door, phone to her ear. They were caught in a battle of wills, until Melanie glanced back at the outlet, and then raced towards the door. Leah dropped the phone, letting it hang as she too lunged towards her office door.

"Melanie!" she shouted.

"I'm sorry!" Melanie screamed, shutting the door and locking it, as Leah began banging away.

"Melanie, open this door right now! This is not okay! You cannot be in there alone!" she yelled, but Melanie tuned her out and headed across the room, knelt in front of the wall near the desk, and looked at the power outlet.

"...i want to get better," she whispered, as she stuck her tongue out and pressed it against the power outlet, holding herself there for a few minutes until all the power to the building shut down, all the lights went out and the only two people in the building - Melanie and Leah - were engulfed in absolute darkness. There was only the lightning strikes to brighten up the rooms through the windows, which helped Leah head down the hall until she found a fire extinguisher and carried it back to the door, where she began beating on the old doorknob until it finally fell off. Leah pushed her office door open, and rushed over to Melanie, still at the wall, tugging her away from it.

"Melanie!" she shouted, "that was so incredibly dangerous! You can never do that again!"

But Melanie, lying in Leah's lap, smiling up at her, merely replied with, "...you're welcome."

                                                                                                  ***

"This is creepy," Emma said, shivering as she got closer to Darren in the ark, "...I'm sorry I yelled at you about the car keys, I know it was an accident."

"It's fine," Darren said, kissing the side of her head, "I know things have been rough lately."

"So what did you get her?" Emma asked, looking at the box.

Darren smiled and looked at his shoes, "...uh...it's a collection of old medieval stories, very old, that was signed by some of the authors and illustrators. I..."

Emma looked at Darren, who sighed and scratched his head.

"I don't know how to explain this but...remember when we came back from the ren faire? And we took her home? You were asleep but she was telling me about her dad and...I don't know, Em, I feel very protective of her. Like...like she's a surrogate child or something. I know you don't want children and I don't want to fight with you on that anymore, because I want to be with you more than I want a family, but with Mel, it's like...she needs a father, and even though we're about the same age, I feel like I can sort of be that for her."

"You know we only know her because she had the hots for you, right?" Emma asked, laughing, "This is kind of creepy."

"Shut up," Darren said, laughing, "God! Besides, we now know that was misplaced emotions, given how she's been lately. I feel like I can help her, be that kind of father figure she needs, but...I don't know, maybe I'm being ridiculous."

"I think that's really admirable, honestly," Emma said, taking his hand in hers and kissing it, "I really do. She's...turned our life inside out, but...in kind of the best way? It's weird."

"We could stand to be turned inside out," Darren said, making Emma nod.

"This is an impressive piece of work," Emma said, tapping her feet on the ark, looking up at Paul, "How long did this take you to make?"

"Over a year, ma'am," Paul said, "and you're not wrong about the princess. She needs all the help she can get. What you two are doing is very kind, and I can assure you that she appreciates it deeply."

Darren and Emma glanced at one another and smiled, as she leaned up and kissed his cheek. They could hear the rain pattering down around the ark, and yet no water got inside. Paul had truly built a decent shelter, and they were grateful to be away from the storm. Melanie, on the other hand, wasn't as lucky. She had weathered the storm head on, and had come away broken because of it.

                                                                                               ***

"It's letting up but I wouldn't recommend driving yet," the fireman said to Leah as they stood outside, an ambulance behind them. Leah glanced back over her shoulder at Melanie, sitting in the back of the ambulance, a blanket wrapped tightly around her.

"Is she okay?" Leah asked.

"She seems fine," the fireman said, "lucid enough, not in any pain, I don't think she got electrocuted."

"I still don't understand why she-"

"Actually, as it turns out your buildings power was exceptionally flaky. There was an old antenna on the roof that could've easily been struck by lightning, which had that happened, would've potentially caught the old wires within the building on fire from so much electricity coursing through them. She did the right thing. She shorted everything out with what she did and kept you guys from going up in flames."

Leah was speechless. She thanked the fireman and then started to walk towards the ambulance. As she approached, Melanie looked up from her cup of coffee at Leah and sighed.

"I guess I'm going to the hospital now," Melanie whispered.

"Melanie," Leah said, taking her free hand in her own, "I am going to help you. I am going to help you get better. Being self aware of your illness is the first step and wanting to grow from it is the second. There's no end to progress, you just keep making more progress, but I'm going to be the one who will help you do it, okay? You saved our lives."

"...i'm sorry," Melanie whispered, starting to cry, "i'm so sorry i'm so-"

"Don't even say it," Leah said, "don't. You're fine, no matter how you are. Now we're going to make you even better, okay? We'll take you up to the hospital, get you all checked in, get you a room and create a health plan for you to work from. I'm here with you, alright? Every step of the way, I am your therapist...and your friend, and I won't let you down."

Melanie smiled weakly, as she took the tiara off her head and handed it to Leah.

"Please hold onto this for me," she said softly, "It was from my dad. Just keep it safe until I can have it back."

Leah nodded as the ambulance driver shut the door to the back and got into the drivers seat, heading towards the hospital. Leah got into her car and sat there, looking at the tiara in her hands, feeling her eyes water up. She looked back up at the ambulance as it vanished into the rain and the grey fog, and knew she wouldn't stop until Melanie was better. That she swore to herself.

                                                                                                ***

"Name?"

"Melanie Irres."

"Age?"

"27."

"Reason for stay?"

Melanie and Leah looked at one another, and Leah patted her hand. Melanie cleared her throat.

"I'm mentally ill and I want to get better."

And just like that Melanie was given a room at the mental home, where she'd be able to learn and grow, and come into her own. Gus and Bea would stop by from time to time, and she had therapy with Leah three times a week. Leah insisted she was the only one to treat Melanie with therapy, something Melanie had absolutely no qualms with. But it wasn't until a few weeks in that Darren finally showed his face. He was let into Melanie's room, the man outside telling him he to let him know when he was done, before giving them their privacy. Melanie was sitting on her bed, in her white pants and shirt - the outfit they gave everyone here - as Darren sat on the bed and scratched his forehead.

"...it's been a while since we've seen you," Darren said, "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, I feel shitty about it."

"It's okay Darren," Melanie said, her voice sounding clearer than it had in months, her eyes brighten than before; she was clearly already doing better, even if only a little; she continued, "thanks for coming now."

"Melanie, how are you doing?"

"I'm...okay. It's weird not having any autonomy, but...at the same time, it's allowing me to do a lot of self reflecting and learning about myself, and who I was. I'm sorry you got stabbed because of me," she said.

"I didn't get stabbed because of you, besides, it was worth it," Darren said, "hey, I wanted to give you something a while ago. but then, ya know."

"I know."

Darren reached into the backpack he'd brought and pulled out the gift, handing it to Melanie. She happily took it and unwrapped it as Darren also pulled out a box of chocolates and put them down beside her. She held the storybook in her hands and smiled at her before looking back up at Darren, smiling at him.

"This is wonderful," she said, "thank you so much."

"I figured, you know, you could use some escapism," Darren said, chuckling, "And I know obviously how much you like fairytales and stuff, so."

Melanie handed the book back to him, pulled her knees to her chest and opened the box of candy.

"Will you read me one?" she asked.

"...yeah, yeah sure," Darren said, picking the book up and clearing his throat, turning to the first story, "Once upon a time, in a far away land, there was a beautiful princess who lived in the biggest castle in the land..."

Progress, as Leah said, wasn't something with an end. But it had a continuous beginning, and that was something Melanie kept in mind. Something that helped her feel hopeful. Because she knew now that every single day was yet another day to start again, to get just a little bit better, and that was something that made her feel lucky. But she'd start on that tomorrow.

Today she just wanted to hear a story.

"Melanie," Allen said, pacing as she sat on the chair, looking at the photos hanging from the clothesline strung across the apartment, barely lit up, "you need to know that these are things you've buried, things you haven't faced, things you need to open yourself up to and overcome. Until then, there can be no real progress."

"I've made progress!" Mel said, on the verge of tears, "I...I've been on medication, and I've been going to group therapy, and...and..."

"You and I both know that isn't enough. It wasn't enough for your fathers sister, and it won't be enough for you," Allen said, crouching in front of her so their eyes were level; he exhaled, scratched his forehead and smiled, adding, "Melanie...please trust me. We all just want to help you. Listen to us."

Melanie wiped her nose on the sleeve of her turtleneck and nodded, trying not to cry more.

She knew she was sick.

She just hadn't expected to be as sick as she was.

                                                                                                ***

It was morning.

Bea had gone for a jog as she did every morning, while Gus went to spend the day with his daughter. This left Melanie all alone in the apartment, something she was somewhat uneasy with, even in Gus's apartment. The concept of being alone had been shattered for her ever since Lisa had attacked. Now she felt she was being watched, even in the softest silence, she felt she was always being watched. Standing at the window, looking out as she sipped her cup of tea, her tiara on her head, she couldn't help but think about Lisa. She tried not to, but the betrayal hurt far too much to overlook. After a bit she heard the toaster oven ding, and raced to get her croissant from it, cutting it open to butter it, before sitting back down to eat breakfast.

As she ate, Melanie pulled the tiara off her head and turned it over in her hand, looking at it. This was the last part of her princess identity she still clung to, even when on medication, mostly because it was an accessory, and something her father had given to her. She couldn't bring herself to give it up and pack it away with everything else.

Chewing, she heard someone in the hall, and looked up towards the door to see a manila envelope slide under Gus's door. Melanie hesitated at first, but finally got up and walked, cautiously, towards it, bending down to pick it up. It merely read, "Please Come" on the front, and underneath that was the signature, "Allen". She had been wanting to get to know him better, he seemed like he could be a good substitute father figure, and she needed that. As her fingers played with the clasp on the back of the envelope, she could hear the sound of a door shutting, and figured it must be Allen re-entering his apartment. She gave up on the envelope, tucked it under her arm and headed out into the hallway, walking down to his apartment.

"Allen?" she asked, mouth still full of croissant as she knocked, "Allen? It's Mel. Are you there? I got your envelope."

No answer.

Melanie put her hand on the doorknob and turned, and was surprised when the door easily swung open. Melanie stepped inside, and was surprised to see the apartment was nothing but black. No discernible furniture, no wallpaper, nothing, except for a single lamp swinging over a chair, and clothesline hung all around, with developing photos hanging from them.

"Allen?..." she asked again, stepping inside.

The door swung shut behind her, and she turned to it, being caught by surprise. As she turned back, she saw Allen standing over a pan, holding a pair of tongs as he developed more photos.

"Allen?" she asked.

"Hey, I was hoping you'd come over," he said, "Please, have a seat."

"I got your envelope," she said, "...what are you doing?"

"I am unearthing memories," Allen said, clipping yet another photo to the clothesline, "please, take a seat," he said again, motioning to the single chair in the room. Melanie did as was suggested, and sat in the chair, until she realized she recognized the people in the photos...herself, her family, her father...these were all photos taken during her adolescence.

"...Allen, what...what is this?" she asked.

"It's everything you need it to be," he said, turning around and pulling his latex gloves off, setting the tongs down in the pan, "it's what you need right now. You're not doing well, Melanie. You know you're not doing well. You trusted the wrong people, you stopped taking medication - though we are proud of you for starting again - and you're unsure of yourself. I'm here to help you realize what it is you actually need."

"...who...who are you?" she asked, and Allen laughed.

"Melanie," he said, "Melanie, I'm you. Well, sort of. I'm a...a projection. You needed an older man around to help you sift through things, and that's what I'm here for. Think of me as your consciousness. The part of your brain that's well enough to know it's ill, and wants to get better."

"I am crazy," Melanie whispered, and Allen sighed.

"You're not crazy, Melanie, you're sick, there's a difference. But if you keep working with yourself, you'll overcome it, and you'll get better. It's not a straight line, and it takes a lot of effort, but it needs to be done. Don't you want to be well?"

"I don't want to do this," Melanie whispered, sounding like a mixture of angry and scared.

"Melanie," Allen said, pacing as she sat on the chair, looking at the photos hanging from the clothesline strung across the apartment, barely lit up, "you need to know that these are things you've buried, things you haven't faced, things you need to open yourself up to and overcome. Until then, there can be no real progress."

"I've made progress!" Mel said, on the verge of tears, "I...I've been on medication, and I've been going to group therapy, and...and..."

"You and I both know that isn't enough. It wasn't enough for your fathers sister, and it won't be enough for you," Allen said, crouching in front of her so their eyes were level; he exhaled, scratched his forehead and smiled, adding, "Melanie...please trust me. We all just want to help you. Listen to us."

Melanie wiped her nose on the sleeve of her turtleneck and nodded, trying not to cry more. Allen plucked one of the photos off the clothesline, and handed it to her. She took it and glanced at the photo, which showed her and her father in his hospital room, as she read to him from her favorite storybook. She felt the tears well up in her eyes, and wanted to sob.

"You were a child," Allen said, "You tried to hide all of this, and that's completely understandable. Your brain did what it had to do at the time in order to ensure survival. But now it's time to heal. It's time to grow. Your brain has stagnated long enough. Do you remember that day?"

"Mhm," she said, nodding, "I read my favorite story to him, and he was so happy to see I had learned to read. Truth was, I didn't even need to read it. I knew it by heart because of all the times I'd had him read it to me at bedtime. He read it to me when I was sick, so I thought maybe...maybe if I read it to him, he might get better."

"Children are often naive like that," Allen said, "and that's perfectly understandable. But he didn't get better, did he?"

"No," Melanie whispered, shaking her head as the tears rolled down her face, "he didn't. This was near the end. He died a few days later."

"You were only 7. Children usually don't know how to deal with that kind of loss, especially when they're as close to their parents as you were with your father. But look at his face, look how happy you made him, even at the end when he was in tremendous pain and facing down the barrel of his mortality. You still made him happier than ever, that's how proud he was of you, that's how much he loved you."

Melanie cracked a little smile, wiping her tears on her sleeve again as she handed the photo back to Allen. Allen took it and clipped it back up, walking down to the end of the clothesline.

"Melanie," he said, "therapy, medication, they're good starters, but you can't just do them and expect to get better. It takes more work than that. They don't just instantly cure you, and a lot of times, people have setbacks, relapses, and that's perfectly okay. Your just lucky your hallucinations are nice and helpful. How about this one."

Allen unclipped another photo and walked back, handing it to Melanie who stared at it for a few moments, before feeling her chest tighten and her eyes water up again. She looked up at Allen in surprise, shaking her head.

"I don't want to talk about this one," she said.

"You need to, because you've already been dealing with it lately," Allen said, "It's perfectly okay, Melanie. Go ahead and tell me about her."

"She was...she was the only person who was nice to me in middle school," Melanie said, "She used to stick up for me when the other girls made fun of me. Until Lisa...I just always assumed I'd appreciated the support, but Lisa made me realize that it...it was probably something more. Something deeper. I always thought she was pretty, and when I used to make my storybooks about my kingdom at home, I'd always make her the Royal Guard, always there to protect me."

Allen knelt in front of her and placed his hand on her knee, smiling at her.

"It's okay," Allen said, "You've been fighting it for so long, you wanted to escape so badly from who you are that you devolved into this princess persona, simply because princesses always find prince charming, and you thought that's what your father would've wanted. But...your father would've loved anyone who loved you the way he did, wouldn't he? Wouldn't he just want you to be happy?"

"I...guess," Mel said, looking at the photo again, showing her and the girl from school sitting on the bleachers during lunch and laughing, eating; she grimaced and mumbled, "...I don't want to be this way."

"There's nothing wrong with it, Melanie."

"I know, but...but I'm already sick, and people will just use that against me. They'll say 'oh, you just think you're...this way...because you're mentally ill', people always utilize a persons...interests...as weapons against them. I can't have that."

"The only person doing that to you right now is you," Allen said, "Please, stop running from it."

"...i can't," she whispered, crying again, "i...i can't. i already have so much else wrong with me, and Lisa...Lisa showed what happens when you...when you're..."

"Lisa was an outlier, Melanie, she isn't the end all be all example," Allen said, "Melanie, I want you to look at me and say it. You'll feel free once you do. Please, I promise nobody is going to judge you for it. I want you to be happy, I want us to be happy. But we can never be happy if we keep trying to escape from who we are."

Melanie took a few deep breaths and looked back at the photo. She could remember the girls laugh, even to this day, and she hated herself for it. She hated herself for being different. Then she thought about Emma, and Gus, and everyone else. They weren't ashamed of who they were, and they'd all worked hard to get better or fix things around them. The only holdout was Melanie. She wanted to be like them too. She wanted to be well, and happy, and in love. But Lisa...

"...she...she hurt me so much," Mel said, "what if I can never open up again because of what she did?"

"You will," Allen said, "Trust me, you will heal from it. It was traumatic, certainly, and it will create trust issues, but you will heal. But you need to take the first step. You know you made your father happy, you know you make Gus happy with your friendship, so why don't you start trying to make yourself happy? Say it, Melanie. Please. It's eating away at us."

Melanie sighed and shut her eyes, handing him back the photo. He sighed and took it, walking back to clip it back up when he heard her speak.

"I hated myself back then for feeling that way," Mel said, "but maybe...I could learn to love being...gay."

Allen smiled and turned back to face her.

"I'm proud of you, proud of us," Allen said, "Don't you feel better now?"

"Not particularly, no," Melanie whispered.

"Well, you will, give it time," Allen said, walking back towards her, another photo in his hand, "Let's do one more. How about we finally revisit the one you don't want to visit the most. The day you left."

"God please, no, I...I can't-"

"You can, and you will," Allen said, dropping the photo in her lap.

This photo took her back to the day she finally left the house, the day she and Shane had their most explosive argument, the day he told her to her face he was sick of having to clean up after her, sick of how crazy she was. Things he'd since taken back, but that had stung nonetheless for many years, despite his numerous apologies.

"He was going through shit," Melanie said, "I know that now. I may have even known then. But I needed him to be my brother, and he was tired of being my brother. He wasn't even a brother, he was a keeper. A janitor for all my messes, of which there were far too many. He told me nobody wanted me there. He told me mom had wasted her potential on me, and that dad..."

She tried to hold back from crying, but the tears came anyway.

"...and that dad would hate what I've become, even though I knew full well daddy would never hate me," she said, "...he was just angry, and he lashed out at me. So I cut contact, and I left, and I took the money my parents had entrusted to me to get my own apartment and made my own life for myself. I lived on that money for so long, never even thinking about getting a real job or having a real life, and instead I was able to retreat further into my delusions because I didn't have anyone telling me they were, in fact, just that. By the time Gus met me, I was so far gone, living so deep within the fantasy I'd crafted for myself, that I didn't even really know who I was anymore."

"Shane loves you," Allen said.

"I know he loves us," Mel said, "and I've forgiven him, and he's made up for it. But here I am again, making things hard for him. Dating his ex, all because she was trying to get back at him. I've always just been a problem for Shane, and he...he has a life of his own. It isn't fair to expect him to save mine. He was so mean that day though...shoving me against the wall and screaming at me how crazy I was...that he was embarrassed of me, and that he wanted a normal sister."

"People have been nasty to us, Melanie," Allen said, "but all that should really do is not enable us to believe they were right, but work harder to prove they were wrong. Don't you want to prove them wrong?"

Mel smiled and nodded, finally stopping crying. Allen smiled back at her, and looked at the envelope under her arm.

"You never opened that?" he asked, and she shook her head.

"You should."

Allen went back to developing photos, as Melanie finally unclasped the back of the envelope and slid out a thin collection of papers. She flipped through them, her brow furrowing, until she looked up at Allen, confused.

"Allen...what is this?" she asked.

"That, Melanie...is what you were diagnosed with when you were a little girl," Allen said, "You found those papers when you were a little girl, but you never really understood what they meant. Now you're old enough to grasp it."

"...'It is our professional opinion that Melanie Irres, age 11, suffers from Schizoaffective and Dissociative Identity Disorder. We will recommend medications and therapists to help combat this combination. She states she often feels detached from her own life, as though she's merely watching it play out, or is in an entirely separate life altogether, believing she is a princess from a long lost kingdom. Please see the attached...'. Allen...I..."

"Melanie," Allen said, undoing his apron and setting his tongs back down, pulling his gloves back off, "perhaps by medical definition, yes, you're crazy. But that word is so outdated, and so misleading. And it's not like you can't live a perfectly healthy life with those disorders. They're just disorders. Just another facet of your personality that make up the entirety of who you are. And who you are...who we are....is Melanie Irres, a deeply closeted, severely ill young lady, who has found a support group, who has a family, and who's finally ready to get better. So never let your diagnosis define your entirety, because it's just a small microcosm of your person. You're not 'crazy'. You're Melanie. And that's a beautiful thing."

Melanie stood up and threw her arms around Allen, sobbing as he laughed and stroked her hair gently.

"There there," he whispered, "it's okay, you're okay. You don't have to do this alone."

Melanie wasn't sure how long she stood there, hugging Allen, but after a while, the door opened, and the landlady of the building was standing there, looking at her. Melanie turned and looked at her.

"Mrs. Irres? What are you doing in here?" she asked.

The light now filling the room, Melanie could see it was empty. There was no clothesline covered in photos, there was no chair, and there was no Allen. Melanie smiled and looked at the landlady, shrugging.

"Just admiring the space," she said.

                                                                                            ***

Lying on Gus's couch that night, staring at the ceiling and thinking about her day, she couldn't help but feel good. She felt like she could finally shut the door on the first part of her life, and really move forward and progress. But something irked her...why had her parents hidden this information from her? She chewed on her lip and realized she had to confront her mother, or her aunt, and get this information out in the open. She needed to know why she was never told what she suffered from.

And she wanted to.

She was just scared what the truth would do to her.

Build forward...or break down.

"Your shampoo sucks," Bea said, coming out of the bathroom, drying her hair as Gus laid on the bed, reading a magazine and eating some nuts from a plastic tub. He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Well," he said, "I don't really know what it is I'm buying, for what it's worth. I know nothing about what's good for my hair, I just picked the bottle that I like the best."

"You choose your shampoo bottle based on its color and design? What are you, a child?" Bea asked, laughing as Gus sat up and made room for her to sit down; she threw the towel on the floor and put her hand behind his neck, pulling him, their lips almost touching.

"If I am, then that makes this really creepy," Gus said, "Someone should report you."

She laughed and kissed him, just as a knock come at the apartment door. Gus kissed her once more, then stood up and headed to answer it while Bea got dressed and went to blowdry her hair. Gus opened the door, finding Melanie standing there in jeans and a turtleneck, her hair pulled back into a ponytail. She looked far more normal than he'd ever seen her, and it felt...weird.

"What's up neighbor?" he asked.

"Um, I need a big favor please," she said.

"Of course your highness, anything for you."

"I...I need to stay with you for a while."

"...oh."

Gus exited the apartment and shut the door behind him, the two of them now standing in the hall as he watched Melanie start to pace, clearly under pressure of some kind.

"It's just...ever since Lisa, and that whole...thing...I haven't really felt safe in my apartment, and I'm...I'm scared to go back in. It would just be for a few days, maybe a week, while I get my locks changed and get a security system installed. Please? I really don't want to be alone, Gus."

"I mean, I guess, sure," Gus said, shrugging as he leaned against the wall, "Why not? Bea is here a lot, but maybe safety in numbers will make you feel better. You're back on your medication right?"

"Mhm, started last night," she said, "It takes a little bit to kick in fully, but I am taking them again."

"Good, good," Gus said, "Yeah, I guess just pack a bag or two and come on over. You can sleep on the couch. It isn't super comfortable but it's what I have."

"Thank you Gus," Mel said, smiling and hugging him, "I feel safer already."

After the hug broke, he watched her head back into her own apartment, presumable to get packed. Leaning against the wall, he shook his head and exhaled deeply. He was her best friend, and he wanted to make her feel safe, but how far could he go before jeopardizing his own life? It was a tough line to balance on, and he finally started to understand how Shane must've felt his whole life. The door to the apartment opened and Bea came out, now dressed in a halter top and shorts, putting her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek.

"What's going on?" she asked, "What're you doing out here?"

"...I don't even know," Gus replied.

                                                                                                 ***

Darren was standing in his hospital room by his bed, his bag on the bed as he packed it, when he heard the door open and Emma stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. He twirled his black marble cane with the gold eagle head a few times in his hands, making her shake her head and rub her face as she chuckled.

"My god, this is what I'm going to have to get used to?" she asked.

"Baby, you're livin' with a class act," Darren said.

"Yeah well, class, how about you get your act together and we get out of here?" Emma said, "I'm parked in a employees space and I could get towed. Do you have everything packed up already?"

"For the most part," Darren said, "There's something we have to stop and do on the way home though."

"What?"

"Just an errand I have to run."

Emma eyed him suspiciously, but nodded in agreement. She took his bag after he zipped it up and handed it to her, and then - with a flourish - walked out of his room on his cane as over the top as he could, making Emma shake her head again.

"My god, if I knew this was going to be insufferable I wish you'd just died," she muttered, still laughing under her breath.

                                                                                                 ***

Melanie pulled her bags into Gus's apartment, while Bea stood in his kitchenette, eating peanut butter out of the jar with a spoon and watching her. Gus was making up the couch for Mel to sleep on, adding some nice pillows and a quilt. Melanie sat down in a chair and sighed, tugging gently on her ponytail out of nervousness.

"You want something to eat or whatever?" Gus asked, as he finished dressing the couch.

"No, I'm okay," Mel replied, "I'm just not feeling well."

"Want some peanut butter?" Bea asked, mouth full of it as she held the jar and spoon out, making Mel and Gus stare at her, Mel trying not to crack up.

"Gross dude," Gus mumbled, "that's been in your mouth."

"I'm just trying to be nice, jeez," Bea said, going back to eating it as Gus finished the couch and he and Mel sat on it. He rubbed her back as she ran her hands over her face, exhaling deeply.

"Look, you know you're welcome to stay here long as you need to," Gus said, "You're not in the way or anything, okay? I know what happened was terrifying, and I don't want you to have to be alone until you feel completely safe in your apartment again."

"Thank you Gus," Mel said, "...but what if I never feel safe again?"

"Then I guess you're welcome to rule this kingdom," Gus said, smiling, making Mel chuckle.

Bea, standing there and watching this, admired Gus's openness and realized just how lucky she was to have him as her own. She smiled, best one can while eating mouthfuls of peanut butter, and promised herself that that night she would show Gus just how grateful she was for him being not just a great friend but also an excellent boyfriend.

That night, when Bea and Gus left, Melanie paced in the apartment and rifled through Gus's things, putting in a CD into his stereo system and playing it loudly, not thinking how it might affect the neighbors, but caring more about drowning out her thoughts. After everything Lisa had told her, she was terrified to trust anyone again. Even her faith in those she did know and trust seemed to be wavering a smidge, and she hated that.

As Mel stood at the window and looked out over the city at its twinkling night lights, she couldn't help but think that somewhere out there was a girl, a girl who had hurt her in ways she'd never been hurt before, and yet...she wanted nothing more than to talk to her, and figure out why she hadn't been good enough for her.

                                                                                              ***

"Where are we going?" Emma asked, starting to sound exasperated by the amount of driving Darren was doing. Darren merely smiled and shook his head, not answering her at all in any manner. Emma sighed and just leaned her head against the window, looking at all the cars they were passing by. After a moment, she asked, "...is this something you need to do, or want to do?"

"...both, actually," Darren said, "It's both. It has to get done and I want to do it. I know I'm supposed to be resting, and I will as soon as I finish this errand, but until then I need to do this."

"Alright," Emma said, shutting her eyes and reaching over, gripping his thigh, feeling his hand reach down and grasp hers, stroking the back of her hand. She smiled and sighed, trying to rest. It had been a rough few months - and an especially rough few days - and she was so happy to just have Darren back, touching her. This calmed her tremendously, and she quickly grew to realize just how much she still loved him, despite their issues.

After what felt like hours, Emma woke up, and Darren had parked and was now opening her car door, helping her out. She stretched and yawned as Darren took her by the arm with his free hand, his other resting on his cane head, and he smiled at her.

"This way please," he said.

"Alright, whatever."

They had come all the way downtown, down near the docks, and Emma was curious. Darren had never made any sort of statement about wanting to see the ocean, but here they were, walking alongside a dozen or so boats sitting in the gentle water, bobbing ever so slightly. As they walked, Emma couldn't help but wonder when he'd planned this. Sure, he'd had plenty of time to be alone in his hospital room, but this seemed like it would've taken longer than just a few days to put it all together.

"Darren, this is very romantic and everything, but I am so exhausted, and very hungry," Emma said, yawning again, "I really need to get something to eat."

"Don't worry, we'll have something to eat," Darren said, as they turned a corner and saw a table set up on the dock, complete with a beautiful lace tablecloth, candles and two chairs. A small metal bucket filled with ice was beside it, chilling a bottle of wine, and there was a woman standing there, who - upon seeing them approaching - began playing violin. Emma felt her eyes begin to water, as she lifted her hand to her face in shock.

"What...is this?" she asked.

"What do you think it is?" Darren asked, as he pulled her seat out for him, letting her sit down before he went to the other seat and sat down himself. He leaned his cane against the table and sighed, looking across the table at her.

"...why are you doing this?" Emma asked.

"Because when I was lying in that apartment, stabbed and bleeding in agonizing pain, I realized that I might die and you'd never know just how much I love you. How much I admire you. You deserve that," Darren said, "All I could think of was 'I need to stay alive, if only to see her one more time', because I didn't get to ask you something I meant to ask for ages. Something I'd put off forever."

A waiter came to the table and set down a small metal tray down, pulled the lid off and revealed a small glass full of vanilla ice cream, Emma's favorite, and in the top of it popping out, a ring. Emma looked at the ring and then looked at Darren, who just nodded and smiled. She reached towards it and pulled it out from the ice cream, looking at it now in her hand.

"This is-"

"It's 33 carrots," Darren said, "It was my grandmothers. Emma, whatever issues we have, we will work them out, because I can't imagine my life without you. I don't want to split up over one little indifference, and I will do whatever it takes to make this work. I love you, and I've loved you for so long now that I don't know that I could live a life that doesn't include loving you. I definitely know I don't want to try though."

Darren, helping himself up with his cane, stumbled around the table, took the ring from her finger, dropped slowly to his knee and took her hand as he slipped it on her finger. Emma couldn't help it anymore, she was sobbing now, the biggest smile on her face.

"Emma, will you be my wife?" he asked.

"Absolutely baby," Emma whispered, leaning in, kissing him.

But that night, in the car ride home - after they'd eaten on the dock and been serenaded by the violinist - Emma couldn't help but wonder if this was merely a reaction to his near death experience, or if he actually wanted to marry her. Twisting the ring around her finger, its rose gold band flickering under the brief moments of overhead streetlamps splashing the cars interior with light, Emma knew that whatever the reason, she couldn't argue with the decision. All she'd ever wanted was Darren, and he was willing to sacrifice whatever it was he wanted to be with her.

And that killed her.

                                                                                              ***

Melanie was sitting on the couch, staring at Gus's phone, and breathing heavily. Gus and Bea were still out for the night, and this was the only chance Melanie might get. She took a swig of water, popped her meds and swallowed, then picked up the phone and dialed a number. It rang a few times, before someone finally answered.

"Hello, this is Warwick Mental Health Hospice, how may I direct your call?" the receptionist asked, and Mel sighed.

"My name is Melanie Irres, and I...I'd like to speak to a patient if I can. Um, their name is Lisa and-"

"Patients are not allowed to have personal calls," the receptionist said, "and frankly, that particular patient, if it's the one I'm thinking of, isn't allowed to have any outside interactions at the moment. Would you like me to take a message I can give them at a later date?"

"...no, that's okay. Th-thank you," Melanie said, hanging up and staring at the phone.

She'd opened herself up to someone, and it had backfired. She began to think back to when she met Gus, and Emma and Darren and how it seemed like everyone pitied her, or simply put up with her, at the risk of their own lives and happiness, and she felt worse. Melanie laid down on the couch and hugged a pillow to her chest, starting to sob. Even after all that had happened, even after what she'd done, all Melanie wanted to do was talk to Lisa and ask her...

...ask her why she had to be the dark wizard who threatened her kingdoms peace and prosperity.

"What do you think, Frank?" Melanie asked, sitting at his kitchen table as he poured them both some tea.

Frank sat across from her and opened a package of cookies, saying, "What do I think about what?"

"You know what," Mel replied, "You're the only other person I know who's...you know...not there, mentally, and I trust you, so...so what do you think? Am I having a psychotic break? I stopped taking my meds for a while, but I started again, so I shouldn't be having this problem. Please just tell me that what I'm experiencing is real...or...isn't real, I actually don't know which one would be more preferable. Both are terrifying, really."

"I don't think it matters which it is, as much as how it affects you, and it seems to have affected you poorly," Frank said, "...tell me what happened, from the beginning."

And so Melanie took a deep breath, rubbed her eyes and told him the story.

The story about the tape.

                                                                                            ***

"He's building an ark?" Bea asked, and Gus nodded. Melanie was sitting in the backseat, as Gus drove with Bea in the passenger seat, eating a small bag of chips she got at the grocery. The trunk of the car was packed with full grocery bags, for both Gus and Melanie; Bea added, "Why is he building an ark?"

"Because he's clearly a well balanced individual," Gus said, sneering as Bea chuckled.

"He says that the world is going to be flooded again, and that the voices told him to do it," Melanie said, "That it was for the safety of anyone who wanted to use it. I think it's cool. He's doing something most people never could. Not necessarily of his own volition, but whatever."

"I suppose that's one way to look at it," Bea said.

"Hey, if you had a voice in your head that told you to either to kill someone or do woodworking, I think the latter is more preferable," Gus said, all of them laughing and agreeing as Gus continued, "but he's a nice guy, I've talked to him a handful of times, and his ark is nearly finished now. It's amazing."

"I'll have to see this thing sometime," Bea said.

As they carried the bags upstairs and entered their respective apartments, Melanie suddenly realized she'd dropped her wallet in the hall, and went back out to see a package sitting in front of her door. She glanced around, but didn't see anybody, and this certainly hadn't been there when they first showed up. She knelt down and, cautiously, picked it up. She gathered her wallet as well and headed back inside her apartment, shutting and locking her door for safe measure. Melanie opened the package, and found that all there was inside was a VHS tape, with a label that simply read "WATCH ME."

Melanie pulled the VCR she'd gotten at a thrift store out of the closet and set it up to the old TV she had in her living room, then sat on the floor and popped the tape inside. As she sat and stared at the screen, she couldn't help but feel a mixture of dread and excitement come over her, and she'd find by the end of the tape that that mixture was pretty accurate.

The screen flickered the life, and the first thing she saw was her father.

                                                                                       ***

Chris was sitting at the kitchen table, clearly filling out paperwork of some kind or another. He coughed into his arm, and then felt someone tug on his arm. He glanced to his side to see Melanie there, pulling gently on his sweater, and he smiled as he scooted his chair out and let her climb up and sit in his lap.

"What're you doing?" she asked.

"I am filling out paperwork," he said.

"What for?"

"Health insurance," Chris said.

"What's that?"

"It's like...in case you get sick, like really sick, you can get the proper kind of care and not pay exorbitant amounts of money for the right to live. It also means that if something happens to you, then your family will be taken care of, but that's generally more only in the case of an accident."

"Oh," Melanie said, looking up at him and asking, "...are you sick?"

"No," Chris said, smiling at her and kissing her forehead, "No I'm not sick, I'm just doing this in case. It's important to have things in order, you know, just in case. You never know what's going to happen in life, so I wanna make sure - you know, just in case - that you and your brother and your mom would be taken care of."

Melanie snuggled into his lap and adjusted her tiara.

"I'm glad you're okay," she said, hugging him, as he chuckled and patted the top of her head.

"You and me both, kiddo," he said.

                                                                                            ***

Melanie sat there, staring at the screen, uncertain of what to think or feel. After a few minutes, she finally stood up and shut the TV off, then went to the window. She pulled it open and looked out towards Franks, spying him in the backyard, working on his ark, painting it. She wanted to say something, but as she put her fingers to her mouth to whistle, the TV came back on, and the tape resumed. She walked back around to the front of the TV and looked at it, confused as yet another scene of her father played out in front of her.

                                                                                             ***

Chris was sitting with Melanie in her bedroom, as they played with plastic horses parading around a toy castle, the both of them having the time of their life. Melanie opened the giant toy castle and sat her horse in the throne, making Chris start laughing.

"What?" she asked.

"The horse is the king?" he asked.

"Why not?" she asked, "He's brave and smart! That's what a king is!"

"I can't argue with that," Chris said, still laughing, "That's some imagination you have there though."

"She gets it from you," Karen said, leaning against the doorframe, smiling as she watched, "Lord knows I'm creatively bankrupt."

"Hey, don't say that," Chris said, standing up, leaving the playfield as he walked to the door and put his hands on his wifes hips, pulling her closer and rubbing his nose against hers, making her giggle as he added, "You obviously saw something in me, and that took some kind of imagination cause boy am I milquetoast."

"Hah!" Karen said, laughing loudly.

Melanie sat and played, but also watched her parents, and smiled. She wanted what they had. She wanted someone to love her the way they loved one another, and she promised herself that, one day, she'd find it for herself. She just didn't know at the time that what she really wanted was, in fact, from the same sex.

                                                                                             ***

It was like watching memories, and it scared her.

She wasn't sure what to think. She shut the TV off again, and this time it didn't turn back on. Melanie finally gathered herself up enough and headed back to the window, finally whistling at Frank, who waved up at her.

"Can I come over?" she asked, and he gave a thumbs up.

Now, sitting in his kitchen, she couldn't help but wonder if she'd made the right decision telling him about it. Frank twirled his mug around in circles and thought for a few moments, before finally taking another cookie from the package and eating it, only speaking when he was finished.

"You're not crazy, Melanie," he said, "Plenty of people have told you this. And even if you are, that's not a bad thing. People look at mental health much differently today than they used to, and you have a community of people who care deeply about you, and want to help you. Any idea who might've left the tape with you?"

"That's the thing, Frank, I..." Mel started, but stopping herself, chewing on her lip and clearly mulling over choosing her words carefully before finally saying, "...I was going to bring it with me, but when I went back to get it, it wasn't there. Neither was the packaging. It was like it didn't exist, and I'm afraid I simply hallucinated the whole thing."

"Well...yeah, that...that definitely throws a wrench into things," Frank said, "When did you start taking your medication again?"

"A few days ago," Melanie said, "Almost immediately after that thing with....you know, and Darren getting stabbed."

"They could be subconscious memories you've simply repressed coming up to the limelight," Frank said, "At least they were pleasant, you know? They don't sound as though they were negative. They were both about your father, and spending time with him, and that sounds nice."

"I...I guess, yeah," Melanie said, "but why would it be those two in particular?"

"Maybe because you were recently knee deep in loss, or near loss. I mean in the span of one evening, you lost someone you thought you had romantic potential with, and almost lost someone who treats you like family. Between she who shall not be named and Darren, I imagine it was fairly psychologically straining, and maybe this was your brain trying to tell you, 'hey, yeah, thinks are scary, but see, people DO love you', even if it's just memories of your dad."

"I feel like I'm losing it, Frank," Melanie said, putting her face in her hands, her elbows posted up on the table, "I can't...I can't even tell what's real and what's not anymore. I feel like I'm backsliding on all the progress I tried to make."

"Recovery, from what I've been told, is never a straight line, it's a serious of highs and lows, peaks and valleys, so you pick yourself back up and you try again," Frank said, finishing his tea, "Like me with my ark. It took me so long to find the right measurements, the right materials, everything. I tore down 3 separate versions before finally completing the one you see outside now. I was discouraged, but I never let it stop me."

Melanie smiled and nodded. Oddly enough, talking to Frank more than anyone else always made her feel more heard, and perhaps it was because he too was people would consider somewhat 'unstable', but really, Melanie couldn't figure out why. He was the sanest person she knew. The two of them headed outside to look at the ark, and - standing there staring up at it - they couldn't help but smile.

Hell, she figured, if Frank could accomplish his goal, she certainly could, hallucinations be damned.

                                                                                              ***

Emma opened the door to the hospital room and found Darren sitting in his bed, making it go up and down repeatedly with his handheld control. She stopped and stared at him as she held a styrofoam box in her hand and smirked until he stopped.

"You done?" she asked.

"You gotta make your own fun in here," Darren said, making her laugh as she approached and plopped the box onto his lap. He opened it up and looked at the delicious burger and fries she'd picked up for him on her way here. Emma took her seat in the chair beside him, and rubbed his shoulder.

"So I've been told that I can take you home this coming week," Emma said, "and I've made the bed more accessible, and you'll probably have to use a cane for a while to help you walk. Either way, I've picked up a brochure that gives you some design options."

"Oooh, fancy," Darren said, taking the brochure from her that she'd pulled from her purse; he opened it and cleared his throat, asking, "You think the term brochure came about because some guy asked his friend 'hey, you wanna see some ideas?' and his friend was like 'bro, sure'?"

"I really wish you'd died," Emma said, making them both laugh. This was the closest they'd felt in months, and it was nice, almost as if they'd gone back in time to when they had just started dating. Emma slid her chair closer and pushed her face against his shoulder, kissing it.

"I can't believe I almost lost you," she whispered, and he kissed the top of her head.

"Well you didn't, so," he said, making her smile as he glanced at the brochure, saying, "Hey, I can get a black cane made of marble with a gold eagle head on top. I'm going to be SO fancy."

                                                                                           ***

Melanie couldn't sleep that night.

She tossed and turned, playing back the whole day in her head. She finally sat up, frustrated, and went to her closet, pulling the doors open and finding her tiara. She put it on her head and, in her pajamas, headed out of her apartment and down the hall to Allen's apartment. Maybe he could give her some sort of comfort. She knew Gus would be busy with Bea, or they were asleep, so Allen was her only option in terms of proximity. As she approached his apartment door, she noticed there was no light coming from it, and she couldn't hear any noise coming from inside.

Melanie leaned against the door and sighed, rubbing her eyes. She couldn't take this much anymore. Maybe she'd start taking double her medication, even though she knew if she did, it'd likely be against her doctors advice. Melanie walked back to her apartment, just as Gus's door opened and she saw Bea standing there.

"Where you going, princess?" Bea asked.

"Back to bed, I guess," Melanie said, shrugging, "You?"

"Sneaking out for a smoke," Bea said, before approaching Mel and putting her arms around her, whispering, "I'm so sorry for what happened to you and your friend."

Melanie couldn't help it, she started sobbing into Bea's chest as she rubbed her back. Turned out that all she'd needed, as usual, was her medieval posse, and arguably there were none better than to protect her than The Black Knight.

It had been a while since Melanie had been in a hospital.

The feeling of sitting, waiting, worrying was all too familiar, and because of that, oddly comforting, not unlike an uncomfortable hug. Sitting there in the hall, thinking about everything that Lisa had said before Darren arrived, she couldn't help but feel even more confused now than she had before. She heard a chair scrape beside her, and saw Gus seating himself, unwrapping a candy bar and handing her one.

"Thanks," she said solemnly, taking it and unwrapping it as he bit into his own.

"What a night, huh," Gus said.

"...was I wrong?" Melanie asked, "I mean, to feel, you know, the way I did about her?"

"Just because she turned out to be a liar doesn't mean you're lying to yourself," Gus said, "Seriously, you have to look at the silver lining to this whole ordeal, and that silver lining is that she may have helped you discover a part of yourself that was previously unknown. That's a positive, at the very least."

"Perhaps," Melanie said, biting into her Milky Way and chewing; after she swallowed, she said, "...I think I'm the worst thing to happen to Darren and Emma, and they'd be better off without me in their lives."

"Please, those two have plenty of problems without you, you aren't the issue, trust me," Gus said.

Melanie smiled best she could, if only because Gus was at least trying to make her feel better, and she did appreciate that. She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder, resting her eyes as they continued eating their candy bars in silence. It had been a while since any news had come to Melanie about Darren, and she was beginning to worry, despite trying not to show it.

"You know," Mel said, "...maybe you're right. Maybe this whole thing is just a lesson in how much better I'm doing than her. I know who I am, I know that taking my medication is a good thing, I know that trying to get better is the right path to be on. I'm everything she wishes she could be."

"That's the spirit," Gus said, smiling.

"...i thought she really liked me," Mel whispered, starting to cry onto his shoulder. Gus sighed and rubbed her back, pulling her close.

"It's okay your highness, you'll find someone who does," he said.

                                                                                              ***

Emma and Shane were on the couch, their mouths wrapped around one anothers, their hands reaching to the most tender places, when Emma started to push him off her a bit. He pulled back and exhaled as she sat up on her elbows and straightened her glasses.

"It's just so....so much harder, you know? To let it end, I mean. It's easier to simply give in and stay with someone, even if you don't want what they want, because what are the odds you'll find someone else who understands you the way they do?" Emma said, and Shane nodded.

"I totally get what you're saying," he said, "and I don't even know if I'm capable of being in a relationship at the moment, honestly. That was partially what ended things with my ex, besides her own abhorrent behavior. I really need to be there for my family right now, especially my sister."

"I don't know if you've noticed, but she seems to have a pretty solid support system, between my boyfriend and her neighbor," Emma said, and Shane sighed.

"Yeah, she always finds people who will put up with her, for a while at least, but..."

Shane sat on the couch now, Emma sitting up and pulling her knees to her chest, resting her head on them and watching him, one eyebrow raised as he sighed and continued.

"Eventually," he added, "they get tired of it, they leave, they push her away and I'm the one who's left to pick her back up. It's happened so many times at this point that it's pointless to ever believe it won't happen. And please, don't think I'm complaining, I mean I love my sister to death, but it's a bit exhausting having to clean up her life in addition to managing my own."

"Gus isn't going to leave her, and at this point I'm pretty sure Darren likes your sister more than he likes me," Emma said quietly, "but she's going to be fine, trust me, that's not going to happen this time, you just have to-"

But before she could finish that sentence, the house phone rang, and Emma excused herself to answer it. After a brief, tension filled phone call, Shane and Emma were on their way to the hospital.

                                                                                                ***

Gus and Melanie were asleep in their chairs when someone gently shook them awake. Gus grumbled and opened his eyes, putting his glasses back on to see a woman in a coat holding a clipboard standing in front of them. He gently roused Melanie, who wiped the sleep from her eyes and yawned as they both sat up.

"I'm Dr. Barnes," the woman said, "I'm the one who's been overseeing your friend, Darren."

"Is he okay?" Melanie asked.

"Well, we think he'll be fine, but he got stabbed pretty deeply. There's a bit of deep tissue damage, and he's going to require serious stitches, but we think overall it's certainly something he can recover from with the right amount of time and rest and care. Now, which one of you was with him when he was attacked?"

"I was," Melanie said, "Do I need to do anything?"

"Not at all, we're just getting information," Dr. Barnes said, "He isn't extremely conscious at the moment, but he has said he'd like to speak to you while he has a moment of strength, if you'll just follow me please."

Melanie glanced at Gus, who just nodded. She followed Dr. Barnes down the hall, around the corner, into an elevator and up to the next floor. They continued down another hall, and finally to a small room where she stopped Melanie outside of it.

"I must warn you, he...may not make a whole lot of sense," she said, "He's on some fairly heavy medication, and he's about to undergo surgery. Try not to read too deeply into anything he says."

"Okay, thank you," Melanie replied, heading into the room, shutting the door behind her. As she approached the bed, she could see Darren lying there, tubes in his nose, buzzing machines littered around him. She wanted to cry. She'd put him here. She'd done this to him. He rolled his head towards her as she approached and sat down in the chair by his bed. Darren smiled, best he could anyway, and tried to keep his eyes open.

"Hey princess," he said.

"Hello," she said.

"I guess I'll be okay," he said, "how about you? Are you okay?"

"I don't know," Melanie said, "I feel responsible."

"You didn't stab me."

"No, but I made you come there. This is all my fault," Melanie said.

"Like hell it is," Darren said, groaning, "Melanie...please don't blame yourself. And I'm going to be fine, so it's nothing to feel guilty about, alright? You were in need of help, and I'm glad I was able to help. Nobody could've expected what she would do, okay?"

Another beep came from somewhere in the room, and a few nurses, along with Dr. Barnes entered the room, prepared to wheel Darren out to surgery. He grabbed Melanie's hands and squeezed, smiling at her, even though his eyes were shut.

"I'll be fine, okay? Just try and relax, Sam."

Sam?

As they pushed Darren out of the room, Melanie was standing there, even more confused now than ever. A few minutes passed, Melanie still standing in that room, unsure of why he'd called her that. Maybe when he was better, she thought, she'd ask him about it. But for right now, what really mattered was Darren getting healed.

                                                                                                  ***

In the parking lot, Emma zipped up her jacket and exhaled deeply, then looked at Shane. He shrugged and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as Emma put her hand on the door handle.

"Thanks for driving me," she said.

But before she could open the door, she turned back to face him.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"For what?" Shane asked, almost laughing.

"I don't know...for making you think something would come from any of this," Emma said, "I don't know. Things have just been so super fucked up lately, and Darren and I have been drifting and I just needed someone to be nice to me in ways he couldn't be. To not pressure me. To just...fucking...be there, you know?"

"I know what you mean, yeah," Shane said, "Look, you don't have to apologize for shit, Emma, I totally get what you're going through and what's happening. I'm always around if you want someone to talk to. It's not every day that your boyfriend gets stabbed for another girl, there's probably a lot to unpack there, so if you ever wanna talk, then I'm-"

"It was my sister," Emma said, and Shane glanced at her, confused.

"What?" he asked as he lit a cigarette.

"My sister," Emma said, "I had a sister growing up. I told Darren about it, and how I regretted I was never there for her when she needed help, and because of my inaction, she took her own life. I think Darren's taken that to heart, trying to protect any women he meets, especially because of what his father did to his mother."

"Christ."

"...he's a good man, and a better person than I could ever be, which is why I can't help but wonder if he's only with me because he feels this need to protect me as well," Emma said, "Does he really love me, or is it simply an obligation? Sometimes I just want someone who sees me as a person, not a project."

She looked at Shane, who put his cigarette down and kissed her cheek.

"I'll be around, okay, call me if you need anything," Shane said quietly as Emma climbed out of the car. She watched him back out and drive away, waving at her. Emma entered the hospital, and was eventually led to the room where Darren had been, finding Melanie still sitting there. Mel looked up at Emma, her eyes widening in fear, but Emma simply smiled as she walked in and sat down beside Melanie.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked, and Melanie shrugged.

"I...I really don't know," Mel said, "Do you hate me?"

"Of course not," Emma said.

"He called me Sam."

"...that was my sisters name," Emma said, "Melanie, are you sure everything is alright?"

"...if she lied about liking me, how can I be sure that anyone really does? I don't mean to sound ungrateful, I mean, Darren got stabbed for me, but...but how can I really trust that anyone actually likes me now? I trusted her, and she hurt me so deeply. She made me feel like maybe I wasn't alone, like maybe I wasn't so mentally unsound, or that how I was wasn't so bad in actuality, but now-"

"Melanie, I don't know if you've noticed, but we're all all kinds of fucked up," Emma said, interrupting her, "I mean, I lost a sister, Darren's parents had a super unhealthy relationship, Gus was an alcoholic. We're all just messes, trying to be there for one another. A community of sickness can foster wellness if they all just work together to do so. So she was a liar. You'll meet someone who isn't. But you of all people should know that romance isn't what's going to fix your problems right now. That's all on you, and how you approach your recovery."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Melanie said, after a moment of pause, then added, "I'm sorry for ever being mean to you, or causing any trouble."

"I'm sorry too," Emma said, pulling Melanie close and hugging her, surprising her by this sudden act of genuine compassion.

The two women sat there, holding one another, for god knows how long until Gus finally emerged and found them. He offered to drive Emma home, but she insisted on staying there until Darren woke up, so instead he and Melanie took off. On the way home, Mel couldn't help but think about what Emma had said, about having a sister named Sam, and reminded herself to ask Emma about it sometime. As Gus parked, and the two of them got out - the sun coming up behind them - Mel couldn't help but think nothing would be the same after all this.

And how, somehow, she was actually excited for a change for once.

                                                                                             ***

"Darren?" Emma asked, his eyes fluttering open slowly. He smiled at the sight of her, and gripped her hand firmly, feeling her rub his hand with her thumb.

"I'm sorry you have to see me like this," Darren said, and Emma smiled, tears forming in her eyes.

"I'm just glad you're okay," she said softly, leaning in and kissing his cheek, "Just don't ever scare me like this again."

"I'll do my best," Darren said, trying to laugh but still in too much pain to do so.

"You don't have to protect everyone," Emma whispered, hugging him, "You don't. I'm sorry people made you feel like you have to, but you really don't."

Darren tried not to cry, but he couldn't keep it inside. He buried his face in her chest and let her stroke his hair as he wept.

"I hate my father," he said.

"I know baby, I know," Emma replied.

"This isn't personal, I hope you understand that," Lisa said.

Melanie was sitting, tied to a chair in her living room, her mouth ungagged only because she'd promised she wouldn't scream or cry out for help. Lisa paced in front of her, cleaning her nails with the tip of her knife, the crazy dancing on her eyes, a sight Melanie had somehow failed to notice properly until just this very moment.

"...you made me care about you," Melanie mumbled, angry, "You made me care about someone, and I've never cared about anyone, romantically, and now I'm going to second guess my feelings for everyone for the rest of my life, all because I won't trust myself not to think they aren't out to hurt me or use me."

"I'm not proud of how this went down, but it was the only way to get back to your brother," Lisa said, "and I did care about you, you were far more interesting than he'd ever led me to believe. I'm sorry that I lied, and used you."

"What's so great about Shane that isn't great about me?" Mel asked, her eyes cast down to the floor now.

"Are you...jealous I'm stalking your brother?" Lisa asked, half laughing, "Jesus, you are messed up."

"Yeah, I'm the messed up one here, that makes sense."

"Okay, that was fair, I guess I deserved that."

"Not surprising, my whole life people always preferred my brother over me, except for our father. He was the only one who liked me more than Shane. I've always been his shadow. Makes sense it would just happen again."

Lisa knelt and touched Melanie's face, looking into her eyes as best she could, despite Mel's best attempts to keep them out of her line of sight.

"Oh your highness," she said, "If we'd met under different circumstances, if we'd met before I met Shane, who knows what could've become of it all. I do like you. But this is the way things worked out, and I have to see them through to the end. Now you're going to call your brother, and ask him to come over. You're going to tell him you're having a crisis and need his help, and because he feels guilty, he'll come."

Lisa picked up Melanie's phone and untied one of her hands, allowing her to take the phone and dial. But Melanie didn't call Shane, no, she scrolled down to a different number instead, the only other person she could think of who might help.

                                                                                                ***

Emma was sitting at the desk in their home office when Darren entered, eating an ice cream cone. She turned and smiled at him, pulling her glasses off and letting them hang around her neck.

"What're you up to?" he asked, licking the ice cream.

"Coming up with a gameplan for class this week," Emma said, "...why, you want to do something?"

"Could be nice. We haven't been spending much quality time together lately. I was thinking maybe we could do something together. Go see a movie or something like that," Darren said, entering and eating the last bite of his cone, he added, "I'm sorry."

"For?"

"For pushing the family thing."

"Look, you have every right to want what you want, and maybe in a bit I'll change my mind, but...I'm sorry I'm what's keeping you from having what you feel you need," Emma said, as Darren kissed her forehead and rubbed her cheek with his thumb, making her blush.

"Hush, we'll work it all out," he said.

As Darren exited to get his coat and use the bathroom, his cell phone rang.

                                                                                                 ***

Lisa was standing in Melanie's open fridge, pulling out a plastic container, opening it and sniffing, before turning to face her, showing her the container.

"Do you mind if I eat this leftover chinese?" she asked, and Melanie shrugged.

"No, it's okay," Mel said, "You can have it."

"Thanks. I was going to eat at the restaurant, but obviously I didn't stay," Lisa replied, pulling a fork from the sink and starting to dig into the food; she sat on the armchair and sighed, looking around the apartment, saying, "You know, it wasn't like I lied about everything. I did care about you. I do. I also like princess stories. Fantasy stories my father told me as a kid always had a happy ending, and I've never gotten a happy ending. I just wanted Shane to be my happy ending."

"But not me, right?" Melanie asked.

"...if we'd met first, I think I'd have been perfectly fine with having you as my happy ending, but that isn't how it shook out, so...besides, you wouldn't..."

Lisa sighed and shook her head.

"What?" Mel asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You wouldn't want me after a while, nobody does," Lisa said.

"Could it be because you don't continue taking your medication?" Melanie asked, "Could it be because you stalk people? Perhaps the fault of blame lies on you and not the people you think are being mean to you. And you got me to believe the same thing, that I didn't need help, that it would change me. Yeah, of course it's going to change me, for the better. But you got me to believe it'd be for the worse, all because you wanted someone to be sick enough for you to control."

Lisa glared at Mel, and then sighed, shrugging and looking at her shoes.

"Yeah, you're not wrong," she said quietly, surprising Melanie as she added, "I am sick. I just felt safe with Shane. I thought that maybe if I got someone to vouch for me, then maybe he'd take me back, believe I was better even if I wasn't. But I didn't expect to like you as much as I did. I wanted to be a part of your family because I didn't really have one of my own anymore."

"Well maybe, if you got yourself well like I was trying to do before you convinced me otherwise, you'd be capable of making a family of your own," Melanie said.

"Maybe," Lisa said, sounding broken inside, "But maybe nobody would want me once the most interesting thing about me is gone."

"Your sickness is not the most interesting thing about you, that's just your brain telling you that because it's sick and wants to keep you ill," Melanie replied, "Once you think clearly, once you're better, you can find out what the things that really make interesting are. But you're never going to figure that out unless you get will first."

As the words left her lips, Melanie suddenly realized how all of this related to her, and made that decision right then and there that, if she managed to get out of this situation alive, she would put in even more effort to get well.

She didn't want to become Lisa.

                                                                                             ***

Darren grabbed his car keys and headed out the front door without saying a word to Emma, having heard all he had to hear over the phone call Mel had placed to him. He climbed into the truck and turned the ignition, backing out and speeding down the road, leaving Emma to look out the window, watching him drive away.

Emma walked to the kitchen and started to make herself a cup of tea, then stopped, opened a cabinet on the bottom shelf of the kitchen and pulled out the wine, instead having a glass of that, before heading to her phone and looking at Shane's number sitting in her contacts list. He'd given it to her at the restaurant, and she sighed, shutting her eyes as she hit 'dial'. Before she knew it, he was standing at her front door, smiling at her as she let him in.

"Everything okay?" he asked, "Kinda surprised to hear from you."

"If I kissed you, would that make me a bad person?" Emma asked, surprising him as she locked the door behind them, "If I were to kiss you, because you remind me of what I actually want from life right now, instead of berating me for not wanting something you want, would you call me a bad person? Even though I have a longtime partner and-"

And before she could finish that sentence, Shane put his hand on her shoulder and kissed her. As they pulled away, he smirked.

"There, now I'm the one responsible," he said, "No blame on your end."

"You could keep being responsible for bad decisions," Emma said softly, making him chuckle and kiss her again.

                                                                                            ***

"You don't know what it's like," Lisa said, but Mel interrupted her.

"Actually I know exactly what it's like," she said, "I was so not in my right mind last year that I...I figured that the boyfriend of a perfectly nice woman was actually my Prince Charming, and I should steal him from her somehow. I really genuinely believed that I was going to go back to a Castle and rule as a Queen at some point. My make believe world wasn't make believe to me. But I recognize it now was simply a coping mechanism, and that, while they're helpful, they aren't realistic to live in. I need to face reality. And yes, reality can be subjective, but...but it needs to still be real."

"It isn't just that...when you've been unwell for so long, it becomes all encompassing. It...it becomes all you are. You become so wrapped up in that identity, that you aren't sure you're a person without it, and you're scared to try and find out."

"I know exactly what you mean, Lisa," Melanie said, "But isn't it worth it, trying to find out?"

Lisa waited, tapping her nails on the coffee table she was sitting on before shaking her head.

"No, it isn't," she said, "One reality is safer than the other for me, and that's all there is to it."

"But you-"

"No, you need to stop psychoanalyzing me. We are not the same, okay? Just because something works for you, doesn't mean it'd work for me. Do you have any idea how many therapists in my life haven't helped? How many medications I've taken through the course of my search for 'help' that have only exacerbated my issues? No, you don't, and you never will."

Melanie chewed on her lip, as Lisa started to sharpen the knife on her shirt and sighed. She knelt in front of Melanie and ran her knuckles down her face gently, making Melanie smile, even though she didn't want to.

"We're similar, but there's a different ending in place for both of us," Lisa said softly, "Not everyone gets a happily ever after."

"Then why not try for a moderately alright now?" Melanie whispered, her eyes watering, her lip trembling.

"Because some of us aren't even allowed that."

"Get better with me," Melanie said, crying quietly, "I understand why you did what you did, I'd like to still be your friend. We can get better together. Just-"

"I'm not...I'm not getting better," Lisa said, "Some kingdoms are meant to crumble."

And suddenly, without any warning, the door was kicked open and Darren was standing there. Lisa, surprised by his sudden appearance, rose and lunged at him with her knife, only for Darren to grab a book about armor and shields off the nearby shelf and hold it in front of him, defending himself from her attack. Melanie quickly used her free hand to start untying herself, and once she was free she leapt on top of Lisa's back, the both of them twirling around in circles in the room.

"Be careful!" Darren said, "Be careful, she's got-"

"I'm aware of what she's got, thank you very much!" Melanie shouted.

Darren grabbed Lisa's wrist holding the knife, trying to wrestle it free from her grip, but she snarled and pushed herself against him into a nearby wall with all her force, as Melanie finally slipped off and, holding Lisa's hair, dragged her to the ground with her as Darren slid down the wall, clutching at his side, moaning. Melanie tied Lisa up with the very same ropes she'd been held with, and talked over her shoulder at Darren, who was trying to stand back up.

"I'll call the police," Melanie said, "Just make sure she doesn't move."

Melanie scrambled across the room back to her phone and began dialing, when she noticed Darren putting his hand on the wall, trying to use it to steady himself so he could stand, only for him to slide back down against the wall, a wall now smeared with blood. That's when it dawned on Melanie she didn't see the knife anywhere. She rushed over to Darren and turned him to his other side, only to finally spy the knife sticking out from his side.

"Darren, you-"

"Just...just call the cops, I'll be okay," he murmured.

"Hello?" Melanie asked into the phone, "My name is Melanie Irres, and I need help. I need police, and an ambulance, my friend has been stabbed by a home intruder. Please come quickly!"

As Melanie gave her address, she noticed Darren's eyelids fluttering, and his breathing shallow. She panicked and dropped the phone, grabbing his face with her hands and forcing him to look at her.

"Darren? Darren! Listen to me! They're on their way, okay? You're going to be okay! Everything's going to be okay! You're...you're the knight I needed, you will be fine!" Melanie said, tears rolling down her face, but Darren couldn't reply, he could barely breath, the pain spreading through his body that it kept him from moving much.

The sound of sirens eventually wailed outside, their red and blue lights dancing across the walls in the apartment windows, as Melanie held her knight in shining armor and tried to keep him conscious. Sitting in the back of the ambulance with him, after watching Lisa be dragged away by a crew of police, Melanie clutched Darren's hands firmly within her own and smiled at him.

"Funny," Darren said softly, his voice hoarse, "...stabbed defending a princess."

"You really are a true knight," Melanie said, smiling, wiping her tears on her sleeve.

"I'm...I'm sorry I...couldn't be...who you needed me to be," Darren said, "I can't be....who anyone needs me to be, I guess."

"What?" Melanie asked, confused, as he shut his eyes; she panicked and touched his face, "Darren? Darren!"

"I can't believe this place exists," Gus said, putting the car into park as he unbuckled his seat belt, his eyes glued to the building in front of them. Bea got out of the car as Melanie, bouncing excitedly like a child in the backseat, hopped out after her.

"Oh, I haven't been here in so long!" she squealed, "It still looks exactly the same!"

"Why haven't you been here in so long if you like it so much? Gus asked, shutting his car door and tugging his jacket on.

"I was banned," Melanie said, "But it's understandable, I beat one of the jesters with a turkey leg."

As she rushed towards the entrance, Gus sighed and linked arms with Bea.

"It's gonna be a long night," he muttered, making her chuckle.

It was Melanie's birthday, and she couldn't be happier. It had been a long time since she'd actively celebrated the occasion, and even longer since she'd been at Joust Kidding, the medieval themed restaurant experience. This was where she'd spent most of her childhood birthdays, and most of her later birthdays as well - before she stopped celebrating them and before they banned her for the turkey leg incident - but she hadn't been in ages. Now, however, with the ban having been lifted, she was ready to experience the thrill again, and with her best friends no less. This couldn't be a more perfect birthday.

"Who else is coming?" Gus asked.

"My brother is supposed to show up, also Emma and Darren, but I don't know if they'll make it," Mel said, "And my friend Lisa said she'd come."

"This place is cool," Bea said as they entered the building, taking in all the props on the walls and the costumes the employees wore; she added, "I feel like I'm at actually in King Arthurs court."

"You're such a dweeb," Gus mumbled, "You're both such dweebs."

"Welcome, lord and ladies, to Joust Kidding," said a teenage girl who stepped in front of them in full bard attire, her voice flat and monotone, clearly tired of her job; she continued, "Where you're the king or queen today. What is your business here at our fair kingdom?"

"It's my birthday!" Melanie said loudly, unable to contain her excitement.

"Hoorah," the teen replied, "Please follow me and I will lead to your roundtable, where you will partake in many fun games, a delicious feast and lots of meade."

With that, she and Melanie continued further into the seating area of the restaurant, as Bea and Gus followed somewhat behind them.

"Wow," Gus said, "That girl hates her life."

                                                                                          ***

"Are you about ready?" Emma asked, picking up her car keys from the key holder hung on the wall near the front door; she cleared her throat and called out to Darren a second time, "Are you about ready? I'm ready to go."

"Yeah, I was just finishing wrapping this," Darren said, entering the room with a present in his hand. Emma looked at him in surprise.

"I didn't know we were getting her anything."

"It was a last minute decision, but don't worry, I can stick your name on it," Darren said.

"Oh, well thanks, I guess," Emma replied.

As they headed out the door, Emma couldn't help but feel odd. She'd been left out. Sure, he'd said it had been a last minute decision, but still...she would have her name attached to a gift while she wasn't even sure what it was. Darren got into the car as Emma sat in the drivers seat and started it up. She wanted to be angry, she wanted to say something cruel and make Darren feel bad, and for what? All because he'd decided, at the last minute, to do something nice for someone without consulting her? This wasn't a healthy way to feel in a relationship, looking for ways to make him upset for no real goddamned reason.

Emma backed out of the driveway and started driving down the street, heading towards the destination Mel had provided her with. As she sat there, Darren looked out the window, watching people do yard work or play with their kids, all while she sat and stewed in her own disgust.

"You know," he said, "We could stop and get something else, if you wanna get her something more personal, like, from you. You're the one who works with her after all."

"No, I'm sure whatever you picked up will be fine," Emma said, trying not to sound enraged, "It's not often you get to celebrate someone's birthday, right? I mean, with us not having children, this will be sort of like a stand in, won't it?"

"Whoa, ouch," Darren said, "That's, uh, kinda harsh."

"I'm sorry," Emma mumbled, "You're right, it was. I'm sorry."

She didn't speak the rest of the drive there.

                                                                                              ***

"And what'll you have to drink?" the teenage waitress asked as the gang got comfortable in their seats.

"Uh, something non alcoholic for me, please," Gus said.

"Are you sure about that? You do know where you are, right? You're gonna want alcohol," she replied, making Gus chuckle.

"I appreciate your candor, but trust me, I'm trying to stay sober, so."

"Fair enough," she said, "And I'll just bring you guys some menus while you figure out what you want."

She turned and left, leaving the group to look around while seated. Bea couldn't help but notice that Melanie was giddy, like a child, and she found it endearing. Gus sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his forehead.

"She's right, I am gonna want alcohol, but I know not to have it," Gus said, "I'm gonna stick to my guns."

"And we're all very proud of you," Bea said, leaning in and kissing his cheek.

The lights went down and a sudden blast of fanfare filled the restaurant, trumpets swelling, deafening the patrons. Gus put his hands over his ears, but Melanie was bouncing up and down, pointing at the enclosed dirt arena in the center of the restaurant. Bea and Gus leaned over the balcony and looked down with her. This, they admitted, they hadn't expected. Live entertainment?

"What is this?" Gus asked, finally uncovering his ears as the music died down.

"It's jousting!" Melanie said, "Didn't you wonder why the place was called what it is?"

"I...I guess it never occurred to me that it was literal," Gus said, "So...so they just have people joust?"

"Anyone can joust! Not just professionals! It's fun to watch people get their aggression out towards their family members or friends, especially when they don't know exactly what they're doing, but don't worry, nobody ever winds up seriously injured."

"Darn," Gus said, making Bea laugh.

"Gus?" a voice asked, making them all turn and see Chiako and Jeremy standing there. Chiako smiled at him as he stood up to hug her, and shake Jeremy's hand.

"What are you two doing here?" Gus asked.

"Just having lunch. Jeremy came here years ago with his dad, and he wanted to show me how ridiculous it was," Chiako said, waving politely at Bea over Gus's shoulder as she spoke; she cleared her throat and crossed her arms, "And you?"

"We're here for a birthday party," Gus said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards Melanie, "For my honorary child."

"Do you mind if we join you?" Chiako asked.

"No, not at all, pull up some thrones," Gus replied, making Jeremy smirk.

Jeremy and Chiako pulled up some seats and huddled around the table, as Melanie and Bea continued to ignore them, watching the jousting over the railing. Gus couldn't shake this funny feeling he had in the pit of his stomach, try as he might, and sitting here beside the woman he once called his wife and the woman he now called his girlfriend, he felt pulled between two totally different worlds. He watched as Jeremy laced his fingers with Chiako's and felt an anger burn inside of him, for reasons he didn't even understand. So instead, to ignore it, Gus watched Melanie, and decided to focus on what was important today, not what was important years ago.

About 10 minutes later, Emma and Darren arrived as well, and since their waitress had forgotten to take their drink orders when she came back with the menus, Emma took it upon herself to go get them drinks at the bar. As she approached, she tapped her nails on the bar top and waited for the bartender to pay her mind. She glanced beside her and noticed Shane standing there, nursing a beer.

"Hey," she said, smiling, "What are you doing here?"

"...it's my sisters birthday?"

"Well, obviously, but I mean why aren't you, you know, up there with everyone else?" she asked.

"I don't know, I'm not a very social person," Shane said, "...and it's weird, honestly, seeing my sister have friends. She's never had friends, so it's...it's kind of tough to get used to. I spent my entire adolescence after dad died protecting her, so to know that she no longer really needs me, I guess it makes me feel sort of useless."

Emma smiled, touching his arm, "You're not useless, trust me."

"Thanks," Shane said, forcing himself to smile back, "I appreciate that."

"Come back with me, you can pretend you just got here," Emma said, "It'll be less weird than if you come alone."

"Fair enough."

Emma dragged Shane back to the table, to find the waitress had left a handful of appetizers for everyone. As everyone started eating, Jeremy looked at Gus and cleared his throat.

"So, what do you do, exactly?" Jeremy asked.

"Right now? Absolutely nothing," Gus replied, "But I'm hoping to change that soon enough."

"You looking for work?" Chiako asked, and Gus nodded.

"Yeah, but something not too hardcore," Gus said, "Something manageable, enjoyable, you know. Something I wouldn't have to give too much effort to. It's a shame video rental stores no longer exist, because that's the level of employment I was designed for."

"What about something wherein you give something back to the community?" Jeremy asked.

"Why? What has the community ever done for me?" Gus asked, making him and Bea laugh.

"Seems sort of selfish to exist without doing something in return, is all," Jeremy said.

Gus furrowed his brow and stood up, excusing himself to go to the bathroom. Jeremy quietly followed. Bea watched them walk off, but turned to face Melanie instead, trying to focus on the positive. Melanie felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned to Darren, who handed her a small gift wrapped package.

"This is from Emma and I," he said, "Happy birthday."

"Thank you," Melanie said happily, taking the box and setting it in her lap, turning her attention back to the jousters as Darren scooted his seat up beside hers and watched with her.

"So is jousting dangerous?" he asked.

"Extremely," Bea said.

"You know?"

"I do it, yes," Bea said, "I play The Black Knight at the local ren faire every year, and let me tell you, it's....it's not the safest sport in the world."

"You guys, shut up, we're missing the carnage!" Melanie said, making them both laugh.

Gus, meanwhile, was exiting the bathroom only to find Jeremy waiting for him. Gus sighed and rolled his eyes as he adjusted his glasses and kept on walking, heading back to the table, Jeremy now on his heels.

"So I overheard Leaf talking with her mom about the conversation you two had," Jeremy said, "About whether she's happy or not."

"I'm not allowed to ask after my own ex-wife's happiness?" Gus asked.

"Nothing against that, no, it's nice," Jeremy said, "But both ladies think you still care about her."

"I'm always going to care about her, in one way or another, she's the mother of my child."

"Fair, sure, nobody would blame you for that."

"The hell's your problem with me?" Gus asked, startling Jeremy with his abrasiveness, adding, "I've gone out of my way to be polite to you, where's this coming from? What, you feel threatened or something? You know I have a girlfriend, right? I'm not interested in getting back together with Chiako, and I think she's made it more than clear that she's not interested either."

"...you say that, but your tone doesn't match your words. Prove yourself. Beat me and I'll let it go. If you can beat me, then I'll believe you're really over her."

"Beat you at what?" Gus asked, confused, making Jeremy point to the jousting ring.

Back at the table, Shane scratched the back of his head as Emma sighed, elbow posted up on the table, chin resting on her fist. He scooted closer to her and tapped her knee, catching her attention.

"Your boyfriend and my sister are pretty chummy," Shane said.

"He's a nice guy, and he cares about her," Emma said, "I think he kind of sees her as a surrogate daughter. He wants to have kids, I don't, so he takes his blessings where he can get them."

"You don't want kids? I don't either. I don't think I'd be a very good dad," Shane said, "Losing your own father makes you kind of question your abilities to child rear. I mean, how can I know if I'm doing a good job if I had nobody to really set an example for me when I was a child myself, you know? I mean, dad didn't die when I was super young or anything, but even still."

"The thing is, Darren and I have been together for a very long time, and...and I'm just starting to worry that perhaps this...isn't supposed to last. We seem to want different things."

"That happens, sad but true," Shane replied, "Some couples who start out super strong, who you'd think would survive anything and everything, just drift apart because what they want from their future differs too greatly from what their partner wants. At least you can acknowledge it. My ex girlfriend refused to. Stalked me for months. Wreaked so much havoc in my personal life, all because I didn't want what she wanted. At least you two seem amicable."

"...I guess we kind of are, yeah," Emma said, realizing she hadn't noticed just how open she and Darren really were with one another until just now, "Like, even at my angriest, we still talk, and we try not to have it devolve into outright fighting. We try and approach everything as adults, but..."

Shane cocked his head, waiting for her to finish. Emma's voice quivered, as tears formed in her eyes.

"...I spend so much time around children, that even the adults I surround myself with start to seem like kids," she whispered, "I just miss feeling like a young adult, and not feeling like an old woman already."

"You're not an old woman, Em," Shane said, chuckling, "Trust me."

She smiled at him as he wiped her tears away, just as Gus and Jeremy approached the table.

"Alright, get ready for a rumble in medieval times!" Gus shouted, picking up his soda and finishing it in one fell swoop, slamming the glass back down on the table, "Jeremy and I are jousting!"

"I put my cigarette butts in that mug," Bea said, as Gus pointed at her.

"Indeed you did," he said, sounding pained.

Melanie and Gus stood up and walked with Gus, as they headed down to the floor level, where people signed up for their chance to joust.

"You don't know what you're doing," Melanie said, "You could get hurt!"

"I've done this once before, thank you," Gus replied.

"Yeah, and look how that turned out," Bea said, "I mean sure, now you sleep with me, but I impaled your arm."

"Totally worth it, by the way," Gus said, making her laugh.

"Why are you doing this?!" Melanie cried, sounding scared now, "Why would you risk yourself on my birthday?"

"I..." Gus started, and stopped, then opened his mouth and whispered to her, "...I need to prove something to myself, and to that asshole my ex wife is dating."

Bea had turned to light another cigarette, and was not listening to their hushed conversation. Melanie turned and looked at her, then looked back at Gus as he wrote his name down on the pad, along with Jeremy's name, for their battle.

"Are you still in love with your ex?" Melanie asked.

"No, of course not, but I'd like him to leave me alone," Gus said.

"And fighting him will prove that?"

"I...I don't know."

"Gus-"

"Mel, listen to me, okay, I love Bea, but I think someone needs to hand this guy his ass on a platter. He seems...very...controlling. I just...I need to make sure that he knows that if he ever does anything to hurt her, he'll have to face me," Gus said.

"Admirable," Melanie said, nodding, "But you're not a very good athlete, no offense."

"None taken. Thankfully the horse does most of the work," Gus said.

As Melanie and Bea took their seats back at the table, Gus and Jeremy were standing in the hall to the arena, awaiting their horses and weapons. Gus, though he wouldn't admit it outright, was terrified. Why exactly was he doing this? Sure, his reasoning was true, he wanted to protect his ex from anyone who might do her harm, partially because he himself had done her harm and he felt awful about it, but was that the only reason? Was there some truth to what Jeremy had said? As Gus glanced up through the grate and saw Bea leaning over the rail, looking for him, he couldn't help but think that he was past his ex, and that he had someone new now.

But this decision to fight Jeremy in the arena was only making that assumption all the more transparent.

"Look, I don't want to hurt you," Jeremy said.

"Could've fooled me."

"But I want you to know that I'm the one she's with now, and that it's your turn to move on," Jeremy said.

"I already moved on, asshole," Gus muttered.

The doors opened, and the men walked into the arena towards their respective horses. Bea put her fingers in her mouth and whistled for Gus, making him cheer up just a bit. Melanie too hooted and hollered for her best friend. As Gus climbed onto his horse, he felt himself shaking, nervous, until the waitress from before handed him his lance.

"You do too much around here," he said.

"You don't know the half of it," she remarked, "Good luck."

"Don't need it, never had it," Gus said.

"That's the spirit," she replied, heading back to the restaurant proper.

A voice came over the loudspeaker, announcing the next challengers, and a cheer erupted from the crowd. Everyone from the table gathered around the rail to watch, except Chiako, who was in utter disbelief that this was happening at all. Gus shut his eyes and then remembered that was his biggest folly the last time he did this, so he forced himself to keep them open, despite the fear and adrenaline rushing through his body.

"What if he dies?" Melanie whispered, and Bea shrugged.

"Then I guess we should've gotten married so I'd get his insurance payout," she said, smirking and tapping her shoulder, "He's gonna be fine, girl. Don't worry."

A gunshot rang out in the air and the horses were off, hurdling themselves towards one another, and it was only on the drive home, as Gus appreciated his victory, did it begin to dawn on Bea that perhaps what she'd said about marriage hadn't in fact been a joke after all.

                                                                                              ***

Standing outside the restaurant as the night wound down, while Gus was celebrating his victory with Bea inside, and Chiako and Jeremy had left in embarrassment, Melanie couldn't help but feel annoyed. She'd been texting Lisa all day, and still had no response. She heard the doors swing open, and could feel the heat emenating from indoors as Shane came out beside her.

"Wow," he said, "It gets wild in there."

"Yeah," Mel said, smiling, "Thanks for coming."

"Yeah, it was no problem. Sorry I didn't have a gift, I did buy you something but I forgot it as I was leaving. I'll bring it to you sometime tomorrow."

"It's okay," Melanie said, as she sat down on a bench near the front, "...can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"...you'd love me no matter what, right?"

"I think that's been proven," Shane said, making her laugh.

"Yeah but, I mean, even if I...eve if I were totally unstable and...and I..."

But she couldn't bring herself to say it. Shane rubbed her back, and she just rested her head on his shoulders.

"I haven't been taking my medication the last few weeks, and I think that's a bad decision. I'm going to start again," she said, "I stopped because this girl I met in group therapy told me that the way I perceived the world wasn't wrong, but...even if that's true, which I do believe it is somewhat, I can't help but feel like I need some assistance, and that assistance is what the medication provides me with."

"I'm proud you, you know that right? You've come so far. Dad would be so proud of you too," Shane said.

"Hey," a voice said, as they both looked to see Lisa standing in front of them.

"Where have you been?" Mel asked, sounding annoyed, "I've been texting you ALL day."

"You know this woman?" Shane asked, standing up and putting himself between the two of them, as he added, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," Lisa said, "Both of you. To apologize, for one, to Melanie, for leading her on, but I had to get back in touch with you one way or another. You wouldn't answer my calls, my e-mails, nothing. I need to talk to you."

"We have nothing to talk about," Shane said through gritted teeth, "And the fact that you'd stoop so low as to stalk my sister and pretend to befriend her is just downright disgusting."

"What...what's going on? What are you talking about?" Melanie asked.

"This is my ex girlfriend," Shane said, "She's been stalking me for months. I guess it only makes sense that she'd eventually find another way in via someone else related to me."

"You told me you cared about me," Mel said, standing up now, pushing herself in front of Shane, adding, "You told me....that...that I wasn't crazy. You made me think someone could love me. And it was all so you could get back in touch with my brother?"

"It was underhanded, I recognize that, but-"

"No. You're banished from our kingdom," Melanie said, a rage building inside of her, "Now get out of here before I call my friends. I never want to see you again, and I'm certain Shane feels the same way."

Lisa stood, glaring at them both, before turning and exiting. Shane put his hand on Melanie's shoulder and patted it.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

"...take me home."

                                                                                              ***

Bea entered the bedroom to see Gus sitting against the headboard, reading a book, eating a bag of chips with dip. She toweled off her hair and walked across the room, seating herself on the end of the bed, looking at him.

"Interesting night," Gus said, mouthful of chips and dip, "And now you get to sleep with the winner."

"Hah, yeah," Bea replied, "...why did you do what you did?"

"Because I don't like the guy, and the guy clearly doesn't like me, and even if we're not married anymore I have to protect the woman who birthed my daughter," Gus said, "Why do you ask?"

"You don't still love her, do you?"

"We slept together one time, but that was before you and I really started dating, but even then it was...it wasn't anything special. It was just something familiar and comforting. Yes, I still love her, in the way you love an estranged aunt or a cousin twice removed. She'll always have a place in my heart and my life because of the person we created together, but romantically? No."

"Are you sure of that?"

"What's with you?"

"I just...I was cheated on, before I met you, and...and I guess I'm just scared it might happen again. I can't go through that kind of pain again, I just can't, so I need to make sure that-"

Gus crawled across the bed, grabbed her shoulders and kissed her, taking her by surprise.

"You don't have anything to worry about," he said, "Seriously."

Bea smiled and rested her head on his chest, her mind at ease.

                                                                                               ***

In the car on the way home, Mel was fidgeting with the gift Darren had given her while Shane drove. He glanced over and watched her undo the bow and ribbons that wrapped around it, until she opened the box proper and pulled out a snowglobe with a castle inside of it.

"Who's that from?" he asked.

"My friend Darren," she said, reading the card, "He's a good guy."

She couldn't help but notice that Emma's name was absent from the card.

After saying goodnight to her brother, Melanie headed upstairs to her apartment and unlocked the door, walking inside. She turned the lights on, and turned around only to see Lisa standing in her living room.

"What are you doing in here?!" she asked, "How did you even get in?!"

"You're gonna wanna sit down, your highness," Lisa said, pulling a small flip knife from her pocket, "We need to have a long talk."

"How about it?" Gus asked, spreading his arms and showing off his leather jacket while Leaf and Bea sat on the couch, each eating ice cream out of an open carton.

"Dad, aren't you, like, old?" Leaf asked, "Shouldn't old people wear old peoples clothes?"

"Listen to her, she's not wrong," Bea said.

"I'm trying to be hip, with it, part of the 'in' crowd, you know? I want people to see me and think 'now there's a cool dad!' because, really, I am a cool dad," Gus said, "I have the jacket to prove it."

"A leather jacket doesn't inherently make a guy cool, you need the right attitude, accessories and whatnot," Bea said, "Leather stuff only makes girls cool because societies expectations for cool women are already so low they're impossible not to meet immediately. But you wanna be a cool guy? You're gonna need a motorcycle or something. Not just the jacket."

Bea got up and headed to the bathroom, as Gus sat down beside Leaf, who was sucking on the end of her spoon and laughing to herself. Gus smiled as he pulled the jacket off and looked at it in his hands.

"I thought it was cool," he said.

"You're already cool, dad, you don't need to try," Leaf said, "You stopped drinking. That in and of itself is cool. You took control of your life."

"I guess I never thought of it that way," Gus said, straightening up, smiling at her wisdom.

The door to the apartment opened and Melanie entered, shutting the door behind her. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Gus and Leaf sitting there, uncertain of how to approach them. Gus stood up and walked to Melanie, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I need to talk to you," she said.

                                                                                               ***

Emma was seated at her desk, correcting papers, when a knock came at the door. She glanced up and adjusted her reading glasses to see a man standing in the doorway, peeking into the classroom. He smiled upon seeing her, and approached, holding out his hand.

"Hi, I'm looking for Melanie?" he asked, "I'm her brother, I'm supposed to pick her up for something."

"She's not here," Emma said, shaking his hand, "Sorry to disappoint you."

"She told me that she'd be here today."

"Well, she told you wrong then," Emma said, chuckling, "She didn't come in today, and she didn't even call. I just figured something came up. Sorry to not be more of a help to you."

"It's fine, I'll stop by the apartment and see if she's there," Shane said, exhaling and heading for the door before stopping and turning back to face her, chewing on his lip as he asked, "So is she a big help in here, or?"

"Surprisingly she is, especially after being on medication," Emma said, setting her pens down and removing her reading glasses, letting them instead dangle around her neck; she added, "She's been increasingly lucid and coherent, and the kids really like her. She's extremely capable of interacting with children, perhaps due to her innate inclination towards that mindset herself, so they really connect with her in a way they don't with me."

Shane stood there, somewhat surprised but refusing to show it, nodding. He folded his arms and sighed.

"That's...really great, honestly. When she first told us she was in therapy we didn't believe it-"

"That was also my doing," Emma said, chuckling, "Though it didn't turn out too great at first. But it seems like in the long run its worked to her advantage. Now she's doing group therapy I hear. I'm just happy to know she's doing better. I was very concerned for her well being."

Shane started to exit again, only to stop once more and look back at her.

"...thanks for caring about my sister," he said, stuttering, sounding like he was trying not to cry, "...far too many people haven't."

As he left, Emma turned back to her papers, lifting her reading glasses back onto the bridge of her nose. She thought about Shane, and how moved he seemed to be just by her kindness towards his sister, and how she wished Darren could show that level of emotion more sincerely, more often. She'd quickly find she couldn't get the thought out of her head for the rest of the day.

                                                                                                 ***

"Are you telling me that all the whack ass shit you had me help you with was for nought?" Gus asked, sitting in disbelief at Melanie's admittance to her feelings for Lisa. Bea, who was standing beside the chair he was sitting on in his bedroom, couldn't help but smile at all of this.

"No, that's a good thing, dude, that means she recognizes how horribly this self inflicted heternormative bullshit can hamper ones attempts at finding genuine happiness," Bea said, approaching Mel who was seated on the end of Gus's bed and putting a hand on her shoulder, adding, "I'm proud of you. That's really awesome."

"I feel like I'm thinking more clearly," Melanie said, "like I can finally see what I actually like and want, and...and the fact that it's happening with someone who also knows what that's like, who's capable of really understanding it...it feels good. It feels right. It's nice to be understood, especially after a lifetime of being poorly interpreted."

"Well, so long as you're happy then," Gus said, sighing and leaning back against the chair, adding, "I just hope you know what you're doing."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bea asked, sounding irritated on Melanie's behalf as she scowled at him.

"I...I just...I don't want to see you get hurt, that's all," Gus said, "By anyone, it doesn't matter who. I just feel like maybe you're rushing things. You've known this girl for, what, a few weeks at best, you know? I don't know. I just-"

"I think she's capable of knowing what's right and what's wrong for her," Bea said, interrupting him and standing up for Mel, continuing by saying, "She's obviously capable of knowing considering she finally decided to try therapy and medication. Sick people are usually reluctant to such an idea, but Mel wasn't."

"I...I didn't..."

Gus didn't have a response. Bea grabbed his leather jacket, pulled it over herself and zipped it up.

"I'm taking Leaf to get more ice cream," she said, before exiting the room, leaving Gus and Melanie alone. Gus looked at his feet before looking up at Melanie, still seated on his bed now cross legged and running her fingers through her long blonde hair.

"...I didn't mean anything cruel by it," Gus said softly, "...when I moved in here, I had lost access to my daughter, the only person who really has ever meant the world to me, but meeting you and you being in such a childlike state of mind, I guess...I guess I felt responsible for your safety and you became some sort of fucked up surrogate or something."

Melanie smiled, touched at this admittance. Gus continued.

"I guess I just wanna make sure you stay safe. I'm wary of anyone who inserts themselves into your life because I feel like I'm partially liable for anything that happens to you as a result of their actions. I need you to be safe."

"I'm safe, Gus, I'm probably safer than I've ever been in my life, and I think I owe a lot of that to your influence," Melanie said as Gus got up and walked to the bed, sitting on it himself opposite of her and holding her hand. She added, "but thank you for caring."

"You're my best friend, Melanie, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if any harm came to you because I was being lackadaisical in my approach."

She smiled and hugged him, patting his back. What had she done to deserve such a brave and honorable knight?

On the way out of the apartment and back towards her own, she spotted Allen opening his own apartment door, and decided to pay him a visit. She figured she'd let Gus explain to Bea what he'd really meant, and let him have alone time with his actual daughter, so Allen was now becoming a good replacement for interaction with Gus when he wasn't as readily available. Allen had set his grocery bags down by his feet as he opened the door and smiled upon Mel's approach.

"You look happy," he said.

"I am happy," she said, her voice bright and bouncy, "Need any help?"

"No thanks," Allen said, "I can handle it. What's got you in such a good mood?"

Melanie had a million reasons, certainly, but she finally settled on one.

"Friends," she said.

                                                                                              ***

Darren was cooking dinner when Emma came home.

Stirring a pot of tomato sauce as she walked into the kitchen and hoisted her bags onto the table, Darren turned and looked at her as he tasted his efforts off the tip of the wooden spoon. Emma sat at the table and looked at him, laughing at his face as he realized it was too hot to taste test. He turned the heat down and set the wooden spoon on the counter, approaching her at the table.

"Have a good day?" he asked.

"As good a day as one could have, I suppose," she replied, "Met Melanie's brother."

"Really?" Darren asked as he approached the table, handing Emma a beer and stroking her hair.

"Yeah," she said, cracking it open and taking a swig, "Nice guy. He was looking for her, but she didn't come in today, so I wasn't much help. Still, it's good to know she has some sort of family out there willing to participate in her life and watching over her."

"Yeah, that is somewhat relieving," Darren said, heading back to the stove while Emma drank. As she watched him continue to cook, all she could think of is how genuinely moved by her kindness towards Melanie Shane had been, and how selfish it felt to feel that way. Taking this thing between brother and sister and somehow making it about herself. But she couldn't help it...that level of positivity...well, Darren was positive, but he was also very matter of fact and reserved emotionally. It was typical, raised in society the way men were, that he would be like this, but even in his most explicitly open moments towards her, she felt like he wasn't being honest. Like he was really hiding how he felt.

"So Melanie didn't come in today?" Darren asked, glancing over his shoulder and breaking her concentration.

"Wha..no, uh, no she didn't," Emma said, shaking her head and coming back to reality, escaping the inner workings of her brain, "No, she didn't even call to tell me, she just...straight up didn't show. I hope she's alright."

"I'm sure she's fine," Darren said, "Now, are you hungry?"

"Only all the time."

                                                                                            ***

Bea was asleep in bed and Gus was seated on the porch, looking out at the stars as he drank a caffeine free soda. He heard the door slide open behind him and saw Leaf come on out in her sweats and hoodie. She seated herself beside her father and, after putting her legs up on the railing, exhaled loudly. Gus smiled. They'd rarely had time to be together like this since she was a little girl, before he'd started drinking. He appreciated it all the more now.

"Bea told me what you said to your friend," Leaf said, "...you know, I really meant what I said earlier, about the whole refusing to drink makes you cool thing. I really do believe it. You had an addiction and then you refused to let that addiction take your life from you."

"I owe a lot of that to my friend," Gus said, "That's why I care so much. Without her interference, I may still be a lush falling asleep on the couch in the middle of the day. That wasn't the memory I wanted you to have of me."

"Trust me, it isn't," Leaf said, toying with the drawstrings on her hoodie as she giggled, "Actually, if anything, my best memory of us together is when you took me to the zoo for the first time."

"We should go to the zoo again, it's been a while since I've gone," Gus said.

"That would be cool."

"Hey," Gus said, turning towards her, "this guy your mom is seeing, what's he do? Do you like him?"

"He's a pediatrician, and I guess he's alright. I mean...he's not mean or anything, but he's also nothing special," Leaf said, "I can't really see what mom would see in him but I'm not mom, so. I'm much more...you. I think that's partially why I love you is because I love myself, because you taught me to, flaws and all. He's a nice enough guy, sure, but beyond his credibility with his work I can't see a particular reason to date him. Why?"

"No reason, just keeping tabs on everyone," Gus said softly, drinking his soda.

"...do you still love mom?"

"...I..." Gus mumbled and looked out into the sky again, "...I don't know. In some way I always will, but is it romantic? That's the question. I don't harbor any ill will towards her for leaving, and kicking me out of your lives. She did the right thing. I was dragging everyone down. Thanks to Mel's father, I learned how not being there can be such a detriment to your children, and I decided it was time to get my shit together. But I love Bea. She's really kind of perfect for me."

"She's really cool, dad," Leaf said, before rolling her eyes and adding, "Which I guess makes you a cool dad, because you're dating someone cool."

"Yes, victory," Gus said, pumping his fist to her laughter.

                                                                                                ***

Melanie and Lisa were seated in her living room, as Mel flipped through a photo album of Lisa's adolescence, noting that she too often wore princess costumes throughout her childhood. Melanie smiled at these photos, some of which were taken at school (a school with, apparently, no dress code) or at home, or even sometimes on vacation. Lisa was sitting beside her, sipping tea and eating cookies from a box as she watched Melanie flip through her life.

"I always thought I was the only one," Mel said quietly, "It's nice to feel like somewhere out there was another kid as warped as I was."

"Hah!" Lisa cackled, "Yes, absolutely. It's those little moments of revelation that truly bring you closer to someone, when you recognize that they're not all that different from you in reality. I didn't lose my father, the way you did anyway, but I still managed to recede into a fantasy world that was equally as unhealthy for me, psychologically."

"At least you can admit it," Melanie said softly, "I lied to myself for so long that I still have trouble accepting just how falsified my reality actually was. Now that I've acknowledged it, it's...slightly terrifying to me just how much time I actually lost living a life that wasn't real, waiting for people who would never arrive."

"Deep," Lisa said, "Well, I arrived, that's got to count for something, right?"

Mel smirked and patted Lisa's knee before going back to the album.

"Who's this?" she asked, flipping a page and seeing another girl, a few years older than Lisa, in the photo with her and her father.

"That's my sister," Lisa said.

"You have siblings?" Mel asked.

"I had a sister," Lisa said, "We don't talk anymore. I don't really talk to anyone in my family anymore."

Melanie nodded. She wouldn't prod her any further on this, as she knew what it was like to be estranged from your family for things outside your control. Instead she looked back at the photo and noted how similar the two looked, like they could be twins, and she thought of her brother. She continually let him down, and yet he was still trying to work with her. She appreciated this and thus decided that, when she got the chance, she'd call him up and tell him a few things.

She felt Lisa crawl across the couch and sit behind her, putting her arms around Melanie's midsection and hug her tight. Melanie laughed, but gave in to the affection, largely because she was so touch starved for it, and held Lisa's hands. Together the two sat there for a while and reminisced about days gone by, family passed on and, most importantly, their favorite royal memories.

                                                                                                   ***

Lying in bed that night, Emma couldn't sleep.

Instead, she quietly climbed out of bed and headed downstairs, in her pajamas, to read. She didn't want the light to wake Darren up, nor did she want to have a conversation about why she couldn't sleep. She knew damn well why. She was sick to death of having the 'family' discussion, and would do anything at this point to avoid it. So she huddled up on the couch and continued reading the book she'd been invested in lately, all the while her mind drifting, not taking in the words her eyes were scanning.

Finally she picked up the phone and dialed a number. After a few minutes, a groggy voice answered the call.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Hi dad," Emma said.

"Hey, is everything okay, it's late," Patrick said, still sounding half asleep.

"Everything is fine, relatively speaking," Emma said, "I just...do you remember when mom had that affair? The one with the guy from the doctors office?"

"Unfortunately I do," Patrick replied, "Why? Darren isn't having an affair is he?"

"God, no, I doubt he'd be capable of such a thing," Emma said, genuinely meaning this, before adding, "...did you blame her for what she did?"

"I mean, things were tough at the time, Em," Patrick said, yawning, "In hindsight I blamed myself far more, but that isn't fair. I'd say to split the deal evenly, if anything. I wasn't totally blameless. She obviously wasn't getting something from me that she needed to be getting, but once it was over, and we got into couples counseling, I tried very hard to be a better husband and it's managed to make things work since then."

"...but what if it wasn't your fault? What if you...what if you simply felt deep down that you no longer had a reason for being with this person, with mom, because she wanted something different from what you wanted, and that she had every right to leave because of that?"

"Well that wasn't the cause, so hypotheticals don't matter," Patrick said, "Why are you asking me this?"

"Just had a nightmare about the whole thing," Emma said, outright lying now, before finishing, "Sorry to wake you."

And she hung up without even saying goodnight. She'd call him back tomorrow, apologize profusely, make up some more crap about this supposed 'nightmare' and move on, but tonight...tonight all she could think about is how much she didn't want to go back upstairs to bed, and instead how much she wanted to find a new place to sleep.

And someone new to sleep with.

                                                                                              ***

Melanie arrived back at her apartment early in the afternoon the following day, and sitting outside her apartment was something wrapped in paper bags with a note from Allen. She picked it up, let herself into her apartment and unwrapped it. As she was looking at this framed photo, she heard someone come up behind her, and looked to see Leaf standing there, eating a thing of yogurt.

"Where's your dad?" Melanie asked.

"He and Bea go to the gym in the mornings," Leaf said, "At least they tell me they do. What's that?"

"A gift, from a friend," Melanie said, smiling at the framed photo.

"Cool," Leaf said.

Melanie hung the photo on the wall and stood back to admire it. Leaf continued to scoop what leftover Yogurt out of the container she could get. It was of a castle, somewhere in Europe most likely, and the note that Allen had left simply said, "To my new friend, Melanie."

Yes, Melanie thought, here's to friendship.

"Do you think my dad's cool?" Leaf asked, and Melanie snorted.

"No, but his uncoolness is what makes him cool, so it doesn't matter what my personal opinion is," Melanie said, and Leaf nodded, smiling.

"I like that," she said.