~Time skip ahead by a month~

Over a month nothing changed. Same old routine. Logan (yes Logan got wake up duty) wakes me up, carries me downstairs, a game of "Pass Rae Around The Table" starts, until I reach Roman then I go back upstairs get dressed, then Thomas or Patton takes me to school. On the weekends, I work on homework, hang out with Aricka, cuddle with my family, or secretly calm Virgil down from a panic attack. Secretly? You may ask. Well, Virgil either doesn't like me or doesn't trust me. Probably both. So whenever Virgil asks who helped him, the answer was always Aricka...only because he wouldn't acknowledge me if I said it was me.

~Flashback~

I sat next to Dad as we watched Steven Universe. It was quiet until I heard labored breathing. I looked at Dad before quickly getting away from him, knowing he doesn't like being touched during a panic attack, even though this is my first time seeing him have a panic attack, he told me ahead of time to not touch him. I watched in horror as tears streamed down his face. I walked over to him slowly, and sat down about two feet away from him. "Dad can you hear me?" I asked, getting a nod in response. I inched my hand close to his. "Can I touch you?" I asked, causing him to shake his head. "Okay. Do you want me to get the Sides?" I asked, he nodded his head. "Patton, Logan, Roman, Virgil." I said, causing each of them to pop up, all of them looked around confused before looking at Thomas and rushing over, all but one. I looked around and spotted Virgil curled up in a corner by the stairs, rocking back and forth. I left Dad's side and rushed over to Virgil. "Virgil, can you hear me?" He nodded. "Can I touch you?" Instead of nodding he gripped my hand. I flinched slightly. "Virgil, you have to listen closely. In for four." I said, and he did his best to follow, it took him a bit to do it. "Good. Hold for seven." Because this one was longer every time he missed a breath he'd panic. "Hey, hey, don't let yourself think you've failed. You can do this, Virgil. In for four, hold for seven." I said, wiping away his tears, but they only got replaced. He did as I told him, holding for seven. "Out for eight. 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8" I counted. After a few more tries, I was leaning against the wall, holding a passed out Virgil tightly.

Only then did I realize how quiet it was. I looked up and saw a very tired Thomas, and the others looking at me. "How did you know to do that?" Logan asked. "Accepting Anxiety part 1 and 2." I said, not wanting them to know I have bad anxiety, yet. Logan nodded in understanding, and I just smiled. "I'm gon-going to take him to his room. Dad, could you stay awake a little longer?" I asked, and received a small nod. "Thank you." I said, in barely a whisper. Then with that, I sunk down to Thomas' mind palace, thinking of everything that scared him. I popped up, holding Virgil. With some effort I managed to get him onto his bed. I covered him up. As my hand moved away, I heard Virgil whimper, I frozen, and waited for him to settle again before I bent down next to his bed and began to sing softly.

You taught me the courage of stars before you left

How light carries on endlessly even after death

With shortness of breath you explained the infinite

How rare and beautiful it is to even exist

I couldn't help but ask

For you to say it all again

I tried to write it down

But I could never find a pen

I'd give anything to hear

You say it one more time

That the universe was made

Just to be seen by my eyes

As I stood back up and turned around, Roman, Logan, and Patton all stood in the door way, staring at me. I looked at them before quickly sinking back down. When I popped back up Thomas was fighting to stay awake. I walked over to him, and carefully helped him lay down. Once he was laying down on the couch, I ran upstairs to get my blanket. I ran back downstairs and curled up next to Thomas on the couch, he wrapped his arms around me as I pulled the blanket around us. Once again I began to sing softly, just loud enough to be a whisper.

You taught me the courage of stars before you left

How light carries on endlessly even after death

With shortness of breath you explained the infinite

How rare and beautiful it is to even exist

I couldn't help but ask

For you to say it all again

I tried to write it down

But I could never find a pen

I'd give anything to hear

You say it one more time

That the universe was made

Just to be seen by my eyes

~End of Flashback~

After that, Virgil woke up the next day and asked who helped him through his panic attack. Patton opened his mouth to tell him it was me but I quickly cut him off by squeaking out that it was Aricka. When Aricka found out she was a little upset that I didn't allow Virgil to know the truth, but after each time Virgil had an attack, she got the praise for it.

Anyway, back to the present. Today is Sunday, and I was in a good mood. That was until I decided to go downstairs. I could hear voices coming from the living room, I got to the landing I stood there quietly, listening to the conversation. "Thomas, we need to talk. I think it was a bad idea to adopt Rae." Virgil said, and my heart beat began to pick up. Thomas frowns before speaking. "What do you mean?" He asks. "It's just-do we even have what it takes to take care of her? And she's going to need to go to college, and what if we can't fund that?" My heart beat slows, and I began to think he cares. "Virgil, we'll be okay. We can help her, she's a bright girl, she can also take care of herself." Thomas says, trying to reassure him. What Virgil says next, makes my heart skip a beat. "Yeah, until she steals something of yours and sells it to the Fanders. We don't know anything about this girl. We know more about Aricka than her." I don't want to open up yet...I'm not ready. I think. "Virgil, that's not fair. We've only known her for four-ish months. When she's ready she'll open up" Thomas says, trying to defend me. "Yeah-but every time we went, Aricka always spoke to us. We never saw Rae-until that one day she actually came downstairs. For some reason, you all fell in love and chose her-and not Aricka." I-I met Logan...I wanted to meet all of you...but I- I cut myself off from thinking as Thomas spoke again. "Virgil-" He was cut off by Virgil. " I WANTED ARICKA! She actually understood me. She'd let me rant and rave. Rae just-I don't trust her. Why didn't we get Aricka instead?" Tears filled my eyes. If that's who you want, Virgil. She's right next door. I'll leave, and you can have her.

I jumped down the last few steps, ran to grab my phone, my purple earbuds, and my portable charger, and sprint to the door. I stopped only to open it, I slammed the door shut, and ran, I didn't stop even for Aricka when she screamed my name, I kept running.

[Thomas' POV...ooh...that's new]

I looked up at the sound of my front door slamming. Virgil turned his head at the sound of the door slamming. Confused I stood and ran to the door. I opened it and stepped out a little, at first I didn't see anything, but I turned my head a little and watched in horror as Rae ran down the street. "RAE!" I yelled, but she didn't stop. I turned around a little, and watched Virgil sink down.