Early morning before school, Carolina was sitting on the porch of the Miller house when Max and Ginny walked up the steps, talking about the mayoral campaign add that Cynthia put out, attacking Georgia and Paul for their relationship.

"I can't believe Cynthia," Ginny said. 

"Right," Carolina agreed. "Mom's been busting her ass. The way she is about this job, I've never seen her care like this before. I'm so proud of her."

"Even I am," Ginny agreed. Carolina raised her eyebrows in surprise, giving Ginny a slightly amused look. "And then this B pulls this C?"

Max nodded. "Bitch, crap, I'm with you." They heard Marcus and Padma by the Baker house. "Whoa, hold up. Drama!"

"I don't know what to think anymore, Marcus," Padma told him. "I just feel like I don't matter to you. Do you even like me?"

"You know I like you," Marcus told her.

Padma shook her head. "No, I don't."

"I told you," Marcus said. "I just--I just... I can't do this."

"What, this conversation?" Padma asked. "Or hooking up with me with zero commitment? Which one can't you do?"

"All of it," Marcus answered, frustrated. "I'm sorry."

Padma just glanced at him, before getting into her car to drive away. Marcus sighed, looking a little more guilty than he had expected to be.

Carolina raised her eyebrows from where she sat on her porch.

Max looked back at Carolina and Ginny. "Shit."

Carolina nodded in agreement.

✯

At school, Carolina, Ginny and Max sat in AP English. Hunter sat on Max's desk.

"Dude, I am so stressed," Max complained. "I have hives in really annoying places. It's not fun." Carolina frowned. "And the thought of volunteering with EDCO, on top of homework, and school and rehearsal, it makes me wanna chop myself up into hamburger meat."

Hunter chuckled. "I feel you. Between soccer, 3SB, and tutoring, I'm burnt out."

"Shit, you guys are so scheduled," Ginny told them.

Hunter shrugged. "Not really, just normal."

"Yeah, it's just all the stuff you have to do for college," Max explained. "Which is pointless anyway since a psychology degree will be useless when the planet implodes in 30 years."

"Stuff you have to do for college?" Carolina repeated.

Max looked up at Hunter. "Volunteering in Peru and winning a mock business proposal competition..."

Hunter winked. "She's talking about me. I did those things."

Carolina raised her eyebrows, not caring. "Didn't ask if you did."

Ginny gave Carolina a look. Max couldn't help a grin of amusement. Hunter wasn't surprised and let the comment pass.

Ginny looked at Max. "What extracurriculars have you done?"

Max smacked her lips. "Jesus. Um... Flute, French, piano, field hockey, basketball, soccer, tap, ballet, hip hop, jazz, pottery, karate, and theater."

Carolina looked away. Ginny looked to be freaking out, exchanging a look with Caro.

Gitten walked in. "Settle down, everyone. Seats, please." Hunter went to go sit in his seat. "I have an announcement. We are going to be submitting to the National Junior Pulitzer Essay Contest. The theme is, 'where do you feel you most belong?' I will choose one of you to proceed to the regional competition. It's perfect for college applications." Max raised her hand. "Yeah, Maxine?"

"What if the only place you ever felt you belong is in a dark room watching The Office?" Max asked. "Do you still have to write the essay?"

"Yes," Gitten answered.

Max sighed, dropping her head down to lay on her arms.

Carolina smirked at her reaction.

Ginny looked at Carolina in amusement. 

"What?" Carolina asked.

Ginny shook her head, smirking a slight smile.

✯

Carolina was walking through the hallway on her phone because she was texting more with her father, passing by the bro squad on her way to her locker.

"Hey, earth to survivor girl," Brodie told her. "Might wanna watch out for..." Carolina walked around the person coming her way without looking up. "Or not."

"You okay, Carolina?" Abby asked. "Look distracted."

"Fine," Carolina said.

"You're always alone," Hunter told her.

"If you're feeling lonely, I'd date you, Caro," Brodie offered, smiling teasingly.

Carolina pointed at him. "No. And you don't get to call me that."

Press looked up from his chair. "You're welcome to give me head."

"Fuck off, Press," Carolina replied.

Press smirked.

"You okay?" Abby asked.

"Yeah," Carolina said distantly. "Good. Cool. Not a good day, but better than some of my worst."

"Some days are diamonds, and some days are only stones," Jordan quoted.

"Thanks for that, Confucius," Press told him sarcastically.

"If scripture was gonna help survivor girl, pretty sure she wouldn't be so damaged with the shit she reads," Brodie pointed out.

Carolina rolled her eyes. "I hate all of you."

Press and Brodie smiled. Jordan and Hunter shook their heads at them. Ginny and Abby sighed. 

Ginny looked up at Carolina. "Hey, is Dad texting you too?"

"Yeah," Carolina answered. "Oh, and thanks by the way, for telling him about the attack at school."

Ginny shrugged sheepishly. "Well, you weren't gonna tell him. And I didn't tell him until a couple of days ago, not right when it happened."

Ginny and Carolina both got a text from Zion, reading, and both realizing what the text meant even though it was vague. "Oh, my God. He's here."

"Creepy twin sync you got going on there," Abby told them. "Especially when you've gotten used to seeing you two fighting."

The others smirked in agreement.

Carolina and Ginny exchanged a look, looking down the hallway.

Zion walked into the school, wearing dark biker clothing complete with a leather jacket. Carolina clearly got her biker girl and love for leather jackets and vests from her father.

Zion turned to see his daughters down the hallway, smiling.

Ginny immediately smiled and shouted out to him. "Dad!"

"Hey!" Zion called.

Ginny ran down the hallway to embrace Zion immediately. Zion picked Ginny up and spinning her around.

Carolina smiled, walking down the hallway toward them. Once Zion put Ginny down, he lifted Carolina up in his arm and spun her around as well, placing her down.

Carolina chuckled. "I--I can't believe you're here."

Zion smiled. "Wow! Look at you two all grown up." Carolina and Ginny smiled. The bro squad was watching in the distance, surprised. Hunter stood, jogging over to them. "Who's your friend?"

Carolina gestured from Hunter to the bro squad, minus Norah and Max, down the hall. "All of them are Ginny's friends, not mine."

Ginny put a hand on Hunter's shoulder. "And this is Hunter, my boyfriend."

"Oh," Zion said in surprise. "Boyfriend? Um..."

Hunter went to shake his hand nervously. "Uh, hi, uh, Mr. Miller."

Zion shook his hand. "Uh, call me Zion. Nice to meet you."

Hunter nodded, smiling nervously. "Zion, yeah."

Zion looked at his daughters. "You want a ride home? Brought the bike, but it's at your house. I got the car here now to take you two both home."

Carolina made a victory fist. "Oh, I missed the bike. Yes, let's go. I wanna ride the bike when we get home though."

Zion chuckled. "I figured you would."

Ginny turned to look at Hunter. "I'll just... I'll see you tomorrow."

"Sure, yeah," Hunter agreed.

"Okay, great," Ginny told him.

Hunter walked back toward the others.

Zion put an arm around Ginny and Carolina as they walked toward the door. "So, boyfriend? You're not kids anymore, huh, kids? You got a boyfriend, Caro?"

Carolina looked down, licking her lips. "Uh, no. Last year's... still hard to get past, so..."

Zion kissed her on the head. "Hey, you take all the time you need, okay? No rush, starburst."

Carolina nodded. "I know."

✯

Marcus was skating home down the street, when he saw Zion's bike, and Carolina, Ginny and Zion getting home from school in the car.

Marcus stopped nearby them, gesturing to Zion's bike. "Nice twin head engine."

Carolina chuckled. "Marcus, this is our dad."

Marcus smiled in surprise, holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you."

Zion shook his hand. "Zion."

Marcus looked at Carolina. "So that's how you knew how to ride. And where you get the love for biker vests and jackets."

Carolina nodded, suppressing a smile. Marcus smiled.

Ginny looked between them, rolling her eyes.

Even Zion could sense something between the two, as he looked between them with a slight knowing smirk. "Okay. Uh..."

Zion and Ginny walked away.

Carolina waved to Marcus. Marcus gave his salute in response, as they both turned and headed to their own houses.

Austin ran outside to greet them. "Zion!"

"Hey, little man!" Zion told him. "Hey." Austin jumped into Zion's arms for a hug. Zion hauled him over his shoulder. "Come here."

Carolina and Ginny smiled, laughing lightly.

Georgia called over to them from the balcony. "Hey. Thanks for the fence."

Zion smiled. "Hey, peach."

Carolina looked at Georgia, tilting her head, a little teasing. "Nice dress. Very casual. Very weather appropriate."

They all went inside.

✯

Georgia was drinking from a glass of wine, while all five Millers were talking, happy that Zion was here, sitting around the living room.

Zion tossed a baggie to Austin. "These are Nepalese bone dice."

Austin went to pull the dice from the bag immediately. "Cool!"

Zion handed a book to Ginny. "Sherpa Ang Tharkay's memoir. One of the most famous Mount Everest guides. Riveting read."

Ginny flipped through the book. "Some of the words are underlined. Is it a code?"

Zion winked, taking out Carolina's gift. "And for our little artist, I've got rice and lokta paper. They're turned into photo albums, letter writing sheets, journals, diaries, or canvas for drawing and paintings. Anything that you see fit to use them for, buttercup. And because I know how picky you can get with your paintbrushes and how they affect your art..."

Zion took out the other part of the gift, showing an old fashioned paintbrush kit with very good and refined brushes.

Carolina smiled, touched and happy with the gift. "My God, Dad. This is perfect. Thank you."

Zion smiled.

"So, Dad, we're in AP English, and we're doing this essay contest thing," Ginny explained. "Uh, about where we feel we most belong, and I'm gonna write mine on Wellsbury."

Zion nodded. "You like it here then?"

"And I stabbed someone in the hand," Austin announced.

Zion looked at Georgia in confusion. "Okay..."

Georgia shook her head, not knowing what to say.

"Can we do a blanket fort tonight?" Austin asked.

"Um..." Zion trailed off, glancing at Georgia.

Georgia tilted her head.

"Mom's dating someone," Ginny explained, trying to stop Georgia and Zion from hooking up again which she believed would force Zion to leave again.

"Really?" Zion asked. "He a good guy?'

Georgia nodded. "Yeah. He is."

Zion looked at Austin. "Yeah, buddy. We can do a blanket fort. Go grab your blankets."

"I'll help you," Carolina told him, standing, walking out of the room.

"Me too," Ginny agreed, standing, going with them.

Now that the kids were out of the room, Zion looked at Georgia. "Uh... so, what's the deal with Carolina and that boy across the street?" Georgia stood, walking toward walking toward a cabinet to pull out blankets. "Uh, Marcus?"

"What about Marcus?" Georgia asked.

"I picked up a vibe," Zion answered. "I think there's something going on there."

"He's the one that was helping Carolina with... her more recreational activities," Georgia explained. "He's also the one that helped her at school when she had the panic and anxiety attack."

Zion nodded in understanding. "When Caro and Ginny were fighting."

"Yeah, they told you about that?" Georgia asked.

"They told me," Zion answered. "So you don't think Carolina's involved with Marcus in any other way?"

"Nah, she's too overcome with guilt about what 'forgetting' Noah could mean," Georgia explained.

"It's not forgetting if it's moving on," Zion pointed out.

"I've told her that, but she still has the survivor's guilt going on, and it won't relent," Georgia stated.

"But you do think Caro and Marcus like each other?" Zion asked.

"I think Caro's denying even to herself that she likes Marcus, because she feels horrible about it," Georgia answered. "But if something more was happening, for real between the two of them, I'd know about it, and there's not. I know everything that happens in this house. I'm like the Eye of Sauron. I see all."

Zion nodded in amusement. "I also met Ginny's first boyfriend. Uh, Hunter."

Georgia walked closer with the blankets. "Yeah, they're adorable." Zion stood, walking closer to help with the blankets. Sexual tension was clear as day between the two, like they were addicted to each other but each time they gave in it ended badly. "So, how's Raquelle?"

"We broke up, actually," Zion answered.

"That's too bad," Georgia told him.

"Yeah," Zion sighed. "What can you do?"

Austin, Carolina and Ginny walked in with more blankets.

"Blanket fort!" Austin cheered.

"Okay, let's do it," Zion agreed.

As Zion and Georgia watched the kids start to set up the fort, Georgia noticed she was standing a bit too close to Zion, with her shoulder touching his chest, and walked off. Zion watched her go.

✯

Carolina was trying to sleep that night in her room, having issues. Georgia laid down in bed next to Carolina.

"Can't sleep?" Carolina asked.

Georgia shook her head. "Mm-mm. You?"

Carolina shook her head. "Mm-mm. So, Dad's back."

"Oh, is he?" Georgia asked sarcastically. "I hadn't noticed."

Carolina chuckled. "I just want you to be careful."

"I'm always careful," Georgia told her.

"Plus, with this campaign, the whole town's watching you," Carolina pointed out.

Georgia groaned. "You saw the commercial."

"Yeah," Carolina answered. "And there's Paul. We like Paul."

Georgia nodded, turning on her side to face Carolina. "We do like Paul. We really like Paul. All my kids do, which is nothing normal for my boyfriends or husbands."

"No, it's not," Carolina agreed. "I've never seen you this happy. This job, this town. This is the closest to happiness I've ever seen you. Maybe we try to keep it that way?"

Georgia chuckled. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Carolina sighed. "Mom, you and I both know that you're in bed with me so that you don't go to Dad."

"We don't know that," Georgia said unconvincingly.

Carolina turned on her side to face Georgia. "I spent a long time lying to Dad about how 'fine' I've been because I didn't want to interrupt what he was doing. What he loves doing. Because I knew in a heartbeat, he would drop everything to come racing here when I needed him, and that would keep him from doing what he wanted. He proved that when Ginny texted him about the attack and got here as fast as he could apparently. Especially with us fighting."

Georgia nodded in agreement. "You know no matter what, your dad's always gonna do what he can for you. He dropped everything before to come racing back every time you needed him after what happened last year."

"Yeah," Carolina agreed. "I just don't want to keep getting in the way of what he wants to do, what he loves to do. But at the same time..."

"You do want him here," Georgia finished.

"Yeah," Carolina answered. "So it sucks when after you guys know I'm better, you two end up doing what you two have always done because you can't resist each other and you become a stone wall of deflection and causes tension for all of us until Dad leaves for months or longer at a time. Can he just be Dad this time instead of your ex? After everything with the fighting, and Maddie, and Caleb, and all the drama, it feels like it was suffocating me. So having Dad back, for longer this time if possible... it could really help, Mom."

"You have nothing to worry about with your dad and me, buttercup," Georgia told her. "I promise, okay?"

Carolina knew that that was going to be a hard promise to keep given their history and how attracted they were to each other, sighing, closing her eyes to try and go to sleep. Georgia kissed her head, and both soon fell asleep.