It wasn't long until the last day Rylan would see his family home came near. The cloud ritten day only seeming to drag on as his Mother and Grandfather loaded up the last of their belongings into their trucks.

Ethan in particular, carefully watching over Rylan as he carried off an old brown shoe box to his mother's car and tucked the box away under his car seat.

After which he came inside and proceeded to help his mother pack up the last remaining boxes in the living room before he could make his way to finish up his own. As Ethan sighed and helped carry them out onto the porch.

He looked back at his grandson, who regarded him almost curiously with a wavering gaze before he turned away and walked off to his room to fetch the last couple of boxes. Through which Rylan was careful to ignore what was previously his parents' room. Before he could get into the last piece of familiarity as soon as he possibly can.

He then stared down the hallway and glanced up at his grandfather who still regarded him solemnly with his usual melancholic gaze. At least until Rylan closed his door with a soft thud, effectively encasing himself in what was left of his skeleton of a sanctuary.

The navy blue room that was once his refuge away from the outside world now nothing more but a sad shell of its former self with its star covered walls and towering boxes piled upon the carpeted floor.

The last few hours were spent packing and repacking boxes. With no other communication other than the occasional check up from his grandfather and his mother.

No sign of his father anywhere, despite Rylan's faltering hope for his presence that the man he looked up to so dearly was coming back. But it was no use, there's no magic spell to bring someone back from the grave and regardless of Rylan's hopes and pleas, Rylan knows it. No matter how hard he tries to deny the fact that the most important man he knew in his entire life could perish so early.

But despite his attempts at making things better, it didn't help the deeply seeded grief that was busy draining his world of all life. His world slowly drained of colour and familiarity into a miserably strange sanitary shell of what it used to be, and Rylan was sick of it.

He was sick of his own version of purgatory. The only thing that managed to pull him out of it was yet another check in from no other than his grandfather.

"Rylan, it's time to go..."

Ethan watched him as the nine year old in front of him didn't even move, before letting out a despondent sigh and made his way to him. The old man gently put his hand on his shoulder, which startled his young grandson out of his state of thought. Rylan tried to jerk his grip off his shoulder until he looked up and calmed down at the sight of Ethan.

He stayed there for a while, cross legged on the floor with his few loose belongings sprawled around on the carpet and a cardboard structure planted in front of him. But before long, he wasn't the only one perched on the carpeted floor, as his Grandpa sat beside him, concerned.

"You feeling okay?"

Rylan sighed and started packing the last box, before he paused and glanced up at Ethan anxiously.

"Yeah, just...kind of worried, that's all."

"How come?"

"It's just well, I don't want to leave this place behind because it feels like I'm...leaving behind dad in a way and to be honest it feels...wrong."

Ethan took a deep breath and wrapped his arm around Rylan's shoulders,holding the boy in an almost affectionate way. This time, Rylan didn't try to shrug off his grip,despite his grandfather's usual overwhelming smell of sage and tobacco smoke.

To him, it was an affectionate gesture that brought some sense of familiarity to him. Some sense of normality from the days when his father came back from work, even if he didn't this time.

"I know but, unfortunately it's something that has to be done...besides, he's still here."

The elder pointed at Rylan's chest where his heart is and smiled slightly at him.

"I should know...I've lost lots of people in my life and whenever I feel sad about them, it helps to remember they're still there."

"I know it might be something your mother has told you before. Especially in a time like this but still...it's a comforting reminder to know."

"Especially with people you love dearly."

The boy looked up at him silently before giving the Elder a gentle hug. Something that caused Ethan to stiffen up unexpectedly before he relaxed under his grasp and threw his arms around him. They stayed there for a small while, before Ethan swiftly pulled away. After which he helped Rylan pack the last box and closed it up.

He looked over at Rylan and ruffled his hair playfully before he got up and picked up the box. Ethan on his way to the doorway to load it into the truck. He glanced over his shoulder at the boy, where he still found him cross-legged on the carpeted floor.

"Come..."

He beckoned softly, briskly nodding his head towards the hallway.

"Your Mother's waiting for you..."

He looked up at Ethan, who was waiting patiently for him by his childhood doorway, and got up gingerly. Rylan after him as he followed the old man out into the hallway and down into the space where their trucks were parked. His mother leaned against hers and watched Ethan cautiously as he loaded up the last box. To which Ethan looked back at her with his usual stern gaze.

"We're ready..."

She looked at him and sighed, holding out her arm for Rylan as he went up to her and hugged her waist. All while she regarded him once again with a steely glare. Their eyes met for a small while before Ethan turned away and went to lock up the house.

"By the way I've talked to Erin earlier, said he won't be able to help us out unfortunately. Said he had to go to another Anonymous Meeting"

She shook her head as he handed her the keys. Her arm loosened slightly around Rylan as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"No, it's okay...I understand how much he needs the help. Besides, he's been enough of a help with the house already"

He nodded gently before he walked away to his truck.

"Yeah...It still would've been nice to see him again, but, there's only so much we could wish for"

He turned over to her as he opened his truck door, ready to climb in.

"Shall we go then?"

She sighed, nodding gently once again.

"Yeah, think we can go now"

She looked at Rylan and helped him into the car before climbing into the truck herself. The pair essentially saying goodbye to their old home one last time.