"Take him to the ER."

"Second degree, maybe third."

"John, mon ami, hang in there."

"Il est réveillé!"

There's a scuffle, and I open my eyes to see Lafayette's face grinning above my head. His eyes have dark circles beneath them, and his hair is let down, which is a first. Someone gets up from a chair, and Herc joins Laff beside me. He's not in much better shape. There's a constant beeping from my right.

"Where-" I sit up, looking around the room. My bed sheets are white, just like the walls. There's an IV in my arm, and I flop back onto my pillows, exhausted.

"What happened?" Lafayette and Hercules share a look, Herc shuffling around awkwardly.

"You were at Henry's, and, um, we found you on the driveway..." My head hurts, I try to think back. Laff puts his hand on my arm, and I flinch away, why does it hurt so much? I look at my arm, it's red and full of blisters. It burns where he touched me. Burns.

Slowly, things begin to sort out in my head.

Cake. A trunk. My sisters. Yelling. Fire. The van.

Memories come back to me, I feel a tear roll down my cheek, this was my fathers doing.

"It's been 3 days, John, we were worried about you."

"Herc and I, we've stayed here the whole time. Do you want us to call your sisters?"

I nod my head yes, half processing what they say. Nothing feels real.

Soon enough, the room is full of people, and I am crowded and questioned. 

"Are you okay?"

"Does it hurt?"

"When are you leaving?"

"Girls, lets give John some space, he's had a rough week."

"What's wrong with you?" I look down at Adrianna, who's holding onto Ellie's hand. I hold out my hand to her, and she hesitates before taking it.

"There was a fire, but I'm okay now."

"Is that's why dads gone?" I look at Ellie, unsure of what to say.

"Er-, yeah." I sigh. "What'd I miss?"

"We got to stay with your friends!" Olivia smiles from her chair, and I look questioningly at Laff.

"Non, not us mon ami, we've been with you."

"Then who-"

"Come on in girls!"

"Make way for Angelica."

"Eliza." 

"And Peggy!"

"The Schuyler sisters?"

"You bet! And we brought you something." Peggy giggles, in her hand is a striped bag with tissue paper puffing out the top.

I pull out the tissue paper, rolling it into a ball and bouncing it off of Laff, who gives me a playful glare. I peer into the bag.

"A sketchbook! Nice!" I smile at the sisters, holding up the paper pad and a box of pencil crayons. At least now I have something to do while stuck here. 

The rest of the week drags on, I'm hardly allowed to leave my bed for the first few days. After what feels like an eternity, I get some good news, I can head home tomorrow. I'm just not sure where home is anymore.

"Laff, I know I said I'd leave you two alone, but I- I don't think I can go back to Henry's house again."

"Stay with us mon ami, we don't mind."

"You're room is still set up, same as when you left."

"You're new stuff is set up as well, we were actually hoping you would come back."

"Thank you."

"That's what friends are for, John. We love you, okay?"

I look down at my lap, hearing the pity in their voices. They don't love me, they tolerate me. But for now, that will have to be good enough.

"Guys, this isn't the way to your place."

"We need to make a quick stop first." Hercules pulls into a parking lot, and I'm thankful Lafayette let him drive. I would have had to go back to the hospital after having a heart attack as Laff tried to merge lanes. The van pulls to a stop and I unbuckle my seatbelt, hopping out of the door Laff holds open. 

"Why are we at Petland?"

"To get your turtle, of course!"

We make our way through the store, Lafayette petting anything he can get his hands on. By the time we make it through the first aisle Laff has begged Herc to buy a scorpion, a tarantula, and two snakes, one of which he carries around the store on his neck, dubbing it his boop noodle. 

"Please Herc?"

"Laff, if I buy you that snake he'll get more of your attention than me." I head to the aquariums at the back, my friends instead go to the small critters, thankfully without the snake. I marvel at the turtles as they swim around, not a care in the world.

I settle on one with red stripes who's hanging out in the corner. He seems lonely, but I'll be his friend. An employee bags him up for me, and I head to look at the rocks and decorations. I choose out a castle and some fake plants, as well as a large rock and some pretty purple pebbles.

I head towards the till when I hear a yelp.

"You fat furry fucker!" Followed by Lafayette's unmistakable laugh. 

I look around the corner, Hercules is holding his finger, Laff is doubled over, and a hamster sits on its hideout chittering.

"Herc, what the hell man?"

"The dumb little shit bit me!" The hamster rolls over, cleaning it's face in it's sand box.

"You know, Herc, that snake wouldn't have bit you."

"Shut it frenchie." Herc grumbles. Laff swings his arm around his boyfriends shoulders and leads him away from the rodent. I go back to the register as Lafayette begins a speech on the benefits of owning ferrets. I roll my eyes at the couple and place my things on the conveyer belt. After I pay I head back to where the boys are, Lafayette is on point 22 out of 51. 

"Time to go!" Herc grabs Laff's waist and steers him towards the door, Lafayette pleading all the way.

I sit in the car, staring at my new pet as Laff continues on at point 23. My turtle bonks into the plastic bag, looking mildly annoyed he turns back around. I press my finger against the plastic, smiling when he bonks into it with his nose.

"I'm gonna take good care of you."

I finish filling up the tank, my tiny turtle is chilling in his bag on the surface. I take out my sketchbook, I might as well do something to pass the time. I grab a pencil, beginning a rough sketch. Hues of greens reds and yellows fill the page, and finally I am satisfied with my work. 

"What do you think buddy?" I hold up my portrait to the tank so Daveed can get a good look. Checking my watch, I decide it's been long enough and snip a hole in his bag. Gently I tip the bag so he can get out. Daveed swims a circle around his enclosure, and I press my nose to the glass, giggling as he does the same. 

I hear a *click* from my left and spin around in my chair. Hercules' head is poking out from behind the door with Lafayette's resting on top.  Lafayette pulls a paper from his Polaroid and waves it around.

"I got it!"

"Guys, what are you doing?"

"We just like seeing you happy, John. It's been a rough while, and you're always so upset."

"I'm fine." Herc looks up at Laff who shakes his head.

"Non, mon ami, you aren't. And that's okay, but you can't hide these things from us."

"We want you to be happy John, but that won't happen unless you tell us the truth."

"Guys, really, I'm okay. I'm safe here, and right now that's all I need." I watch them leave the room, and lay my head down on the table. If only they knew. I grab a paper and pencil, and I begin to write.