I woke to my teeth aching from all the cookies the night before. I stretched, feeling the full-body release with the first stretch of the morning. 

Abbi was still sound asleep. 

I couldn't believe this was going to be it. My last day. 

My eyes stung and I pushed the heels of my hands into them to keep the tears inside. I wasn't going to cry. This was going to be good for me. I had to believe that. 

I got up and crawled out of the fort quietly. I had to brush my teeth, it could not wait another moment. I tiptoed up the stairs to the bathroom and closed the door. 

I grabbed my toothbrush and ran it under the water before squeezing the tube of toothpaste, loading it onto the toothbrush. 

It all seemed mundane, but it would be the last time I was doing it there. I looked into the mirror as I brushed my teeth, the counter that had countless products from my mom and me. 

I looked at the piece of paper still tapped over the hole in the wall from when I was younger, roller skating inside despite my mom's warnings. My toe stop had gone right through the wall and I had decided to glue paper over the hole so my mom would never know. When you really looked, you could see it.

To this day, I was sure she wasn't aware it was there. 

All the small things that I would never see again, the smells, the people... not that there were many, but there were good people I would miss. 

My throat began to close and I could feel the sting at the corners of my eyes. 

I spit into the sink and rinsed before running the brush through my hair. I had to push all those thoughts to the side or I wasn't sure I'd be able to go through with what I needed to do. 

I went into my room and looked at the clock. It was nearly ten, which meant we'd had roughly five hours of sleep. 

I quietly walked around and checked my mom's room. It was empty. She hadn't been downstairs either. I hoped to the goddess that she hadn't left because of me. I hadn't gotten the chance to say goodbye. 

No, she wouldn't do that. There was no way my mother would want to part ways without goodbyes. 

I made my way back down to the fort in the living room and crawled back in, laying back under the blankets and tucking the end under my feet and pulling the top all the way under my chin. The warmth encircled me immediately and I felt a sense of peace. 

I knew what was meant to happen, would happen today. One way or another, my new chapter would begin at sunset today. 

I was exhausted, and under normal circumstances I would probably be slipping back into sleep for another hour, but that wasn't the case this morning. My eyes wandered the fort we had built in the living room, wide open. 

I couldn't even blink. If I did then I'd probably miss something, like the hole in the red and black plaid blanket from when Mom had been wrapping presents and she snagged the blanket with the scissors while cutting paper. 

Or the one that looked like the rainbow puked up that my nana had knitted when I was a baby. 

Or my best friend just a couple feet away. The person who helped me through all the aspects of life that a parent just can't. For giving me someone to really connect with, who appreciated me despite the pieces that were different. 

The back door opened and closed quietly. I heard my mom walk into the house and set things down in the kitchen. 

I crawled back out of the fort and went into the kitchen. 

"Good morning, how did you sleep," my mom asked. 

I shrugged. "As good as you can on a stomach full of sugar and the weight of the day pressing closer."

My mom smiled a sad smile and I felt my throat start to close again. 

"I guess it's a good thing that I picked up bacon to go with our pancakes then, isn't it?"

I nodded and crossed the room to hug my mom. I breathed in the scent of her soap and the feel of her warm hug. 

"I'll help you get things started. I'm sure the smell will wake Abs up eventually."

My mom chuckled. "It usually does."

I pulled out the things we would need for breakfast and started putting away the rest of the groceries while my mom started on the bacon. When I was done, I started mixing up the pancake batter. 

The bacon sizzled and the smell filled the air. I sliced up a couple bananas, poured some chocolate chips into a small dish, grabbed the blue berries from the fridge and sliced some strawberries for the pancakes. 

It wasn't long before Abbi made her way to the kitchen, the smell of bacon calling her. 

"Good morning, sleepy head! We have options!"

Abbi's eyes were slightly red and puffy, and I knew she had been up a little longer than she was letting on. 

"Morning," she said with a forced smile. 

Abbi had her emotions locked down tight again, but I could see the slight tremble in her as she tried to hold back the water works and sobs. 

Today, we were all being strong. 

"Do you wait plain pancakes, chocolate chip, or fruit? Or fruit and chocolate chips?" I asked gesturing to the pancake options. "Inside or on top, your choice."

Abbi tapped her chin. "I think I'll do strawberries and chocolate chips inside."

"That sounds absolutely delicious and I may have to try one."

We did out pancakes and flipped them onto our plates. I grabbed the whipped cream, butter, and syrup and went to the table. 

My mom followed us with some glasses and milk. 

We all started in on our pancakes and bacon. 

"So what were you wanting to do today, honey," my mom asked. 

I chewed the bite of chocolate chip, strawberry pancake with whipped cream quickly. "Well, I need to finish packing things into the duffle I'm going to take with me. I was thinking the rest of the morning and early afternoon could be with you, whatever you want to do."

I took a drink of milk. "Then I was thinking, Abbi, if you would like, we could go out and train for a few hours and then you can see me off?"

The tears had made it to the surface. Abbi blinked and one spilled over as she nodded with that forced smile again. 

"Perfect. Then I guess it's settled. So, let me know what you want to do for the next few hours, and we will do that."

My mom smiled. "Sounds perfect." 

We continued to eat but no one really knew what to say to fill the silence after we had just made our final plans. I was starving, but I couldn't bring myself to eat as fast as my stomach wanted. Maybe if I didn't eat them so fast then time wouldn't be passing so quick. 

Even still, it seemed like I blinked and we were done eating. One more line checked off the to-do list. One step closer. 

"I can help you pack your bag," Abbi offered after we had all just sat there for minutes after we were finished. 

I nodded. I suppose this time, I was the one at a loss for words. 

I grabbed a zip seal back and then Abbi and I made our way toward my room silently, as if we were part of some funeral. Neither one of us could bring ourselves to lighten the mood. 

I stopped at the bathroom to put my toothbrush in the zip bag and grab  the toothpaste, and then I went to my room to finish packing the clothes and other necessities. 

"Do you have a flashlight," Abbi asked. 

"I do still have pretty good eyesight, you know... in the dark, too." I crossed my arms in fake offense. "But yes, I do have a flashlight." I grabbed it from a drawer in my desk and tossed it into the duffle. I then put in two lighter blankets and an extra pair of shoes. I then went to my closet and pulled out some more clothes until the duffle was mostly full. 

I grabbed some other products from the bathroom, threw them in and then closed up the duffle. I loaded it up on my shoulder to give it a feel. It had weight to it, but I would be able to carry it. I wouldn't be going anywhere quick though. I hoped that I wouldn't need to make a quick getaway for any reason. 

Abbi was double checking over my list for the twentieth time to see what I had packed and to make sure that there wasn't anything else I needed. 

"Abs, I think it's fine. If there is anything I need, I can get it somewhere at some point. I just have to be able to make it on my own for a short time."

"But what if we are forgetting something you need, Cyn." She wouldn't look away from the list. 

I went over to her "It's going to be okay. I promise. I will be fine. You will be fine. My mom is going to be fine." 

Abbi had her lips sucked in and her teeth biting down hard to hold back the sobs I knew wanted to come out. She nodded and I brought her in for a hug. 

We held onto each other and cried. 

My first friend. My only friend. We were there for everything for each other. I couldn't have possibly ended up where I was if it hadn't been for her pushing me every step of the way. For her to take my differences into consideration and learn how to help make things a little bit easier for me. Her constant willingness to make sure that she pushed me out of my comfort zone, but also protected me to make sure she knew when to get me out of a bad situation. 

"You know I love you so much, right Abs," I said through my own tears that had started streaming down my face. 

Abbi laughed and sobbed. "I love you too, Cyn."

I pulled away. "Look after I have taken a year to settle down after getting situated, if my new pack agrees, I can come back to see if either you or my mom would like to join me. How does that sound?"

Abbi wiped at the tears in her eyes and on her face. "That sounds perfect. I'm going to hold you to that."

Abbi held out her pinky for a pinky promise. I locked my pinky with hers. 

"Good. I guess I better go so you and your mom can have some time. I will see you later for training, though."

"See you later for training," I said with a small smile. 

************

A bit of a longer one this time. We might have one or two longer chapters coming up here too. We shall see!

Please don't forget to let me know what you think of the chapter and the story so far? What do you want to happen? Give me your guesses and tell me what you want to happen. 

Don't forget to hit that star and give the chapter a vote!