"Damn place doesn't have a way to get out!" Dallas shouted, his face full of pain and suffering. He was breaking. It wasn't abrupt and shattering, this was thousands of little cracks building up, and threatening to burst.

"He's definitely burning." Tam muttered, "I should smother him."

"Tam! If you do, I'll never speak to you again." I said, completely serious. If we didn't do this right, Dallas could shatter beyond repair. I was terrified for him. He had become such a huge part of my life, in such a small amount of time. I didn't know how I'd survive without him. I didn't think I could.

"Yeah, whatever." Tam muttered, but he didn't move to smother Dallas with shadows. I was relieved that he didn't. But we still had to take care of Dallas. I was terrified. My fingers clenched around a crystal I never wanted to see again, yet still kept. My 'home' crystal. That place wasn't really home. It never was.

"Dallas!" I shouted, "Here!" I tossed him my 'home' crystal. Dallas caught it easily. "This will take you to," I paused, not wanting to call them my parents, but knowing he wouldn't know who they were otherwise. "To my parents' house." I spat the word 'parents' out. They don't deserve to be called that, but I don't know what else to call them. Yet, when they brought Alvar to them, Sophie said, "Maybe there's a shard of goodness in them." I don't know what to think. For now, I'll ignore them.

"Oh. Thanks." Dallas looked at it. "Um, what do I do?" It's refreshing, his innocence at these everyday items. It gives me hope.

"Hold it up, and step into the beam of light." I said, "Don't forget to concentrate on yourself. The nexus will keep you together, but you still need to strengthen your concentration." I hoped he wasn't like Sophie. Even with two nexuses, she still faded. Or so Fitz said.

Dallas locked eyes with me, and I mouthed, 'I love you.' I didn't want to say it aloud for the first time, in front of so many people. His eyes softened, and for a moment, I thought he'd stay. I hoped he would stay. I needed him, more than I needed anything else. Tam would scoff, but it's true.

Instead, he repeated my words, and glittered away. It gave me a small bit of comfort, that he repeated them. He seemed to repeat them for himself, just as much for me.

"You kept it?" Tam asked.

"Yep." I said, "I always knew there would be someone who I would love to send to them." I hadn't thought it would be Dallas, with his cold, empty reputation, but it was.

"Well, when you put it that way," Tam said. He smiled a real smile at me, shaking his bangs out of his face. He didn't smile often, but when he did, it counted. I depended on those smiles. If he didn't smile at something he normally would, or when it was forced, I knew he was hurting. I tried to help him the best I could when he got like that.

"You know, you're like us greasers." Jenny said, "You feel everything. Sometimes so much that you want to burn up." She's smart. So smart. She sees things that we can't. But once she points them out, the glaringly obvious. She's a sweet girl. I think she'll fit in just fine with the triplets.

"So you don't have to feel the pain. The sorrow. The loss." Tess whispered. Her eyes glittered with unshed tears. Jenny stepped close to her, allowing the older girl to lean on her.

"But you can feel so much joy." Sophie said, "The Socs don't feel anything. Ever. You feel everything. Always." They fought for survival. Tam and I fought for acceptance. But now, I see that maybe it's not always so different. Maybe the two are the same.

"Sometimes it's a curse. Other times, a blessing." Johnny said, "But we're all human."

"We just have different ways of dealing with life." Jenny said, "Two drinks. Dal fights."

"Pony gets lost in a book." Johnny said.

"You sleep in the lot. Underneath the stars. Alone." Pony said, "I don't think I'm that bad."

"You ain't that bad." Johnny said. He grinned.

"Darry buries himself in work." Tess said sadly.

Pony nodded. "Soda hides it inside, bottling it up until it explodes."

"I don't explode!" Soda shouted. He tackled Pony, putting him into a headlock. I jumped a little at the suddenness of the motion, but I knew Soda wouldn't hurt Pony. He loves him, and he'd hurt so much if he did.

"Let go, Soda!" Pony screeched.

"Call Uncle." Soda said, "You gotta call Uncle."

"Telekinesis!" Tess suggested, "I can help."

"This is between us." Soda ground out. Pony's eyes locked with Tess'. I could feel the energy, burning brightly between them.

"I won't ever call Uncle!" Pony shouted. With a grunt he shoved Soda off of him. Soda flew into the air, his eyes wide.

"Got him!" Tam shouted. He used telekinesis to gently lower Soda to the ground.

"Wow, Pone. When did ya get so strong?" Soda asked.

"I dunno. I think it was telekinesis, or something. Maybe channeling?" Pony looked just as lost as Soda.

"Whatever that was, it was powerful. More than anything I've ever seen from someone with this raw of a talent." Fitz said, "Except for Sophie."

"The lamppost that I lifted?" Sophie asked.

"Yep. That." Fitz looked from Soda to Pony, disbelief coloring his expression. "I don't know what to do. The Council won't do anything. I don't want to bother the Black Swan."

"But they're the ones who tweaked their DNA!" Sophie exclaimed, "Don't you think they should know what they can do?"

"They should, but all the same." Fitz muttered.

"I just want mallowmelt!" Soda shouted, "Is that really that much to ask for?"

"Oh!" I said, "I'll get some. If Edaline still has any."

"Damn. I thought for sure that it would be definite by now. That there would definitely be mallowmelt." Soda said.

"It's a popular dessert." I said, shrugging. "There's never going to be leftovers. Especially with so many people with rather large appetites."

"What can I say?" Soda smiled. "We're growing boys."

"Not Grady. And he can easily eat four pieces. Sometimes five." I said.

"Oh, jeez." Soda said, "He must have a huge stomach."

"That is very true." I said.

I looked in the kitchen, and spotted a couple pieces of mallowmelt. "There." I pointed to them. "Take one."

"Savvy. Thanks." Soda flashed another smile at me.

"What the hell are you doing?" Dallas shouted. But his face betrayed his angry words. He looked like his heart had been stomped on. Shattered.