Being best friends with somebody and watching them move away can be hard, especially when you don't know if you'll ever see them again. But when they come back to you, it's like your whole world becomes light again.

That's how Erin felt in this moment. There, not even a foot in front of them was their best friend. Dani had been with them forever. Although Erin never had any siblings, Dani was like their brother.

The day Dani moved, Erin felt like as if a piece of their heart had been taken away. He had always been there for them because sometimes it's not your parent's affection you need.

Erin remembers times when they would climb the tree in the backyard and tell stories under the safety of the leaves. It was their favourite time together. The two would meet every week at the same time to climb that tree. And they would do it without fail.

After Dani moved to live with a new foster family, Erin feared they'd never experience that again. But there Dani was. Smiling that sweet smile he had.

After dealing with all the shit that's happened the past three days, Erin deserved a moment of happiness.

"How did you get here?" Erin's throat seemed a bit froggy.

"Well, it was a fairly long car trip."

"No I mean, how are you here without your foster family? I thought you were stuck there?" This earned a laugh from the blue-haired teenager.

"No, I wasn't stuck there. Well, I guess I kind of was, considering I was under the watch of the state..." he trailed off, "But no. I wasn't stuck there. In fact, I have a more permanent foster home now, and it's here." Dani sat down on the bed, the smile still gracing his face.

Erin sat up at this. "Really? Here? As in here? You'll actually be living in Placerville?"

Dani chuckled, "Not just in town you dipshit. In this house, here, with Mama Maddox."

Erin didn't know what to say. As happy as they were for them to be practically siblings, they were worried for Mrs Maddox's capability of raising two teenagers.

Mrs Maddox was friends with Erin's grandmother. She practically helped raise Spencer (Erin's father), so of course, she helped raise Erin.

Spencer was a single father with a job in fish and game. He had to be gone for a week at a time, every other week. So what was he to do with his child? Have his "aunt" take care of them of course.

Spencer, like Erin, was an only child, so there was no aunt or uncle he could have had watched his newborn. And, also like Erin, his father left before he was born and his mother died in a car accident when he was fairly young. (Looks like dying young is a family trait.) So Mrs Maddox was all they had.

When Erin first met Dani, he was in a bad household, so he would stay the night a lot. Mrs Maddox became like a mother to him, so when she heard he was going to be sent to another foster home, she found a way to get him to live with her.

"I'm happy for you Dani," Erin said softly.

Dani grabbed their hand and moved it to his chest. "I'm happy as well."

After sitting for a while in comfortable silence, he spoke up again. "I um, well, I heard about your dad." He could feel Erin tense up. "I'm sorry." His voice trailed off.

"It's okay," Erin's voice came out a whisper, "Well, I mean, it's not 'okay'. It will never be okay, but..." They sigh, "There's nothing I can do about it. My dad is... gone... I feel like I'm not living in the real world. I don't feel..."

"Awake?" Dani finished for them.

"Yeah. It's hard to believe he's gone."

"Well," Dani leaned back on the bed, " You seem to be doing well."

"Is that what I seem like? Does it feel like I'm fine?" Erin looked down at their clasped hands. "Because I'm not. I'm not fine, I feel empty. I feel like a whole piece of me is missing. Should I be showing more emotion?" They couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know. No? Yes? I don't really know what to tell you. You just, it just seems like you should be crying." He didn't know what to say. What do you say?

Erin froze before speaking. "I did cry. I cried before he even..." They closed their eyes, "I cried while I ran to the police station. I cried in the police station. I didn't sleep that night. Or last night. I spent a while whole day crying. I didn't stop until soon before I got here. I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight either. I don't believe I'll be able to sleep for a while. I don't think I'll be able to do anything really." Erin stopped talking, remembering school. They'll have to go to school. How could they manage to spend a day in that help when they already experienced another hell.

Dani sat there, observing his best friend. He then wrapped his arms around them, and gently pulled them to his chest. It wasn't long before he felt a patch of his shirt become wet. Erin was crying. He started to smooth their hair and make a soft shushing noise, hoping to calm them down.

"I don't want to go to school tomorrow."

"Is that why you're crying?" Dani said with a small smile.

"No." Erin seemed offended, "The thought just helped unlock the waterworks." They let out a saddened chuckle.

"Well, luckily for you, Mama Maddox called the school and let them know that you'll be too sick to attend for a week. She knows you'll need time." Dani pulled away to look at the crying blonde on his shoulder. He took a finger and wiped a tear from Erin's cheek.

Erin sat up a bit as well and wiped their own face with their t-shirt. "Well, that's good I guess." They offered a small chuckle. "Hey, Dani?"

"Yes, Erin?" He gave a sweet smile.

"Will you stay in here with me tonight. I'd feel... safer." Erin's legs crossed.

"Of course."