Vanessa had been doing so much better lately. That's why Lin was surprised one morning laying in bed as he realized his wife had been in the shower for at least 20 minutes. He sat up and then gently pushed the door open to find her crouched down in the shower sobbing. Lin quickly stripped off his shirt and opened the shower door, then reached over to turn off the water. It was freezing cold. Vanessa was on the flower, curled up in a ball, sobbing. He quickly grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his wife's shoulders. She was freezing.

"Baby, what's wrong?" He asked gently as he knelt next to her, rubbing her shoulders and back to warm her up.

"I...I can't..." she sobbed, covering her face with her hands. She didn't want her husband to see her like this.

Lin knew her post-partum depression must be roaring back. The previous day had been a difficult one. Emilia had screamed most of the day, plus Sebastian had been incredibly whiny. Lin didn't say anything, just squatted down next to his wife as he rubbed her back. Once she'd calmed down a bit, he gently guided her to stand and walked her back to the bedroom. He helped her dry off as she continued to shiver. Lin wasn't sure if it was from the cold or from nerves. He pulled back the covers and told her to get back into bed.

Lin climbed in his side and scooted his body up behind hers, wrapping his arms around her. He wished he could get his wife to see what he saw. She was trying so hard and she was a perfect mother. She was gorgeous and smart and funny. He wished he could take all her pain away.

After a few minutes, she stopped shivering, warmed up from the bed and Lin's body heat. She must have been exhausted because within a few more minutes she was fast asleep. Lin carefully extracted his arms and rolled off the bed. He knew he needed to do something. Lin picked up his phone and left the room. He dialed Vanessa's mom.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hi Carmen, it's Lin," he said, pacing the hallway.

"Lin, what's up?" she asked her son-in-law.

"Hey listen, Vanessa's really not doing well," he explained. "Her post-partum depression seemed to be getting better but today she's worse. She broke down in the shower."

Vanessa's mother sighed into the phone, worried. Her daughter was incredibly strong. It worried her to see her so enveloped by worry and sorry. "My poor girl."

"I think she needs a break," Lin went on. "I know it's not a permanent fix, but maybe some time away from the kids would help."

They continued to talk for a few minutes. Her parents lived in New Jersey, not terribly far away. They talked and arranged a time for her to come over. Vanessa might not be totally open to the idea. She didn't like being thought of as weak. They didn't want to think this was a weakness. Post-partum depression wasn't something she'd asked for and not a sign she was weak.

Lin hung up the phone and then knocked on his oldest daughter's door. Emma was still asleep but started to stir when her father walked in.

"Em?" He asked. "Em, I need your help this morning. Can you get the boys going?"

"What's wrong?" She asked, sensing distress in his voice.

"Vanessa's not feeling well this morning, so it's all hands on deck," he explained. "Can you pack your sister a lunch too?"

"Okay," she agreed, sitting up and swinging her legs over the bed. Emma got to work, well-versed in helping out with the boys. She first got Sebastian up and made him go to the bathroom and told him to go watch TV. Emma walked over to Francisco's crib and picked him up. The little boy cooed as she laid him down on the changing table and got him a fresh diaper. She then picked him up and walked him to the living room to sit him with his brother.

Emma yawned as she got out some cereal and poured four bowls. She took two bowls without milk over to the coffee table for the boys. They were entertained with PJ Masks. Usually Lin and Vanessa didn't let them watch TV in the morning, so this was a special treat. Lin had woken up Lexi, but Emma figured she hadn't quite made it out of bed. She walked down the hall and pounded on her sister's door.

"Lexi! Get out here so I can take a shower."

She pushed the door open to make sure her sister was moving. She wasn't. Emma crossed the room and ripped the sheets off.

"Get up, Lexi," she demanded, giving her little sister's face a few light slaps. Lexi reached up with her hands, pushing her sister away. "Lin wants us to help with the boys."

Lexi finally began to get up. "The boys are watching TV and eating. I poured you a bowl. Can you go sit with them while I shower?"

Lexi nodded and yawned as she made her way out to the living room. She poured milk onto her cereal and sat on the couch with her little brothers. The three of them watched PJ Masks as Emma took a shower.

Back in the bedroom, Lin had gotten Emilia out of her crib. He changed her diaper then walked her out to the kitchen so he could heat up some breast milk. Vanessa had luckily stored up quite a lot in the freezer. Emilia began to cry as her father heated up her breakfast. Finally, he had the bottle ready and he walked over to the living where three of his children were eating. He positioned Emilia in his arms and guided the bottle to her mouth. She began to feed hungrily.

"Boys, I'm gonna take you to day care today," he said. "I need you to be big boys today. Mommy's not feeling well."

"Is she crying again?" Sebastian asked, fully aware of his mother's moods. Lin let out a little sigh, worried that the kids were being affected by all this.

"A little," he admitted. "Grandma's gonna come over and hang out with her for a bit."

"Can I stay home from school with her?" Lexi asked her father. They didn't spend as much time with Vanessa's parents, so getting to see her grandma was a treat.

"No, sweetheart," he told her. "V's actually gonna go stay with her for a few days."

"Why can't I?" Lexi asked.

"Lex," Lin said in a warning tone. "She needs a break."

Lexi could tell her father was worried, and that made her worried. Lin was a pretty easy-going guy, so if something was upsetting him, she knew it was major. She vowed to be extra helpful to make things easier for him. Lexi finished her last bite of breakfast and took her bowl to the kitchen. She had taken a shower the night before, so she quickly got dressed and put her hair up in a ponytail. She went out to the living room and offered to help get Sebastian dressed.

Lin gladly accepted, still busy feeding Emilia. Sebastian protested slightly because he wanted to keep watching PJ Masks, but Lexi reminded him he had new Iron Man underwear. He ran off down the hallway to find his new undies. Lexi guided him to brush his teeth now that Emma was out of the shower.

It was a team effort that morning. Emma led the way with Lexi providing solid backup. By 7:45, the girls were both ready to catch the subway, and Lin had the boys ready. Lin put Emilia in the stroller and they all headed out the door.

Lin kissed the boys goodbye at daycare, then immediately went back home. His mother-in-law would be there soon. When he arrived, he found Vanessa in the kitchen making herself some coffee.

"Go sit down," he told her. "I'll finish this off."

Vanessa didn't protest. She had since put on some sweats and had her glasses on, her hair pulled up in a messy bun.

"Have you eaten anything?" He called as she turned on the TV.

"No," she said. "I'm not hungry."

Lin had noticed she hadn't been eating as much as well. He grabbed a breakfast bar from the pantry and brought it over to her with her coffee. Lin then took a seat next to his wife as she blew on her coffee. He put a hand on her knee and gently stroked it.

"Sweetheart, I think it's time you took a break from all of this," he told her gently.

"What do you mean?" She asked, and he noticed how tired she still looked. She had bags under her eyes and her skin was looking less bright.

"Your responsibilities," he said. "I think it's all too much right now."

"Lin, don't be ridiculous," she said, taking a small sip from her mug. "I'm fine."

"No you're not," he told her bluntly. "I found you in the shower crying this morning. You're overwhelmed and you're exhausted."

"What mother isn't?"

"You weren't like this with Seb and Franky," he pointed out. "Plus you've got two teenagers on top of that. It's okay to ask for help."

"Lin-"

"I called your mother," he told her. "We both think it's a good idea for you to stay with her for a while."

"And when were you going to ask my opinion?" she asked, looking annoyed.

"You don't agree?"

"I have a newborn, Lin," she reminded him. "I need to be here to take care of her."

"I can take care of her," he said. "We've got plenty of breast milk stored up. You can go away for a week and get refreshed."

Vanessa sighed out, exasperated, as she put her mug on the coffee table. "Lin, I appreciate your concern, but I don't need to go away. I'm fine."

Lin just looked into her eyes for a few moments. She looked away, unable to convince him. Emilia started to cry and Lin saw his wife immediately tense up. She moved to get up, but he stopped her.

"I've got it," he told her gently. Lin picked his little daughter up from the stroller, where she'd fallen asleep. He rested her against his chest and began to rub her back. Vanessa got up and walked over, arms crossed.

"You think I'm being a bad mother," she said accusingly.

"No, sweetheart," he said gently. "Not at all."

"Then why else do you think I need to leave?"

"Vanessa, you know you have post-partum depression," he reminded her. "It's messing with your hormones big time. It has nothing to do with you being a good mother. You're the best."

"Then why is she still screaming all the time?" She asked, her voice raising.

"Because she has colic," he said. "It's just something that happens. Your mom is on her way over. I'll take care of Emilia. Why don't you go start packing a suitcase."

"Lin-"

"Vanessa, please," he said, searching her eyes. He hoped she knew him well enough that he was doing this out of love. "You need to get away."

Vanessa just looked at her husband for a few long moments. Lin had never done anything to hurt her. He'd always had her best interest at heart and was the most loving husband any woman could ask for. She knew he wouldn't be suggesting this if he wasn't seriously concerned about her. She finally sighed in acceptance and began to wander down the hall.

Since Emilia hadn't stopped crying and nothing was wrong, he gently set her down on her play pad on the floor. Her little arms and legs flailed around in protest of the world as he stepped away. It broke his heart every time.

Lin busied himself around the kitchen, and a few minutes later there was a knock at the door. He opened it and welcomed his mother-in-law inside. Lin hugged her warmly and kissed her on the cheek.

"V's back in the bedroom," he explained. "I think I convinced her it's a good idea to get away, but she might need another nudge from you."

"Thank you, Lin," she told him, then disappeared down the hallway. Vanessa had a suitcase opened on the bed. She wasn't sure how long she'd be away, so she packed some extras. She found it was hard to focus on what she needed because she kept thinking about what the kids needed. She kept thinking about things she needed to tell Lin. She sensed someone at the door and looked up to see her mother. Something inside her snapped, and she just sat down on the bed and started crying.

Her mother crossed the room and wrapped her arms around her daughter. She didn't say anything; just held her. It had been a long time since she'd felt Vanessa needed her. She'd been so independent from an early age.

"Mommy, I don't know what to do," she confessed tearfully.

"I know," she said, kissing her daughter's cheek. "It's going to be okay."

Carmen rocked her daughter back and forth a little as Lin stepped up to the door. He leaned against the door frame as he watched his mother-in-law comfort his wife. Vanessa looked so broken.

"Lin called me this morning," she said, putting her hand gently on her daughter's cheek. "I think it's a good idea you stay with me and your dad for a while."

Vanessa wiped away a few tears with her hands. "But I have responsibilities here."

"The kids will be fine," Carmen said. "Lin will take good care of them, and I'm sure his parents will be able to help out."

Lin nodded from the doorway. "I already called my mom. She's coming over this afternoon."

"You see?" Carmen said gently. "He'll have plenty of help. And I know how helpful Emma and Lexi are. They'll be fine for a few days. You need to get yourself better."

Vanessa nodded and hiccupped a little. She rarely asked for help. She was too proud. Carmen kissed her daughter's hair. "Now let's finished getting you packed."

Lin went to go check on Emilia while the two women packed. She had since stopped crying, so he picked her up and cradled her in his arm. He walked around, talking to her. She seemed to like being talked to. About ten minutes later, Vanessa came out with her suitcase and shoes on.

"There's mommy," he said to Emilia, turning her to face her mother. Vanessa smiled and held out her arms. Lin carefully handed her over so Vanessa could say goodbye to her. She teared up as she talked to her infant daughter, apologizing that she couldn't keep it together.

Vanessa began to tell Lin all kinds of things about taking care of the kids. Sebastian needed to take his vitamins. Francisco had had some diaper rash and they needed more ointment. Lin assured his wife gently that he'd take care of it all. Vanessa passed Emilia to her mother as Lin pulled her in for a hug. She buried her face in his neck, inhaling his scent.

"Everything will be fine," he assured her. "Me and my parents will get the kids taken care of. Don't you worry."

She nodded, but found it hard to leave. She did need a break from the kids, but she would miss them all terribly. Lin watched the two women leave and suddenly the house was eerily quiet. He held his daughter up in the air and she actually smiled and giggled a little.

"Oh, so you can smile," he grinned up at her, then brought her down to press kisses all over her face. She responded by laughing and reaching her little arms out. Beneath the colic, she was a delightful little girl and Lin felt an immense, uncontrollable love for her. They'd get through this rough period and then they'd be a happy little family again. Well, they weren't really a little family anymore.

Lin busied himself around the house, making phone calls and getting some work done on his laptop. He held Emilia most of the time and she seemed content most of the morning. When she started fussing around 11, he fed her another bottle then put her down for a nap.

Since he was going to be mostly in charge over the next week, Lin knew he needed to make some lists to keep everything straight. Lexi and Emma were pretty self-sufficient, but the boys had lots of needs and different schedules. He quickly jotted down the youngest two's nap schedules, feedings, and bed times. It was up to him to keep everything straight.

Around 3:00, it was time to get the boys from day care. He buckled Emilia into the double stroller and hopped on the subway. Once he'd gotten the boys, he strapped Cisco in the other seat and held Sebastian's hand. He got a couple "aww" looks from some women. Lin momentarily let himself feel like Super Dad.

Once they got home, he let the boys loose to play and they were fine. He got them a snack and got a text from his mother that she was on her way. They'd decided that she and Luis would stay with them, so Lexi would have to share a room with her sister. They'd done it before, for weeks actually, so Lin was sure they'd be okay for a week.

When the girls got home, he informed them of the plan. They were a little disappointed they'd have to share a room again, but accepted it because they knew it was important. Lexi moved a few of her important things into her sister's room.

Luz arrived around 5 and was bombarded with hugs from the boys. She laughed, always happy when she was around her grandkids. Lin smiled as he continued with preparing dinner. His mom walked over and he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks for coming," he told her. "You'll be in Lexi's room."

She nodded and took her suitcase back to Lexi's room. She found the girls and gave them hugs and kisses as well. Then, she found the baby and had some snuggle time. Emilia was her first biological granddaughter and she planned to spoil her.

Luz kept the kids occupied while Lin made dinner, resolving a couple minor quarrels between her grandsons. They were all pretty good kids, it was just a matter of managing all their needs at the same time.

When dinner was ready, Luz helped get the little ones in their places. It was strange not having Vanessa at the table. Lin had been texting with her a bit throughout the day. She'd taken a nice long nap in the afternoon and her mother was cooking her favorite things. Lin prayed some time away would help get her in the right direction.

Bath time was after dinner, which was usually a two person job. The girls had homework, so they burrowed away in Emma's room to get it done. The three youngest were put to bed and the adults were finally able to relax a bit. Luis had shown up mid bath-time, causing the boys to get more excited. It had made bed time a little more challenging. Luis read them both a bed time story.

"Have you heard from Vanessa?" Luis asked his son.

"Yeah, we've been texting," he pulled out his phone to check his messages. No new ones from V. "I think she's still feeling guilty about being away."

"She's exactly where she needs to be," Luz said, knowing how much Vanessa had been struggling. "I was overwhelmed sometimes with two of you. I can't imagine five. With three of them under the age of four."

Lin nodded. He wondered how he functioned sometimes. The three youngest were exhausting. Lin poured everyone some wine to unwind. They began to talk about the next week and all that needed to happen. Lin got out his note sheet to talk about the kids' schedules. The plan was to tag team it. Lin was grateful his parents were so close by and willing to help.

The next day, Luis and Luz got a better taste of Emilia's colic. No wonder she was driving Vanessa crazy. They tried all the tricks, but to no avail. Both had to resort to just leaving her to cry. There was a lot of music playing throughout the day to drown out the sound of the crying.

Luis and Luz took the boys to the park for a while in the afternoon so Lin could have some down time to work while Emilia napped.

That night, Sebastian hit a wall. He'd never been without his mother for more than a day. He hadn't really gotten to say goodbye to her before she left. Sebastian was bawling, asking for his mother. Lin scooped him up and took him into his bedroom and sat on the rocker with him. Lin just cuddled his son to his chest and rocked him.

"I want mommyyyy," he continued.

"I know, buddy," Lin told his son. "Mommy will be back in a few days. You've got daddy and Abuela and Abuelo."

The little boy hiccupped a little as Lin rubbed his back gently. After a few more minutes, he began to calm down a little bit. Lin pressed some kisses to his head and ran his hand through his short, dark hair.

"Do you want to go play with Abuelo and Abuela before bed time?" He asked his son gently. Sebastian nodded and rubbed at his eyes. Lin stood up with him and carried him back to the living room. Instead of playing, he just wanted to cuddle with his Abuela. Luis was busy drilling Lexi on some social studies material for a test she had the next day.

"You're gonna do fine," Luis told his granddaughter.

"But I'm so nervous," she said. "His tests are so hard."

"You're prepared," he reassured her. "No more studying for the night. Let's do something fun."

They decided to play a game of Uno to relax for the evening. Lin was glad to see the house was still full of laughter and love. Emma was icing her feet after a tough ballet practice. Auditions for The Nutcracker were over the next few days. Both the girls had a big day tomorrow, so Lin made a mental note to check on them both that night before bed.

After the littles had been put down, Lin knocked on Emma's bedroom door. She was doing homework on the floor as usual, music playing lightly in the background.

"Hey," he said, sitting on her desk chair.

"Hi," she said, writing something in her notebook.

"Are your auditions tomorrow?" He asked her.

"Yeah," she said, biting her lip.

"How are you feeling about it?"

She sighed and set her notebook down, then turned to face him. "Super nervous. I was Sugar Plum Fairy last year. What's it going to look like if I lose it?"

"You'll have another great role," he told her.

"Lin, the other roles aren't as good," she reminded him. "Everyone knows the Sugar Plum Fairy is the best dancer in the company."

"There are tons of good dancers in the company," he said. "It's ABT. If you don't get the role, you shouldn't think any less of yourself. It just means you have really stiff competition."

Emma sighed and stared off into space. Lin knew how hyper competitive she was. If she didn't get this, it would crush her. Lin thought it wouldn't be the worst thing if she didn't get it. She was very used to being the best. Having some competition might make her work harder and make her a better dancer.

"Do you want me to come watch?" Lin offered.

"No," she said immediately. "That'll make me more nervous."

She still had a thing about being watched while practicing. The only time Lin and Vanessa really saw her dance was during performances, or if they snuck a peak when she practiced downstairs.

"Okay," he said. "Just try to relax. You'll do great. And if you don't get it, it won't be the end of the world."

"Yes, it will be," she countered as she picked her pencil back up again. Lin smirked as he stood up. He gave her a quick kiss on the head before leaving her to finish her homework. He went back out to the living room, where Lexi was watching TV with her grandparents. Lin got a glass out of the cabinet and poured himself a glass of water.

"Lex," he called his daughter. Lexi looked over and then walked to the kitchen.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Do you feel ready for your test?"

She sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"You know you get worked up for nothing," he reminded her. "You've studied as much as you need to. You know the material."

"Mr. Richards is so mean," she said. "It's the only class I have a B in."

"B's are fine," Lin said. The girls were expected to make A's and B's, and neither of them ever had a problem earning them. She breathed out. Lin pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head.

"You're a smart cookie. You'll be fine," he said. "Why don't you get an early night sleep."

"Will you make me pancakes in the morning?" She asked hopefully.

"Sure," he said. "It'll be a good luck breakfast for both you and Emma."

Lexi decided to go to bed early. Lin took the opportunity to call Vanessa to see how she was holding up. When she answered, she sounded better. More like her usual self.

"How you holding up?" He asked as he walked around the master bedroom. It felt empty without her.

"I'm okay," she said. "I've been taking lots of naps. I didn't realize how tired I was."

"Good," he said. "Have you been crying?"

"A little," she admitted. "Mom and I have been talking. I think I need to up my meds a bit."

"Couldn't hurt," he said. They caught up on the kids. She missed them terribly. They made a plan to FaceTime the next day when all the kids were home. After a good fifteen minute chat, they hung up. Lin missed his wife, but hoped she was getting better. He hated seeing her so broken.

The next morning, both girls were a bundle of nerves. Lin made chocolate chip pancakes as promised and they were scarfed down. Lin wrote little notes of encouragement on the napkins he put in their lunches. Hopefully they'd be able to read his chicken scratch. He was never known for his handwriting.

After school, Emma changed into her tights and leotard in the changing room at ABT. As she laced up her pointe shoes, she caught Katie's eye. They held each other's gazes for a few moments, silently communicating that the competition was on. They were friendly now, at least, but neither girl was going to let that come between them and the role of Sugar Plum Fairy.

They stretched and class began as usual with some warm-ups. Then, they were broken off into groups for auditions. There were five girls auditioning for Sugar Plum Fairy. Three of them really didn't have a chance.

Emma was called second, after one of the younger girls who didn't have a chance. She took a deep breath as she took her position, then the music started. Emma was on today. She hit every pose perfectly and moved gracefully and precisely. When the audition ended, Emma felt good about it. She'd done her best. Katie was up next.

Emma mentally slapped herself when she found her mind wishing that Katie would mess up. That wasn't fair. Katie worked hard and she truthfully was fully capable of nailing the role. It would be a hard decision for the teachers. When Katie finished, Emma could tell she was proud of how she'd done. Emma clapped politely as the other two girls auditioned.

After the auditions were out of the way, they went back into a regular practice for the last hour. It felt nice to have the pressure out of the way. Now the hard part came. Waiting.

When Emma got home, she seemed even more nervous than the previous day. She barely ate any of her dinner. Lin didn't worry too much – she was eating well otherwise.

In the morning, Emma was throwing up out of nerves. Afterwards, she walked out to the kitchen, looking a bit gray as she got a glass of water.

"You're not pregnant are you?" Lexi asked from her seat at the bar.

"No!!" Emma snapped at her younger sister. "Not funny."

"Em, do you want to stay home from school?" Lin asked his daughter.

"No," she said. Emma hated missing school because it was a pain to make up. "It's just nerves. I'll be fine."

"Okay," he said, but he was a bit concerned. She'd never been so nervous that she'd thrown up. "If you change your mind, it's fine if you want to come back."

She grabbed a breakfast bar from the pantry to eat on the way. She and Lexi headed out the door to catch the subway. The day passed painfully slow. Finally, it was time for ballet. She knew the cast list would be posted at the studio.

Emma wasn't sure if she wanted to rush to the studio or take her time. If she didn't know, there was still the possibility she got the role. As she got close to the studio, she felt her feet start to pick up the pace. She ran up the stairs of the building and found a cluster of girls around a piece of paper on the wall. As everyone found their part, they wandered away. She noticed eyes on her as she neared the paper. Emma took a deep breath as she stepped up to the wall.

Her eyes scanned to the bottom of the page. Instead of one name next to Sugar Plum Fairy, there was two. Her and Katie. They'd be sharing the role. It was bullshit.

Emma stepped away, disappointed. Having to share the role was almost as bad as losing it. She'd only be dancing half the performances. She'd at least gotten open and closing night. That was some consolation. Those were the most important performances. She walked back to the dressing room, disappointed, but kicking herself for feeling that way. She'd gotten the part, which was more than most ballerinas could hope for. Emma felt selfish, but she couldn't help but feel disappointed.

She went through the motions at practice and noticed Katie was doing the same. When practice was over, she didn't feel like going home just yet. She got dressed and texted Lin that she would be a while. He asked about the part, and she told him the news.

Emma wandered around for a while. Being surrounded by the people, the buildings, the traffic made her feel small. Like her problem wasn't that big. When she finally got home after 7, her grandparents were doing the dishes. Emma didn't feel hungry.

"Congratulations," Luz told her granddaughter, smiling. Emma just gave her a half smile.

"Thanks," she mumbled as she hated straight to her room. She was annoyed to find Lexi in there, spread out on her bed. If there ever was a night she wanted privacy and alone time, it was tonight. Emma grabbed some fresh clothes and headed to the shower.

Afterwards, she went to the kitchen and fixed herself a healthy shake. She didn't realize she was wearing a scowl on her face.

"You look like you want to murder someone," Lin observed as he grabbed a couple cookies out of the pantry.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"What's up?" He asked.

"I'm just disappointed," she confessed as she poured the liquid into a glass. "I don't want to share the part."

Lin took a bite of a cookie. "But you didn't lose the part."

"I might as well have," she said, leaning against the counter.

"You're too hard on yourself," Lin said. "You should be proud you get to share the part at ABT. It's super competitive."

"I don't feel proud at all," she said, staring off into space. Lin set his cookies down and wiped off his fingers.

"Em, listen to me," he said seriously, stepping closer to her. "You're a perfectionist. Sometimes that's a good thing, but sometimes it's not. Can't you think of this in a positive way?"

"I just can't help of thinking of it as a step back," she confessed. "Last year I had the part to myself."

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe having some competition might be making you a better dancer?"

"She's showing me up," she complained.

"And you're showing her up," he pointed out. "You're both excellent dancers. It doesn't have to be a competition."

"Of course it does," Emma said. Being a dancer meant constant competition. Lin sighed, realizing he wasn't getting through to her. She was ridiculously competitive.

"Em, I don't know what to tell you other than that I'm really proud of you," he said. "Not many kids get a chance to play the Sugar Plum Fairy at ABT. Just take a moment and appreciate that. Be proud of yourself."

He gave her a quick kiss on the head and then picked his cookies back up to go to the living room. Lin reclined on the couch, relaxing with his parents. Emma didn't feel like being around other people, so she disappeared to her bedroom. Even though Lexi was there, she didn't have to try to hide her disappointment. Emma put on her headphones and laid down on the double bed to zone out.

She knew she was a perfectionist, but she couldn't help it. It bugged her if she wasn't the best. In some ways, she wished she wasn't the way she was, but on the other hand that's how she'd gotten so good. She craved the glory of being the best. At the moment, it was a tie and that just didn't feel good.

Lexi sensed her sister's disappointment. Lin had told her the news earlier, and Lexi knew her sister wouldn't be happy. They didn't always get along terribly well, but Lexi didn't want to see her sister so disappointed when she should be proud. Lexi laid down on the bed next to her and draped an arm over her sister's tummy. She cuddled into her older sister. Despite her day, Emma smiled.