"You're going home? B-but why? You could stay the night with me, darling! Isn't our being together what you wanted?"

Luna was crestfallen, still trying desperately to keep up with everything that was happening.

"Y-yes, but... I'm sorry, I just need time to think-"

"What did my mother do to make you act like this? What does she have on you!?"

"It's got nothing to do with her, Luna! In fact, while she's still feeling generous you should ask her for a phone so we can stay in contact."

I still didn't understand how she could live in this swanky mansion and not have one, but more than likely it had something to do with her delusions. Even though I wanted to distance myself from Luna right now, I still needed a way to make sure she would be okay on her own.

"I... I will, but-" she stuttered.

I handed her a hastily scrawled note with my number on it.

"I'm sorry about this, Luna. You didn't do anything wrong, okay? I just need space for a while."

Worrying about how the night might turn out if I gave in to my desire to hold her, I turned on my heel and headed for the courtyard. It felt too similar to the time I took that book from her and ran the first day we met, filling me with even greater shame.

When exactly did all of this weird shit start? Was it the day I met Luna? Later on? ...much earlier!? Could Quin have been nursing her obsession since she was a child? But then why was Mae affected only recently?

My mind swirled with increasingly insane hypotheses and theories.

Or what if all of this is super crazy and now I'm the one who's delusional...?

I watched Luna out of the corner of my eye as she trudged behind me, studying her carefully. The idea that I might be responsible for her thoughts and feelings made me physically ill, but it was so farfetched I almost had to laugh at myself at the absurdity. Was I seriously entertaining this?

And yet, I simply couldn't see her in the same way anymore. I was too afraid of the possibility that I had forced her interest in me, no matter how impossible it seemed. Even if it defied all reason, if it really were true, I simply couldn't bear it.

Luna followed a step behind me, staring numbly at the ground as she walked, afraid to somehow cause me to distance myself even further. But when we reached the courtyard and only the wind interrupted the awkward silence between us, Luna suddenly grabbed my hands.

"Please talk to me, Norma! Like you asked me to do for you, remember? Let's just work this out! We can work it out, can't we!?"

Her intense gaze would normally hold my own as if it were hypnotic, but I could no longer look her in the eye.

"I-I'll do anything! Whatever it takes, whatever I need to change, whoever you want me to be - I'll do it! I'll be her!"

This was getting hard for me. The look in Luna's crystalline eyes went way past desperation - past even my own pathetic begging when I had been in her position, asking her to stay with me. She was getting all worked up - as if I were cutting ties with her forever - and it made me realize that that might be exactly what I'd have to do. As I grappled with the decision I gently pulled my hands out of her grasp, causing her to redouble her pleas.

"Please don't leave me... please don't go. Stay with me, darling. I love you. Stay with me. I love you so much! Don't leave me! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME!!"

Luna's fervent cries were starting to scare me. Swallowing hard, I backed away from her, wishing I were doing anything but.

I'm so sorry, Luna. Until I know what's happening to me, I can't keep this up. I just can't.

Luna was shaking, and though my heart yearned to comfort her, it quickly became obvious that it was not from sorrow, but from rage. Almost inhumanly fast she lunged for me, and only my newfound caution toward her allowed me to jump backward in time. Once again my weaselly instincts kicked in. Without another word, and without looking back, I ran from her as fast as I possibly could.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Luna's scream echoed from the courtyard. It seemed she hadn't followed me, but the anguish in her voice continued to haunt me long after I stopped running. My dad's car appeared down the road, and when he saw me doubled over to catch my breath, he gunned the accelerator so that I could get in the passenger door as quickly as possible. He checked all the mirrors, and even despite seeing no one else, he sped down the road to put some distance between me and the unseen threat before finally speaking.

"Are you alright, kiddo? What happened!?"

"Dad, how did you find me?"

"Huh? Does that really matter right now?"

"It does."

"Well, Luna told me her address when she came over, just in case you didn't show up before she had to leave."

"That's not what I mean, dad. When Quin took me. How did you know where to find me?"

"Listen, I think we should talk about why you were run-"

"Just answer me!"

Dad was silent, his hands stiff on the wheel as he stared intently at the road. He was definitely not used to me raising my voice.

"I told you. As your father, I just knew-"

"That's not an answer! Be honest with me. Please."

"I don't know what to tell you, Norma! I just had this feeling in the pit of my stomach that kept growing stronger every day. When I finally got desperate enough I followed it, and there you were. I... I know it sounds crazy, but-!"

...I knew it.

"It's okay, dad, I believe you. Thanks for telling me."

Dad laughed nervously.

"...yeah. Now, about the Reclipses...?"

"I can't really explain it, but I have to give Luna some space for a while..."

Dad seemed unsatisfied by my vague explanation, but he didn't press much further.

"You're... not in any danger or anything, right?"

"No, dad. But... Mrs. Reclipse might come over to pick me up sometime. Apparently there's some kind of opportunity available at her job, and she'd like me to go with her the day of to get some experience. She said it would be good for my resume."

"I see... and what does she do again?"

"You know, I didn't really understand it, but I'm sure she'll give me more details closer to the date."

Dad let out a deep breath.

"Listen Norma, I want to make sure you've really thought about this - returning to school and talking to these strange people. Faye and I really don't mind if you need more time. In fact, we both think it's a little too sudden-"

"I appreciate that you guys have my back no matter what, but I'm sure. If I don't go back to school now who knows how far I'll fall behind! Even one year's difference has a big impact when you're a student, you know."

"Yes, I vaguely remember what it was like at your age... I'm just worried about you. The police said some disturbing things came to light during their investigation, and frankly, I don't know how you've bounced back from that already."

I couldn't tell dad it was because I enjoyed it.

"Not thinking about it helps."

"Ah... sorry. That's the last time I'll bring it up, I swear. I guess it's time for me to accept that you're an adult now, and you don't need me to take care of you anymore..."

Dad still stared ahead, but his expression was wistful. I thought I saw a tear in his eye.

"I'll always need you, dad. I wouldn't be much of anyone if it weren't for you. Mom certainly wasn't much help-"

Dad's breath caught in his throat.

"Speaking of things we prefer not to think about..." he countered.

"Yeah, sorry. I know it's a sore point for you. It's easy enough for us to say 'bah, who needs her anyway', but that's just us trying to play it cool. She seriously hurt you, and even though I don't miss her, I'm grateful that you were the one who stepped up and raised me. It's a debt I can never repay."

Dad finally smiled for the first time since I'd gotten in the car.

"You just grow up to become the amazing person that I know you'll be one day, kiddo. That'll be payment enough for me."

We pulled into our driveway, and I was surprised to see Faye waiting outside. It seemed like she had been pacing the yard.

"Oh, thank goodness you're safe! When Norman told me you called him in a panic, I feared the worst!"

She scooped me up into another of her tight hugs, and once again my head was planted firmly in her chest.

"I miffed yuu tuu..." I mumbled through her breasts, returning the embrace. Before long she reluctantly separated me from herself and we all entered the house together. Faye continued fussing over me as we entered the living room.

"Did you end up eating? I kept some pasta warm for you in case you didn't..."

"Yes, I ate," I laughed. I still hadn't gotten used to having such a maternal figure in my life.

"Little sis, I missed you! Are you okay? Do I need to beat anyone up for you?"

...make that two maternal figures. Ves was running down the stairs, and despite my best efforts I couldn't miss the jiggle physics at work from every step she took. When Ves cleared the stairs she wrapped her arms around me and lifted me into a bear hug, cracking my back and mashing our breasts together.

"Oh, Norma's home? Nice. You want to play some games later? Or we can put a movie on... your pick!"

And there was Fes, casually strolling toward me from the couch, trying to be nonchalant as always yet noticeably excited to see me. When Ves put me down he gave me a small, shy hug of his own that lingered just a little longer than normal.

Yes, they were all so happy to see me...

That's just how family is, right?

As they crowded around me in the living room, offering me popcorn and fighting over who got to sit beside me as we settled in to watch the latest Badman movie, that's what I told myself over and over again...

The alternative was simply too horrifying to consider.