The entire week up until Thanksgiving, Zela was working on her outfit for Thanksgiving. She was rarely seen in the house, and would only allow visits from Danny and Nathan as they knew how to respect her while she worked.

"Come on, it's finished, I promise."

Nathan drawled out, as Zela was looking over her outfit that was on her other mannequin. Now Nathan knew how to respect her when she was in the zone, but she's been looking over her outfit for the past thirty minutes, and he was supposed to start making food an hour ago.

"Fine, fine."

Zela sighed out, before she took it off the mannequin and undressed as Nathan was looking through her red shoes to see which ones he'd think would match best.

"Thoughts?"

She asked him, and Nathan looked up and grinned at her, as she did a quick spin to show him the entire outfit.

"If I wasn't into guys, you'd definitely be my type."

Nathan said, as Zela snorted as she sat down on the bed, grabbing the sparkly platform shoes, and slipped them on.

"Are you going to bang your feet together and wish you were back home?"

Danny asked, as he came up the ladder as he looked down at her shoes.

"Ha ha, very funny."

She said, flipping him off, and went over to check on her makeup before she was pulled away by Danny.

"Let's go."

He said, and the three quickly went outside and into the house where Katherine gasped once she saw the finished product on Zela.

"That's gorgeous Z, you really do have a talent."

Katherine complimented as she walked up to her, smiling down at her as she kissed her forehead.

"Now, I know you said you planned on making food, so I went ahead and bought the ingredients you needed that you texted, so they are all over there."

She told her, and Zela walked over to where her ingredients were and she smiled as she remembered when Lucy would always pitch in to help her make it.

"It's a soup, and since it's been getting colder out, I figured it'd be the perfect time, plus I'm not that huge of a fan of turkey."

Zela admitted and Danny fake gasped, as he held his heart pretending to be hurt by her words.

"How dare thou hate thy turkey!"

He mocked, as he threw a piece of bread crumb at her, and Zela laughed as she shook her head, when she started getting all her ingredients ready.

"So what exactly are you making?"

Nathan asked, and Zela smiled at him as Jackie came downstairs, "Her famous Spanish Pumpkin Soup. It's practically a delicacy in the Howard family."

Jackie answered, and Zela smiled over at her, as Jackie smiled at her, as she walked over giving her a small hug.

"I'd love to stay and help, but I really need to make these deliveries with Erin."

Jackie told her sister, who only nodded her head as she walked away letting Katherine know she may not make it to dinner.

As Nathan put his shoes on, he was out the door in a heartbeat, Alex following in tow, and she looked at Danny in confusion.

"He's going to the Summerhill's."

Danny whispered to her, and Zela hummed as she grinned remembering who would be there, and who Nathan hasn't stopped talking about in weeks.

—

As her soup had gotten done, she kept it on the stove to keep warm until it was ready to be served. So as she was helping out around the kitchen, she heard the doorbell ring and she looked around counting everyone that was here.

"Who is at the door?"

She asked Danny, who only shrugged his shoulders as she went to go make herself more tea.

Turning around and seeing her uncle Richard standing in the doorway to the kitchen, Zela's heart stopped and she placed her tea down as she practically ran to hug him.

"Richard!"

She squealed out, as she hugged him tightly, and Richard smiled hugging her back instantly.

"What? What are you doing here?"

She asked, as she looked up at him in joy, and he chuckled as he pointed to Katherine.

"I was invited, and I hope you don't mind, I brought someone along with me."

Hearing his words, she furrowed her eyebrows, and Richard stepped to the side and Zela's eyes widened.

"Jessup?"

She quietly asked, as Jessup stood there and smirked at her, smiling brightly she ran to him and hugged him as he picked her up spinning her.

"Hey there, Zela."

He said, as she looked at him in pure bliss, and she no longer felt whatever homesickness she had felt.

"Come on, I gotta show you something."

He told her, as he sat her down and pulled her outside, as he took his jacket off putting it on her shoulders.

"Who was that?"

Danny asked, as he was pointing to the spot Jessup once was, and Richard looked over at him.

"Jessup, Zela's ex boyfriend."

He answered, and Danny dropped the silverware he was holding.

"Oh shit."

He whispered, shocked beyond belief.

—

"Okay, don't look."

Jessup leaned down to whisper in her ear, and Zela giggled as he covered her eyes, his hands not actually touching her face since he didn't want to mess up her makeup.

"What is it?"

She asked, as she held onto his wrists, and felt his hands move from in front of her face to hold onto her hips.

"Okay, look."

He whispered, and Zela looked around as she realized she was at the stables and looked around in confusion.

"What is it?"

She asked him, and Jessup pointed over her shoulder and Zela's body froze as she saw what he was pointing at.

"Helia!"

She screamed as she ran towards her horse, and looked at him in surprise, petting him instantly.

"How?"

She asked, turning to look at Jessup who was smiling at her, nothing but raw love in his eyes.

"I kept a promise I made to a little thirteen year old, that I'd be her knight in shining armor and save her horse."

He said, as he walked up to her, and wrapped his arms around her waist, as he hugged her from behind.

"Oh my God, Jessup. Thank you."

She said, tearing up as she looked up at him smiling brightly at him.

—

"How's it going out there?"

Cole asked, as Danny walked into the shed where he was working on his truck, and Danny cleared his throat.

"Well, if dad doesn't get his defense in shape, I think mom's gonna take that guy Richard down."

Danny said to Cole, and Cole chuckled, "My money's on mom."

He said, and Danny walked up to him and cleared his throat again, causing Cole to actually look at him.

"In other news, uhm. Zela's ex boyfriend is here, and he brought her the horse she had when she was a child."

Danny quickly said, before he looked down to see he wasn't actually working on his truck, but was actually working on bringing Zela's drawing that was on her desk to life.

"Wow, bringing your guy's moment together into real life. Does mom know you took her art supplies?"

Danny said, as he placed his hand on Cole's shoulder and Cole looked outside the window to catch a glance at Zela and a guy who was towering over her in height, laughing together.

"It's stupid. I think I'm just gonna forget it."

He whispered, and looked down at the project he was working on.

"No, no, it's not stupid at all. Give it to her. Girls like guys who make an effort."

Danny said, and Cole looked up at him in suspicion, and Danny quickly tried to cover up the fact that he heard Zela say that.

"I read that... somewhere."

He muttered, before he pointed towards the door and cleared his throat.

"Okay, I'm gonna go."

—

"Girls, can I talk to you two, alone?"

Richard asked, as Jackie was now home and Zela gave Erin a quick hug before she went into the room Jackie and Richard went into.

"What's up?"

She asked, and Richard looked between the two girls and sighed.

"I consulted a lawyer about getting custody."

He said, and Jackie looked at Zela who was looking at Richard.

"Of us?"

Jackie asked, looking at him and Richard laughed as he made a quick joke and Zela shook her head as she looked at him.

"Guys, when I read your parents' will, I was in shock and grieving, and I just wanted to honor my sister's wishes, so I went along with you two coming here."

He said, and looked between the two girls, and took in a deep breath, "But I'll admit, I was pretty hurt that your parents chose Katherine. But now I realize that they wrote that will fifteen years ago. When there were only three Walter kids, not ten. You were a baby, Zela still had her family, I was in my twenties, partying up a storm, so I understand why your mom didn't think I could take care of you."

Richard said, and Zela listened carefully, and started picking at her nails anxiously, as she didn't know what she wanted.

"So, just think about it, okay?"

He told them, and the two girls nodded, as they got up to walk into the kitchen to eat.

—

Sitting in between Jessup and Danny, Zela looked around, the only thing on her mind was the custody idea, and she blinked back into reality when Jessup patted her thigh.

Looking down at her thigh, she could only imagine Cole's hand, and she shook her head as she looked at him smiling a bit.

"Want some of your soup?"

Jessup asked, and she nodded her head, as she felt eyes burning into her head, and she looked over to where Cole was and offered him a small smile.

"Thank you, Jessie."

She muttered, and he nodded kissing her cheek, as Zela thanked Katherine for handing her some of the rolls.

"Why don't we go around the table and share what we are thankful for?"

George offered, and everyone nodded in agreement, as Katherine looked at Cole who was seated two seats down from her.

"Cole, why don't we start with you?"

"Uh, I guess I'm grateful that the Broncos didn't actually wipe out this year."

He said, and Danny quickly spoke up afterwards, "I'm thankful for the long weekend and the chance to watch a bunch of movies."

Danny said, as he turned to look at Zela who was looking down at her plate spaced out.

Nudging her softly, she looked up and quietly laughed.

"Uh, I suppose I'm grateful for being welcomed into such a lovely family, making such lovely friends."

She said, as she looked at Danny, Nathan, and Erin, who all smiled at her gratefully.

"I'm grateful that I'm able to do what I love most here, and grateful that I've learned a lot from you all."

She said, and Katherine smiled at her sweetly as she was tearing up.

"I'm grateful to have been invited here, and to start anew with Zela."

Jessup said, placing his hand on her thigh, and once more, only Cole's face came to her mind.

Going down the list, Zela spaced out once more and blinked back into reality when she heard the conversation about the Manhattanhenge.

"Maybe we can see the Manhattanhenge together next you, all three of us."

Richard said, as he looked between his nieces, "You know, if you decide to come visit that is."

He added, and Zela felt her anxiety rising as she knew one wrong word could cause chaos to break out.

"Too bad they aren't moving back."

Lee quickly said, and Zela looked over at him, and she grabbed Danny's hand tightly, as he had learned that when her anxiety is high, she needs to feel someone else's hand to know she's still down on Earth. Squeezing her hand back, but not looking at her to make it noticeable.

"Jesus, Lee. Don't be a jackass."

Cole said, as he glanced at Zela who wad looking down at her now empty plate, and her bowl pushed to the side.

"Lee, I don't think it's the Howard's you're mad at, right?"

George said, "They aren't going anywhere. So let's—"

"Actually... We might be."

Jackie said, and Zela's hand was practically breaking Danny's and Danny had to just sit in silent pain, as he tried his hardest to be there for her.

Hearing this, everyone looked up to Jackie and Zela, and Zela sighed heavily.

"Estas seguro?"

Richard asked, and Zela looked between them and was internally dying.

Hearing Isaac ask if they were really moving back, she looked at him and sighed.

"No estamos seguros todavía."

Zela quickly said, and Katherine looked between them.

"What's going on?"

She asked, and Zela finally let go of Danny's hand, who instantly held onto his hand, cradling it.

"I'm considering filing for custody."

Blanking out the rest of the conversation, she felt Jessup grab her hand and she looked down and looked back up when she heard her name.

"Zela's almost eighteen, she's almost a legal adult. Why don't you ask her what she wants?"

Cole quickly said, as Jackie had already given her answer and Zela looked around the table as everyone was looking at her.

"I think that Zela is a city girl. She loved New York, that's where her fashion designer college is, it's where all her friends are, it's where I am."

Jessup spoke up, as he looked to Cole, and Cole glared as he threw his silverware down.

"Why don't you let Zela talk for herself? Who are you anyways?"

Cole said, and Jessup chuckled and looked at Cole as he stood up.

"I'm her ex boyfriend, and I'm the son to the lawyer Richard has consulted with."

He said, as he was getting heated and Cole quickly stood up, and shook his head dryly laughing.

"Did you hear yourself tough guy? Ex boyfriend."

Cole said, and Jessup rolled his eyes before Danny got up putting his hands between the two.

"Alright, that's enough."

George said sternly, and Zela quickly excused herself as she walked out and to her loft where she sat down and groaned.

"Hey, I'm sorry about all of that. We're, we're leaving. I'm only a phone call away, just think about it."

Richard said, and he gave her a quick hug, as Jessup waved to her from below as he was still angry at Cole.

—

Once she had changed into comfier clothes, she sat on her bed, texting Erin on what she thought she should do, and she was so engrossed in her phone she didn't hear someone come up.

"Zela."

Looking up, and looking at Cole she looked down and tossed her phone to the side.

"I'm sorry for getting upset at dinner. It's just, he talked like he knew you."

He said, and Zela walked over to him, and grabbed his face shaking her head.

"He doesn't know what I want, I don't know myself."

She whispered, and Cole leaned down placing his forehead on hers.

"Deep down, you know what you want. What do you want?"

He whispered, looking into her eyes, and she looked up at him shaking her head.

"You told me that fireflies are the stars that touch the ground, right?"

She whispered, looking up at him, and Cole nodded his head, as his hands held onto her hips.

"We don't have those kind of stars in New York. I want to be where the stars touch the Earth's ground."

She told him, and Cole's entire body relaxed, as he looked at her.

"Cole... what is it that you see in me?"

She whispered to him, and Cole closed his eyes, as he thought about his words.

"When... when I see you, I see the moon. I see the stars in the sky every time I look into your eyes, because they sparkle like you have your own stars. I see someone who would do anything to make sure that another is happy. I see someone who tries their absolute hardest and still wants to excel that. You're as beautiful as Iridescence clouds. You're as beautiful as the love from The Notebook."

He whispered to her, as he looked into her eyes the entire time, and Zela felt her heart swelling at every word. Her eyes were tearing up and she closed her eyes.

"I can't do another broken heart, Cole."

She said, barely above a whisper and Cole pulled her closer and kissed her forehead.

"I'll pick every piece up and mend them back together."

He whispered to her, as Zela opened her eyes to look up at him, and she pulled away.

"I can't, Cole. I'm sorry."

She whispered, as she looked away, and Cole nodded his head as he turned around to leave.

"Time heals the heart, so I'll wait with time."

He said, before he climbed down the ladder and Zela was left there, feeling empty now that he was gone.