Chase was visiting without Stacey and the kids. He hoped that maybe he could lift Mia's spirits a little . . not that he had room to talk.

He was down in the dumps, himself after Jackie's death and the there a constant voice in his head that maybe he should end himself, too. If it weren't for Stacey and his kids, he might have.

But here he was outside of Mia's door with a duffle bag filled with pranks, gags and toys.

If this couldn't lift her spirits up again, then nothing could!

He knocked on her door politely, "Mia! It's Chase! You awake in there?"

No response.

"Well if you are, I wanted to see if you were in interested in doing some pranks with me? Get your mind off of . . . . you know"

Still nothing but Chase knew better and sighed.

"Mia . . . . the others told me of your guilt . . I know you're not asleep. I know you probably can't sleep . . . . . I just wanna let you know, sis . . . . it's not your fault"

Suddenly there were loud stomping noises rushing to the door and Mia broke the door open glaring at him.

"NOT MY FAULT?! NOT MY FAULT!? Of course it's my fault, Chase! I couldn't protect Anti and I couldn't protect Jackie! Actor has been after ME this entire time and not only that but he took Jackie's body with him so we can't even bury him! HE AT LEAST DESERVES THAT! NOT TO BE WHEREVER ACTOR DUMPED HIM IN THE VOID!"

"Hey easy there" Chase grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her in a hug, rocking her in his arms, "Easy . . . . you know better, okay? You know better. Jackie made his own decisions right up to the very end. You know he would have done anything for you"

She sobbed in his chest, "I kno-o-o-o-w" her voice was shattered, "That's . . . that's why I feel like shit! . . . I cou-couldn't protect him . . .couldn't protect myself! He had to sa-save me . . . ."

"Exactly . . he had to save you. Because that was in his nature . . . IS in his nature. I bet he still watches over you."

"Huh?" she broke away and looked up at him.

Chase wiped away her tears as best he could, "Remember what Anti said? I know for a fact Jackie couldn't just die without getting stuff off his chest. He DID speak to Anti before passing on because he knows Anti'd do anything for you, too. And I bet Jackie's watching over you from the other side, too. . . and he wouldn't want you to feel this way, would he? Because HE does what HE always believes is right . . . most of the time"

Chase smiled and brought her in a hug again which she graciously accepted.

After a few moments, Mia pulled away again, "Chase?"

"Yeah, sis?"

"I . . . . I mean . . . sometimes I wonder . . . . would everything had turned out better if I had just gave in and loved him how he wanted?"

"No" Chase's answer was blunt but honest, "You wouldn't have been happy and Jackie knows that. You know he regretted what he did that night. He-"

"I forgave him . . . . before he died . . . I didn't want . . . I didn't want him to die like that. You know? But even still . . . I feel like I should have forgiven him sooner . . . . we've all been through so much together. We should have talked more about our feelings. Instead, I shut him off completely after he told me . .. which led to all of this"

"No . . . Actor's plans exempted Jackie. It's not your fault. It's Actor's. And right now . . . . We other things to think about than regrets. Instead, we should probably be thinking about what we can do next to ensure Actor doesn't hurt anymore of us"

Mia blinked but nodded, "Y- . . . You're right . . .But then why do you have that bag of pranks?"

"Oh I mean" Chase blushed, "Well I didn't think this conversation was going to go this way, honestly! I wanted to make you feel better and it ended up not involving this stuff anyway!" he laughed.

Mia smiled, "That's okay . . . thanks, Chase"

"You're welcome . . . now if you're done feeling sorry for yourself . . . there's someone else that you could be talking to" he winked.

It took a moment for Mia to get it but she wasn't completely dumb when it came to that sort of talk, "Chase! Th-there's nothing . . I mean!"

Chase stuck his tongue out at her, "Aw don't even! I saw you guys on the Ferris Wheel! You two were totally gonna kiss! I almost thought about filming it, it was so cute!"

"Chase" she whined, "I don't . . .. I don't know exactly how I feel about Anti right now . . . okay? It's just . .It's just complicated . . and after Jackie and Actor and Dark . . . my feelings on that are not as important"

Chase shrugged, "You could at least talk to him. Guy looked pretty sad downstairs being forced to play chess with Henrik. Poor bastard"

Mia sighed and rolled her eyes, "Oh fine. I'll talk to him, then, alright? Would that make you happy?"

"Very much so" he nodded but Mia pointed at the duffel bag.

"Hey can I borrow something from in there?"

Chase blinked but suddenly grin deviously, knowing her too well, "Sure thing"

Anti was indeed being forced to play chess with Henrik. It was the doctor's way of destressing and no one else would play with him.

But Anti could see why that was now. The doctor liked to discreetly cheat, hoping Anti didn't know what he was doing when it came to chess.

Unfortunately for him . . .. Jameson had taught him how to play.

But he let Henrik have his fun for now. He'd get him back later.

Speaking of Jameson, the mute was watching a silent film on TV, looking at the screen in a daze. He had finally given up on cooking so much and went to a different phase in grief.

Marvin was over on the couch with a mound of books, looking through them frantically and mumbling to himself. He had been doing this for the last couple of days now trying to find an answer to Dark's problem.

Anti exhaled, "This game almost over or what?"

"Vhat? You expecting to be somewhere?" the doctor baited him, "You know you can't just go rushing off to confront Actor"

"I know that! I'm not completely dumb!"

"At least you acknowledge your shortcomings"

"HEY!"

Marvin mumbled from on the couch, "He wouldn't leave Mia. He's too in love with her"

"HEY, WHAT THE FUCK!?"

Jameson sighed, 'What? It's true, isn't it?'

Anti seethed but didn't have an answer. Instead, he jolted up and walked away from Henrik and the chess game. Henrik grinned, "I suppose I win, zhen!"

"Fuck you guys" he cursed at them lightly, "You guys are all assholes"

"Even me?" It was Mia's voice and she had just come down the stairs looking sad and pathetic and Anti breathed in sharply.

"What?! No! Except for you! You're downstairs! Are you alright? I thought you've been ignoring me. . I mean US! Are you hungry? I can whip up something maybe. I'm not a good cook like Chase but-"

"Anti . . . I'm fine . . ." Mia glared at Henrik, Marvin and Jameson who looked barely able to contain themselves, "It's just . . .. I don't know. I guess I AM kinda hungry"

Anti nodded his head to the kitchen, "Well come on, then and we can look for a snack. I'm kind of hungry, too"

"Alright" she moped and followed him or rather . . .was dragged behind him with something devious in her pocket.

Chase came down the stairs, too as the disappeared into the kitchen with a grin on his face.

The others looked up at Chase and knew then and there that something was about to happen.

Marvin smiled softly, "You got through to her, then?"

He nodded, "We'll figure this out. For now, let her have her fun and tomorrow we can think of a plan"

"I'm close" Marvin pointed in his book, "I think it might be tied to something like this in here but I wanna be sure"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! WHAT THE FUCK, MIA?!"

The scream was followed by maniacal laughter and Anti barged out of the kitchen back into the living room with a fake bloody finger, pointing at Chase, "You fucker! YOU PUT HER UP TO THIS!"

Chase just chuckled lightly, "Nuh-uh! It was all her idea, actually!"

Anti pouted and glared at Mia, "I'm not gonna cook with you ever again!"

Mia giggled and swat his arm, "Oh don't be like that, you sissy! Where'd that evil Antisepticeye go, huh? I thought you used to be all about murder and blood, huh?"

Anti growled at her, "Who says I'm still not?"

She just snorted at him, "You've changed a lot since you've been here. I doubt you could kill anyone anymore"

"I could kill Actor"

Mia's smile fell and the others thought at first Anti's words were a mistake. But instead, she nodded, "We'll get him . . . . The next time I see him, no one's getting in my way. I hope we do find a way to help Dark . . . but if we can't . . . . I'm sure he'd understand either way"

The others didn't like how she worded that but it wasn't as if they completely disagreed.

That night, Mia barged into Anti's room and demanded they play a game together and talk. Anti was surprised but wasn't opposed to it. They hadn't been around each other like that in what seemed like forever. Friendly conversation and rivalry in the heat of the game, competing against each other.

But something was different this time.

They both felt it but were each too worried about saying anything out loud.

"So Dark Chica has decreed that you are her caretaker now, hm?" Anti asked her with a chuckle, "Still can't believe that was the creature all this time coming after me wanting my blood"

"Yeah" she laughed lightly at first but her smile fell, "Poor thing . . . I bet Dark misses her. I bet she misses him, too"

"It's okay. At least she's not with that prick, Actor."

"Yeah . . ."

"So Mia"

"Yeah?"

Anti swallowed and tapped his fingers on his computer mouse rapidly before finally putting it down and looking at her directly, "About that night . . . ."

He faltered, actually hoping she'd take control of the conversation and say it was nothing . . . but she didn't.

"Yes?"

He wasn't any good at talking about his emotions. Before he moved in with them, he was sure he didn't have any! But after his time there . . . talking to all of them and Mia . . . .

"That night . .. on the Ferris Wheel . . . . . you know we were about to . . ."

"Were we?" she asked, not too sure of how to respond, actually, "I don't know . . . . were we just . . . lost in the moment? Were those feelings really . . . real?"

Anti looked away in shame, "I. . . ." he honestly wasn't too sure, himself.

Jackie's dead body flashed in his head and guilt rushed through him, 'I don't deserve her . . . even if you want me to protect her . . .she deserves someone better than me'

Suddenly, he felt something on his cheek and he blushes red, frozen.

Mia leaned over and kissed his cheek but as soon as she did, she noticed Anti's face had gotten red and his neck was bleeding profusely!

"Uh! A-Anti! You're neck! Are you okay?! I'm sorry! I was just- I don't know!" she frantically ran her mouth and used his sheets to try and hep stop the bleeding.

By that time, Anti had shaken himself out of it and covered his own neck with the fabric, looking down on her with the same shock she had on her face.

Mia was blushing just as red, "I . . .. I'm sorry . . . . I shouldn't have done that . . . I don't know why I . . . that was stupid and-"

Anti sighed and suddenly held her face with his hands. Neither one cared that both their hands were soaked in his blood. Mia was used to the way he'd bleed when he was nervous or in a panic or crazed state.

But what she didn't expect now was . . .

Anti leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. The action seemed so innocent. So nice with incredible meaning.

'I don't deserve you . . . .' he thought to himself, 'But I can't help but . . want you . . . . Chase was right . . . . they all were'

He drifted apart from her but instead of explaining anything, he just got up and walked away over to his bathroom to wash off the blood from his neck.

'I'm sorry, Mia. . . . I know you want something from me. Or at least you think you do. But I can't trust that you're really sure of what you want. . . . I don't wanna end up . . . like Jackie.'

He looked at himself in the mirror and dried off his neck, 'It's bad to say but . . . . I don't want you to suddenly change your mind and just want to be friends because I honestly don't think I'd be able to handle it. I'd probably be worse than Jackie, to be honest and I'm afraid to even think that'

Anti exhaled and groaned to himself, 'So even if you want it or not . . it's a tough call for me going against what I want . . . but . . .. we'll just have to remain friends, Mia . . . . .'

While Anti was in the bathroom, though, Mia was having inner turmoil herself.

'That was . . . no, it wasn't romantic . . was it? I don't know . . . it sure felt like there was a lot in that kiss, as innocent as it may have seemed on the outside'

She crossed her arms in thought, debating whether or not to run back to her room, 'But he's the one that had leaned in first on the Ferris Wheel . . . . does that mean he . . . . but what about ME? I mean, I don't even know why I kiss him on the cheek! I mean maybe I do . .. am I in denial?'

She answered herself with a small 'yes' and slapped her own forehead, 'No, don't get wrapped up in this. Anti's new to emotions like this. It'd be unfair to . . . . and besides, I shouldn't feel this way! He looks so similar to them . . .. but yet so different. I've noticed all the differences in him from the rest of them. From personality to looks. Is that weird to think so much on him like that?'

'Yes'

'Dammit!' she cursed to herself silently, 'I don't wanna admit it because then it'd just mean Jackie was right . . . and I chose Anti over him, right? But I always thought of Jackie as my brother and Anti . . . not . . . . he's . . .. different'

She shook her head and made a decision, 'Anti doesn't need all of my problems along with his own . . . . I need to focus on what really matters right now and that's defeating Actor and getting Dark back . . . and maybe . . .. maybe there'd be a chance at getting Jackie back, too. Yeah . . . . stupid, Mia . . . your love-life isn't important right now. Get it together, dammit'

Anti came back in the room and changed the subject to Chase's weird prank gags and that's when Mia knew for sure.

Anti didn't love her. He was just reciprocating in a way that wouldn't have hurt her.

Right?

The next day, they were all ready to hear what Marvin had to say. Crowded all in the living room together with books everywhere and a coffee cracked magician, they were more or less hopeful.

"This is it, I'm sure!" Marvin shouted.

Sean didn't look all that hopeful but Evelien was by his side to reassure him.

"Are you sure? I don't wanna lose you guys, too"

They were all quiet and Marvin nodded, "I'm sure. This is the way. If we do this right . . . then everything will be fine."

"Jackie was usually the strategist when it came to this sort of stuff" Chase muttered to himself but noticed he said it too loud, "Sorry"

"It's fine . .." Mia stopped him, "If we do this right, then we'll get Jackie AND Dark back and send Actor to straight to hell. Right Marv?"

The magician nodded, "Right. Now who's ready for a séance?"