Dark had tried apologizing to Mia multiple times after that incident but she was beyond forgiving anyone for a while. That's all she felt she did all the time. She'd do or say something minor and they'd freak out on her and then apologize and expect her to forgive them. She could understand that the prank with the disco ball interrupted the scene but everyone seemed to think Dark got a little TOO angry.

Don't get her wrong. She felt horrible but also . . . screw all of them.

So she decided to stay in her room for a couple days with a few visitors like Sean, Evelien, Henrik, Jameson, Jackie, Eric and Yandere and even Anti would glitch in and demand to play Minecraft.

Henrik had apologized to her but like mentioned. . . she was beyond forgiving anyone. She wasn't stupid. Henrik always had the tendency to Knick pick everyone on their diet.

And now here she was laying on her back in Celine's old room.

She briefly wondered what ever actually happened to her. Dark would never talk about Damien, the DA, Actor Mark or Celine. Never.

And she was always a bit too scared to ask him . . especially after the other day.

'Maybe he was just under too much stress'

Suddenly there was a knock on her door and she sighed, "Who the hell is it?!"

"It's Jackie. Can I come in?"

She groaned, "If it's about doing the damn fight scene, you can forget it! I already told Sean I didn't want to do that stuff yet!"

"It's not that"

She whined to herself but exhaled loudly, "Uuuuhhh . . . Fine."

The hero peeped through the door and carefully walked in. He was in casual wear since he wasn't able to do anymore scenes. It was weird seeing him in sweatpants and a regular T-shirt but not that uncommon.

Without a word, he walked over and flopped on the bed next to her on his back.

He didn't say anything for a while and it was getting a little awkward but Mia finally gave in.

"What?"

"Just wanted to check on ya" he stared up at the ceiling and blinked, "You . . . you haven't been yourself lately. I don't think . .. ."

Mia squinted and turned her head to face him, "What? What you mean by that?" she was a little offended. She felt the same as always. What was different?

Jackie swallowed, "I don't know. You seem . . .. defensive lately. Are you alright? You know if something's bothering you, you can talk to me. . . right?"

Mia snorted, "Yeah, yeah . . . you and all the other Septics."

"I mean it, Mia" he turned to face her, too, "Is it because of Anti? Did he say something to you?"

"What? No. Anti's been fine, actually. I think we're friends now. We've played Minecraft together a lot and we talk a lot more now"

"That's what I'm worried about" Jackie mumbled.

"Huh?" she didn't get it but he continued.

"You've ben spending a lot of time lately around a sociopathic murderer, Mia. Please, you have to remember, he's not your friend. I still think he's up to something"

Mia snorted again, "Like spying on Dark? Talking with you outside in secret? Don't think I don't know, Jackie. I'm not THAT clueless"

Jackie blushed but didn't have a retort. Instead, he just tried to move on with the conversation, "Mia . . . . . Remember what Anti said the day he moved in with us? To you about your relation with us?"

"Yeah? What of it? I still think of you all as brothers. Maybe except for Anti. I don't think I know him well ENOUGH just yet-"

"I don't think of you as a sister, Mia"

Mia's body froze. Her heart stopped.

'What did he just say?'

"And what did you do!?" Evelien and Yandere were in Mia's room with Stacey on Facetime. Mia didn't know what to do but she had to talk to someone that she was SURE didn't have interest in her!

"I uh . . . I may have threw my pillow at him . . . . . told him to just get the fuck out" Mia blushed, ashamed of herself.

Yandere slapped their own face with their hand, "You're serious?! Dammit, Mia! If Jackie WAS my senpai, I would have just let him have me right there!"

Evelien snorted, "I thought he WAS your senpai?"

Yan rolled their eyes, "I'm over him. Too much of a muscle-boy. No offense Mia. I've moved on to more of a romantic"

Mia squinted at them, "Jameson?"

Yandere shook their head, "You only get one one guess and that wasn't it." they winked.

"It's Marvin" she drew the conclusion, "Only other possible answer"

"Dammit" Yan crossed their arms, "Anyway, whatever! Let's go back to your thing! What did HE do?!"

"Yeah, I'm curious about that, too!" Stacey screeched, "He didn't touch you, did he!?"

"N-no" Mia went red, "He looked . . . I don't know . . confused. But he left. I still don't understand it! I told him I thought of him as my brother! Why did he have to go and SAY that?! Why would he-"

Evelien sighed, "Mia . . . . he was right, though. You're not actually related to Sean's egos. You're like-"

"Don't say it"

"You're like me!" Stacey wasn't about to sugar-coat it, "Look, I hated it, too, but it's the facts. I was just lucky that I loved Chase that way before I was told about Sean creating me"

Evelien looked confused, "Wait, how would you NOT know?"

She shrugged, "Controlled situation. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I wouldn't change loving Chase the way I do for anything. It was weird finding out and admittedly, I was angry and I did divorce him and everyone knows this but after a while . . . . . after I spoke with Signe about it on the circumstances. . . and seeing Mark's story about Celine and them . . .. our creators can make whatever they want how they want and Sean made me completely different and unrelated from his other creations that LOOK like HIM. . .. Just like you, too, Mia"

"I mean . . I get what you're saying, Stace. .. . I do. It's just-"

"Fucking weird" Yandere summed it up.

"Yeah. How I've thought about them . .. and Jackie for my whole life now . . . I never once thought anything could be different between us relationship-wise. I could never imagine loving Jackie the way he wants me to"

"And that's your choice" Evelien took her hand and squeezed it encouragingly, "But maybe you should try and explain that to him, too"

Yandere blinked for a moment, "What about Anti? You didn't even really know him personally until a couple of months ago"

"THAT'S WHAT I WANNA KNOW!" Stacey shouted on the other end.

Mia rolled her eyes, "Not getting into that. Anti's just a friend . . . . I think. Sort of. Anyway-"

"Where's Dark Chica?" Jackie wandered up to Bim. It had been nagging on his brain for a while now and he was just too curious for his own good. He was surprised none of the others had asked. Or maybe they did?

Bim looked at him strangely, "Oh uh . .. rough night? Never mind, it's none of my business. Dark says she's in the void. Likes to hang around and play by the cabin, I think"

"Oh, that makes sense, I guess. . . ." Jackie nodded, "I was just wondering"

"So . . . . anything interesting happen lately?"

On the Jims popped out of a plant, "He expressed his love to Mia and she rejected him!"

"Whoa!" Bim stepped back and Jackie gaped at the Jim.

"The hell, man?! How did you KNOW that?!"

Jim just descended back into the plant slowly without an answer.

Jackie just scoffed and walked away, "This fucking house is bullshit"

Of course Bim wasn't the only one in the room and neither was Jim.

Anti glitched out of the TV with his hands in his pockets. He just . . .. glared at the potted plant, "Get out of there . . . . I wanna see that video"

Jim just popped his hand out to give him the tape and creeped back in. Anti glared at it in his hand. He didn't like this feeling. He knew about Jackie's infatuation with Mia but he never thought the coward would actually try and act on it.

"Hm" he kind of wanted to see this for himself.

And by dinner of course, thanks to the Jims and their reporter nature, everyone knew of Jackie's failure. Even Dark.

Even though Mia and him weren't talking, he still got satisfaction from Jackie's misery.

Mia, however, . . . . .was livid and refused to come back downstairs at all. Not that any of the others realized it, too worked up from the big gossip.

Except for Sean and Evelien. When they heard everyone knew, Sean rushed right over to check up on her.

"You gotta come down and eat sometime, Mia . . don't let their ignorance get to you. They're all just teasing Jackie and-"

"Exactly" Mia was in tears in Sean's arms, "And I can't help thinking it's all my fault. You know how sensitive he is. And I reacted like that. . . I should have put him down more gently. Now things are just gonna be all so awkward! I hate this!"

Sean rubbed her back, "I know. It sucks . . . Mark said he took away the Jims' equipment for a while so they couldn't spy on anyone in the house anymore."

"I don't care" she buried her face in his chest, "Dark's not himself . . .. . Jackie confessed that . . . . You're making me constantly be the Septic Steroid! I hate it! I just . . . I just wanna go home"

Sean just sighed, "I know . . . I know. . . . I'm sorry, Mia"

He really was. Maybe it was time to think of something else to do for the Cloak ad and leave Mia be. . . .

The next day, Mia still felt like shit but better enough to go into the kitchen for herself. She looked and felt like shit but no one was going to call her out on it. Especially when Yan was there to threaten them.

She just felt so confused. So horrible. She still felt the same about Jackie. That would never change. He was her brother and that was that. But she also hated seeing the heartbroken look in his eyes. Like she had just told him the worst thing in the world.

Was it, to him? That she didn't love him the same way back?

Her stomach felt like it was rolling.

And then Henrik sat next to her with a cup of coffee and handed her one, too. Just the way she liked it.

"H-hey, Hen" she mumbled, " . ..thanks"

He nodded and pat her back, "I see you're in pain . . . . can I help?"

She shrugged, "I don't know . . .You gonna comment on how much this coffee is probably bad for me with all the sugar in it?"

"I'm the one who made it zhis time for you . . .. so no. Not today. Have you talked to Jackie since . .?"

"No . .. . I don't think I can"

"Why not?"

She shrugged again.

"Hm . . .. And Dark? He's apologized at least a million times. Are you ever going to forgive him?"

She shrugged again. She honestly had no clue what to do, "I . . . . I'm scared, Hen" she confessed.

Now Henrik wasn't an emotional person . . . . but seeing his sister so worked up and near tears again. So much of a mess and frightened . . . .it was enough to make him falter in his thoughts.

Did he have any right to guide her?

"Do you vant my advice?"

She snorted, "Seriously? . . . Sure, I guess. What you got?"

"Have someone around you that you trust and talk to them . . . not together but . .. you understand?"

Mia swallowed, "Like a third party?"

"For support. Have one to talk to Dark vith . . . and one vith Jackie. Could be same person or different. Whomever you trust most. . . . I think it'll really help. Communication is very important, you know. Unless you just want to go back home and leave things strange between you and Dark and then Jackie come back home with us later and it be very awkward again?"

"No . . . No, I guess you're right, Hen . . . Yeah . . . I, uh." Mia groaned, just saying it, "You're right . . . Thanks" she smiled.

Henrik smiled back, "You are very welcome . . . . Now do you need my help any further? Anything else I can do?"

She shook her head and leaned it on her brother's shoulder with a heavy sigh, "I don't think so"

Henrik side-hugged her, "Now fuel up. You'll need your courage beans before you talk to either one of them"

She giggled and drank more of the coffee. He was right. She'd need WAY more. And maybe a little whiskey, too.

The first one she wanted to get out of the way was Jackie. She was terrified but she felt like ripping off the band-aid would be better than prolonging the awkward. And her emotional support friend she dragged with her was Chase. He always had a knack for making her feel safe and she trusted him more than anyone besides Sean and Evelien but they were too . . . parental for this, she decided.

Chase could see her nearly panicking, though and decided to calm her down, "Hey, it's alright. Not a big deal, Mia. He'll understand. He really cares about you. He'd never want to make you feel bad. He's felt horrible, too, you know"

"Yeah, that's what makes me feel so shitty. I can't reciprocate his feelings, Chase, and I ended up hurting him. Things are gonna be so weird between us, now!"

"I don't think so" Chase tried to help but honestly, he was just silently hoping Jackie wouldn't cause a scene.

Mia knocked on the door Jackie was staying in with Marvin. The magician, of course, answered the door, "Oh yeah, guys! Mia, how've ya been feeling? Better?"

She nodded, "Uh . . . is Jackie in there?"

"Yeah, he- OOF!"

Jackie shoved Marvin aside at the door, "Mia! I'm so glad you're here! You wanted to talk to me? Chase, why're you here?"

Chase smiled, "Emotional support. Carry on, dudes"

They could barely hear Marvin in the back mumbling cusses at Jackie, "Bitch"

Mia cracked a small smile but shivered a little. This was harder than she thought but she was glad Jackie didn't seem like a bag of garbage like her.

But before she could say anything, Jackie did first, "Hey, don't worry about the other day, Mia. Maybe I just let my emotions get the better of me and all that, you know? Acting all the time mess with your brain, right? And with all the extra stress with Anti and Dark . . . well . . it's a handful"

Mia exhaled. She felt like hundreds of pounds of stress was just lifted off of her, "Oh . . . wow uh . . . . good! That's good! I mean . . well not the stress but . . . I mean, I'm glad but . . you know. Right? I think. I mean-"

Jackie took hold of her shoulders to stop her, "Mia . . . really. It's fine. Don't worry about it." he winked gently at her, "I get it. No worries. Still friends?"

She relaxed again and smiled, "Of course! Yeah . . . yeah. Still friends"

Chase pat Mia's back, "Now then. . . Onto Dark?"

She deflated.

'Oh yeah. Still another to go'

Jackie gave her a worried look but there was no way in hell he was going to be involved in that.

He just hoped his lie was good enough to calm her down.

"You sure you're alright? You know he's not gonna kill ya, right?" Chase knew she was freaking out just walking up to his room.

"I know but . . .." she shook her head, "It's something Anti had said, too. I don't know."

"What do you mean? What about Anti? What he say?"

"Worry wart" she nudged him but could tell he wasn't playful enough not to be just as worried as she was, "Anti really thinks Dark is up to something"

"Anti's a paranoid psychopath, remember?" he snorted, "He still thinks weird shadow creatures are after him"

"He thinks Dark is sending them after him"

"I don't know. We haven't even seen them. He hasn't seen them since he started living with us. I'm starting to think he just wanted an excuse to live with us and be normal"

"Normal . . . . like us?" Mia laughed, "We're anything but!"

They were almost up to Dark's room when Mia stopped, hearing his voice, "Chase, wait"

"What? What is it?"

She waited and heard something familiar, "He's talking to someone. . . . . . Maybe we should wait. I think he's busy-"

"Come on up"

Both Chase AND Mia froze, hearing Dark's voice.

She glanced to Chase but he was clearly waiting on her to decide.

"I should have drank some of your whiskey before this"

Chase shoved her but didn't comment, walking up with her.

But when they finally made it upstairs . . .

Dark was at his desk looking out the window. Alone.

There hadn't been anyone else in the room. Or so it seemed.

Dark turned slightly and glanced back at them, "What can I do for you two?"

Suddenly Mia felt something off and right then and there, she understood what Anti meant when he said Dark was up to something. She felt it, too.

Something wasn't right.