"She's gone."

Benen immediately gets up. I don't miss the heat in his eyes- a mixture of anger, worry, sadness...

And love. Not infatuation.

Not anymore.

Benen announces, "I'm going after her," mostly telling me that. Leaning closer, he says, "It pains me that she ran. It hurts me that she became invisible so it'll be harder to find her. But I will find her." His love flashes over his face, and he looks like a faithful person. A person that Laurel needs.

I nod. "I'll open my mind to you so you can transmit your current location," I instruct. "Tell us to come down only when you want us too."

Benen nods. "She won't want to be alone," he agrees before bolting out of his own room in search for Laurel.

Meanwhile, Sophie and Audrey sit down across from the male Sovereign and me. The four of us sit in silence for a few moments before Audrey curls her knees up to her chest. "Should I have not said anything at all?" she asks out loud, but I assume she wants Sophie's opinion.

"No..." Sophie says softly, placing a tender hand on her shoulder. "We needed to talk about it someday, Audrey. Sure, I didn't think that we'd talk about it today, but it must've been hard for you to just stand back."

"You have no idea."

And I could've sworn that I heard the female Sovereign's voice crack.

"And now-" Audrey pauses, sighing heavily. "Both of you are reminded of that day..."

"But it's not your fault," Donovan adds in, his features sympathetic.

Sophie shakes her head. "I remember that day more times than I would like," she admits. Looking at me, she adds, "But I just remind myself that I'm not there anymore, and I'm safe- we're all safe now." Shaking her head softly, she says, "But like you, she had to just stand by. Unlike you, she had to watch him..."

"Just holding it in will just tear her apart," I say. When both girls look at me, I continue, "In a way, bringing it up again will help her move on. She'll have the support to talk to." And directly at Sophie, I whisper, "And so do you."

She blushes slightly, and I lean back. Closing my eyes, I let my mind reach out to Benen. I sigh deeply and try to trace any thoughts that have to do with Laurel and her invisibility. When I hear the faint thoughts of someone trying to find the female Altruistic, I hold my focus completely on those thought. And before I know it, I'm in Benen's head. I transmit, Benen, it's Fitz. Where are you?

Fitz?

Yeah, where are you?

I'm... Benen's thoughts fade away slightly as he uses part of his consciousness to orient himself. I'm... heading towards the conference room..?

I frown at the uncertainty in his voice. Why the question, Benen? Are you not at the conference room?

No... it's just that it's dark, like pitch black. But for some reason, Benen's thoughts pause. One unsettling second passes before Benen transmits, I know exactly where to go. I haven't bumped into anything. And I know it sounds really cheesy, but my heart is almost guiding me to her.

Benen, I mentally say. That's because it's love.

It... More unnerving silence. I'm tempted to make him say something, but I stay quiet. Benen finally thinks again, It is.. It IS! Fitz, thank God that we know each other!

...Why..? Not that I'm complaining.

I can almost hear Benen laughing at the last part. Well, now I know exactly what to do.

Benen Roberts, what are you going to do?

I- I can't tell you, but I let you all see. I think this is the right thing to do.

What are you going to do?!

Just come to the conference room. I'm inside already, and be quiet. She's here. I can feel it.

And like that, he's disconnected himself from me. Shaking my head, I say out loud, "We need to go."

Sophie's widen as everyone else gets up. "Because Laurel's in the conference room."

"With Benen," I finish, shocked. "But she doesn't know that he's in there. Or maybe she does." I stop for a moment. "How do you know that?"

"I accidentally honed in on Laurel's thoughts. And they were just memories." She shudders softly, but shakes her head immediately afterwards. "Let's go." Looking over at the Sovereigns, she says, "Be quiet as we go."

"Very quiet," I clarify, earning eye rolls from both Audrey and Donovan. Sighing, I say, "Well, what are we waiting for?"

...

Thank God for Benen since he already left the door open. Audrey had bumped into a few things as we went down, but Donovan had also helped her steer clear of any obstacles for the rest of the descend. When we go in, we're grateful for the dim lighting. We then quietly hide behind the wall I remember Sophie hiding behind when the girls were spying on us.

Benen walks to the center of the room. "Laurel!" he cries out. Stretching his arms out, he adds, "Please! Come out! We've all been so worried!" I have to strain to hear him whisper, "I've been worried, Laurel." Shaking his head, he continues to walk around for a few moments, repeating her name. I can't help but feel so bad for him.

He has to face the worry from love. It's even more painful.

Finally, Benen sighs. "Laurel Davis, I wouldn't have come down here if I didn't know that you're here. You feel safe here- especially here. But you also feel safe with us. And of course you'd run to the place that you would feel safe." Pointing at nothing, he turns around in a circle. "You're here, Laurel. I won't go until you show yourself."

Bowing his head, he falls onto his knees. "I know it hurts, Laurel. Remembering that," he says in such a soothing voice. "Words can't even describe how heartbroken I was to see you unconscious like that- I was so scared that he'd killed you... but please, don't go away again."

Suddenly, he stands up again, staring straight ahead of him. I begin to wonder what he's looking for when he says, "If you don't show yourself willingly, I'll make you show yourself to me." He smirks, "I can see you now, you know."

At those words, a tear-stained Laurel flickers into visibility. "You can..?" Laurel asks meekly. "But how-"

She's cut off when Benen steps forward, pressing his lips to hers. Laurel doesn't pull away, but she flickers between visibility and invisibility again. She closes her eyes before she returns the romantic gesture, wrapping her arms around the male Altruistic.

I smile when Sophie whispers, "Awwwww!"

Of course, when both of them suddenly turn invisible, I practically trip over Donovan as I look over to make sure I'm not imagining things.

But before I can think that Mr. Wallace was wrong, Benen becomes visible again. Looking as the space before him, he asks, "Are you invisible?"

She's invisible, alright, I transmit to him.

Benen's eyes widen. Oh yeah, I forgot you can transmit for a moment. Even in the dim light, I can tell that Benen's blushing. Wait- so you saw...

Yep. The four of us did. Sophie thought it was so cute.

I must've accidentally transmitted my response to Sophie as well because she playfully hits my arm. Excuse me, but that was cute. Boys...

Like girls aren't to blame either.

Sophie rolls her eyes, but still smiles at me. I lean a bit closer and smirk when her cheeks are painted with a faint tint.

So Benen. Why'd you ask if she was invisible?

Because I can still see her, Benen says, raising an eyebrow.

"What..?!" I whisper-shout. "So that was what you needed to do for that connection?"

I accidentally transmit the same question Benen because he asks, What connection? After I facepalm myself, Benen thinks, Oh! That connection! I honestly just did that because I thought it might help calm her down. I can tell he left something out, but don't ask him. Out loud, he asks, "How are you feeling now?"

Laurel comes into view again. "I'm better now, but you don't have to ask everyone to hide. I went over to them while I was invisible."

Both Altruistics smile when Donovan walks out first. "God dang it!" he shouts. "Now there's someone better than me at spying?! What has this world come to!?"

As the three of us follow suit while laughing, Audrey smacks the back of his head. "Idiot," she mutters under her breath.

Donovan stands up, rolling his eyes. "Looks who's talking," he retorts.

Benen walks over to me after kissing Laurel again, much to the Sovereigns' "pleasure". I smirk at Donovan and say teasingly, "If you really thought that she's 'an idiot', you wouldn't have... you know..."

"What'd he do?" Sophie asks, smiling with Laurel. They walk over to us, and the four of us smile at each other mischievously.

"Audrey didn't tell you that he kissed her on the cheek?" Benen asks, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Oh yeah!" the two girls exclaim. Giggling when they see the blushing Sovereigns, Laurel adds, "And guess what?!"

"What?" the two boys and I ask.

Laurel then received the deadliest glare of her life when she chorused, "She liked it..!!!"

"Did you also know that he'd do that again 'in a heartbeat'?!" Benen asks, snickering like crazy.

Sophie and I laugh. They're doomed, I transmit to her.

Then again, so are we.

So let's try to survive.

Sophie laughs out loud. Agreed.

As the Altruistics dash out the doors, Donovan yells, "I said 'if it was necessary'...!"

Both of them are about to chase Benen and Laurel when Sophie and I lift them into the air with our telekinesis. Laughing for a few moments as they try to paddle through the air, Sophie says, "Don't worry, they know that already..."

"But they don't care," I add, smiling uncontrollably.

Sophie and I both follow Laurel and Benen after we place the Sovereigns on the ground again. Sure, it would've been more relevant to tease the Altruistics about their kiss just then.

But there is something called the morning for that.