Natalie slowly pulls away from me and wipes her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I... I'm sorry," she stutters, looking dazed.

"Natalie you have no reason to apologize," I insist.

She looks about ready to bawl again.

"Come on inside for a bit. We'll grab some Cokes and I want you to tell me what's happening," I command, hoping I don't sound too much like her mother.

She just nods, still in a dream like state.

I lead her inside, get a couple of sodas from the fridge, and head to the basement.

I squeeze her shoulder.

"Spill," I say.

She takes a deep, shaky breath.

"It's Mark.... "

Her brother.

"He was diagnosed with depression a couple of months ago. His so called "friends" are nothing but jerks to him because of it."

Same juniors are so immature and stupid, I think, irritated.

"They tell him he needs to get over it and if there's one thing you don't tell someone with depression, that's it," she continues shakily.

I listen in stunned silence.

"It's like, if a guy breaks his leg, he's told 'oh dude how'd that happen? You ok? blah blah blah," she says imitating a deep man voice.

"But when something serious, like a mental disease, happens to a guy, he's supposed to be 'tough' enough to handle it himself... And it's so stupid," she says fighting back tears.

I stare at my hands, still not sure what to say.

"Every night I hear him across the hall, crying... And... And that day he texted me, he said he wished he was never born, that he didn't think he was worth anything..."

She's practically choking on her words.

"Every time he says something like that I'm afraid he's about to k.... To ki... To end it all," she whispers painfully.

"He thinks I'm strong; everyone seems to. That's why he turns to me when it's at its worst. But I'm just as scared as he is..."

She looks up and me apologetically.

"I wasn't going to tell you this what with everything happening that you already have to deal with..."

"I'm glad you told me," I interrupt.

"But Natalie if people are giving him a hard time someone... Some adult... has to know."

"Mom and dad do. They're trying to help but stupid teachers need 'evidence' at that school," she rolls her eyes.

"He's getting counseling. Sometimes I go to the appointments with him; he likes the moral support."

I smile.

"Cause you're a fabulous encourager," I tease, and kick her in the knee.

"Hey!" she laughs.

"I can be when it counts!"

"Maybe Mark and you can come visit Lacy with us today! He's always liked kids right?" I suggest.

"Hey... Yeah!" she exclaims, excited.

"He'd love that!"

I grin.

"Sweet! I'll tell mom you guys are tagging along!"

"I'll go get Mark!" Natalie practically screams.

______________________

The whole lot of us crowd through the entrance of the hospital. We had Mark grinning from ear to ear every since he heard the news that Lacy had been found. You definitely could not have told that he was going through depression. He's always loved all kids, and losing Lacy was just about as hard for him as it was for her immediate family.

We're all given masks and led to her room. Our entrance is more relaxed than last time and everyone's able to just be with Lacy.

We play some card games, chat, and filmed many episodes of "Unicorns of the Magical Forest" using my phone for the camera and her stuffed animals as the characters.

Don't ask.

I still can't believe the light in Lacy's eyes. The pure joy that she gets just from winning UNO and how outrageously funny she finds it when "Bunny" and "Unicorn" run into some "tree."

It's contagious though, and pretty soon, everyone is laughing at things that really, aren't funny to the majority of people in the world.

About an hour later, we all have to pack back into the van because Liam has soccer.

One by one, goodbye hugs are given. I don't know if it's just me but Mark seems the most hesitant to leave.

Natalie rushes up and hugs me from behind when we're in the hallway.

"That's the happiest I've seen him in months," she whispers.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me, thank Lacy," I say.

I hoist her tiny body onto my back and give her a ride despite the protests she gives me.

"I see you haven't been eating enough cookies," I tease.

I swear, she must me twenty pounds later than me.

"Trust me I have," she chuckles before letting out a snort.

I explode into laugher because of the mysterious sound that just came out of her mouth, causing me almost drop her.

We've come up to the front desk when Mark calls out,

"Oh hold up give me one sec."

He talks to Ben, who's at the front desk again, for about three minutes.

Ben hands him a slip of paper and Mark slides it into his pocket.

"What was that about?" I wonder aloud.

"Do I look like I know?" Natalie remarks sarcastically, her head on my shoulder.

"Yes," I say playfully.

She rolls her eyes at me.

I set her back down and we're out the door.

And everyone from Dad to Liam is singing the "Unicorn of the Magical Forest" theme song the whole way home.