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Chapter Text

Neoma dragged herself out of bed. Last night had been heartbreaking and unexpected for everyone in Sandrock. Logan and Haru not only bombed the Church but Howlett was also presumed dead after a part of the wall collapsed on top of him. After failing to break Howlett out of quarantine, Logan and Haru went on the run, becoming bandits.

Though Logan and Haru's actions hurt many in town who were close to them, Rhiannon was the one Neoma was concerned about more. Rhiannon kept her feelings to herself, not out of pride but because she preferred to appear strong rather than reveal her vulnerability. She was afraid of being abandoned. Rhiannon was often the first person willing to lend a helping hand or a source of comfort to others. Neoma learned that she mostly did this unknowingly, hoping to keep those close to her from leaving her.

Unlike Neoma, Rhiannon was old enough to remember their birth parents and the events that led them to Sandrock. While they lived in the Church dorms, Rhiannon stepped up from being her older sister and became a mother figure. Rhiannon did not play with the other kids around her age; instead, Rhiannon did her best to educate her and teach her how to survive on her own in case something ever happened to Rhiannon.

Only after Zeke adopted them did she slowly stop acting like a mother figure and began to act like an actual child again. However, she still didn't trust Zeke or most adults other than Howlett. It wasn't that she trusted Howlett per se; Rhiannon held respect for the man due to him saving them.

When Rhiannon met Logan for the first time, something changed within Rhiannon. She laughed and smiled more. It was no surprise that Logan and Rhiannon became inseparable. Despite their close friendship, Rhiannon never let Neoma feel left out. Just like Logan never let Haru feel left out. Because the two spent so much time together, Neoma and Haru grew close to each other as well.

Neoma prepared for the day by showering and throwing on a white T-shirt, a pair of blue overalls, and her boots. She tied her Ash-brown hair up into a high ponytail. When satisfied with her appearance, she left her room, went to Rhiannon's, and knocked on her door.

When Rhiannon didn't answer the door immediately, Neoma wasn't worried. She figured maybe her sister was still upset about the night before. But when Neoma didn't hear Rhiannon's loud snores, she grew concerned and opened the door. Rhiannon's room was clean and organized, which set off alarm bells for Neoma. Neoma went further into the room and noticed that all of Rhiannon's clothes that were previously in her wardrobe were gone. Dread filled her, and she found it hard to breathe. She continued her search and found multiple letters on her desk, one being addressed to her. She tentatively picked it up and opened it.

'Neoma, If you're reading this, you've discovered I'm gone. I'm sorry I left the way I did. You would have stopped me otherwise. I have no idea where I'm going, so don't try to find me. Take care of Pa and Grandpa. Again, I'm sorry, Neo. If you hate me after this, I don't blame you.'

She didn't need to read the rest to know who it was from. Neoma collapsed to the floor and sobbed.

"Papa!" she screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks. Zeke came running in, ready to swing with a shovel in his hands. When he saw Neoma on the ground sobbing, he put down the shovel and kneeled beside her.

"What happened, little one?" He whispered, concerned for his younger daughter, pulling her into his arms for a hug.

"She's gone, Papa, she's gone. She left me, too. Please don't leave me like everyone else, Papa, please!" She sobbed, clinging to Zeke as if her life depended on it. Her body trembled from the force of her sobs. Her face was red and covered with tear tracks. Zeke continued to hold her as he hid his own tears, his heart breaking with hers.

Once Neoma was calm, she handed the letter meant for Zeke. She watched him silently as he read the letter. After a moment, he said nothing and stood up, grabbed the shovel he discarded, and left the room, putting his choice of weapon with the rest of his gardening tools. Neoma followed after him with the remaining letters.

"We should go tell your grandpa what happened," Zeke muttered quietly. Neoma followed behind him. Once on the stone pavement, they walked side by side in silence.

"Little one, I know you might not want to be alone right now, but can you deliver those letters while I talk to your Grandpa?" Zeke asked hesitantly. Neoma didn't want to part from Zeke, but the letters needed to be delivered, and she would be the one to report her sister missing.

"Of course, Papa, here's one addressed to Grandpa too. I'll deliver the rest, and I'll meet you back at Grandpa's," Neoma said and attempted to give a reassuring smile. The two parted ways once they reached Mort's house. She hugged Zeke tightly and continued down the stone path past Fang's Clinic. Fang stopped for a moment and stared at her. The action made her pause and gaze back at him.

"Are you.. Alright?..you have...dark circles....look pale." He asked with concern. Neoma hesitated to answer, but the more she gazed into Fang's eyes, the more she relaxed and began to speak.

"I'm overwhelmed between everything that happened with Logan last night and this morning.." She paused, feeling her eyes begin to water with fresh tears. She took a deep breath to calm herself.

"My sister left last night with no real explanation why she left, just a letter saying she was sorry." Neoma felt a stray tear roll down her cheek, followed by more.

"I'm sorry, I'm a crying mess, and I'm just loading all my problems on you." She began to ramble. Though Fang looked unsure what to do, he silently led her inside the clinic. He helped her onto a bed and explained what he planned to examine. Neoma only nodded, letting him perform his tests.

"You..are..healthy..need rest..here." He disappeared for a moment and then came back with a bag. Neoma gently took the bag from his larger hands and gazed at him questioningly.

"Tea..to help sleep.." He said in his quiet tone when he would rarely speak. She smiled the first genuine smile since last night.

"Thank you. Fang," she said shyly, not meeting his gaze as she felt a blush spread across her cheeks.

Fang had always been someone who interested Neoma. He was quiet and hardly spoke, leaving his very crass Raven named X to express his thoughts. But Fang was kind and helpful. She remembered when he first came to the cemetery and brought her grandfather medicine. Then, he began helping her grandfather clean the tombstones every weekend without fail. Every time her grandfather invited Fang for tea, he would decline.

Neoma wouldn't consider herself close to Fang. They respected each other in multiple instances. He was a loyal customer to her father, and she had chased Arvio away from harassing him numerous times.
Arvio was someone who, though close to her in age, managed to irritate her constantly. She had only tolerated the man due to Haru's close friendship and business partnership with Arvio.

The young business owner of By The Stairs was too overdramatic and flirtatious for her taste. Everything he did was to benefit him or was an excuse to advertise his store. But his infatuation with Fang was another thing she couldn't understand. He tried to play it off as he felt sorry for Fang, but there had to be a deeper reason why he desperately wanted Fang's friendship. Either way, Fang only wanted something to do with Arvio if it was necessary to interact with him. Neoma slid off the bed, offering a small smile as she clutched the bag containing her tea.

"Thank you again, Dr. Fang. I really should get going; I still have things to Deliver," Neoma said kindly. Fang made a noise of acknowledgment while X flew around her head.

"Bye, birdie! Bye, pretty birdie!" he squawked. Neoma laughed at the Raven's antics.

"I'll see you guys later," Neoma said with a slight wave, feeling much better than she had earlier.

Neoma spent the majority of the morning delivering Rhiannon's letters. Handing each letter became more and more difficult after each person she spoke to. The most complicated reaction was Elsie. Elsie idolized Rhiannon and loved her like an older sister. Neoma felt her heartbreak for the younger girl. She had lost Logan and Rhiannon, two of her most influential people.

Elsie reacted with rage until she threw her arms around Neoma and sobbed into her shoulder. Neoma held Elsie till her sobs subsided and helped her home. Cooper and Maybel gave her sympathetic looks as she helped Elsie up the stairs to her room. As Neoma was leaving, Mabel stopped her.

"Please take this to Zeke; I know it's not much, but we are here if you all need anything," Mabel said, handing over a wrapped-up pie.

"Thank you, Mabel. We appreciate everything." Neoma spoke quietly and left with a wave goodbye.

When Neoma finally made it to Mort's. She found her Pa and Mort sitting at his kitchen table, the letter Rhiannon had written discarded on the table along with empty tea cups.

"Ah, there she is," Mort spoke, standing and engulfing Neoma in his arms. She quickly hugged him back, desperate for comfort, before she began crying again.

"There, There, sweet girl. We've got you," Mort whispered in her ear, rubbing her back. Neoma felt the tears return as she held onto Mort. As she held onto the older man, she took a peak toward Pa's direction and reached out to him. When her Pa joined the hug, Neoma took comfort with her small family.

'I promise I won't let anything hurt us anymore,' She thought.

Chapter Text

As weeks passed, Neoma focused more on caring for her family than herself. The tea Fang had given her worked to an extent; she would instantly fall asleep only to awaken in the middle of the night, sobbing due to her dreams. She had significantly noticeable Panda eyes that she hid with concealer. She began to wear loose-fit clothing to hide she was losing weight from skipping meals.

Despite her lack of sleep and irregular eating habits, Neoma had fallen into a routine of waking up, dressing in her baggy clothes, eating a small breakfast with her father, and leaving her house to work at the Moisture farm. She then spent the first couple of hours with her Pa, helping him prepare the deliveries for the day. After everything was prepared, she'd spend the rest of the morning delivering their crops.

It would be a few hours past noon. Neoma would stop by The Blue Moon to pick up a meal for her Grandfather. She would chat with Owen briefly and then head for her Grandfather's house, where she would stay and talk with him while he ate. Afterward, she would help with any work needed around the graveyard. Then she would go home, have an even smaller dinner with her Pa, drink her tea, prepare for bed, and repeat the cycle.

This cycle continued until one night when it was its coldest; she was wandering around town with no protection from the cold. Fang had just happened to be out and found her immediately ushering her into the Clinic to warm up. He ran some tests on her and bluntly told her she wasn't eating enough, was dehydrated, and was exhausted.

She explained to him, tears of frustration rolling down her cheeks, that she had no appetite and that work helped keep her from thinking. It was the most she had said to anyone who wasn't her Pa, Grandfather, or Owen in weeks. So, he held her in the Clinic and awoke early to tell Zeke personally that she would be staying there for a while.

During her time in the Clinic, Fang treated her after sternly reprimanding her that what she was doing was unhealthy and instructed her on what she needed to do. It was the most she had ever heard him talk. There was one particular night that Neoma could not sleep and begged him with tears rolling down her cheeks and hiccuped sobs to stay with her. The interaction alarmed Fang, but after she had admitted to nightmares plaguing her, he calmed to a degree but awkwardly sat beside the bed she was resting on.

After being released, Neoma realized that she and Fang had developed a bond, often enjoying each other's company in silence. It all started when Fang began checking in on her. This led Neoma and Fang to cross paths frequently and would often sit together at the Oasis. Although Fang rarely spoke, Neoma was happy to have him around as he was a great listener and always attentive to her needs. Fang had been wonderful to her, and Neoma did her best to return the favor.

The more time they spent together, the more Fang began to trust Neoma enough to open up about his past. Neoma never pried for more or revealed anything about herself; she only shared what was already known, and she was content with whatever Fang would tell her.

Two years passed, and Neoma sat comfortably under a tree at a small distance from the Civil Corps office. Her basket was lying beside her, entirely empty. She decided to take a break under the trees before beginning her long journey back to her Grandfather's house on the edge of town. While scanning her surroundings with her baby blue eyes, she spotted Fang, who had been collecting herbs. He noticed Neoma and started walking towards her. She stood up and lightly dusted dirt off her pants before meeting him halfway.

"Good afternoon, X, Fang," she greeted shyly in her usual soft voice. His gaze caused a blush to form on her cheeks.

Despite the newly developed friendship the two shared, she still felt shy and hesitant around Fang. Her fear of being abandoned prevented her from fully opening up to others, including Fang. But after the things Fang had told her about himself, she tried to let him in. As the days passed, she discovered it was becoming increasingly difficult to find reasons not to let him in.

Fang offered her a small smile while X immediately flew to her, resting on her shoulder. Even before Rhiannon left, Neoma quickly became friends with X and many other animals in town. She found comfort and safety with the Pets of Sandrock than her fellow Sandrockers. During her deliveries, Neoma always found time to give treats or gifts to her furred and feathered friends.

"Good afternoon," Fang said quietly, his slight smile still on his face.

"Hi, birdie! Hi!" X chirped from her shoulder while nuzzling into her cheek, making Neoma giggle. His feathers tickled her cheek. Neoma returned her attention to Fang and smiled, still feeling shy.

"How..are you feeling..." Fang asked; his observant blue eyes wasted no time scanning her for any noticeable change in her appearance.

"I'm doing better. I have been following your instructions. No skipping meals and making sure I rest enough." Neoma said. Her gaze was fixed on Fang, but as she spoke, she petted X. Fang appeared content with her response as he did not inquire further for additional details.

"Are...You..heading back?" He suddenly asked. Neoma gave him a questioning look before slowly nodding to confirm her plans.

"Yes, I was only resting briefly before going to Grandfather's for lunch. I Had more deliveries than usual, but Pa and I decided to have lunch with Grandfather. " Neoma said.

"May..I.." Fang began but stopped as he began hesitating with his following words. Neoma gave him a small, encouraging smile.

"Fang, it's okay. Take your time." She said, her smile never faltering. She knew how hard it was for Fang to speak.

"May...I...walk with...you?" He finally asked, turning his head away, not meeting her eyes. Neoma felt her heart flutter before quickly stomping down on the feeling.

"Of course, the Clinic is on the way, and I'd appreciate the company," she said cheerfully, picked up her empty basket, and began walking a few steps ahead of him.

Their walk was silent, with X contently perched on her shoulder and occasionally looking around. Fang made an effort to match her slow, leisurely pace. He was considerably taller than her and had longer legs, allowing him to take brisk, long strides.

She looked at him from the corner of her eyes, inwardly smiled, and felt the familiar flutter of her heart that had been more frequent lately. After everything they had been through together and everything he had done for her, It wasn't long till the fluttering of her heart and reddening of her cheeks began. Despite this, she would squash the feeling quickly every time, not wanting to entertain the warm and fuzzy feelings of love.

They had made it to the Clinic, and Neoma expected Fang to summon X to him and bid her farewell before heading inside. He took her by complete surprise as he continued past the Clinic. As if sensing her hesitation, he stopped and glanced back at her.

"Are you... Alright?" he asked as he approached her and began inspecting her. Neoma felt a blush rise to her cheeks. Though everything in her told her to step away from him quickly, she stayed in place until he pulled away with a frown.

"I'm alright, really. I'm more tired than I thought. I can rest at my Grandfather's house. " Neoma said, trying to seem calm, and began walking again. Fang followed, now walking side by side with her. Neoma was not convinced that he believed her, but he did not attempt to coax words from her either. She was sure even X, still silently on her shoulder, could sense her unease.

They made it to the gates of her Grandfather's house. Neoma looked over toward her Grandfather's house, her eyes naturally taking in the sight of the many tombstones she would spend so much time cleaning before turning to look at Fang again. X gave her one last nuzzle before flying over to Fang and taking his designated spot on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Fang, for walking with me. Your company is always welcome," she said softly. Fang only nodded, a small smile plastered on his face.

Neoma made her way to her Grandfather's door, and once there, she turned back to see that Fang had stood at the gates watching her. He seemed to realize he had been caught and quickly turned around and headed toward the Clinic. Neoma's gaze softened as she watched his retreating back and allowed a smile on her face before walking into her Grandfather's house.

Once inside, she closed the door and set her basket on the kitchen counter. Neoma found her Grandfather and Pa at the table with lunch already set out. She made her way over, giving both of them a kiss on the cheek as a greeting and taking her place at the table.

"You seem happy, little one. Did something good happen today?" Her Pa asked.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Fang and I ran into each other and walked together since it was on the way." Neoma said, speaking casually while fixing her plate. She could see the knowing looks her Pa was giving her but decided not to address it.

"I noticed you have been spending more time with young Fang. I'm relieved you have each other for support." Her Grandfather spoke, smiling kindly at her.

"I'm sure he's just concerned about me, that's all," Neoma said quietly, sipping her tea.

She didn't want to give any thought to her growing affection toward Fang. They were friends, and she was more than happy with that. After all, she couldn't take it if he left her too. Her Grandfather gave her a look she couldn't place but said nothing further, and the trio ate their lunch with relative silence. Occasionally, Neoma would bring up things she saw on her deliveries or news she had heard while at The Blue Moon. Her Pa began discussing his plans for the Moisture farm and his continued studies to improve his crops.

After lunch, she stored the remaining food in the refrigerator for her Grandfather to eat later. She started washing the dishes while the two men conversed in the living room. They had given up on offering her help as she had politely declined their offers. Once she was done, she took a seat beside her Pa. The morning's events hit her, and she felt herself begin to doze in and out of sleep.

Neoma wasn't sure when she fell asleep but woke up and realized she was in her bedroom. Ever since her treatment at the Clinic, she had been able to sleep more easily and no longer had nightmares. She was also back to eating regularly. Neoma noticed she was still wearing her clothes from earlier, but her father had removed her socks and boots for her.

She got out of bed, slipped on her socks and boots, and after tying her hair up in a high ponytail, she decided to take a walk around town. She looked around the house to tell her father where she was going but couldn't find him. She grabbed a pen and paper, scribbled a quick note, and attached it to the fridge for him to see later.

She walked out the door, locking it behind her, and began walking up the stone path to go to the Blue Moon to visit Owen. As she walked, she noticed that the streets were busier than usual, which piqued her curiosity.

"Neoma!" she heard a male voice yelling for her, turning around to see Arvio running toward her. He hunched over once he was close enough, trying to catch his breath. Neoma just watched him with confusion and mild concern.

"Is everything alright?" she asked cautiously. Arvio straightened and nodded.

"Did you hear the news?" He asked, thrumming with excitement. Neoma quirked an eyebrow, waiting for Arvio to speak.

"I take that as a no then. Mason is retiring! they've already placed an advertisement looking for his replacement!" Arvio said, shoving a newspaper into her hand. She gently took the paper and began reading over the article he was pointing to.

"Is that why it's livelier than usual?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the paper.

"But of course! when was the last time anyone willingly chose to settle here?" Arvio asked confidently. Neoma looked up, giving him a deadpan look.

"That would be you and Amira if I remember correctly," she stated, handing the newspaper back to Arvio, who now had a sheepish grin.

"Hahaha, that's right. Well, anywhere is better than Barnarock. Anyway, I gotta run lots of people to tell!" Arvio said with a quick wave and ran off. Neoma let out a defeated sigh and decided she wouldn't be the one to tell him that there was no need to tell anyone. Everyone in Sandrock read the paper except Cooper, who couldn't read but had Elsie to read and write things for him.

She continued down the path and saw Catori outside the Golden Goose sweeping. She offered a slight wave to the older woman and attempted to walk past her, but Catori seemed to be in one of her sociable moods.

"Neoma! Just the girl I was looking for! Do you mind if I run something by you?" Neoma forced a smile and shook her head.

Catori was a very kind woman. She was rather loud and liked to ramble on, but Neoma didn't get any bad vibes from her. She just tried to avoid her like she tried to avoid Cooper. Except with Catori, you could get her to stop. Cooper would get offended for interrupting him, and his discussion would continue for hours.

"Not at all, Catori. I was planning on visiting Owen, but I have time. What did you want to discuss?" Neoma asked, and then Catori enthusiastically shared her idea for the Golden Goose.

As Catori talked, she listened and gave her input when asked. Catori had evidently gotten the answers she wanted because she continued on and was getting more enthusiastic about the topic. Neoma was also starting to get into the topic, and the two wound up with some clever ideas.

"Man, Neoma, you really come up with some amazing things. Can I get your perspective again sometime?" Catori asked with a smile. Neoma hesitated at first but then smiled and nodded.

"Sure, Catori, that sounds nice. Anyway, I'll see you later. I still wanna make it to the Blue Moon." Neoma waved goodbye to Catori, who offered a wave in return and went back to sweeping in front of the Golden Goose.

Neoma walked down the path, waving to Dan-bi and Rian as she passed. Fortunately, they didn't stop her and instead waved back with bright smiles. She turned the corner and entered through one of the two doors to the Blue Moon, immediately scanning the place once she was inside.

It was relatively quiet. Owen was behind the counter talking to Justice, and Grace was in the corner where Heidi and Hugo sat together, taking their order. Elsie was alone at a table and immediately perked up when she saw Neoma enter. Elsie had short strawberry-red hair with bangs, light skin, and purple eyes. She wore a yellow and white crop t-shirt, high-waisted black shorts, and a brown belt featuring a lasso. Her outfit was completed with dark brown laced boots, a brown messenger cap that showed signs of wear, a light blue scarf, gray fingerless gloves, and elbow protectors. 

"Neoma! Hey, over here!" Elsie yelled, enthusiastically waving to her. Neoma smiled, approached the younger girl, and sat across from her.

"Hey, Elsie, surprised to see you here alone. Everything okay?" Neoma asked with concern.

Elsie quickly saw Neoma as an older sister. She also informed Fang when Neoma didn't follow Fang's orders during the first few weeks after he released her. To say that Neoma received a lecture would be an understatement, especially given Fang's standards. Elsie made it her duty to watch over Neoma and report to Fang if she suspected that Neoma was falling back into her old, depressive habits. Neoma had also begun to see Elsie as a younger sister and often made time to check on her.

"I just got in a small argument with my Pa, is all," she said quietly.

"Elsie..." Neoma said with a small sigh and glanced at Elsie's guilty look with a patient look. Lately, Elsie had wanted to prove to Cooper that she wasn't a kid anymore and wanted more free reign. Cooper, however, shot down the idea and immediately told her she wasn't mature enough.

"I'm just tired of him treatin me like a kid. I'm mature enough to have my own horse and to help with the ranch, but everything else, I'm still too young!" Elsie said exasperated.

"Elsie, You may not see it the same way right now, but your Pa is just trying to look out for you. Don't rush so much to grow up. Just leads to more responsibilities." Neoma said, smiling softly.

Neoma couldn't relate to what Elsie was feeling. She grew up feeling grateful she had a Pa and never once felt like he was babying her or holding her back from experiencing things. That didn't mean he didn't do everything he could to protect her, though. Elsie sighed in frustration.

"I thought you'd take my side, not his," she grumbled.

"Elsie, I'm not taking anyone's side; I'm just saying it from an outsider's point of view. You could have your mom discuss it with him after you talk with her first, " Neoma said, hoping to brighten Elsie's mood. Elsie only nodded, deciding to go quiet.

"Well, look who finally made it out here," Owen said, coming closer to their table with a smile. Neoma smiled at the older man.

Owen was the one person she trusted completely, without any hesitation. There was something inviting about him that made her feel calm, unlike with others. Owen was present in almost every childhood memory, along with Justice. Although Neoma respected and admired Justice, she did not feel the same sense of security with him as she did with Owen.

"You want your usual darlin'?" Owen asked. Elsie gave Neoma a look but kept quiet.

"No, thanks. A fruit salad would be great, though." She said, smiling. Fruit salad was her weakness. She could never resist ordering some, no matter how she felt.

"Comin' right up for ya, darlin'," Owen said, disappearing in the back.
Neoma turned her attention to Elsie and frowned.

"Darlin' huh? when did that start?" Elsie asked, grinning like a cat that's got the cream. Neoma gave her a stern look.

"It's always been like this. Owen is like an older brother; besides, I don't have time for that. I'm too busy helping my Pa and Grandfather. " she said, scoffing at the idea of love.

"Well, what about you and Fang?" Elsie suddenly asked, resting her cheek on her hand bored.

"Elsie, what are you talking about? Fang is just a friend." Neoma had been trying to avoid this conversation. She would have to acknowledge that she didn't see Fang as a friend if she talked about her feelings.

"Oh, don't even lie. I see you two together," Elsie said, rolling her eyes. Neoma wondered who else noticed that she was spending more time with Fang.

"I may not know much about love, but the way you guys look at each other isn't the same as if you and Owen were looking at each other," Elsie said

"Elsie, that's enough. I don't wanna talk about this anymore." Neoma replied quietly as she started to close herself off from Elsie.

Elsie opened her mouth to speak, but Owen came over and immediately saw something was wrong. Elsie appeared to have said all she wanted to say as she paid for their meals with a sad smile and left. Owen watched her go and then sat in the chair she had just vacated. He put the fruit salad in front of Neoma and looked at her with concern.

"Gol for your thoughts, darlin'?" Owen asked her carefully. Neoma took a small bite from her Fruit Salad.

"Owen, you know how hard it's been to let people in even before Rhiannon left." Neoma began explaining. Owen nodded, waiting for her to continue. He would not say a thing unless she wanted him to. Owen had an extraordinary ability to tell when she needed to vent or when she needed advice.

"Well..that feeling only got worse, and I just find it hard to let anyone in. I'm scared to. I can't take being abandoned again, Owen.." Neoma said quietly, placing her fork down, not meeting his gaze.

"Neoma, I read an old book once when I was on one of my trips, but this quote really stood out to me: You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do," Owen said and stood up, ruffling her hair before he walked off to take more orders.

Neoma sat silently, taking in his words as she slowly finished her Fruit Salad. When she finished, she left some Gol in Owen's tip jar and left the Saloon. Neoma wasn't ready to go home yet and decided to wander around.

She returned to her favorite tree and immediately sat down, making herself comfortable. She felt herself begin to relax as she gazed at the darkening sky. She had spent hours gazing at the sky and thinking about what Owen had told her.

"Maybe he's right," Neoma mumbled to herself. She stood up, wiping dirt off her pants, and began walking home.

After Neoma reached home, she realized how late it was. The lights in the house were turned off, except for one in the kitchen. She could see that her Pa's bedroom door was shut, so she decided to retire for the night. Neoma changed into her pajamas and brushed her teeth before crawling into her bed. She fell asleep almost instantly.