Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There was a soft knock at the door. Three quick taps that echoed through the silent lab. Dr. Crygor glanced up at the door, then at the clock. 11:43 PM. Why would anyone be knocking so close to midnight? Who would it even be anyways?

Crygor stood up and approached the door, his gait slow and nervous. He had a feeling that there would be trouble on the other side of the door, and he braced himself. He tightly grasped the front door handle and hesitated before pulling the door open, anticipating the worst. But instead of a stranger or intruder, it was the friendly face of his daughter, a weary smile on her face.

“Hi, Dad,” she muttered quietly. In her arms was his granddaughter, Penny. She was so small, gently cradled in her mother’s embrace, her wispy orange hair looking like a lush field of autumn leaves. 

“What are you doing here this late?” Dr. Crygor asked, whisper-shouting out of surprise. She never showed up to his place so late at night. And why would she bring her daughter along at this time? Something wasn’t right.

“I need you to watch Penny for me. It’s urgent.” She pushed his granddaughter into his arms, startling the baby awake. Her bright blue eyes shot open and she gazed up at her grandfather before bursting into tears. Crygor was surprised, but laughed it off awkwardly as he tried to calm her down. 

“Still not used to my face, I suppose…” He muttered to himself. His daughter laughed softly. 

“You’re one of a kind, Dad.”

Crygor looked at his daughter curiously. “When will you be back?” He questioned. Her expression turned cold and serious as she turned towards the door. 

“Soon. I’ll be back soon. I have to go…now.” Before Crygor could ask any more questions, she ran out the door, leaving him alone with Penny sobbing in his arms. 

He stared at the door and blinked. Just like that, she had left. He regretted not asking why. He should’ve pried the answer out of her while she was there. But it was too late.

He made his way over to a chair and sat down, rocking Penny gently and trying to shush her cries. It took a while to get her quiet. Every time she’d look up at him, she began to sob again. 

I’m not that scary, am I?

Eventually, her weeping subsided, and she slept comfortably in her grandfather’s arms. Crygor let out a soft sigh. It felt like so much time had already passed, but when he looked at the clock, only 15 minutes had gone by. He tried to think of a reason for having to watch his granddaughter on a whim. It had to have been some kind of emergency. If only he had asked…

Sitting and waiting felt like an eternity. Every second felt like a minute and every minute felt like an hour. He would’ve been asleep by now if his daughter hadn’t shown up. But he’d do absolutely anything for his daughter and granddaughter. He would stay up all night if he had to. 

More time passed, a lot more time, and Dr. Crygor had completely spaced out. But the clock on his wall chimed and he looked up at it. He let out a gasp.

2:00 AM. 

Where had his daughter gone? His anxiety was rising far too high above his limit. He stood up and grabbed his phone, holding his sleeping grandbaby in one arm. He dialed his daughter’s number and waited impatiently as it rang.

One ring, two rings, three. Four, five, six. He was sent right to voicemail. He decided to leave a message. Hopefully she had just been busy and forgotten. It’s okay, people forget sometimes. It happens.

“Hey, sweetheart…it’s me. I hope everything is alright. I’m…a bit worried. Please give me a call. I’ll watch Penny for as long as you need me to. I just want to make sure everything is okay. Just…please give me a call back. I love you.”

He ended the message and set his phone down. He realized how much his voice was trembling. He didn’t want to accept how nervous he was. He was just overthinking it all. There was nothing to worry about.

She’d be back soon.

Another few hours passed. He hadn’t realized it, but he had been pacing around the lab nonstop. Dr. Crygor fought the need for sleep, despite the fogginess cluttering his thoughts and the weight of fatigue urging him to collapse to the floor. He just couldn’t sleep until his daughter answered him. He had to know that she was okay.

He couldn’t stand another minute of this. He walked over to his phone and tried again, counting every single ring under his breath. One, two, three, four, five…six. He left another voicemail.

“It’s me again. I’m…really worried. Are you okay…? I’m still here…with Penny…waiting. Can you answer…? Please…?”

He realized he was whimpering and cut the voicemail short. He pushed the feeling down and took a deep breath. It was going to be okay. It would all be okay. Things like this happen. 

…

He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this way. He knew he was worried and he knew he was scared. But…this feeling was more than that.

Dread. Panic. Anguish.

He called again. One, two, three, four, five, six.

He didn’t bother with a voicemail, he tried again. 

One two three four five six. Again. 

One two three—again. 

One two—another call. 

Again and again and again.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

“…Please. Pick up the phone. I’m begging you.”

His hand was shaking so much he dropped the phone. He choked out a sob and wrapped his granddaughter in a hug. Penny woke up, letting out a small giggle and clutching onto her grandfather’s shoulder. That only made Dr. Crygor more upset. She didn’t have a clue what was going on. It wouldn’t matter if her mother would just answer the phone.

He looked Penny in the eyes. She had a smile on her face. She looked so happy. Crygor wished he could find the will to smile in the moment, but with everything happening and the exhaustion taking over his mind, he just…couldn’t. 

He sat back down, holding Penny close. The waiting only got longer and longer. 

He waited for a long time for his daughter to come back. 

Hours upon hours.

Days upon days.

Those days turned into months.

And those months into years.

He realized he would be waiting forever.

She wasn’t coming back. 

Chapter Text

Every day started to feel shorter and shorter the closer it got to my birthday. Like, BAM! I open my eyes and I’m an adult. Almost, to be clear. Tomorrow is my eighteenth birthday. I might be a little more excited than what is normal, but who cares? I think everyone at Warioware is just as excited, too! Well…almost everyone. Oh, who am I kidding? Everyone’s gotta be excited!

I’m curious as to what everyone got me. I don’t want to say I’m spoiled or anything…but I’ve got practically everything I could ask for! I guess I shouldn’t worry about it too much. Whatever my friends get me will make me happy no matter what.

“Is everything alright, Penny?” A voice startled me and I looked up. Mona was staring down at me with a slightly concerned smile. “You’ve been staring at the screen and holding down the W-key for about 2 minutes now.”

My face turned red and I looked at the screen, groaning and deleting the letters from my code. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking about tomorrow.”

“You don’t sound very happy…” She sat in a chair next to me. I realized how angry my voice sounded and I laughed awkwardly. 

“No, no, I’m happy. I’m really happy, actually! And…a little nervous. But mostly happy!” I stammered out. Truthfully, I had been pretty nervous. My birthday was all I could think about. Growing up didn’t seem scary until now. My future feels so hazy, like walking through a dark tunnel towards an unknown light. I just feel so lost. I’m uncertain of where I want to go and what I want to do. I have so many options, but none of them feel completely right. 

“There’s nothing to be nervous about, Penny,” Mona reassured me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. “And don’t feel rushed to figure everything out. You have time.”

Her words were heartfelt and all, but they didn’t feel right coming from her. When we celebrated her 18th birthday, she knew exactly what she was going to do. She stayed in Diamond City and kept doing what she does best. I can’t believe she can juggle so many jobs without breaking a sweat. I can barely think straight and write some simple code…meanwhile she can do that and more. I love Mona, but I just don’t think she understands…

“Why don’t you go talk to the doctor? He knows more than I could ever learn…I’m sure he’d have some worthwhile advice to share with you.” Mona smiled at me.

“Ehh…” I sighed. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s great. My grandpa’s the best. It’s just…he doesn’t quite…y’know…” I motioned cluelessly with my hands. “When it comes to feelings and all that, he takes a less sympathetic approach and more of a scientific one. I just don’t think it would help me right now.”

Mona nodded understandingly. “That makes sense. Dr. Crygor is certainly something.”

I laughed. “He’s amazing at everything. Everyone knows he’s smart and all that, but…he’s always in check. I’ve never seen his emotions get out of line. He’s so calm and collected…I wish I got more of those genetics.” 

Mona and I chuckled. It was true. My grandpa’s the calmest person I know. Sometimes he’s a bit unaware and in his own little world, but when he’s down-to-earth, he acts as if he doesn’t have a care in the world. If he makes a mistake, he brushes it off. If there’s a problem, he fixes it. It’s like he’s got a script in his brain that’s prepared for any outcome. That just goes to show how amazing he truly is. If only I could have a fraction of his merit.

Meanwhile, at Crygor’s Lab

“MIKE!” 

“Dr. Crygor, this is the 5th time you’ve yelled my name in the past hour.”

I sighed and covered my face in embarrassment. “I apologize, I’m just a nervous wreck right now.” I sat down in a chair beside Mike and slammed my head on my desk. “It’s ludicrous! Eighteen, she’s turning eighteen! Eighteen years gone, down the drain!”

“She isn’t dead.” Mike replied bluntly. I lifted my head up and glared at him.

“I know she isn’t dead, Mike! I’m not an imbecile! Don’t you realize what this all means?”

“It means that she’s turning eighteen.”

I clenched my fists and held back the urge to knock him right upside the head. “Negative! What it means is she has all the freedom the world could ever give her! She can up and leave, just like that! Then, what if something happens to her? What am I to do then?!”

I groaned and put my head down. So much frustration and anxiety…this isn’t like me at all. And yet here we are.

“What if she decides to leave and never come back…?” I asked Mike. He didn’t respond to me. I guess I shouldn’t expect robots to be sympathetic. 

“Let’s talk about something else,” Mike said, “What did you get her for her birthday present?” 

“…Birthday present…BIRTHDAY PRESENT?!” I threw myself out of my chair and clutched onto Mike’s shoulders, shaking him violently. “MIKE! I DIDN’T GET HER ANYTHING FOR HER BIRTHDAY!”

“Maybe because you’ve been so busy losing your mind about it.” He remarked. I shook him harder.

“This is not the right time to be goading me! I don’t have a gift for my granddaughter and her birthday is tomorrow!” I felt the panic setting in as I paced back and forth across the room. “What do I get her, what do I get her?!”

“Go to the store and buy something for her.” Mike suggested. I groaned and shook my head.

“No, no, no, that’s a terrible idea! I can’t just buy something for her!” I snapped back. 

“Why not?”

“Why not?! Because that will make it crystal clear that I forgot! I have to get Penny something heartfelt, something that will truly mean something to her! I have to…” I trailed off. Mike looked at me inquisitively.

“You have to…what?” He urged me on. My head suddenly perked up and I grinned.

“Oh, it’s perfect, Mike! I have the perfect idea, something heartfelt and unforgettable! Trust me when I say it will be the best gift she’ll ever receive!”

I didn’t have another second to waste. I ran off and got to work. 

This gift would be like no other! I can’t wait to see the look on her face! She’ll be more excited than she’s ever been in her entire life, I have no doubts.

Back at Warioware, Inc.

I had gotten pretty immersed in my coding for a good chunk of time, I hadn’t completely realized everyone else showed up. I looked up from the monitor and observed the room. All of my friends were sitting around, coding, chatting, and goofing off, as they do best. I smiled and went back to my code for a brief moment, but then I looked up and around again. I took a really good look at everyone. It didn’t take me long to realize that my grandpa and Mike weren’t here. That wasn’t normal. My grandpa’s never late.

I checked the time. It was…noon?! He should’ve been here an hour ago! I subconsciously started fidgeting with my braid. I didn’t realize how nervous I was at that moment. 

Maybe he’s just not feeling well. Wait…but he’d find a way to make himself better. Maybe Mike’s having some sort of problem. No, he’d fix that too. There’s absolutely no reason he would be late. Even when he’s busy or distracted, he keeps an eye on the time…

I looked around again. Nobody else seemed to notice. Nobody seemed bothered. Was I just overthinking it? I bit my lip and wondered if I should ask somebody if they knew. 

I decided to wait. I watched the clock and messed with my hair nervously, each tick of the clock seemingly getting louder and louder, and longer and longer…

Time started to drag on and my neck was starting to hurt from looking up for so long. Well, it was only a few minutes, but enough to annoy me. I sighed and turned my attention back to my code. But I could barely focus anymore. I cursed myself out under my breath and buried my face in my hands. Why did everything suddenly become so overwhelming? 

Was I already overwhelmed and only now was it beginning to boil over…?

I felt a small tap on my arm and I lifted my head up. I glanced over to see Kat beaming warmly at me. I returned a weary smile.

“Hey, Penny! Are you excited for your birthday tomorrow?” She asked me. My already weak smile dropped some more. Kat seemed far more enthusiastic about my birthday than me.

“Yep, super excited.” I muttered.

“Me and Ana got the coolest gift for you!”

“Did you, now? I can’t wait to see it…!” I did my best to respond with some keenness, although I wasn’t doing a very good job. I don’t think Kat could tell I was upset. Then again, I don’t expect a five year-old to have a very good sense of compassion. 

Kat giggled and ran off without saying another word to me. Kids…

I sighed and managed to turn my attention back to my code. I got a lot done over the span of a few hours. I checked the time. 3:45 PM. Surely if I showed Wario how much I got done, he’d let me leave early…

Or I could just leave. 

I stood up and walked out of the building without looking back or batting any eye to anyone. That was easy. I should do that more often.

I didn’t waste another second and started on my way home. I wasn’t walking fast at first, but I quickened my pace when my thoughts began to spiral down the rabbit hole. I was far more worried than I should’ve been. Nothing bad could have possibly happened, right? 

I raced my way up the hill to the lab and walked inside. When I shut the door, I gave the place a good listen. I could hear the clatter of tools in the other room. So my grandpa was working on something. I still found it strange that he hadn’t bothered to come to work. I couldn’t recall a time he had skipped.

I approached the door to my grandpa’s workshop and knocked loudly. There was a brief moment of silence.

“Penny? Is that you?” He called out from inside the room. 

“Yeah, I’m home,” I said. I could hear him put down whatever he was doing and walk over to the door, cracking it open wide enough for him to step out without me seeing inside. I raised an eyebrow.

“You’re home early. Did something happen?” He asked me, eyeing the clock. I shook my head.

“No, nothing happened. Just…I was worried about you. So I left. Why didn’t you come to work…?”

He laughed awkwardly. “Well, your birthday present isn’t going to finish itself, is it?”

I perked my head up and smiled a little. “My present?”

“But of course! I had to call and tell Wario I wouldn’t be there. Let’s just say he wasn’t too pleased, but he didn’t say no.”

My uneasiness was lifted. I wish I had known sooner, but I guess it’s better late than never…

“I wish you would’ve told me…my stomach was churning the whole time I was there.” I let out a weak chuckle. 

“I’ve got something for that,” He remarked casually. I rolled my eyes and sighed.

“No, not that kind of stomach problem. The…nervous-anxiety-adrenaline kind. I guess I’m just really off-put by this whole ‘I’m turning 18 tomorrow’ thing.”

He didn’t say anything. Now things were really awkward.

I stared at the floor and tried to think of something to say. Eventually, I gave up on trying to have a conversation with him. “I’ll be in my room…if you need me.”

I turned around and started walking away, but I could feel my grandpa grab at my arm. I turned back to look at him. He had this look on his face. One I hadn’t seen him make before. He looked…so sad. Almost scared.

“Wait, Penny…”

He trailed off, but didn’t break eye contact with me. That terrible nervousness came back and strangled my insides with fear. 

After another moment of nobody saying anything, I gently pulled my arm out of his grasp. “…You’re worrying me, grandpa. Is everything okay?”

He stammered and took a step back from me. “No, no, no, I’m fine. Splendid, terrific, superb. It’s just that…”

“…Eighteen. You’re going to be eighteen.”

I furrowed my eyebrows slightly. “You’re acting like you didn’t know or something.”

“Oh, trust me, I know. I’ve known quite well. It’s just hard to believe how little you used to be only a few years ago. You’re matured so much, Penny.”

“I’m still the same person though, aren’t I?”

…

“Grandpa…?”

Normally, it’s close to impossible for me to read his face. I mean, there’s only so much you can do with an eye and a mouth. But the way he was feeling was so obvious…I just couldn’t think of the word for it. There’s a million words I could use and none of them are quite right.

“Penny, will you spend a few minutes with me? We don’t have to speak, we don’t even need to look at one another. I just want to sit with you. Is that okay…?” He sounded almost guilty when he asked. I was a bit confused, but I didn’t have any reason to say no. So I obliged, giving him a small nod in response. 

We walked over to the table we usually eat at and sat across from one another. The air was weirdly tense. It was hard for me to make eye contact. I couldn’t even think of a word to say to him. I felt bad. I really just wanted to get up and walk away, sit in my room and just be by myself for a while. But I didn’t want to hurt my grandpa’s feelings. 

I ended up staring at the clock, and I think my grandpa noticed because he started staring at it too. Despite him being family, we felt like strangers right now. It was so odd. Was it always like this…? Surely not…

“…You can go now.”

I look at him with a sad face. His voice was quiet, almost inaudible. He barely choked the words out and it felt like a stab in the heart. 

Reluctantly, I stood up from the table and went to my room. I couldn’t stand to see him so sad and I wasn’t in the headspace to properly do anything.

…

Wait…something doesn’t feel right.

Later that evening

I felt someone shake my shoulder, and I panicked, lifting my head up from my desk. Mike was looming over my shoulder and I let out a sigh of relief, frowning up at him.

“Mike, you nearly gave me a heart attack!” I shouted. Mike just raised an eyebrow. 

“Are you going to get Penny’s gift done or not?” He asked me. My stomach dropped and I cursed under my breath.

“Right, right…” My face turned a little red. I hadn’t realized I was nodding off. All these emotions are really wearing me out…

“Are you sure she’s going to be okay with this, Crygor?” Mike asked me as I stood up and got back to what I was doing. I grinned confidently.

“I’m for certain! I’m confident it will overshadow any other present she has ever gotten and will ever receive!” I announced. Mike just frowned at me.

“I don’t know about that,” He replied.

“Oh, don’t be so blunt,” I muttered, shooting him a side eye.

“What if she doesn’t want it?”

I laughed. “I have my way with words, I’ll surely convince her…”

“You didn’t have much of a way with words earlier.” When he said this, I frowned and squinted at him skeptically. 

“You…heard all of it?”

“I saw all of it.”

Well that’s embarrassing…I sighed. 

“…I’m not a very good grandfather, am I?” I asked quietly. Mike looked at me like I was stupid.

“I didn’t say that—”

“Look, we may not be as close as we used to be, but rest assured this gift will bring us closer than ever! I just know it will. They don’t call me a genius for nothing.” I laughed and cut off our conversation so I could focus on my work. I could hear Mike mutter something, but I didn’t bother listening. 

Penny…I can’t afford to grow any more distant from her. 

She’s all I have left.

Chapter Text

“Doris, do you ever feel overwhelmed? Maybe when you’re…oh, I don’t know, cleaning or something?” I asked the little cleaning robot as she dusted a table in my bedroom. She let out a small giggle. 

“Why would it make me feel like that?” She stopped dusting and looked over at me. I was sitting on my bed, sadly staring at the floor. I sort of forgot that she was programmed to clean…and that she’s a robot. 

“Oh, forget it. I’m just…overthinking everything.” I sighed and laid down on my back, squinting my eyes shut from the light on my ceiling shining right on my face. I could hear her quiet footsteps approach me.

“But it’s your birthday tomorrow!” She sounded worried for me. I laughed softly, sitting up and gazing at her. She set her duster down and hoisted herself up onto my bed, sitting beside me. She held onto my arm gently. “Why would you be upset now?”

“I’m not upset, I’m just…” 

I’m upset. I’m really upset. I don’t want it to be my birthday tomorrow.

“I just have a lot on my mind. Turning 18 is a big deal…for me at least. I’ll be an adult, and I’ll have to make adult choices and adult decisions. It feels like tomorrow, the whole world is going to climb on my shoulders and weigh me down until I figure my life out.”

Doris stared up at me sadly, but didn’t say anything. She didn’t understand. 

“I have so many dreams, so many desires…but none of them feel right. And whatever does feel right…it makes somebody else upset. It’s impossible for me to be happy when others aren’t,” I muttered.

“You shouldn’t have your life run on emotions, Penny.” Doris ordered, like some sort of guidance counselor.

“Yeah, you’re one to talk…”

She gave my shoulder a few pats. We sat in silence for a good few minutes. I brought my knees up to my chest and hugged my legs, hiding my face away. I was beginning to dread tomorrow more than anything. It felt like an unskippable cutscene looming over my shoulders, waiting to catch me off guard in the middle of a world-record speedrun…

I wouldn’t be mad if someone just wrote my future on a piece of paper and handed it to me, because then I wouldn’t have to choose for myself. I wish I could just…know.

Meanwhile with Dr. Crygor

“It’s complete!” I shouted, turning around to face Mike. “Penny’s gift is complete!” I stepped aside and revealed it to him, to which he just shook his head.

“I don’t think she’s going to like it.” He answered. I frowned at him.

“Why not? Do you think it’s not enough? Because I can add more! I just don’t want it to be too much.” I paced around frantically. I was practically speaking to myself at this point.

“It’s already too much. I told you already, this isn’t a very good gift…at all.” Mike approached me and stopped my pacing by standing in my way. “I think you should find her something else.”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous, Mike! She’s going to love it. You should be happy I’m including you in this, because after all, you didn’t get her anything to begin with.” I got up close to him, really trying to rub it all in his face. He didn’t say a word to me after that, and I smiled.

A while passed after our conversation. Now that I had nothing to do at the moment, my thoughts began to get the better of me. When my brain wasn’t occupied with work, all of the bad, overbearing thoughts bubbled up to the surface. I sighed and stood up, but walking around didn’t help at all. Mike didn’t seem quite happy with me…so I couldn’t talk to him. 

…I needed to talk to Penny. I’ll just go and say goodnight to her! When’s the last time I’ve done that, anyways? How long ago was it when I would comb out her hair and talk to her about my inventions and read her bedtime stories? How many years ago was it when I tucked her into bed…?

No, no. Don’t worry about that. Just go say goodnight.

I walked out of my workshop and towards her bedroom. I was about to knock, but it sounded like she was having a conversation. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for her to be talking to Doris, and I wasn’t one to eavesdrop…but I couldn’t help it this time around.

I leaned up against the door and listened carefully.

“I’ve really been thinking about it a lot. You know, moving out of Diamond City and becoming a pop star. It really is my dream. Do you think I could be a pop star, Doris? Because…I’d give up everything for a life like that.”

What. 

What?

Why would she even say that…? She doesn’t really mean that, does she? She can’t possibly mean that!

I stepped away from the door and covered my mouth. I always knew Penny had been thinking about being a pop star and all that…but I didn’t think she’d want to go through with it! I’ll support her no matter what, but…

…Does she really want to leave Diamond City? Does she really want to leave me…? I remember when she was younger, she would always talk about how she wanted to be just like me. She wanted to be a scientist, an inventor, she wanted to be a genius like me. 

Is this what’s supposed to happen? Are people supposed to change this much?

I don’t know how long I was standing there for, but it must’ve been an eternity. I could barely process the idea of my granddaughter wanting to leave. I forced myself to walk away. But my thoughts quickly began to spiral. 

I couldn’t let this happen. I can’t let her leave. I don’t want to be alone again. 

Back in Penny’s room

“…It’s really only a thought, though. I say it a lot, but in reality, I don’t think I could ever leave this place. It’s home, after all.” I laid back down on my bed and covered my face with my hands, letting out a long sigh. “Jeez, I’m so tired…I should get ready for bed.”

I stood up and walked over to my vanity. Doris got up as well and returned to her cleaning. I took off my lab coat and folded it carefully before setting it down on a chair. I took a good look at myself in the mirror.

I grabbed one of my braids and reached for the hair tie at the end. But…for some reason, I was hesitant to take it out. It was hard to think about the fact that I was almost 18 and I still couldn’t braid my own hair. My grandpa still did it for me every single morning…

I slipped the hair tie off and undid the braid, brushing my hair through and making sure there wasn’t a single knot anywhere on my head. I did the same to the other side. My hair had gotten quite long…I couldn’t remember the last time I had gotten it cut. I tried to imagine myself with short hair, squinting my eyes and holding up my arms to try and resemble the idea. I guess I have a terrible imagination, because it looks…terrible. I suppose cutting my hair is out of the question, not that I was interested anyways.

I changed into my pjs and turned off the lights in my room, crawling into bed and staring at the ceiling, which was still dimly lit from the light coming through my window. I could hear Doris settling down for the night as well, but I was too exhausted to say anything to her.

I so badly wanted to disappear. Tomorrow felt like such a big deal. Maybe it wasn’t as huge as I was making it out to be…but it still felt like a lot. Adulthood only seemed like a burden to me.

I took my glasses off and set them on my bedside table, closing my eyes and pulling my blankets close. 

Maybe tomorrow will be okay.

With Dr. Crygor

Tick…tick…tick…

I so badly wanted to throw something at the clock on the wall. Just to make it shut up. Every second felt like a bullet flying straight through my head. 

Why was this all suddenly so frustrating? Why was it all so irritating? I wasn’t angry before. So what was going on…?

…Why did Penny have to say that? Did she truly mean what she said? It couldn’t be true…right?

…

I’ve already lost so much. I can’t lose her too. I won’t let that happen. I’d give up everything I have for her. 

…Does she want to leave because she’s unhappy?

…Am I doing something wrong?

I hit myself over the head and cursed. I can’t keep this mindset or it might stick. I have to pull it together. For Penny. Maybe if I can hold it together and truly be there for her, she’ll want to stay. 

I tried to force myself to think about something else, anything else, but it was just impossible. It’s not like I don’t know anything about growing up and turning 18…I had to go through it myself, after all. 

But seeing my granddaughter become an adult was torture. It felt like hanging off of a cliff from a rope, slowly losing your grip and burning your hands raw. There wasn’t much I could do to keep the world from taking her away from me.

Unless…she happens to be fond of the gift I made for her.

Chapter Text

I could hear someone whispering in my ear as my eyes opened slowly. I squinted and glanced to the side, suddenly being startled by Doris standing inches away from my face. I frantically sat up, and she giggled.

“Happy birthday, Penny!”

My heart ached a little, but I smiled. “Thank you…”

I rubbed my eyes and reached for my glasses, giving each lens a small wipe with the bottom edge of my shirt before putting them on and adjusting to the light in the room. 

“I couldn’t get you a gift, I’m sorry…” Doris stared at the ground sadly. “But I hope I did a good job cleaning for you!”

I sighed wearily. “You always do, Doris. I cherish you and everything you do. Besides, I don’t care for presents. I appreciate them, of course, but I care much more about being with my friends.”

“Am I your friend, Penny?” Doris gazed up at me and I laughed.

“You’re one of my favorite people. But most importantly, you’re my favorite robot.” I smirked. “Just don’t tell Mike I told you that.”

We shared a good laugh as I crawled out of bed and got my outfit on for the day. It wasn’t anything special, but it felt like me and that’s what mattered.

I approached my bedroom door and took a deep breath. In…out…Okay. It’s going to be okay.

I stepped out of my room and glanced around. It was quiet. My gaze met the floor as I walked over to the dining table and sat down. I was tired and I didn’t have an appetite. If I didn’t feel the need to wait for my grandpa, I would’ve left by now.

…What was taking him so long anyways? He was always awake before me. I was fully expecting him to run up to me and embrace me the moment I walked out of my room. 

I suddenly heard a door creak open, and I looked up. Mike and my grandpa walked out of the workshop, carrying a small but heavy looking box. When my grandfather saw me, he shoved the box into Mike’s arms and practically leapt at me. Just as I expected…

He wrapped me in the tightest hug, and I hugged him back, burying my face in his shoulder. His embrace took all of my unease away. 

“Happy birthday, granddaughter of mine.”

I smiled and laughed softly. I started to pull away from the hug, but he held me even tighter. I let out a small squeal.

“G-grandpa…!” I laughed awkwardly, and he let go. 

“Sorry, sorry, I’m just quite excited for you.” He grinned before turning around and walking back over to Mike, who had been struggling to hold that seemingly incredibly heavy box. I easily assumed it was my present. It wasn’t wrapped or anything, but what else could it be? I was tempted to ask if they needed help, but it looked like they had it covered.

The two carried the box towards the front door and my grandpa glanced over at me. “Are you ready to go?” 

I raised an eyebrow and grabbed at my unstyled hair. When he realized, he forced Mike to hold the box on his own again as he rushed over, grabbed some hair ties and spent a few minutes braiding my hair. After he finished, he asked again. “Okay, are we ready now?”

I nodded reluctantly. I could always eat later…it wasn’t like I wanted to at the moment anyways. He nodded back and I followed him out the door. And before I knew it, we were on our way, and my uneasiness returned just as quickly as it had gone away.

I tried my best to think about the bright side of things. Soon I’d be with my friends and I’d get to open all of my gifts. That couldn’t possibly go wrong…right?

We made it to the WarioWare building and walked inside. I could hear the loud and chaotic chatter coming from the office, and for some reason, it made me more nervous. I watched my grandpa and Mike walk around me, still carrying the box, and walk inside. Guess I have no choice but to follow them.

“Hey, you two!” Mona ran up to them and smiled. “Where’s the birthday girl?”

I meekly poked my head into the room before stepping inside. All eyes were on me now. Before I could even shut the door behind myself, everybody rushed towards me and overwhelmed me with commendation. I didn’t think my friends would care this much…they seemed to care more than I did.

I suddenly felt someone grab me from behind and lift me up with ease. I glanced back as Dribble held me up in the air like some sort of relic. “I remember how small you used to be, Penny! You actually got taller!” 

I frowned playfully and kicked my legs. “Put me down!” He slowly lowered me back down to the floor and everybody laughed. My face was flushed pink. I didn’t know how to feel about all the attention I was getting. 

“Come open your gifts already! It feels like we’ve been waiting forever!” Ana hollered as she tugged at my arm and led me over to a chair to sit in at the head of the table. I laughed a little as everybody gathered around.

I began to find it funny how worried I had been just the night before. I mean…the adult stuff was still a bit frightening. But maybe Mona was right. I have all the time in the world to decide what I want to do. I should just live in the moment. I no longer felt awkward as I unwrapped gifts and made sure to admire each and every one. Surprisingly, even Wario got me a present. A gold necklace with my birthstone on it. It didn’t look the slightest bit fake, so I assumed he stole it. When I thanked him, he just snubbed me. But I could tell he cared to some degree.

Soon enough, there were only a few boxes left. Mona placed another in front of me, and I picked it up. The box was small and thin, wrapped haphazardly in black paper. 

“That’s mine.” I heard Ashley mutter. I glanced at her and smiled before ripping off the paper and opening the box. Inside was some sort of vintage-looking catalog for chemistry. I grinned and lifted it out of the box, glossing over the pages.

“Where in the world did you find this?” I asked.

“I found it in the attic at my house. I thought you’d like it.” She replied, looking away from me sheepishly. I smiled and set it back in its box.

“Thanks, Ashley! I’ll definitely look through it,” I let out a soft, mischievous giggle. Ashley knew me all too well. 

I looked up for a brief moment and caught a glimpse of my grandpa. He was standing near the wall, his hands clasped in front of himself as he watched on with a smile. But it wasn’t a smile of adoration or benevolence. He was smirking. He looked so confident and smug, as if he knew something the rest of us didn’t have a clue about. When he realized I was staring at him, his expression changed to a lighthearted grin. It looked so forced.

“Here’s another!” Mona put a box in my hands. It was decently sized and felt light. The wrapping paper was striped blue and yellow.

“Oh, oh! That’s from Dribble and me!” Spitz jumped up in his seat and I giggled, opening up the gift. It was a plethora of fuzzy dice in every color of the rainbow. I raised an eyebrow and looked at the two skeptically.

“These are great, you two…but I don’t have a car.” I scratched my head, a bit confused.

“Maybe it’s a sign…” Spitz motioned dramatically with his hands. I snorted. Embarrassingly enough, I never learned to drive. Not that Diamond City needed me on the roads. I had a feeling I’d be a pretty poor driver. 

I set the box aside just as Mona brought the last box, heaving for air as she struggled to hold it on her own. “This…is the last one…!” She plopped it onto the table with a thud. 

“Woah, be careful now! That’s my present.” My grandpa hurriedly rushed over, looking like he was about to bounce off of the walls. I could feel the adrenaline coursing through me. I grabbed onto the box and slid it closer to myself. I hesitated to open it. My hands were trembling a little.

Why was I nervous? What was there to be nervous about?

Why did this feel so wrong?

Everyone watched with anticipation as I tore through the tape and slowly opened the box. 

There was a lot inside, and I couldn’t immediately decipher what it was. I grabbed a part and slowly lifted it out of the box, inspecting it.

It was a helmet-like piece of metal. 

Like the one on my grandpa. 

I laughed slowly. “Wh…what is this…?” My grandpa laughed a little as he grabbed my shoulder. My friends all watched on with pure confusion on their faces.

“Penny, I was thinking…I could turn you into a cyborg!” He announced. 

“WHAT!?” I shouted. His smile dropped. 

It went silent for way too long. I held the piece of metal in my hands. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t even know what to think. 

“P-Penny…” He laughed, trying to stay composed. “Don’t you realize how great this is? I mean, being a cyborg has a lot of benefits!”

I slowly shook my head. “N-no, I don’t–”

“Don’t you realize what this means, Penny? You’d never grow up! You could live forever!”

I shook my head again. “Grandpa, I–”

“I know it seems a little frightening given the circumstances, but trust me when I say that the process isn’t too painful, and–”

“STOP!”

…

I took a deep breath. “Stop. Just stop. I don’t want to be a cyborg, okay? You don’t have to be so expositional…I get it. But I don’t want to be a cyborg.”

“W-well, why not?” My grandpa took a step forward. I averted my gaze, trying to suppress the anger that was boiling up in me.

“Because…I want to be me!”

“You’ll still be you, Penny! You’ll just look a little different and–”

“Why are you trying so hard to push this on me, grandpa? I said no.” I shoved the piece into his hands and turned away from him, crossing my arms and holding back tears. I heard him laugh. Why was he laughing? What was so funny about this? He was the only person in the room who found any of this the least bit amusing. 

“I don’t understand what you think is so terrible about this, Penny.” I could feel his presence close behind me. I tensed up. I couldn’t even bear the thought of looking at him right now. “Don’t you want to stay young forever?”

I clenched my teeth. He knew exactly what he was doing. I glanced over my shoulder, furrowing my eyebrows.

“…I see what’s going on. You think I’m outgrowing you.”

Clearly, that’s what was happening. I’m not a child anymore. I’m not his ‘little girl’. I thought out of everyone, he’d be the most excited to see me mature and grow up. But that’s not what’s going on here. 

He laughed and shook his head. “What would give you that idea? I’m only doing what’s best for you. That’s all this is…”

“Crygor, maybe you should–” Mike started. But my grandpa turned around and snapped at him.

“Stay out of this, Mike!” He turned back to me. “Penny, I want you to think about this–”

“I already have! I said no, and that’s that. Why are you being so insistent!?” I tugged at my hair in frustration. “This isn’t a maybe, this isn’t a ‘I’ll think about it’, it’s a no.”

“You’re saying no, but you aren’t telling me why! Just tell me what you think is so wrong about this!” His words pushed me over the edge. I spun around and got up in his face.

“I don’t want to be a machine, grandpa! I don’t want to be like you!” 

…

The dead silence that filled the room made me physically ill. I backed away from him, my gait unsteady as I struggled to hold myself together any longer. Tears spilled out of my eyes that I furiously wiped away. Before anyone could say another word to me, I made a beeline for the door. 

“Penny!” My grandpa shouted as he tried to grab onto my arm. I turned around and shoved him with every ounce of power in my body. He nearly fell over. I heard the others gasp. 

I so badly wanted to disappear. Forever. 

I ran out the door before something else could happen. I didn’t dare look back. I ran out of the building and got as far away from it as possible. I felt the eyes of strangers on me as I stumbled over my own feet, booking it down the sidewalk with tears running down my face. I nearly ran into people, but I didn’t bother apologizing. Nothing mattered. I just wanted to get away. I wanted to run off the face of the Earth and never come back.

With the others…

I stared at the open door in disbelief. My heart was beating a million miles a minute. I could feel my coworkers leering at me. I didn’t understand. She barely took a second to consider my offer. It felt more disrespectful than anything…

“Jeez, Crygor. I think you’ve got some screws loose.” I could hear Wario mutter under his breath. I shot a look over at him and sighed. 

“I think you should apologize to her. Now.” 5-Volt approached me and crossed her arms. “You pushed…whatever that was…way too far. I wouldn’t talk to my son like how you just did with Penny.”

I nearly scoffed at her.

Yeah, you’re one to talk…

“All of you, just stay out of this! This is a personal matter and I will be taking care of it myself, thank you very much.”

I looked over at Mike. “Grab the box, we’re leaving.”

“But it’s too heavy—”

“I said grab the box.”

Hurriedly, Mike made sure everything was inside before lifting it off of the table, his limbs trembling as he walked over to me. 

Everybody’s faces looked angry, disappointed, and shocked. I tried my best to ignore it as Mike and I left the building. 

This would all blow over by tomorrow. I’ll just have a talk with Penny and we’ll sort this all out. 

Or…maybe there’s another way to get Penny to agree. A much…easier way.

As soon as we got back to the lab, Mike heaved over and set the box down. I just sighed. “Take it back to my shop. I’m going to check on Penny.”

Mike obeyed and I walked away from him and towards Penny’s bedroom door. Curiously, I leaned against the door and listened. I was half expecting her to be in there, and half expecting her to not be. She could have always ran off and gone somewhere else.

Lo and behold, she was in there. I could hear her…crying. It broke my heart to listen to, and I stepped away from the door. Talking to her would be useless.

I entered my shop and started looking around for what I needed. I noticed Mike was watching me.

“What are you doing now…?” He asked in a disappointed tone. I reached into a drawer and grabbed out a small container. I didn’t answer his question as I walked over to my desk and opened the box. Inside was a brand new syringe and needle. Mike skeptically approached me. “What do you even need that for?”

“Hush, Mike…” I mumbled, staring at the syringe for a long while. Then I smiled a little. I searched through a few more drawers, grabbing things as I went and hauling them all back to my desk. I took a small beaker and poured some chemicals inside, carefully mixing them together. 

Once I was finished, I sealed the container and set it to the side. “I’ve got a plan,” I said.

“What is it?” Mike had clearly been trying to figure it out himself, but didn’t quite get it. I turned to him and grinned.

“If Penny doesn’t want to become a cyborg…I’ll just do it while she’s asleep.”

Mike looked at me like I was a psychopath. 

“She’s going to wake up if you try that.” He argued. I laughed and shook my head, grabbing the beaker off of my desk and holding it up.

“Not if I give her some of this. It will knock her out cold.” I laughed again. But Mike suddenly lunged at me, trying to grab the beaker away.

“I won’t let you do that!” He grabbed my wrist and tried to pull the beaker out of my hand, but I simply kicked him away.

“You don’t have any say in this, Mike. One way or another, she’s going to have to agree.”

“…You’re insane.” He said quietly. I ignored him. “She isn’t your guinea pig.”

“She’s just overwhelmed because she’s a teenager and all that nonsense. If she were in the right mindset, she would have said yes,” I stated bluntly, still clutching onto the beaker.

“You ruined her birthday, Crygor. She was fine until you gave her that horrible ‘gift’.” 

I didn’t think he was the slightest bit right. Nobody understood Penny like I did. After all, her blood is mine.

Later in the evening

I opened my eyes. They stung with tears. My heart ached with hatred. I just couldn’t understand. I tried to process what had just happened, but my brain was muddled with anger and hate. So much hate. I wanted to scream. I wanted to hit something. I wanted to hurt someone. Just to get it all out of me. 

I furiously wiped the tears from my face, but they were quickly replaced and blurred my vision. I stifled an angry scream as I dug my nails into my pillow and buried my face in it. I so badly wanted to tear it to shreds. I kicked at my bedsheets and muttered mean things under my breath. Things I could never say straight to his face.

I felt like a little kid throwing a tantrum. It was embarrassing, even though nobody was around. Doris wasn’t around for me to rant. I was alone.

This was the worst day ever. 

I had looked forward to seeing all of my friends. Being with the people I truly felt were my…family. 

But now, I really just wanted to die.

No, Penny…that’s too far. Maybe everything will turn out okay. Maybe he’ll apologize. Maybe. Hopefully.

I still couldn’t understand. Why in the world was he acting like this? My grandpa, by far one of the most supportive and understanding individuals I know, was acting like a lunatic right out of the blue. 

If he were acting normal, he would’ve said “Oh, it’s okay, Penny. It’s your decision after all.” And even if he had been insistent for a little while, he could’ve at least apologized. What happened to a simple “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have been so pushy, it’s your decision after all.”  

I took a deep breath. I anticipated a knock on the door. I expected to hear him call my name. He’d come into my room and sit on the edge of my bed. He would grab my head, tell me he was wrong and he’s sorry. 

But no. That didn’t happen. And in the back of my head, I was afraid it never would happen. It just might not.

I sat up in bed. Crying was giving me a headache. I slowly slid off of my bed and walked out of my room. I did everything slowly and quietly. I was almost afraid he’d hear me. I guess I didn’t actually want to see him. Was he even here…? I doubt he would have stayed with the others…maybe.

I went into the kitchen. I liked our kitchen. It was small, quaint, and comfortable. I reached up and looked through the pantries, but nothing appealed to me at the moment. I walked over to the fridge and peeked inside. I could have leftovers or maybe a sandwich. But my eyes fell on something else.

A cake. Sitting in a clear plastic container. I reached in and pulled it out, closing the fridge with my foot as I set the cake down on the counter. 

It was a simple, plain cake, covered entirely in pink frosting. No pretty embellishments or writing on top. Just a modest little cake.

…

This was homemade. Did…my grandpa make this? When did he even find the time? How did I not notice it earlier?

I felt my breath shake a little. I reached into a cabinet and grabbed a plate. Then I grabbed a knife and cut myself a generous piece. The inside was layered with more pink frosting. I grabbed a fork and my plate and took it to the dining table.

I sat down and stared at the slice of cake. Tears filled my eyes. I no longer bothered to wipe them away.

“…Happy birthday…to me.”

1:00 AM

Ever since I had gotten back, I had been staring at the clock, counting every second. I had to plan this at just the right time. She’d surely be asleep by now, right? 

I just had one last thing to deal with. I glanced over at Mike, who was sitting in a chair across the room. I just now realized he had been staring at me. I wonder for how long. 

We held eye contact with one another in pure silence. I slowly reached towards a drawer and opened it, feeling around inside. Once I felt what I needed, I grabbed it and stood up. 

“What are you doing…?” He asked me, scooting the chair backwards as I approached him.

“Oh, nothing much,” I muttered, lifting the screwdriver I had grabbed. “Just going to do some…fine tuning.”

I promptly grabbed Mike and slammed the screwdriver straight into his face.

I slowly laid him down on the floor so the sound of metal crashing to the floor wouldn’t wake Penny. I can always fix him later.

I walked back over to my desk and put the screwdriver down, then reached for the anesthetic I had made. Then I grabbed the needle kit and injected a good amount into the syringe, flicking the air bubbles away. 

I was strangely calm. Was this supposed to be nerve racking? It surely didn’t feel that way.

I slowly opened the door and walked carefully towards Penny’s bedroom. I was afraid the small creaks and squeaks coming from the floor would be enough to wake her up. 

As I passed through the lab. I glanced into the kitchen. The cake I had made was sitting out on the counter, a slice missing. Looks like Penny found it. I hope she liked it…at least a little.

I grasped the door handle to her room and pushed it open, slipping inside. I could faintly see her face in the dark. She was still wearing her clothes from this morning and had forgotten to take off her glasses. As I got closer to her, the glow from my eye made it much easier to see her. Her cheeks were damp with tears. There were faint dark circles under her eyes. 

I realized that her blanket was covering her arms. I would have to get her to move somehow. Hesitantly, I reached forward and nudged her gently. She stirred and I stepped back. Eventually, she rolled onto her back and stopped moving. I let out a soft sigh. It was now or never.

I stepped forward again and moved the blanket off of her, just enough to expose her right arm. I slowly moved the needle towards her arm, moving slowly and calculated. I pressed the needle against her skin.

Then she jolted. The needle made a large scrape on her arm and I covered my mouth and she sat up and yelped.

She stared at me wide-eyed. I stood there like a statue, the needle clearly in my hand, covered in a thin layer of her blood.

She screamed at the top of her lungs, scrambling out of her bed and across the room. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

“Penny, this is not not what it—” 

That excuse wasn’t going to work. This was exactly what it looked like.

“Y-YOU’RE TRYING TO DRUG ME!” She shouted, grabbed at her wounded arm. I had never seen her more terrified in her entire life. I tried to approach her, walking around the bed, but she just got further and further away from me.

“Penny, calm down, will you just let me explain—”

“NO! STOP! GET AWAY FROM ME!” She continued to back away, propping herself against the wall. I held my hands behind my back, keeping the needle out of sight as I spoke to her.

“Let’s just talk about this, Penny! It’ll make everything a lot easier for both of us.” I reached out to grab her arm. “Here, let’s go bandage up your arm. Then we can sit down and talk face to face, okay?”

“NO! DON’T TOUCH ME!” 

Before I could react, she punched me. Square in the face. I yelled and bent over, holding my face in pain as I heard her run away and slam the door. I stumbled as I tried to follow her, opening the door only to realize she was gone. The front door was wide open and she was nowhere to be seen. 

Suddenly, my vision went dark, then came back, startling me. I held onto the door frame as a wave of dizziness washed over me and nearly made me collapse.

I felt my eye, realizing she had smashed it in. When I looked at my hand, there was blood on it. She had punched me so hard she made herself bleed.

My hands shook violently as I suddenly dropped the needle, hearing it bounce and roll on the ground. I slid down onto my knees. 

The weight of it all was finally toppling down on me. My thoughts were finally crystal clear.

I’m a psychopath.

With Penny

I fell onto my hands and knees, gasping for air. I could barely keep myself together. Every feeling in my body was taking up space in my brain, cluttering my thoughts with pain, fear, and anger. And hatred. More hatred than my body could ever handle.

I hate him. I hate my grandpa so much. I hate him more than anything. 

Was this his idea of a birthday present?

I wiped my tears and glanced around. I was just on the outskirts of Diamond City. I couldn’t find the strength to get up and walk any further.

I reached into my pocket, my hands trembling as I grabbed my phone and unlocked it, looking through my list of contacts. I wanted to call someone to come and get me…but who would be awake right now…? The city was quiet, I doubted anyone would be awake.

I decided to call the only two who I expected to be up. I pressed the call button and tried to steady my breathing as the phone rang. He picked up really fast.

“Hey, Penny. What’s goin’ on?” Spitz asked as he answered the phone.

“A-Are you driving right now? Can you come pick me up…?” I asked quietly. 

“Yeah, we can come get you! Are you at your place?”

“No,” I muttered, looking around. “I’m near…Club Sugar.”

I could hear him cover the phone’s microphone and say something, probably to Dribble.

“Alright, hang tight. We’re not too far away,” he said. I sighed.

“…Thank you. See you soon.”

I hung up the phone and stared at the ground. I felt so out of it. I didn’t want to think about any of it right now. I didn’t want to think anymore.

I closed my eyes, exhaustion taking over my thoughts. I think I fell asleep for a brief moment, but I winced when I heard a car horn suddenly honk.

I looked up to see Dribble and Spitz in their taxi, waving at me to get in. I slowly stood up and walked over, opening the door and climbing into the back seat. We started driving and Spitz turned back to look at me. His smile dropped when he realized just how miserable I looked.

“Penny, what the heck happened?! Your arm…and your hand! Did you fight someone?!” He unbuckled his seatbelt and jumped into the back with me, gently grabbing my arm and looking it over. I shook my head.

“No…I didn’t fight, I just…” I tried to speak, but my thoughts were so muddled. I was so frustrated, I gave up on trying to speak, closing my eyes and leaning my head back. 

“…You can tell me later. What I do need to know is where we’re going.” He looked up at me and I opened my eyes a little, glancing down at him.

“I didn’t think that far ahead. I…just need somewhere to stay the night.”

“Hmm…” Spitz thought for a moment, glancing out the window before looking back at me. “How about 5-Volt’s place? I bet she’d let you stay.” My eyes lit up a little. 

“Yeah…take me there.”

Before I knew it, we were there. Spitz gave me a gentle pat and reminded me to bandage up my arm. I nodded and got out of the taxi. They waited as I approached the house and gave the door a knock. I waited a minute…but nobody answered. As I went to knock again, the door swung open. 

5-Volt was standing there, smiling wearily. I definitely woke her up, and I felt bad.

“Hey, can I stay the night…?” I asked timidly. When 5-Volt noticed I was injured, she kneeled down and grabbed my shoulder.

“Of course you can, Penny. You poor thing…come inside.”

The two of us waved at Dribble and Spitz as they drove away. 5-Volt grabbed my hand and led me into her house, taking me down the hall and into the guest room.

“Sorry, it’s messy in here. We’ve been using it as storage. I hope it works.” She turned on the light. It was a small room with a queen-sized bed, a little window, and boxes full of video games strewn across the floor. “You take a seat, I’m going to grab a first-aid kit.” She walked out of the room and I made my way over to the bed. I sat down. The sheets were soft and silky.

5-Volt came back into the room a few minutes later with a small box. She sat down beside me and spent a good amount of time cleaning my arm and bandaging it. I smiled a little once she was done, and gave her a hug. Something about her was just so comforting. I guess that’s what happens when you’re a mother…

“Let me find something for you to sleep in. There might be some extra clothes in the wardrobe over here.” She stood up and opened the tall wooden cabinet. “Oh, here we go!” She grabbed a neatly folded stack of clothes and handed it to me. It was a white pajama set with blue polka dots. 

“Thank you,” I said. She smiled and nodded.

“I’ll leave you be for the night, you get some rest, okay?” She gave me a soft kiss on the forehead before walking out of the room and shutting the door. 

I changed into the pjs and turned off the lights. I was about to crawl into bed, but there was one more thing I had to do.

I ripped the hair ties out of my hair and undid my braids. I didn’t care for them anymore. They made me think of him.

I slid under the covers in the bed. I finally felt a bit of ease as I closed my eyes, finally able to rest. I felt safe here. 

But I feared for what tomorrow would bring.