Yep, I've heard you guys. Every time I post a chapter to All From Ashes, I'm bound to get at least one person asking for Here to be made into it's own standalone story. So I've thought it over, and decided to give it a shot as I do have some neat ideas I'd like to try out eventually. Some of this will be the same as what you might have already read in All From Ashes, BUT there will be changes, more details, and their stories weren't done yet so there is more to come. I'm starting to think the title is a little lackluster for a full story but I hope that won't dissuade anyone from giving it a shot.

Please be patient with me though, as this story isn't as easy to write as most of my other stories. The world has different rules than ours, what with past memories and all. I've found it can be easy to accidentally retcon something I've already provided as fact, or to miss logic like "If Fang has memories of her previous lives, how come she can't convinced Vanille that she's telling the truth?" Which I then have to try to explain my way out of. It's also a more serious story than most of my other stories and requires more research. So, while I'll try not to go for too long before updating, I hope you will understand any delays.

Hope you enjoy it!

Here - Prologue

153 AF

"Come on, Fang." Fang's father held his tiny daughter's hand in his, as they walked along the beach. She had insisted on walking beside him and squirmed out of his arms earlier when he had tried to put her up on his shoulders, and now he was forced to drag the three year old along with him at a snail's pace. He didn't seem to mind too much, he was just happy to be spending time with his daughter, something he wished he had more time for as she was growing up so fast.

Fang continued to doddle, taking in the world around her. The sun was starting to set and the entire beach was cast in a golden light. Families were starting to pack up their stuff and head home for the rest of the day, and Fang wanted to watch. Curiosity kept Fang's feet from moving any faster, even at the promise of the ice cream her father attempted to bribe her with. Fang let herself be pulled along but made no effort to keep up.

Her eyes roamed along the beach at all the families picking up their towels and packing them into bags. Fang cocked her head to the side at seeing one family of four, they looked familiar somehow, but Fang couldn't quite place them. The sun had just started to set along the water and it sparkled with a brilliant light that made Fang squint. The light obscured the details of the family and Fang's feet stopped moving, a strange feeling coming over her. She wasn't sure why, but something told her to stop, that there was something special about this moment.

"Fang. Get the lead out." Fang's father said as he pulled at her hand, making her move again and her feet obliged, somewhat hesitantly. She continued to stare at the family of four. A mother and father, a small baby swaddled in her mothers arms and a girl about Fang's age. Fang squinted her eyes more, but the sun continued to obscure her vision. The only detail she could pick up on was a mop of bright pink hair, but something told her she knew the girl. That they were friends.

"Lightning..." Fang's voice was quiet. She wasn't sure what prompted her to say it, but the word left her mouth without a thought. Fang stopped again and stared, not even noticing the small trickle of blood that had started to drip from her nose.

"What's that, honey?" Fang's dad asked, looking down at his little girl who's feet stubbournly refused to move in the sand. Fang didn't reply, too busy staring at the girl and waiting for her to move out of the direction of the sun. Noticing the small bit of blood, her father dropped to one knee. "Oh... Fang, honey... Are you okay?" He pulled a tissue from his jacket, and started to wipe under her nose, but Fang looked past him and towards the girl, not really caring that her nose was bleeding, or even really noticing. As soon as he had cleared up the blood he cocked his head a little and studied her, making sure she was okay. He made a small face and reached down, placing his hands under her arms, and plucked her up onto his shoulders. "Come on, lets get you home to bed."

She didn't fight this time. Instead she watched the young girl across the beach as her father carried her off and eventually the girl faded into the distance. Fang would never know if she had dreamt it or not, but something had happened that day, and memories had surfaced that hadn't been there before. Memories of a girl Fang had never met.

155 AF

"This is Lightning. She's my friend. She enjoys swords and punching people. One time, she had this white dog she named Odin. We will always be together." Fang grinned in front of her class, showing off the sloppy painting she had made earlier in the week. She had been looking forward to her opportunity to do show-and-tell for weeks. Right from the start, Fang knew what she wanted to do her presentation on. The small girl had painstakingly painted a picture of one Lightning Farron to show her teacher and classmates, excited to share her best friend with those around her. She wanted them to love Lightning as much as she did.

Most other students brought in pets, or their favourite toys but Fang knew in her heart that she had them all beat. Nothing could go up against Lightning Farron and win. "Lightning is really good at hunting and using swords. She can even kill a behemoth by herself!" Fang exclaimed and glanced excitedly at her teacher, smiling widely and showing off her missing teeth, hoping to see her teacher just as in awe of Lightning as she was.

"No she can't!" a young boy crossed his arms and made a face. "Only grown ups can kill behemoths! My dad says so!"

"Well, Lightning can!" Fang's mood suddenly changed to anger at having to defend Lightning. "Lightning is faster than any animal!"

"No one is faster than the gorgonopsid!" The boy wasn't having any of Fang's tall tales.

"Lightning is! She's a police officer!" Fang yelled back, holding up her painting for emphasis. She didn't notice her teacher giving her a strange look from the large desk at the front of the room.

"Kids can't be police officers!"

"She's not always a kid! Sometimes she can play guitar in a band!" Fang was getting angry, her grip on her painting getting tighter, causing a small rip in the paper to form.

"I don't believe you!"

"Kevin..." Their teacher admonished him lightly, motioning for Fang to continue.

Fang sighed in annoyance before holding her picture up again, an angry pout on her lips. "Lightning is my bestest friend because she's cool and I like her hair. She has a little sister who can sometimes be a pain in the butt but Lightning loves her anyway. She joined the army to take care of her sister whe-"

"I thought you said she was a police officer!" Kevin interrupted, a smug look on his face. "I bet she's not even real!"

"She is to real!" Fang balled her tiny firsts, anger wracking her tiny body.

"Well, I've never seen her."

"Well, she doesn't go here!"

"Then what school does she go to?" The boy asked, trying to corner Fang in her lies.

"I don't know." Fang said and crossed her arms across her chest, painting still in her hand. The more angry she got the more damaged the painting of the young pink haired girl became.

"See! Miss Marcy! Fang's making things up!"

"I am not!" Fang had enough and threw her painting on the floor before leaping at the boy and tackling him out of his desk. The two tumbled to the floor and started hitting each other. Kicking and screaming, the two pulled at each other's clothes and hair before Miss Marcy jumped in, separating the two by grabbing the backs of their shirts.

Fang's hair was sticking up in all directions and she made an angry face at Kevin.

"Hallway. Now." Miss Marcy let go of their shirts and pointed to the door. Fang knew the drill. When they would get in trouble, they were sent to the hallway where they would think about what they'd done before Miss Marcy would come and talk to them, but Fang didn't want to go. Putting on her best pout, Fang pleaded with her teacher.

"But I haven't finished my presentation!"

"You can finish it another time. I will not have fighting in my classroom. Out." Miss Marcy didn't budge at Fang's pout.

Fang clenched her tiny fists, angry at Miss Marcy for not letting her finish and at Kevin for trying to tell everyone that her Lightning wasn't real. She was real. Fang was sure of it. They had never met, but Fang knew in her heart that Lightning was real. She knew her too well for her not to be.

156 AF

"No!" Fang struggled against the policeman that picked her up. "I don't want to go!"

"Sorry sweetie... You have to..." The man said and placed her up against his broad shoulder, ignoring the ash that the small girl was leaving on his uniform. The flashing lights of the firetrucks and cruisers lit up the street and created an attraction for all the neighbours on the block. Families stood out on their porches and watched as one of their neighbour's houses went up in flames.

"But they're not here yet! Daddy said he would be right back! He said!"

The policeman placed a hand on the back of Fang's head to keep her close and keep her from looking at her burning house. Watching something like that would be too much for the young girl, and if he could protect her from it, than he would. "Come on, why don't we go for a little walk, huh?"

"I don't want to go for a walk! I want my dad! I want my mom!" Fang cried harder into his shoulder, desperate for her parents to pluck her up instead. Her dad said he would be right back, he needed to get her mother, and that he was coming right back. She hit the policeman's shoulder with her firsts and began to sob. "I want Lightning..."

"Who's Lightning?" The man sounded worried, "A pet?"

Fang didn't say anything.

"Now sweetie, is Lightning in the house?"

"No... She's my friend..." She sobbed harder, taking in ragged breaths. Even though no one had told her what had become of her parents, Fang knew. Her small body wracked with sobs and she pleaded hard. "I want Lightning. I want... Lightning..."

162 AF

"We're... concerned about Fang." The principal of Fang's junior high school stated, folding his hands on the desk in front of himself.

Fang's matron pursed her lips slightly, glancing out of the office to where Fang sat. She had her sketchbook open on her lap and her tongue poking just out of her mouth as she concentrated on her task. The matron closed her eyes briefly, knowing just what Fang was likely drawing. "It's about her imaginary friend, isn't it?" She asked as she pulled her attention back to the older man.

The principal cleared his throat slightly and glanced at Fang too. "Most children grow out of imaginary friends by the time they're ten... Fang will be turning thirteen soon and, we're worried that she won't let go of this... fantasy."

The matron nodded her head. Fang had been going on about "Lightning Farron" since she first arrived at the orphanage. She secluded herself from the other children, and instead concerned herself with her drawings and little stories. The other caretakers at the orphanage had found it adorable at first. Fang was a creative child, but it soon became apparent that it was more than just a little fantasy to Fang. She took her imaginary friend very seriously. "We know... She's been going on about her imaginary friend since she came to us. I think she's latched onto her as a way to deal with her parents' death. We've tried getting her to befriend the other children, hoping that she would forget and start being a normal kid but she's so stubbourn. She will sit and draw for hours at a time, ignoring meals and any attempts by the kids to play. To be quite honest, we're at a loss for what to do."

The principal nodded his head in understanding, he had heard roughly the same story from Fang's teachers. "She's an incredibly bright child, very creative but her... interactions with others is becoming quite the concern. We want what's best for her..."

"If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears."

"We've brought in a child psychologist, from Eden, we were hoping that she would speak with her, but we need your permission." The principal was forward in his answer, but his voice was smooth, making it easy to believe his concern for Fang was real.

The matron glanced back towards Fang who was blissfully unaware of their conversation as she swung her legs underneath her and scribbled on her paper. She nodded softly. Fang had pushed away almost anyone who tried to get close to her, she had decided that she had better things to do, and would become difficult when forced to play with others. The matron was willing to try, for Fang's sake.

"Fang, this is Mrs. Santiago."

Fang didn't glance up from her sketchbook as she hummed a tune to herself.

"Fang." The matron tried again to get Fang's attention, but again the girl ignored her in favour of drawing Lightning's left eye.

The older woman sighed in annoyance before taking hold of the sketchbook and pulling it out of Fang's hands. "Hey! I wasn't finished!" Fang yelled, getting up from her chair and reaching out for the pad of paper. The matron held it out of Fang's reach as Fang tried desperately to get it back.

"Fang! This woman is here to talk to you-"

"I don't care! Give it back! Give it back!" Fang was jumping and clawing at the air as the matron tried to hold her back with one hand and hold the pad with the other.

Mrs. Santiago watched in mild horror at the scene before deciding to step in. "Could I?" She motioned to the sketchbook.

The matron handed it over to Mrs. Santiago who then crouched down, allowing Fang to see she wasn't going to damage her book. Fang pushed away from the matron and glared at her before joining Mrs. Santiago. The psychologist studied the picture on the page of a woman with bright pink hair, holding a sword in her right hand. "This is really pretty, did you draw this?" She asked and Fang immediately calmed down. Watching, the matron crossed her arms and shook her head before leaving the two alone.

"Yeah... but it's only pretty because she is." Fang said, looking at the picture with Mrs. Santiago.

"Would it be alright if I looked through it?" The woman asked and Fang met her eyes for the first time and smiled. She had found someone to share Lightning with.

"Yeah."

Mrs. Santiago smiled warmly at Fang and sat on the carpeted floor with Fang beside her as they thumbed through each page in Fang's sketchbook. They paused on each page so that Mrs. Santiago could take in all the little details, and it wasn't long before she realized that every picture was of the same girl, sometimes accompanied by Fang. "You have quite the talent. You must have been drawing for a long time."

"I guess." Fang made a small face. It was never her intention to become a good artist. All she wanted was for people to see Lightning like she could.

"Who is this?" Mrs. Santiago asked and Fang's face lit up and she scooched closer to the woman, ready to explain all about Lightning Farron.

"She's my best friend. Her name is Lightning. She's the most amazing girl in the world and one day we're going to date." Fang's eyes never left the page as she studied one of her own pictures.

Mrs. Santiago smiled softly at Fang. "You're going to date, huh? What's she like? How do you know her?"

"Well..." Fang made a face and huffed audibly. "It's kind of hard to explain... I haven't met her yet this time, but she'll love me. She always does. She's really smart, and when she wants something, she always manages to keep going until she gets it. She's really pretty too. Here, I'll show you." Fang pulled the sketchbook onto her own lap and turned the pages until she found her favourite drawing. Lightning was dressed all in white, sitting in a window sill, smiling softly.

Mrs. Santiago smiled, "She is very pretty." It wasn't a lie. The drawing itself was well done for someone of twelve. Mrs. Santiago knew that she herself couldn't do better if she tried. "So, what do you mean when you say 'this time'?"

"Um... I don't really know. I think I met her before. I have all these memories of her... like..." Fang huffed quietly, trying to word it right. "We lived already before. Together."

"A past life?"

Fang perked up. "Yeah! Past lives! We always end up together. I think she's my soulmate, but everyone tells me soulmates aren't real." Fang made a face as she traced a finger softly on her picture.

"Well, no one really knows that for sure." She smiled at Fang, "Could you tell me what your memories of her are like?"

"Mmm, I don't know... there are a lot of them. She's been with me a long time. Sometimes she's my age, sometimes she's older. Sometimes we get married..."

Mrs. Santiago gave Fang a sympathetic smile. "Fang, are you sure they're real memories?"

Fang stopped smiling and rolled her eyes. "Yes. Vanille is in them too. I know they're real because I've already met her."

Mrs. Santiago raised her eyebrows slightly. "Who's Vanille?"

"My friend. We live together at the orphanage. She's kind of a crybaby but I like her. She's always been my friend in my past lives." Fang said matter-of-factly.

"She's in these memories too?"

"Yeah. That's how I know Lightning is out there somewhere too... Vanille doesn't believe me though. I tried to convince her that we had met already once, but she thinks I just read her file." Fang made a face, "But she'll see one day."

Mrs. Santiago's eyebrows came together slightly as she tried to figure out just what Fang was going through. It was normal for children to have imaginary friends, but ask any child and they would tell you they knew that their friend wasn't real. It was just make believe. Fang seemed to truly believe that Lightning was real.

"How did you try to convince her?"

"I told her about her parents. I told her what they were like. I have memories of them, but Vanille doesn't know them that well anyway. They died when she was pretty young... I try telling her other things sometimes, but I've known her most her life so I'm not really telling her anything new that she believes..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well... If I tell her she likes the smell of certain flowers she just says of course! and that she likes the smell of all flowers... Or I can tell her that she would be a really good doctor but... she's young so.. it's more like I'm planting the idea there, rather than her already having it and me proving that I knew..." Fang looked somewhat frustrated when she thought on Vanille not believing her. "She's kind of a pain in the butt."

Mrs. Santiago laughed at the remark. "Friends often are..." Her expression changed to a slightly more serious one, "Fang, do you play with Lightning?"

Fang looked up from the drawing. "How can I? We haven't met yet..."

"...Do you know where she is?"

"No... I wish I did." Fang's face fell.

"Well," Mrs. Santiago took a small breath and placed a hand on Fang's shoulder. She needed Fang to focus on something other than Lightning in order for Fang to let go and move on with life. She was thankful that Vanille was an option. There was hope for Fang yet. "You know where Vanille is, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you should spend more time with her. She's your friend too, right? It must be hard for her to see you spending so much time thinking about Lightning and not about her..."

Fang frowned. "Yeah... But... She doesn't understand..."

"I know... But you don't want to lose her do you?"

"No..."

"Can you do me a favour and spend more time with her? I'm sure she would like that."

Fang nodded slightly, agreeing to the request, but ultimately, Fang would not let go of Lightning.

170 AF

Fang took another swig from the vodka bottle as the girl she had taken back to her small apartment ground her ass against her crotch. She would need to be drunk if she wanted to imagine the girl was Lightning. She had Lightning's pink hair, but that was about it, her skin was a shade too dark, and her eyes were on odd brown that made her eyes look almost black. She wasn't what Fang really wanted, but she would do. She needed to drown out her loneliness and feel something, even if it wasn't real.

Fang pulled the girl's shirt up and over her head, tossing it to the side and leaving her in a brightly coloured bra before she placed her hands on the girl's hips and helped her grind her ass against her with a strong pull. She fell more into Fang's lap and the girl whipped her hair back over her shoulder at Fang, excited that things were getting underway. She grinned over her shoulder at Fang who had to bite her lip. Fang threaded one hand into the girl's hair and tugged lightly, causing the girl to tilt her head back but face away from her. The girl moaned at the sensation, liking the way Fang took control but not realizing the real reason Fang had tugged at her hair. Fang liked it best when they faced away from her, when she couldn't see their face. It made it that much easier to forget that they weren't Lightning.

The fingers on Fang's free hand went to work on the girl's pants, ready to pull them down and get on with things, when the sound of a key rattling the door sounded and Vanille came in through the front door. Vanille covered her eyes quickly and squeaked, causing the mystery girl to stop and look over her shoulder at the interruption.

"Fang!"

"Ugh..." Fang tilted her head back against the couch. "I thought you were working late tonight..."

"I was! Fang, it's nearly midnight!" Vanille rolled her eyes.

"Well... can't you stay out a little longer?" Fang asked and Vanille could pick up on the slight slur to her voice. Vanille glanced at the mystery girl who had pulled a throw pillow up in front of herself, trying to cover what skin was showing. Noting the long pink hair, Vanille sighed.

"Oh maker... Fang. This is the second time this week already!" Vanille motioned to the girl on Fang's lap who was clearly embarrassed by the situation as she bit her lip and looked between the two.

"You know what... Um, I think I'm going to go... Thanks for the drinks, Fang..." The girl got up and started to gather what little clothes Fang had managed to rid her of before their interruption.

"Hey, wha-? Hey! No, no, no, hey it's fine! Vanille was just leaving." Fang said, sitting up a little straighter.

Vanille crossed her arms and tilted her head in disapproval at Fang as the girl scurried past her and out the apartment door. Fang groaned in disappointment and flopped back down onto the couch.

"You need to stop this."

Fang groaned in response and put the vodka to her lips again, her plans for the night ruined by her friend and roommate.

"Fang, are you listening?" Vanille snatched the vodka from her hand and placed it on the side table. "This isn't healthy. That girl isn't Lightning, okay? Lightning doesn't exist. It was cute when you were little but it's not anymore." Vanille was pleading with Fang but Fang ignored her like she always did when the topic of Lightning came up.

"Fang!"

There was still no response as Fang took another drink and Vanille felt her anger welling up inside of her small body. She grabbed the bottle harshly and clenched her teeth. "Alright... You're giving up one thing or the other. Right now. You give up Lightning or you give up drinking. Your choice."

Fang scrunched up her face at Vanille, still not taking her seriously. "Vanille... come on... What does it even matter to you?"

Vanille looked hurt. "Fang! You're my best friend and my only family! You mean the world to me and you're just letting yourself die! I don't know what I would do without you." Vanille's voice softened near the end. Fang didn't respond so Vanille balled her hands into fists and glanced to a cardboard box off to the side of the small room. Large amounts of papers stuck out from the top, years worth of records Fang had kept on her imaginary friend. Drawings, stories and journals, all piled together in a comprehensive collection.

Vanille sucked her teeth for a moment when Fang gave her no response and made a decision. She walked over to the box and held the bottle of vodka over it. "Alcohol or Lightning, Fang."

Fang shot up from her seat but didn't dare take a step forward, not wanting to risk an accident. "Vanille... don't. Please don't. I'm begging you... Don't do this."

Vanille was ready to cry. The only way she could get Fang's attention was by threatening to destroy the records of a girl who didn't exist. She held strong to the bottle, she needed Fang to take her seriously. "Make your choice." Her voice was small but clear.

"I'll stop. I promise. I'll stop, just don't do it..."

Vanille had almost been hoping that she would have chosen the alcohol over Lightning, but it was something. Maybe she couldn't get her to give up Lightning yet, but alcohol was still a victory, she was sure she would lose her best friend if she continued to drown herself in the stuff. "You swear?"

"I swear, Van. You can dump it in the sink right now. I don't care, just don't spill it there." Fang's eyes were pleading desperately with Vanille and Vanille felt herself soften, lowering the bottle away from the stack of papers.

"You need help, Fang."

171 AF

"Okay...okay... Come on, Fang..." Nerves were getting the best of her as Fang stood atop her apartment building, her feet planted firmly along the concrete ridge that lined the roof. "Just... Just do it." She shook her hands out, trying to dissipate the adrenaline flowing through her body, but it didn't help. She was still just as scared.

It had become too much for her. Everyday that passed and Lightning wasn't there, was another hit to Fang's heart. She had searched all the places she thought the girl would be. Every military base, every police academy, every dojo. Anywhere Lightning tended to gravitate to. Anywhere with rules and discipline, but she had come up empty. "Why let me remember her if can't find her?!" Fang yelled into the night. Her voice came down, "Is she... dead? Is this the only way you could think to let me love her, Etro? Through memories? It's not enough! I don't understand why... I don't... I can't do it anymore!" Fang's voice cracked at the words.

The sounds of cars passing down below was her only response and she bit back her tears and shook her head. "Why torture me like this!? Just help me find her!" She cursed quietly to herself feeling the cool night air breeze passed her body, causing her to lose her balance for a moment, but instinct kicked in and she found herself righted again. "If I do this... If I... If I jump, will you let me be happy with her in the next life?"

Still no response and Fang let her tears run down her cheeks. She had already written her suicide notes and had placed them on the kitchen table. One detailing why she chose to end her life, and the other an apology to Vanille. Fang wished she had the strength to let go of Lightning, to live her life and be happy, but something wouldn't let her. She couldn't believe that Lightning wasn't real. She was in love with her. How could she be in love with someone who wasn't real? The idea that everyone was right all along crossed her mind but she shoved the doubt back. She couldn't or wouldn't believe that.

She pushed a hand into her hair, desperate for an answer from Etro that would never come. Instead she thought on Lightning... If she jumped, and Lightning was real, if she was here, than she would be leaving her behind. She felt another blow to her heart and she was wracked with guilt and conflict. She was certain she would live again, and that she would love Lightning again, but here, in this life...

"Lightning..."

The door to the roof opened with a loud metallic creek and Fang glanced over her shoulder to see a distraught Vanille, clutching Fang's suicide notes in hand. "Don't you dare! Don't you even think about leaving me here, Fang!"

"Vanille..."

"Don't you... Don't you care about me, Fang? Is it all about her? You know I'm here! You know I'm real! I will always be there for you!" Her voice cracked and she let her distraught tears flow freely. She had made it in time, and now she was desperate to hold onto her only family. "Why isn't it enough for you!?"

Fang felt a fresh wave of guilt wash over her body and looked down in shame. "I love you, Vanille... But.. I-"

"No! Don't! Fang, You're the most important person in the world to me! You can't do this!" She choked back a sob as she took a few cautious steps forward. "Please, Fang... I will get you help... Just please don't do this..."

Fang's body was thick with guilt. She sobbed and shook her head. She couldn't stand to see Vanille in so much pain, and knowing that she was the cause of it made it that much worse. How could she make her best friend hurt so badly? How could she ignore her? Treat her less than someone she had never even met? Her eyes were blurry with tears and she nodded her head, making her decision, as she stepped down from the ledge.

The moment her foot hit the solid roof, Vanille was on her, squeezing her tight to her body as she tried to keep her sobbing in check. She pulled Fang to her knees with her and cried hard against her shoulder. Letting out all of her anxiety and fear and anger in her gut twisting cries.

"I'm sorry, Vanille..." Fang let out through her own tears. "I'm sorry... I-" she held Vanille tightly, refusing to let go. "I... need help..."

171AF

"It's going to be alright, Fang..." Vanille's voice came out quite and not as reassuring as she had hoped it would. She took Fang's hand in her own and gave a tight squeeze as Fang signed the slip of paper placed in front of her with her free right hand. "They're going to take good care of you and I promise I will visit you every day." The younger girl had tears forming in her eyes as she watched Fang's downcast stare, but she wouldn't let them spill over onto her cheeks.

Fang sighed as she finally resigned herself to her fate. After 21 years she was finally ready to admit that something was wrong with her and agreed to commit herself to the New Bodhum Psychiatric Hospital. It wasn't her idea, but Vanille had insisted and she was done hurting Vanille.

"We have some of the best psychiatrists from Gran Pulse and Cocoon, here. She's in good hands." The woman at the desk said softly to Vanille with a genuine smile before filing Fang's papers away and calling over one of the techs to show Fang around. "Now, Miss. Read here will be showing you around and giving you a run down of how everything works and what's expected of you. You'll need to leave your bag here to be searched and we will bring it to your room later, okay? Here, take these." She handed Fang a folded stack of patient scrubs and Fang held out her hands joylessly

Fang didn't say anything. She knew she needed to be there, but she also wasn't ready to let go of Lightning. That being said, she wasn't sure she would ever be ready. The woman had plagued her mind since the time Fang could form a thought. She grew up with her, time and time again in her own head. She could swear, and had for most her life, that she was a real person. That she was out there, and they just hadn't met in this lifetime yet. Everyone else told her she wasn't real and that she was just an imaginary friend. She was almost starting to believe it herself.

"I'll be back tomorrow, okay?" Vanille said, the smallest crack in her voice as she eyed her best friend. Fang didn't say anything but nodded softly before following Miss. Read down one of the corridors.