TIDAL'S POV

Hey," A voice from the door says, "Ma told me what happened. Do you want to talk about it?"

I turn my head to face Becca. She held out a cup of hot chocolate to me as she sits on the bed. I take it.

"No, not really."

It's been a day since I turned up at the doorstep of my parents. It was three in the morning. Ma opened the door with a sour look pasted on her face, that is, until she saw me with my suitcase. I burst out crying at the sight her and rushed into her arms. She said nothing as she took my bag upstairs to the spare room.

Once I settled down she simply said, "We will talk in the morning."

XXX

I came down this morning to the smell of fried bacon and all sorts of baking. They know me so well. I thought with a smile on my face.

Ma and Dad are the best damn bakers in the whole world. Their dream was to have a small bakery. That dream came true when Becca and I decided to help with some of the obstacles. My brother-in-law is a real estate agent, so he found some nice property not far away from here, including this house. Becca with her very successful career as a journalist, helped to pay for the trip from that miserable, dull, house in Boston. I couldn't do much because at that time I was in California so I helped to pay for the decorators for the bakery.

I have never seen such gratitude from them. They left their jobs at that shitty airline company about two years ago and never turned their heads since.

"Good morning all." I announced as I walked into the kitchen. They both turned their heads with huge smiles on their faces.

"Hello, little one." My dad said, giving me a tight hug, "breakfast is nearly ready."

I sat down as ma served me a huge stack of pancakes and bacon. That is my 'I-am-sad-and-I-need-cheering-up' breakfast.

It was only minutes after I took my first bite, did they not contain themselves any longer. I was bombarded with a whole bunch of questions at once.

"Honey, what happened…?"

"I thought you were happy."

"…they treat you bad?"

"Did anyone hurt you?"

Only on the inside. "Ma, dad," I rub my temple. "It's not that." I sighed. "It's more complicated than that. It had something to do with a guy." I waited for the questions, but there was patient silence.

So I told them the truth. Well not the whole truth per say. "So there is this guy called Luke. He was my flatmate. On first appearance he was a huge asshole, but after a time we kinda got along.

"One day I was extremely angry for not being taken on missions, so he and I joined forces to play a prank on them. It was then I realised that he was a complete power hungry, psychopath. He is completely insane. I tried to report him, but he kept intercepting me. He didn't hurt me or anything," I quickly add, "but the thing is that I…I nearly killed him." I gave a rueful smile. I know that I was swapping the timeline around a bit, but it is technically not a lie. My parents' facial expression was completely neutral, like everything I just said was completely mundane. I suppose I did flood a school once. "I managed to knock him out unconscious. I had a chance to report him in, but I didn't. I couldn't bring myself to do it. It hit me that if I could not do something as simple as that, I was not fit enough, not worthy enough, to be a part of the team. So last night my guilt kept me up. I felt like I was betraying them by just breathing in their air space." I look up at them. "So I decided that I needed somewhere away from the madness, and I had nowhere else to go…" I felt my voice choking up and real tears fell down my face.

Ma and Dad rushed around me and held me.

"My baby girl," My mother whispered softly in my ear, "I am so sorry, my darling."

"I should've never allowed you to leave." My dad added "You are only twenty-five. This is not your fault. You are still too young to handle all of this."

"No, it's alright. I just need some time to myself. Thank you for the breakfast." I take the half eaten food and ferreted away into my room (did you really think that I would leave my food there?).

The whole rest of the day consisted of me curled up on my bed in foetal position and pretending I am not here.

XXX

So here I am, buried in the blankets and sipping on the best goddamn hot chocolate I have had in a while.

"Ma and Dad are very worried. And so am I." Becca lays a gentle hand on my chin. I really love my sister and all, but ever since she had the twins, her mother-hen side has crawled out of the wood work.

"I am fine, really." I wave my hand. "I just a few days rest and I will be my normal self again. I will help out at the shop and I will even help out with Natty and Si if you and Jonathan want to go out on a date night…"

"Maya…" I wince at the name. I get taken back to when we were younger. Whenever Meg tripped me in front of everyone or bullied me, I would always find Becca with her friends. No matter what was the situation was, she would drop everything and find a secluded spot where we could just talk. She would soften her voice just like that when I started to cry and she would hug me closer. I feel like little Maya again: extremely vulnerable and broken. She opened her mouth but before she could speak there was a whole bunch of noise coming from the lounge. She turns to look at the door.

"Damn I have to go." She looks back at me and offers me a sad smile "I just want to say it is alright to feel like the way you are." She pushes a lock of hair out of my face. "I know you are hurting, and I know you really like him more than anyone before. It will work out in the end. If it hasn't worked out…"

"…It is not the end." I finish. Becca always told me this when I was little to make me feel better.

The noise downstairs gets louder I nod to the door. "You should go, or else someone will be killed."

"Get some rest. Tomorrow will be better. You'll see." And with that, she left.

Yeah ok, I realise this is getting quite boring but I never give up on a fanfic. So I will try to make the rest as quick and painless as possible. Which means that there is about another 5 chapters but anyway. I apologise for this.

Yeah