A/N: You guys don't need to worry, I was absolutely fine. :P Just super swamped with stuff to do, that's all.
PLEASE READ: I want to make a special request to my readers - the author of one of my favourite fanfics on here is questioning whether she should continue her story or not, based on a lack of response to her latest chapter. If you could, please read and review her story and tell her that she can't give up on such a great plot! It's called A New Perspective and it's super good :)
Thank you to changingdestiny40, Maddison1803, annavale23 and LJ717 for your reviews for the last chapter! :)
Kara sniffled as she tried to ease up her crying. Skye and Grant telling her that she should be careful about what topics she talks about was a huge shock, and had her running out of the room in tears.
Sitting up on the floor in the one empty room in the house, Kara tipped her head back to stem the flow. She blinked several times, finally able to clear up her gaze and let out a shaky breath. Now that she was quieter, she could hear Skye and Grant murmuring upstairs, and felt angry at being left alone.
Kara, be fair. she scolded herself. You were the one to run out. "And maybe they're making their point." she said softly. She closed her eyes only to open them quickly when she heard the sound of creaky boards from the floor above.
"Kara?" Skye's soft voice drifted in through the slightly open door. "Do you wanna talk?"
"Yeah." she croaked, hurriedly clearing her throat. "Yeah." She repeated the word, sounding clearer. Skye pushed the door open more, allowing Kara to see both her and Grant's silhouettes in the dim hallway light.
"We're sorry we upset you." Skye said timidly as she crept in.
"We just thought that we should be clear about what we're comfortable with. There's no need to repeat mistakes." Grant said this a little louder, but the caring sincerity was as obvious in his tone as Skye's was.
"I get that." Kara whispered. "I just assumed that you'd want me to play mediator." She laughed, her eyes still wet with tears. "You both wanted to talk, and yet also didn't at the same time."
"You don't have to." Skye sat in front of Kara, crossing her legs and leaning forward. "Have all the answers, I mean." she added when Kara raised a questioning brow at her. "It's okay to just let things lay where they fall."
"You wanted to keep fighting?" she asked, confused.
"No…I mean that sometimes you should allow us to sort out the problems that we create. Give your thoughts when asked for, but stay out of the problem. If you take a side, or try to side with both of us on the issue–"
"Then it could make it worse all round." Grant finished for her, sitting beside both of them. "And the last thing you need is alienation from us when we're too angry to care enough about our actions."
"Okay." Kara murmured. She nodded absently. "That makes sense." Grant cracked a grin when both girls yawned at precisely the same time. "Maybe we should go to bed."
"Yeah." Skye tiredly laughed. "Oh, wait. There's only one bed."
"We can all share. It's a double." Grant suggested, standing up and offering them a hand each. They took them and got to their feet, a little unsteady. "We'll be off first thing in the morning anyway."
