A/N: I just noticed the reviews are 123! xD

Anyway, not much to say as I've been busy all week. Yep. That's the reason for this week's late update: being busy. Anywho, I'll just answer any reviews I've been left and then move on with the story.

Gucci Mane LaFlare - Thanks for the kind review! Yeah the likeliness of everyone succeeding is slim, but I think the ending will be pretty surprising.

Till next time,

D.L.D


Heather's P.O.V

"Heather?"

I can't help but smile as I knew I'd find her here. She always came here when she was upset; when mother and father were arguing. It was Dana special spot too. That's why I showed her it, hoping that something of my sister's would live on after her death. But I guess it did. Marietta looked almost identical to her.

I look at my younger sister now, dark hair wet and slightly matted from being out in the rain. Her usually peach skin was flushed, brown eyes rimmed with red. Her work uniform was on, her thin bomber jacket covering her frame but not her head. She looked a mess - emotional and physical and seeing it made it all the more heartbreaking. Terrible.

A pang vibrated throughout my chest as I took her in, holding my umbrella over the both of us.

"What are you doing out here?" My voice came out soft, understanding. I was here to listen. To help resolve whatever was going on and to get her safe back home. I wasn't here to make her feel worse, or aggravate; I was here to be what my family wasn't. Loving.

However, Marietta didn't answer. Her head hung low, droplets of rain falling onto her hairline from my umbrella and the cold seeming to not bother her.

"You know mother's worried about you," I decide to take this softly, sitting beside her on the bench. "Damion lost his shit when he found out apparently. He's looking for you everywhere."

"So what," Her voice came out low, deflated.

Something had to have happened to have deflated her usually cheery mood. After all she was the one out of the three of us who did all the effort. She was the one who made a big deal of birthdays and Christmas; she was the one who made a card for mothers' and fathers' day; she was the one who cared. Damion and I were just carbon copies of what my father wanted for his kids, cold and emotionless brats who wanted but didn't love. If we did we hid it deep within, often fooling ourselves of it too.

But Marietta was different. She was the one who still had life and love within in. The golden child. So to find her looking so deflated and sad made me feel as if the whole world had shattered. That nothing was as it was. The world seemed to know it too as the rain came down hard, icy water pelting down in heavy clouds.

"So you should let them know you're fine," I elaborate, hinting slightly. "What happened?"

"Nothing," She mumbled, tucking her knees to her chest. "I just woke up."

"Woke up from what?" I ask, raising a brow.

"From being so oblivious and stupid," Marietta sighed as she ran a soaked hand down her face. "I feel like I'm the only one who didn't notice how messed up it was before. How mom and dad weren't normal, how we were raised wasn't normal, nothing was normal!"

"So it's about being normal?" My tone changes, as I sit up.

"No...it's not that," Marietta shook her head, beads of rainwater flying everywhere. "I just - I feel so lost. Like who am I? How can you keep going on when you don't know who you are? When everything you knew as true is shattered and revealed as a lie?"

"So you've been acting happy for Damion and mother?" I ask and she nods, a grimace on her face.

"I feel bad for doing it but - they both seem so stressed and - I didn't wanna add to that!" Tears slipped from her eyes as she glanced at the tree. A single faded red ribbon hung from a branch high up, the material washed with age. The ends were slightly tattered and the colour dulled from the brilliant red, however it still moved in the wind. "So I came here to think."

"To think about what?" I look at her and she falls silent, hair covering her expression. "What about Marietta?"

"What do you think?" She asked, tilting her head and gesturing to the tie around her neck. "I've been on the edge of doing it and turning away for the past few hours. Each time I go to do it I stop myself, and each time I stop myself it calls back."

I sigh, pinching the crease between my brows as I look at my sister. This whole time she'd been hiding some sort of self-conflict from everyone and has been gradually burning out. Now that she has burnt out and feels terrible, she's gone on a disappearing act and is deciding whether to kill herself or not. Sounds a lot like a trashy tv show or even a plot for a book. If only the solution would magically appear like in those.

Right now, I think she needs some tough love. Extra tough love.

"Are you stupid!" I shake her my hands grasping onto her shoulders. "You shouldn't even consider it!"

"What because of the image?" Marietta looks at me, venom in her voice. For the first time, I've noticed that she hates the family image. She didn't like it anymore than Damion or me, in fact she seemed to loathe it even more.

"No, not because of that," I release her and then remove her tie. This earns a glare, but I ignore it and poke her in the chest. "You should be living because you're young and have a lot to look forward to. You are amazing and don't let anything or anyone make you think differently. I know I would've turned out differently if someone reminded me of that."

"You don't know what I am."

"Yes I do," I say and then grab her by the arm, "Now come on, I'm taking you home. Then you can learn about how close you were to following Dana and mother and Damion will smother you with affection."

Marietta says no words of protest, choosing to follow me in silence. However when I glance back I see the faintest smile on her face and know that her usual spirit is returning.


Mike's P.O.V

"Mike," Mrs Davey frowned, biting her lip as she glanced at me. She wore a concerned expression on her face, her arm withdrawing from reaching towards me. "I don't think we should continue with this. You're clearly a wreck and maybe a week off will do you good."

"What?" I turn to face her, eyes wide and mind on red alert.

I won't deny that over the past few weeks I've been getting progressively worse. Since more and more personalities were going, my mind was constantly trying to recreate them. There's been several times when I've called out to Svetlana, Chester and Vito only to get nothing in response. They never were triggered again and all that would happen was flashbacks. Constant recollections of what had happened to me and how I came from a messed up background.

Of course it had taken its toll with me going sleepless some night and not eating a much as I usually would. Thinking had become hard now as I hated visiting the depths of my mind and so I busied myself. I gave myself an endless list of tasks, most pointless things like organise books or ask anyone if they wanted me to do anything for them, just to stay away from my head. To stay away from the place that knows how to jar me best. To make me feel small and trapped again.

"Mike...How do I say this?" Mrs Davey sighed, a hand coming to her temple as she glanced at her clipboard. "Over these last few sessions I've been seeing you progressively get worse. You're sinking into madness and you're letting it happen. You're not moving on like the personalities told you to. So, I'm ending the MPD sessions for now - or until you can show me you can function ok without the personalities. I'm also going to schedule more appointments for PTSD."

"What? No!" I blink, mind reeling and senses panicking as I listen to the woman. I wanted to get this whole trial thing over and done with, not delay it further. I needed to get rid of them all if I couldn't get the others back.

"Mike, calm down," The therapist was by my side, hands softly gripping my upper arms as she frowned. "Deep breathes."

I followed her instructions, taking deep gulps of air before breathing them out.

In...

out...

In...

out...

Soon I'm calmed and talking to her, relaying the issues I have been facing and expressing my wish to go ahead with the session today. I wanted to tackle Manitoba today. He wasn't the hardest one to come to terms with - the ones before were all way harder than his origins. But Mal...he was the worst. A combination of all my demons. I had to end it soon or Mal would be able to come back and if he does all my progress will be set back.

"Ok, I'll let you do one today," Mrs Davey gave me a sly smile, her slightly creased face kind and reminiscent to that of a grandma. "But I won't do next week's if you're in a worse state. Your mental health does matter Mike, I won't take it for granted."

I nod, already placing the electrodes in the right places. Soon I have the blue liquid in my hands, the cup warming my hands. Then I'm knocking it back and the world begins to melt, my eyes closing and the darkness coming with it.


I was in a museum. Yeah a museum.

My school had taken us on a field trip, telling us to get into pairs and to not wander off. If we did the rule was to find a member of the staff and tell them that we went to our school, then we would be found and placed back within the group.

Well that was supposed to happen.

I sigh as I look at the display before me. It was exhibiting the things that explorers had found in the past, all sorts of objects and knickknacks decorating the place. Things from the Native Americans, Latin America and even Australia were on exhibit. Each artifact worth way more than I could ever imagine and yet looking so old that it could crumble apart at any second. Things like that confused me. How something so old could be worth more than something new. After all when the new game console came out, the old one became less expensive. So why were these things different?

I once again became absorbed with the objects, looking over each one with fascination. Then I saw a wax copy of one of the explorers who had found an object in South America. It was from wither the Inca or the Mayan period, the object odd but somehow enchanting. Like something from an Indiana Jones movie. The explorer also looked like it, their supplies and gear looking like they were prepared for all sorts of booby traps and things.

I bet he doesn't get lost in the museum because all the other kids dared you to wander off. Thanks for that Vito.

Another sigh escapes me as I turn from the exhibit and think about where my class could be. It would be impossible to find them, especially since I was only a kid. But then again maybe I could find my way there. Like the adventurers from this exhibit found things. My teacher did say we were at this museum to look at dinosaurs, so all I had to do was find the dinosaur exhibit.

Turning on my heel, I begin to make my way through the museum. I twist and turn through crowds, ignoring adults and other kids in favor of reading signs and indicators of where I was in the building. I passed through the mammal's section; aquatic life section; human body section; past biology section; and even the modern animals section before finally making my way to the dinosaur exhibit. By then I had probably gone through the whole place, seeing each and every sight the museum had to offer, and getting every stamp and the stamp stations, when I had just tried to get to the dinosaur exhibit. I couldn't wait to tell my students and classmates about what I'd seen and discovered.

I ended up going through the whole dinosaur exhibit alone, seeing the animatronic dinosaurs at the end and being surprised by how lifelike they were. However I finally caught up with my class when they were in the gift shop. The teachers had done a head count and realised that I had been missing for the whole time. All of them seemed shocked when they saw me calmly walk in, my stamp paper full of stamps from all around the museum.

"Well it looks like you went on an adventure," My teacher, Mr Gray, smiled as he looked at the paper. "I guess your wandering off can be excused this time, but don't do it again."

"I won't Mr Gray," I nod and he lets me go into the gift shop.

That day I left with a new hat, just like the ones those adventurers wore.

./././././.

"Well at least I'm a lighter memory," Manitoba chuckled as the scene faded. It grew fuzzy in an instant, me now being stood before the personality in what appeared to be a living room. "I heard the old bird talking. You want me to hang around?"

I shake my head, knowing that it would do more damage than help. Manitoba had to go before I dealt with Mal. Mal had control over them the same way I had influence over them. It'd make getting rid of my MPD harder than it needs to be and I don't want my last memories of Manitoba to be terrible. He was the only personality that was born out of a nice situation. A situation where I gained independence and felt proud of myself.

"I think it'd best you go," I say as I look at him and he nods.

"Ok, just remember that hat," Manitoba grinned, pointing at his hat. "Till we meet again."

"Till we meet again..."

I give a wave and he fades away, the only thing remaining being his hat.


Lindsey's P.O.V

"I passed!" I can't help but smile as I held the returned test in my hands.

Somehow all that B had taught me in the library had stayed in my head and now I had seen the fruit of my hard labour. After hours of going over what he had told me, as well as returning to the library every time I needed to be shown how to do something new, I had finally gotten my first excellent grade. Even my teacher had been surprised when handing it back.

"That's good," Katie nodded as she looked at the test. "Maybe you'll be able to head straight to the Fashion Industry with me and Kitty. Dakota's gonna take a photography class before joining."

"Maybe," I bite my lip as I think about attending fashion school, or even just going into modelling. But all of that seemed like a lot of effort right now, I wanted to go into the office. To prove that the 'dumb blonde' stero-typey thing wasn't real. I've been told I have the potential, so all I have to do is prove it.

"Well the offer's always open," Katie shrugged as we entered the hall of the library. Students were everywhere, most of them silent as they worked alone on assignments and courses. "Thanks again for letting me study with you."

"No prob, I'm always available," I say as I head towards the usual table.

B was already there, working away on one of his secret projects. Apparently he and Cameron were already millionaires, both making quite a nice profit from a project they worked and patented together. However Cameron had left the college on some course not too long ago and now B seemed fully invested on this project. In fact he often 'spoke' about it in his own way. He said it was something he was making for his friend Dawn - but I think they're something more. Aside from their Prom date thing, I think B and Dawn have something for each other but no-one's ever spoken about it. Not even them.

"Hey B," I greet him and he nods, before looking at Katie confused.

"Oh that's my friend Katie," I laugh slightly as I introduce them. "She wanted to study with me."

"Hey B," Katie gave him a wave, which he returned with a nod, and then sat down. She then got out her study material, before turning to me. "So is B the reason why you passed the test?"

"Well kinda," I say as I get out my things. "I mean my brain did the remembering, he just explained it really well."

"Oh," Katie nodded before turning to B. She turned her workbook, showing it to him with her pink manicured nails. "So could you show me how to do this?"

B nodded and so the study session began. Once again it ended with success and Katie and I were out within two hours, wishing B luck and gossiping as we left.

"You think he's making something for Dawn?" Katie raised a brow as we walked along the path.

"Maybe," I answer, "He said he was, but wouldn't say why."

"Well, maybe it's a romantic gesture!" Katie beamed as she drifted into her thoughts. "Maybe he's making her something to show how he feels!"

"Maybe, but so what if he is?" I ask, confused as to what Katie was hinting at. All of this subtleness and hinting wasn't my forte. I like it when people are clear and to the point, it doesn't make me seem so dumb when they say what they have planned.

"We should help," Katie smiled, practically bouncing along the path. "We are girls and so can help B get to Dawn."

"But what if he doesn't need any help?" I say, knowing that B and Dawn liked to be on their own. They liked to sort things at their own pace and do it how they wanted, that was why no-one knew much about them. Both were outsiders.

"Then he'll have to take it as a thank you gift!" Katie giggled as she got out her phone. "Now let's start planning."

I only sigh as she begins to shoot texts to people, planning and booking things that were going to be unnecessary. We should really leave Dawn and B alone, they'll figure everything out on their own. But then again a small part of me, maybe the stero-typey thingy me, wanted to meddle. So I was soon joining Katie with her giggling and texting as I forgot about how we were meddling and instead thought of it as helping.


Zoey's P.O.V

"I got through."

I try to smile as I break the news to my friends, showing them the recording of my audition. The team had really liked it, in fact they had requested for me to start with them immediately. That was great, really great actually, but it also meant I had to leave Pahkitew and say goodbye to my friends. That was the tough part.

Since the coach for the team is stationed across the country right now, I have to leave and say goodbye to this place. Meaning I have to leave Pahkitew, although I wasn't gonna miss its crummy aspects and stuff, and try to make the best of things without my friends. Not to mention doing long distance with Mike...

"That's great."

"Yeah, I'm psyched for you."

"Don't forget us when you're famous."

Each of their comments warm me slightly, the feeling similar to trickling honey, however it's soon replaced with a bitterness. An empty feeling. All of these warm and smiley emotions are now depressed and melancholic as I know they will be some of my last with them. Well for now anyway.

"Why'd you look so down?" Leshawna raised a brow as she looked away from my phone. That all knowing look was on her face, similar to Bridgette's when her 'maternal instincts' kicked in. I think Leshawna's getting them too, it would make sense since her bump was bigger now. She's only got around three months till the baby's born. "I mean you wanted to get in right?"

"Yeah I did," I sigh as I pocket my phone, I then kick at the ground. "It's just - I have to go out of state if I join."

"What?!"

There was a mixed reaction. Two had shocked faces, the others looked excited for me - like really excited. In fact Gwen and Courtney seemed to be more hyped about me getting picked than I was. Both seemed incredulous at my sad reaction to leaving.

"You have to go," Gwen grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking me slightly. "Leave while you can."

"Yeah I agree with her," Courtney nodded, her voice completely professional. "This dump is a place I've been trying to escape for a year now. I'd go while I have the chance."

"Well I want to but - "

I was interrupted by Leshawna tutting, shaking her head as she snatched me from Gwen's grasp and stroked my head.

"Nah uh, she's gonna be all alone out there! That's worse than being stuck in this crap hole," The African-American shook her head. "Now don't you worry, sugar we'll make sure you stay with us."

"But - "

"Nope she has to go," Courtney tapped her foot in annoyance. "Chris has Life Plans for us all! Zoey should go before she ends up stuck like us all!"

"Guys - " Once again I was ignored, earning a grimace. It seems they're all more concerned about this than me. This would be touching, but really this was getting annoying. After all this was my choice to make, not theirs. I was going to be the one doing the gymnastics, not them.

"Yeah but she'll be all alone," Bridgette defended, stepping forward. Now she was involved. The pacifist of the group.

I sighed as they seemed to erupt into a mini debate. It honestly annoyed yet touched me, in the most grating way. I felt like an orphaned child in the middle of a family debate about which relative they'd go to live with now that their parents were dead. Trapped in the middle and unheard.

"Can you guys stop! I thought I'd just tell you this because we're friends, but if you're gonna make this hard I'll decide on my own!" The words come out louder and harsher than I intended, but they all fall silent. Each person looks at me, a mixture of shock and shame on their face.

"Sorry - "

"My bad."

"We took it way out of proportion..."

"Zoey wait we - "

I simply shook my head and gave them a smile, deciding to change the subject and tackle it on my own. I'm sure it'll be for me if I do it that way anyway. After all nothing will influence me except my own thoughts and opinions.

"Let's just leave that topic," I exhale, before looking at Leshawna. "So how is the bump doing?"

The bronze-skinned woman blinked before smiling, getting the hint.

"Oh, he's doing well," She smiled, placing a hand on her swollen belly. "My mama's been pestering me about names though. Can you believe she wanted me to call him Samuel?"

"Samuel?" Even Courtney wrinkled her nose.

And then we were laughing, the topic of me possibly leaving left behind in the trails of our conversation. The thought makes me smile: at least if I do leave one of my last memories will be a happy one like this.


Sky's P.O.V

I sigh as I place my final pieces of clothing within my suitcase. It was official: I'm leaving.

Not long after receiving that final letter, I replied to Chris and handed in my resignation from this place. At least after this I'll be free to study where I please, work where I want and maybe even have a chance at making friends or finding love again. I mean it happened for Sadie - who hasn't been seen since that incident last New Years - maybe it could work for me?

I look at my packed suitcase, cardboard boxes and other storage devices scattered around the room with it. Now my dorm was bare the things that I had put into it, such as posters and vases and pieces of art and that stuff, was packed away and gone. Vanished along with their owner. We were going on a new journey, a new place to start. Somewhere where I couldn't be prejudged because of my past mistakes I'd made as a Freshman/Sophomore.

As I begin to lift the boxes, knowing that it'd be a long walk and process of taking them to my car, my phone rings. The ringtone echoes clearly around the small and empty room, chilling my spine as I place down the boxes and decide to answer the call. Maybe it was someone who realised I was leaving and wanted to wish me a goodbye; or maybe someone who wanted to stay in contact; or someone who wanted to be a friend.

Shaking my head of the hopeful thoughts, I grab my phone and answer the call. As soon as I place it to my ear I hear the shrill voice of Sierra.

"Sky! I heard you were leaving!" I shrieked as I removed the phone from my ear, the volume too loud. Sierra sounded outraged, maybe even excited slightly. The idea makes me smile, before it quickly deflates realising that I was leaving.

"Yeah...I thought I should make a fresh start," I sigh, not bothering to hide the sadness in my tone. "So why'd you call? You wanted to get a final laugh or remind me of my shitty mistakes?"

"Oh no!" Sierra giggled, snorting in her usual manner, "The opposite actually! I was gonna ask if you wanted to join my show as a co-host! Maybe even a guest! You see I dropped out not too long ago after getting a deal with ARTC."

"ARTC?!" I almost drop my phone in disbelief. ARTC was a leading TV company, one that aired globally and could even rival MTV and TLC! They made some of my favourite Trash-TV series. If Sierra had a deal with them, then it was a huge deal.

"Yep," Her voice was filled with smugness, however it wasn't condescending. If anything it was friendly, persuading, maybe even welcoming.

Welcoming.

Oh it's been ages since someone's welcomed me, let alone been friendly. The last time I felt wanted was when I entered high school - after that everything seemed to go down hill. My life progressively got worse and worse in a never-ending downward spiral. But maybe this was what I needed to get back to normal again. To not be out cast out as I had been all these years.

"Well I'll accept the offer - "

"Great! Be there tomorrow at ten and I'll sort the rest~" She then hung up, leaving me to wonder about what I'd just agreed to.


Courtney's P.O.V

"I can't believe it failed," Gwen sighed as she looked over the letter my lawyers had sent me.

Apparently Chris had made that part of his stupid contracts impossible to bypass. It was one of the few conditions he had actually made impossible to escape. In fact, it was the only one that he had made sure was impossible to discard. That meant we were all stuck with the job of populating his weird town, whether we wanted to or not. But that wasn't what pissed me off. What had me pissed was that my lawyers had failed me again.

Just like when I started at this college.

It was starting to make me suspicious of them. About if they really did work for me, or if they were getting some sort of compensation from Chris. It wouldn't be impossible after all. There are some people who wouldn't mind gaining a bit of extra cash in return for fooling their client. And so that seed of doubt annoyed me to no end. So much so, that I had gotten out my copy of the contract and began to annotate it.

The contract was in front of me now, the clause talking about Chris' town highlighted and surrounded by notes.

"I can't believe my lawyers failed," I scowl as I read over my work. "I bet they're working for him."

"Probably," Gwen shrugged as she left the letter to the side. She then raised a brow looking at me. "Any luck with breaking it?"

"Sorta," I scrunch my nose as I look at the contract, pink and blue highlighting a lot of things. "I think we can make the town null and void, but we'd need a lot of people to help us."

Silence filled the room as Gwen sunk into thought. Her brows furrowed as she picked up her phone and unlocked it, opening an app. She then glanced back at me, a smirk on her face and a weird fire lit in her eyes.

"How many?"

I grinned in response.

It was then I knew that we had one last option. One last resort. The ultimate comeback against Chris Mclean.


Ella's P.O.V

"Hmm there's nothing to do these days," I sigh as I go through pages of posts on my phone.

All sorts of things had been posted, from gossip about celebrities to just plain old life hacks. However none could snap me out of the boredom and emptiness I was feeling. A sort of feeling to do something but not knowing what that something was.

I had tried singing, dancing, even boxing and animal training. Nothing worked. Each time I came back even worse than before and feeling like I was wasting my time away doing something I'd never have a passion for.

I continue to scroll, my eyes drifting to a post about an upcoming Disney movie. It was another Disney Princess movie, no doubt a way to rope in nostalgic viewers and such, however it had my interest piqued. This time they were looking for for people to audition (as in any one) and said it was a live-action about a modern day princess who grew up watching Disney before realising that those movies lied.

Deciding to give it a shot, I write down the email address and begin to get everything set up to record my audition. Maybe this will kill my boredom?