"EEEEEEEDAAAAAAA!"

Willow winces as the shrill scream of the bird-tube-thing before her shatters the pristine silence of the early morning. She can't imagine that it's a fun sound to wake up to, especially on a school day.

After a few minutes and quite a bit more shouting, both from Hooty and the Owl Lady in question, the door swings slowly open. Eda stands imposingly in the entranceway, the annoyed look in her eyes somewhat offset by the messiness of her hair.

"What do you want?" she growls, before double-taking. "Wait, I know you - you're one of Luz's friends! What are you doing here at this hour? She doesn't need to leave for school for another 20 minutes, at least."

"Actually, I want to speak to her before she starts getting ready. It's important…"

Eda appraises her for a moment, before nodding slowly. "Look, kid, I'm not an idiot. Last night Luz came home and tried to pretend that everything was fine when she clearly wanted to cry her eyes dry - and I'm fairly sure I heard her doing just that in the middle of the night. I didn't mention anything then, 'cause if she doesn't want to tell me then that's her right, but if things get serious, I want to know before she gets hurt, OK?"

"I understand, Miss Eda. I'll do my best to help Luz, if you'd let me in to see her."

Again, Eda nods slowly, before stepping aside and allowing Willow into the Owl House. As she begins to head up the stairs to speak with Luz, the older witch calls in a low voice over her shoulder, "Before she gets hurt, Willow. Physically or emotionally."

"It… might be a bit late for that."

Luz shoots up from her sleeping mat, disorientated and ears ringing. After a few seconds, she realises that the ringing is actually a high-pitched scream, and she quickly becomes aware of a second voice screaming back, but for some reason she can't seem to understand the words. She blinks her eyes open, and glances around her room, but her vision more blurred than usual. Is there something in her eyes? Her fingers come away wet when she reaches up to clear them. Suddenly she tastes salt in the corner of her mouth. I cried myself to sleep last night. Must have taken me a while, if I can still taste the tears. Luz feels like that's a bad thing, but somehow she can't find it within herself to care. She avoids thinking about the source of her tears. Right now it's not occupying her thoughts, and she wants to keep it that way for as long as possible.

Wiping at her eyes once more clears them enough to make out distinct objects in her room, although everything is still a bit blurry, and eventually the shouting stops and she uses the moment of peace to finish getting her bearings. I have school today. I am not ready to deal with school today. Footsteps interrupt the quiet moment, coming closer up the stairs. King's footsteps are padded and quiet, so she guesses that it's Eda, come to wake her up for school. She's always encouraging me to quit, even if she's mostly joking. Maybe I can convince her to let me take the day off? But then she'd want to know what's causing this, and Luz isn't sure she can put it into words just yet. Yesterday, with Willow, she hadn't been able to.

The door creaks open. Luz angles her face away from the entranceway, not wanting Eda to see her indubitably tear-streaked face and red eyes, and calls weakly over her shoulder.

"I'm up, Eda. I'll be down in a few minutes."

Silence.

Then, a voice she hadn't been expecting. One that, she had to admit to herself, she'd been planning to avoid for the day, too scared of the questions it might ask.

"Eda's downstairs still. I wanted to talk to you before you went to school."

"Willow…" Luz breathes her friend's name. Gradually, she turns to face her, and watches in trepidation as her olive eyes flick to her own. She winces as she prepares for the inevitable question.

"You've been crying."

A statement, not a question. Nevertheless, Luz finds herself nodding. It comes easier than she expected. She doesn't expect what Willow says next, either.

"Because Amity stopped being friends with you."

Desperately, she tries to distract herself, to focus on something else. But the truth is there now, hanging between them. She folds away from them, collapsing on her side in the foetal position, as the scene - the words - the final goodbye repeats over and over in her thoughts. With it come the tears, flowing freely, navigating new paths down her cheeks and dripping onto the sleeping mat below. Arms reach down and surround her, and Willow is hugging her, not one of their friendly greetings but a comforting embrace, and as time passes Luz finds the tears gradually drying up. Eventually, she decides that she's ready to speak.

"How did you know?"

"I had a chat with Emira. We figured things out."

"Oh…" A scary thought comes to her. "Is Amity alright?"

"I think so. Emira said that she was sad about something. Apparently they had a bit of a fight, but that's up to them to figure out."

"I know why she's sad."

Willow smiles, and nods at her. "I'm glad we're on the same page." Then she frowns as she notices Luz wincing.

"What's wrong?"

"I guess I was hoping you'd disagree with me, not that I deserve it."

"What? Wait, Luz - what do you think I meant?"

"That I'm a terrible friend, and that Amity's sad that she wasted so much time on me…"

Luz closes her eyes and winces again. That hurts to say, even if the pain is justified. When Willow doesn't reply, she pries her eyes open and glances up at her - to be met with a look of genuine astonishment.

"Luz… you don't honestly think that this is your fault, do you?"

"Y-yes… I was too touchy-feely, or something, and I didn't notice…" Even to her it sounds feeble, because now Willow's gaze has become serious, bordering on angry - the same look she had during her outburst the first time they met.

"You are… this is… not … your fault. You have been nothing but kind and compassionate to her. She's happier and more open with you than even when I was still friends with her - Emira thinks so, I think so, and I'm pretty sure Amity knows that too. If she is sad about something, it's not because of you, but because she still wants to be friends with you and can't for some reason!"

"Then why -" Luz takes a deep, shaky breath, but Willow interrupts her before she can continue.

"I don't know - maybe her parents found out and don't think you're 'worthy' of being her friend. But whatever the reason, we'll work it out together, ok?"

Luz looks doubtful, but nods slowly. Willow smiles brightly at her.

"I have to get to school now: I need to be early to take care of some plants before lessons start. Are you feeling up to it today?"

"Not really, but if I don't go, Eda will worry, and I don't know if I can explain it to her yet."

"I'll tell her, and ask her to give you some space and time. I'm sure she'll understand."

A cracked and wobbly smile grows on Luz's face, and a 'thank you' rises to her lips, but somehow the words don't seem enough to convey the gratitude she feels to her friend for being so understanding and caring. Instead, she simply watches quietly as Willow turns and makes her exit, and, after she's gone, smiles a little wider.