-TRIGGER WARNING: ANXIETY, SELF-HARM-

"Welcome…" Donna greeted shyly. Salvatore waved at everyone from behind her, and Seline waved back. "Hi, Auntie Donna! Hi, Uncle Salvatore!" Daniela had barely stepped into the threshold before she was attacked by Angie. "Dani-Dani-Dani-Dani-Daniiiiiiiii! Come and play with meeeeeeee!" Not wanting to reveal that she loved the attention (and the doll), Daniela scoffed. "God, you're worse than my sister." Cassandra scowled, being the aforementioned sister. "HEY!" Angie laughed and tried to pull Daniela away. Finally succumbing to the doll, Daniela allowed herself to be led up to Angie's room. Bela was already talking to Salvatore about a new book the two had recently read. That just left Cassandra and Seline to sit by themselves while everyone else had fun. "Not a party person? You seem like the type who would really enjoy them." Cassandra commented, and Seline smiled. "I do like parties! But I don't wanna leave you sitting here alone. That doesn't seem fun at all." Not for the first time, Cassandra felt a small twinge of guilt. If she knew what we've done… If she knew where the meat we eat really came from… She would leave in a heartbeat. She's too pure for us. Too pure for me. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a poke on her cheek. "Cass, stop looking sad! We're supposed to be having fun!" Seline continued to poke Cassandra until she eventually swatted her hand. "My cheeks aren't made of bread dough!" Even though she sounded annoyed, Seline had actually managed to cheer her up. So while the guilt wasn't truly gone, it had been pushed back into her heart, where she could chain it up and keep it where it belonged. All tied up with a little bow, where nobody would ever find it. I can not be seen as weak. I will not be seen as weak. Once again, Seline interrupted Cassandra's thoughts, but this time she appreciated it. "C'mon, let's go! Auntie Donna said that she made cupcakes!" Seline jumped up and tried to pull Cassandra with her. After letting the little girl struggle for a minute, Cassandra finally got up. "Alright, alright, alright. Let's go get those cupcakes." The two sisters met up with Salvatore in the kitchen, where he was also eying the cupcakes. "Hi, Uncle Salvatore!" While Moreau's hunched state made it difficult for anyone else, Seline's short stature meant that she was at the perfect height to hug him. When was the last time someone hugged me? Salvatore could barely recall a woman who might have been his mother. Her warm arms wrapping around his child self as she whispered words of comfort to him.

"Mama, Mama!"

"What is it, Salvatore?"

"The kid across the street pushed me!"

"Aww, bugaboo, it's okay. Do you want Mama to talk to his mother?"

"No… But can you give me a hug?"

"Of course, my baby boy. Come here."

Salvatore's hands barely shook as he recalled the flash of memory. She called me bugaboo. I had forgotten that. I was her baby boy… "Uncle Salvatore, which cupcake do you want? I took a pink one!" Snapped out of his thoughts, Salvatore smiled at the frosting-covered Seline. "I can see you had a pink cupcake, it's all over your face." Rather than doing the practical thing and grabbing a napkin, Seline tried to lick it off. As he laughed and helped her wipe it off, Salvatore suddenly felt a warming sense of belonging. He thought that he had felt that with Mother Miranda, but no. This little girl with the frosting on her nose, who gave him a flower, who called him Uncle Salvatore, she made him feel like he belonged. She made them all feel like they belonged.

But where did she belong in this family?

Donna locked the door to the bathroom and sunk down. Taking a deep breath, she tried her hardest to calm herself, but it didn't work. It never did. No, no, no. This is not going to be one of those days. I am hosting a party. A sob escaped her mouth, and she hated herself for it. Every tear, every cry for help, that was a sign of weakness. Social anxiety isn't that bad. It's not that bad. It's not that bad. It's not that bad. It's not that- "Donna?" Karl lightly knocked on the door. "Are you alright? You've been in there for a while." Struggling to make her voice sound normal, and not like she was on the edge of a breakdown, Donna tried to answer him. "I-I'm fine!" However, Karl saw right through that. "Oh, h*ll no. I am not leaving you alone in there." Using his metal powers, he unlocked the door and stepped in. When he saw she was on the floor, Karl sighed and sat beside her. With a snap of his fingers, the door shut and relocked, so now it was just the two of them. "Arms." Knowing that there was no point in resisting, Donna held out her arms, and Karl pushed up her sleeves. Gently, he ran one of his fingers down the many scars, frowning at the newer red ones. "I-I'm sorry…" His gaze flicked upwards at that. "Donna Beneviento. Don't you dare apologize." Slowly, he pushed up the veil that covered her face, and his steely-gray eyes met her dark brown ones. "You don't ever need to apologize to me." Karl said, his voice gentler. Donna nodded and pulled her sleeves back down. "C-can we do the breathing exercises now?" Karl set his hands on her shoulders. "Yes, we can. Now, when I breathe, you copy me, alright? Focus on my hands." The two did the breathing together, as they had done hundreds of times before whenever Donna's anxiety shined through. For some unknown reason, it was always Heisenberg that calmed her down. When he stopped acting cocky and bickering with Alcina, Karl's sweet side would come out. Only for her. "Are you feeling better now?" Silently, Donna nodded, and he smiled softly. "Good." He took a second to scan her face. "Do you want me to stay with you for a little longer?" Once again, she nodded, and Karl laughed quietly. "Alright. I'll stay as long as you need."

I'll be here for you.

As long as you need.

I'll be here.

I'll make the bad thoughts go away.

I won't leave you.

Just let me stay here.

Let me stay with you.