Naia's POV

"How was your weekend?" Nate asked me as we walked to history together.

I thought about Saturday and had to take a deep breath before answering.

"It was fine."

"Hey uh, I was wondering if you wanted to take Sophie to the park with me after school today," Nate said and I remembered how I had turned down that offer last time. I also thought about Jane.

I nodded my head slowly, "Yeah, sure. I mean, I have to run that by Matt and Gabby after school but I think they'll be fine with that."

"Great," Nate smiled at me as we arrived at the history classroom. I nodded and we went to our seats just as Mrs. Smith got up and told us to settle down.

"Hey Munchkin, how was school?" Matt asked me and I nodded.

"Good, it was good."

Gabby smiled, "That's good."

I nodded again, unsure why I was suddenly nervous to ask them if I could go to the park with Sophie and Nate.

"Is something wrong?" Matt asked and I realized I was making a strange face.

"Uh yeah, I was just wondering if I could take Sophie to the park with Nate?" It was supposed to be a statement with my word choice and all but it ended up sounding more like a question.

Gabby and Matt looked at each other, surprised.

"Of course, just call us when you're ready to come home and we'll pick you up at Nate's house," Gabby said.

"I can just walk home," I replied but Gabby shook her head.

"No, not by yourself that late when nobody else is walking that way."

I knew that the fear of me being kidnapped was a thing with Matt and Gabby and so I nodded my head, agreeing that I'd call them at Nate's house when we got back.

"Hi, Gabby!" Nate greeted as he walked up to us, "Hi, Matt!"

Matt grinned, "Hey Nate." He gave Nate a fist bump and I smiled at that exchange.

"Did Naia ask if she could come to the park with Sophie and me?" Nate asked them and Gabby nodded.

"She's all yours," Gabby joked and Nate chuckled.

"I feel like we haven't hung out much lately," Nate commented as we walked towards his house. I awkwardly heaved my backpack high on my shoulder and nodded.

"Yeah."

Nate sighed, "I'm sorry, I didn't think that through before I said it. With everything that happened and-"

I cut him off, "That's the past, we're moving on. Don't worry about it. Why don't you tell me what Sophie's been up to lately."

Nate nodded and then chuckled, "She learned part of the national anthem at school a few days ago and has been singing it all day at home. Dad jokes that we have live entertainment 24/7."

I giggled, "Sounds like fun."

"It's cute and all until I have to do a mound of homework and all I can hear is Sophie screaming The Star-Spangled Banner on the top of her lungs." Nate shook his head. "Whatever you do, don't ask her to sing some for you because she won't stop, even after you're gone."

"Noted," I laughed as we approached Nate's house. He didn't live very far from the school which was nice since it was very convenient.

I was surprised the front door wasn't locked as Nate opened it and we walked into the foyer.

"Hey, Mom! I'm home and I brought Naia with me if that's okay!" Nate called as we dropped our bags on the bench.

"Nia!"

I turned my head to see Sophie running as fast as her little legs could right towards me and for a moment, I didn't see Sophie.

"Where did they take Lily?"

"Is she going to be okay?"

"What's happening?"

"Nia! Nia!" Sophie catapulted herself into me and I quickly snapped out of my trance and picked Sophie up in my arms.

"Hey, Soph, long time no see cutie!" I smiled widely at the five-year-old. "How have things been?"

Sophie grinned at me, "I learned a new song! Wanna hear it?"

Nate quickly shot me a look and I laughed.

"How about later, your brother and I were planning on taking you to the park," I bopped the little girl on the nose which sent her into a fit of giggles.

"Hi, Naia," Nate's mom walked into the room. "How are you?"

I smiled and set Sophie down on the ground, "Good, how are you?"

"I'm good, thank you," She smiled back at me, "Would you like something to eat?"

I looked over at Nate who just shrugged.

"No thank you," I replied politely, "I just came to help Nate with Sophie."

"Park! Park!" Sophie squealed. "Park! Park!"

Nate came over and scooped his little sister up into his arms, "Patience, Soph."

"Well, it looks like we better get going," I told Celine, Nate's mom, who nodded.

"Be back before dinner, Nate," She said and Nate nodded before I followed him back out the door.

We walked to the park with Sophie between us, both of us holding one of her hands.

"Where were you Naia?" Sophie asked innocently, "I haven't seen you in sooooooo long!" On her word so, she stretched it out super long and kicked both her feet off the ground, hanging off of me and Nate's hands.

I tensed a little and tried to figure out what to tell Sophie but not really tell her what happened.

"I was gone for a little bit and then I wasn't feeling well so I took a little break," I finally answered and that seemed to satisfy the five-year-old because she nodded and started skipping down the sidewalk.

Part of me wished I could be naive like Sophie, oblivious to the world and reality around us. I wish I could look at the world differently than I did now. I knew a lot of good people in the world.

Matt and Gabby.

Firehouse 51.

Nate.

And even though those people meant the world to me and I could never show them how much I loved them, nothing they say or do will change the fact that there will always be bad people in the world as well.

Then again, as Gabby said, it was just one of those things where you had to focus on the good in the world.

I can focus on the good.

But I could never forget the bad.