The impact was fucking brutal. You weren't even going that fast, but I guess about 25MPH to 0 in less than a second would warrant the ringing in your ears and the numbness you felt as the airbags deflated.

You car was stopped immediately and jumped up an inch on it's back wheels before coming back down facing a small bit more so to the left. The car that you ran into was off to your left as well, a bit further into the oncoming intersection, it's front now facing you from spinning a bit you assume.

You sat there until you heard sirens and the numbness in your arms, face, and chest faded out and was swiftly replaced with agony. You had unbuckled yourself despite your arm protesting otherwise while a few bystanders got your door open and were asking you questions to which you responded with only a slight nod or shake of your head.

The bag to your right, once residing in the passenger seat, was over on the floor along with it's contents. You attempted reaching over a bit to it before being quickly reset to your original position by the searing pain in your ribs.

You somehow asked the guy to your left if he could grab your stuff before putting it back in the bag while the ambulance crew showed up along with a couple other emergency vehicles. You didn't let them put you on the stretcher until you had your bag with you, double checking that all three photos were in there over anything else. All that movement was excruciating, however necessary.

Your largest concern, before passing out from the adrenaline and rampant anxiety more than anything, was how you were getting into work, and how you were going to reassure Sun that you were gonna be there today.

You had to be there.

You had to be.

You had to.

8am. And you weren't there yet.

Sun help out hope. So did Moon.

9am.

You.. were running a bit late. Surely they would see you before at least ten?

12pm. It was naptime. Every second leading up to now was agonizing without you, and would be until you were either here, or gone for the week or two it would take for Sun to truly understand that you're not coming back. Moon has already accepted it.

Sun was slow up until noon. A bit less enthusiastic dealing with the kids, still being more than qualified for his job, but he only granted the kids a smile when he noticed one puzzling his frown for longer than a second.

His heart was aching the whole morning, it was almost debilitating. He would constantly check the security cameras at the entrance to the Plex and the outside of the Daycare, even the service entrances near the theater overhead on the upper walkway wrapping around the Daycare to other opposite side of the lobby just in case you somehow stuck past him.

Sun was relieved for once when Moon finally took over.

He did his naptime routine like clockwork, the only difference was him staring into the supply closet right of the cubbies for a good bit longer than usual. Ruminating more than reminiscing.

He rounded up the kids, handed out the moondrop candies, comforted some of the ones that cried a bit, and told them a story from the book he hesitantly took out of the closet along with some blankets and pillows just earlier.

They had all drifted into a comfortable, warm and fuzzy slumber after just a few minutes, and he backed up as much as possible from them while still being able to observe if anything went wrong.

Laying back against the play structure initially, he began to lean forward, resting his head into the top of his hands, both layered over his knees for support.

His chest was tight all of a sudden. Warmer than usual. He tried to avoid the ringing building up in his ears by reciting lullabies and poems and stories he had learned but that only seemed to make it worse. And worse. And worse. And worse. And worse. And worse. And worse. Ą̷͈̙̰̮͕̍͝n̶̗̻̣̎d̶̨̯͍͕̈́̀̓͝ ̷̞̠̺̣͙̓͌̃w̷͔̱̘̒̑͑͒̿o̴̢̧̖̬̾r̸̡̛̛̪̖̱͚̝͒̒̑͘s̸̨͚̓̈̕ȩ̶̩͚̺̦̅̑̔́.

"Hey, Moon."

The familiar voice whispered to him. But it wasn't yours.

The woman reading a book from the dim light of her phone spun in her chair behind the security desk to face him.

"Aren't you not supposed to go behind the desk, bud?"

He hums. "Mmm.. Well it's a bit boring out there while the kids are asleep.."

She stares at him still, not satisfied with his response.

"..And.. the book you're reading is.. quite interesting." He adds, quietly of course as to not wake the kids a couple of meters in front of the desk.

"Ah, didn't know robots could appreciate literature." Her left hand placed under her chin supporting her head, elbow resting on the arm of the chair. She studied the robot's barely distinguishable facial expressions and bright red eyes under the dim light of glowing stars.

"Well.." He exasperates sarcastically, mocking being offended, "I am only programmed with a few lullabies and about four or five stories."

"..The kids surely get tired of hearing the same ones.. over and over and over again.." He explains, hoping that'd get the smug-faced woman off of his case and back to reading so he could follow along as well.

"Hm." She thinks for a second, still not taking her eyes off the machine.

"Maybe I'll go ahead and bring you some physical books you can read from. Something with kids stories, lullabies, maybe even some poems if I feel a bit generous." She offers, Moon unsure if she's being genuine or not.

"You do not have to do that, Sarah." He assures her.

"Well we can't have you behind the security desk, now can we, Mr. Moon?" She smiles a bit before turning around, amused and content with her fill of the naptime robot for today.

Moon had grown accustomed to the human Daycare Attendant in the past couple of months. Slowly she became a lot friendlier towards him specifically. Of course she was somewhat nice to Sun too, but never really anything other than a coworker that would tolerate his 'blabbering' as she once put it.

The very next day, in came the lady yet again at 8am sharp, this time carrying a plastic bag with an unfamiliar logo on the front.

She hid it from Sun, and despite him noticing, she wouldn't tell him what is was, securing it behind the security desk that unlike his counterpart Moon, he was afraid to go behind.

Naptime came around as noon struck, and as Moon effortlessly put the kids to rest as he's done countless times before, just as always he slowly made his way up to the security desk and carefully sneaked behind it, movements methodical and calculated not to startle Sarah from her reading.

But this time, as soon as Moon got comfortable in his position against the wall, his tall frame able to see over her shoulder and zoom in on the small phone screen she was reading from, the lady suddenly turned around a bit faster than usual and beamed up, matching his red glare.

It startled Moon a bit, but his head only turned slightly before adjusting his posture.

"Mmmm what's the matter Sarah? Suddenly have a problem with my curiosity in the fine arts?" He hummed out in his low, soothing voice.

"Oh I've always had a problem big guy." She snaps back but then giggles a bit, Moon still unsure at the tone of her response.

Moon doesn't have too much time to think about it before she pulls out three hard cover books.

The first one she pulled out and placed into Moon's hand was a relatively thick story book. It's cover being that of a crescent moon with a teddy bear in a nightcap, sleeping upon it peacefully in the clouds.

The next one she places in Moon's opposite hand is one with the word 'lullaby' written on it in a large cute font. Yet another crescent moon fills the night sky, this time personified reading a book, with a kid floating through the air, tucked into a bed, sleeping soundly against a forest background.

The final book she stacked on top of the others in Moon's hands which were now held together as not to let it fall. A poetry book. The cover art was of a kid flying through the air, using a book as his aircraft while different animals even Sun didn't know the names for scattered the starry night sky around him.

Moon didn't speak, only staring at the books, alternating his gaze between them and Sarah, not sure if these gifts were his to keep.

"Go on big guy, lemme read in peace now, alright?" She turns back around, opening her phone yet again, dimly reflecting the light against her dark brown hair.

Moon slowly walks away, still watching her. He stops a bit to the side of the desk and hesitantly has to confirm it for himself. "Are.. are these mine..? No.. no.. Do.. do you want them back by the end of your shift?"

She closes her phone again and sighs, "Yes, Moon, they're yours. Keep them. And stay out from behind the security desk, alright? I'm sure whoever else won't feel very at ease having an eight foot animatronic looming over them from behind."

He.. doesn't take the time to fully acknowledge her comment after confirming they're his, as he's already on his way over to a different area where he can read and keep watch over the children simultaneously.

He read through all the books a couple dozen times over, making sure to memorize every last word and each ounce of artwork within it's pages before 1:30pm, just in case she changed her mind and wanted them back.

Around 1:25, he made his way to the supply closet, opening it with a swipe of his hand against the card reader, and depositing the books in an unused shoe box gently and carefully, worried they might crumble to dust if he wasn't the most bit careful.

Oh how jealous Sun was, Moon had to block him out while he read given the record amount of unrelenting curiosity and excitement he had been expressing from the second the first book was dropped into Moon's hands.

Sun didn't have access to the supply closet the same as Moon did, but he tried anyways real quick as snack time came around. Oh how happy he was, and he made sure to let Sarah know how thankful him and Moon were, despite Moon being a little more hesitant to show it if he'd have been out a bit longer.

Sarah only met Sun's dozen upon dozens of thank-yous throughout the day with a nod or a thumbs up or an "Oh it's nothing bud." before swiftly getting back to her work on the computer in front of her without a turn of the head.

It was about 3pm, and Sarah's shift was over. Grabbing her belongings, Sun as usual skipped over to her to say his goodbyes.

Sarah would usually give a small wave before making her way out of the doors without a word, but this time was different.

"Hey Sun."

He froze for a second before responding.

"O-oh - oh yes yes yes, what is it Sarah!?"

"Tell Moon is said goodbye, alright bud?" She turns and starts walking.

Sun pauses yet again.

"O-oh, ah ..o-okie dokie, can do! See ya tomorrow Sarah!" He animates a large goodbye wave, smile plastered across his face, sad to see her go, but knowing she'd be back the next day at eight sharp give or take a few minutes, usually give, would tie him over until then.

She stopped for a second before continuing out the doors.

Moon rarely got to see her in the hour and a half he was actually out. It was the only thing he looked forward to during naptime other than the kids and their occasional drawings of him.

You can guess how devastating it was when she didn't come back that next morning.

Moon didn't touch the books since then. The only attention he gave them was staring at the shoe box a couple seconds longer than usual before giving in just earlier - grabbing the story book along with the usual blankets, pillows, and stuffies.

Being reminded so vividly of Sarah because of you. You.

You abandoned them just like she did.

You broke your promise.

You didn't come back.

You were just like everyone else.

They were numb until close. Still going through the motions of losing you. Sun still not being able to accept you were truly gone.

As the last kid was handed off with a smile, lasting until their backs were turned, Sun slowly made his way up to their room. Body limp as the wire lifted them to their balcony.

His arms and legs were weak. He was so weak. The sensation was as familiar as ever. He wished he didn't have to feel like this again with each time it happened, and yet again he hopes he never has to feel this way again in the future. That is, if the pain ever dulls any at all this time. He really thought you were different. He really really really did.

Crawling through the tube, he lays sideways on the floor. His left arm rested out from under his neck, hand splayed out next to his head. His right hand rested on top of the other. A few of his rays retracted to allow his face to fit against the floor without squishing them. Legs tucked in a bit.

He stared at the gift. He laid there. He laid there and did his best to cry. No tears to relieve him of his anguish as always. Just a tense chest, occasionally dropping into his stomach with the thought of you.

Why did you leave.

Please come back.

Please come back.

Please.

Come back.