Dollface pulled into the driveway well after dark.

She slammed the door shut and walked through pools of golden light, hearing arguing in the kitchen.

Regina sat at the front step, listening to the last of the Summer chorus made up of peepers and cicadas.

The moon was beginning the rise.

Dollface plopped down, suddenly feeling guilty for flying off like that.

The arguing stopped and Gramma flipped her radio on. It quietly played on, almost drunkenly singing opera. She could hear Gramma smack the radio in an attempt to get a clearer sound, but give up. Instead, she loaded the dishwasher and muttered to herself.

"This music makes me feel better," Regina mumbled miserably, "It makes me think about birds. I like birds."

"Yeah, me too." Dollface said, thinking about the day she found one in the driveway. That had been the same day she went into Freddy's for an application.

Michael, of course, told her not to.

Michael didn't like new things.

"They're…." Regina trailed off, "They're rather…. Pretty. I envy them, they can leave whenever they want."

"I feel like I've had m'wings clipped."

"Me too," Regina whispered, voice shaking.

Dollface, I'll always be here for ya.

Thanks, Michael.

She could see the trees that surrounded her house made a strange portrait in her mind, like that of a girl she knew at one time.

She wished to meet that girl.

Maybe one day, babe'gurl.

"One time, I saw a bird sleeping in the snow." Regina said, hands still cradling her face, "I think that's what bad dreams are about."

The music wheezed on as the porch light flickered.

Regina sighed, "I feel like I'm sleeping in snow and can't get up. It's too cold for either of us to do that."

Dollface kept staring into the distance, unsure of what to think as the last of the fireflies flickered.

"Things don't breathe when they sleep in the snow." Regina said, voice beginning to crack in a way Dollface had never heard before, "I can't breathe."

Regina fell onto Dollface, burying her perfect face into her sister's shoulder, wailing, "They wanna take us away! I don't wanna go!"

Dollface sat very still, uncomfortable at being touched or around someone so emotional, but let it happen.

"They'll be back tomorrow to tell us what to do. They wanna take us awayyyyyyy!"

Dollface sighed, letting Regina calm herself down.

Once she did, Dollface helped her sister inside and into their tiny, shared room. Regina managed to let out, "We're going to St. Godiva's in two weeks! That's too soon!"

Dollface let Regina sleep in her bunk.

Regina was too wobbly to get up the ladder, so Dollface had to make that sacrifice.

Once sure her sister was asleep, Dollface reached into her closet and pulled on the bear's head she'd been gifted what felt like forever ago, and went to the living room, asking Michael if she could stay the night at his place.

Two weeks in Elmore remained.

That couldn't possibly be enough time to say goodbye.