Hey, I know this is a short chapter, but it's setting up the next big plot, so hope you enjoy, please R&R

I laid there in my bed trying to fall asleep, but my mind was still trying process what was happening.

I quietly slipped downstairs and out the back door. I sat down on a bench on the porch.

I sat there thinking out loud," A few weeks ago I lived in the projects and I went to school with my friends, I had my mom and my brother, and we were happy. Now, I have Matt and Danielle, Mary, Lucy, Kevin, Sarah, my dad, and Annie. I lost two and gained eight. I have my family again. I don't have to dream about it anymore, they're right here, but I don't feel happy. At least not the same happy I had when I was little, when we were all together."

Mary sat down beside me. I hadn't even seen her walk up the side walk.

She said," It the same happy, it just feels different because you're different."

I looked at her and said," I miss her Mary."

She said as she wrapped an arm around my shoulder," I miss her too. But one day we won't miss her this much anymore. We'll be able to remember the happy time and we'll always have her love. And we'll always have each other."

I said," I know. But it doesn't change how I feel now."

She said," Nothing can change what you feel now. You're hurting; we all are, in our own way. Listen."

I heard dad singing… on the roof, I guessed.

She finished," That's what he does when he's hurting. That's what he's always done."

I said," Mom told me he used to do that. One night we were at the hospital with Aunt Susan and mom asked Aunt Susan to show me the stars. I didn't know what she meant, but she took me up onto the roof and we lay down on her coat and looked up at the stars. Come here."

We walked out and lay down on the grass. I pointed up and said," That one right there. See it?"

She said," It's just a bunch of stars."

I said," It's the seven sisters. Over millions of years they've stayed together even though there are millions of things that could have changed that. There were seven women in our family: Aunt Susan, Aunt Alex, you, me, mom, Danielle, and Lucy. Even though things changed between us Aunt Susan said that as long as those stars were together we would always have each other."

She said," I only count six."

I said," the seventh isn't very bright, but it's still there. I always thought that, that star was me. Dimmer than all the rest, not wanted as much as the rest. It's not me anymore though. I think that's mom, watching over us, casting the dimmest glow to light our way. My candle in the dark. Good night Mary."