A/N: Once again, I am posting late. This is due to my crazy exam schedule. But here is the next chapter and I hope you will like it.

As always, I am eternally thankful to blossom-of-snow for her incredible editing work.

Rainie's decision to return to school for the last month of the semester both relieved and worried Sharon. During Rainie's recovery, the dean allowed her to study from home and turn in digital projects. Since the arrangement worked so well, Sharon had hoped that Rainie would delay her return to campus until the next school year. While physically, Rainie made an almost full recovery, there were still a few underlying issues that concerned Sharon.

One was the public attention that Rainie earned as a symbol of LGBTQ youth and as a budding illustrator. The buzz around Rainie's attack hadn't died down, and her daughter still starred in a few videos on fandom websites and Facebook groups.

On top of that, Sharon was worried about Rainie meeting with her classmates without Heather in the classroom. Sharon knew that Rainie was strong enough to handle a breakup, but not when it was accompanied by such betrayal and the scrutiny of mutual friends. She feared it would add stress to Rainie's situation and hinder her continued emotional recovery from her attack.

Lastly, Rainie insisted on driving to school. While the doctor concluded that she could drive, he also advised her to drive in quiet streets with fewer distractions. LA traffic hardly fit that description. Rainie barely stepped outside the hospital and condo for over two months. According to her doctor, if Rainie got in an accident and sustained a head or neck injury, the result could be debilitating and even fatal.

When Sharon, Andy, Ricky, and Emily voiced their concerns to Rainie, her daughter remained resolute. The only compromise she made was letting Andy or Sharon drive her during her first week back. Sharon did not find this concession comforting at all.

That was the reason why Sharon now laid awake in. Andy was sleeping by her side, his feet tangled with hers and the soft puffs of his breath teasing Sharon's hair. The sleepless nights were beginning to take a toll on Sharon's ability to function during the day. Her insomnia was becoming a big problem that she didn't know how to solve. The longer it persisted, the more choked she felt.

Carefully, Sharon untangled her feet from Andy's and snuck out of bed. As quietly as she could, she dressed in the dark and grabbed her phone and running shoes. Throwing a glance at her watch, Sharon saw it was a bit late for a run, but she felt the need to be outside, to breathe fresh air, and clear her head. After fishing her keys, earphones and a hair elastic from her purse, Sharon left the condo.

The mid-May air was dense and humid, and Sharon felt perspiration forming on her skin the moment she stepped outside of her building. She tied her hair in a ponytail, plugged the earphones into her phone, and put on her jogging playlist. With the sweat rolling down her back and the warm night wind blowing in her face, Sharon's mind was finally becoming blank. She didn't run particularly fast, but she found herself almost a mile away from home in no time.

Sharon crawled into her bed nearly two hours later, her hair wet from the shower, and her mind calmer than it was before. She hoped that now she would be able to sleep, but as soon as she closed her eyes, she heard Andy's voice behind her.

"Where'd you go?"

"A little night run."

Andy wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. "What's bothering you, babe?"

"Nothing, I just needed to burn some energy." Sharon tried to sound as calm as she could.

Andy didn't buy it. "We have to do something about your sleep issues."

"I'm exhausted, Andy. Can we talk about this tomorrow?"

Andy pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "Goodnight, my love."

Sharon closed her eyes and let her body sink further into the mattress. Her eyes fluttered open after what felt like a mere second, but by the morning light filtering through the drapes, Sharon knew that she had slept for at least a few hours. She crept out of bed, feeling slower than usual, and padded towards the living room, to look for Andy. Just shy of the end of the hallway, she paused, hearing Andy's voice from the breakfast table.

"It's going to be okay, really."

"Are you sure? Because that thing last week at the restaurant was bizarre. And now she's going out in the middle of the night for a run? I feel like something is wrong," Rainie said.

"She's under a lot of pressure lately," Andy said. "But she's dealing with it the best way she can. You know her. She'll overcome whatever is bothering her."

"Is there something I can do to help her?" Rainie asked.

"Do you really wanna know?"

Sharon assumed that Rainie nodded because she did not hear a verbal response from her daughter.

"Don't go back to school this year," Andy said. "Sharon is worried about you, and I think she will rest easier if you decided to finish the term from home."

"I don't understand why everyone is making such a big deal out of it," Rainie said.

"Rainie, your injury was very traumatizing for your mother and me. We didn't know if you were going to wake up and whether or not you will suffer any permanent damage," Andy said.

"But I didn't," Rainie replied.

"You were fortunate, but what I'm trying to say is that this kind of experience leaves a scar on a parent. Add that to the fact that in the past few years, you've been in life-threatening situations several times, and that's a recipe for anxiety."

Sharon shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Andy had been frank with her about her anxiety and what he thought caused it, but she never expected him to discuss it with Rainie.

"I just want to be independent again," Rainie said.

"And you will. But maybe you can delay that just for a little bit, so your mom can regain the sense of security that she needs."

"Do you really think it will help Mom feel better?" Rainie asked.

Andy hummed affirmatively.

"Okay, I'll do it," Rainie agreed, and Sharon felt a weight coming off her shoulders. "Thank you, Andy."

"For what?"

"For caring so much about my mom. She always takes care of everyone, and she deserves someone who sees her." Rainie's voice was thick with emotion. "And she's been hurt before, so I'm happy that she has someone who wants to be with her because of who she is and not for what she can provide."

"I appreciate that." Andy, too, sounded as if he was on the verge of tears.

Sharon heard a soft sound, and when she peeked from her hiding place at the hall, she saw Rainie wrapping her arms around a stunned Andy. Sharon hadn't seen Rainie show genuine physical affection toward Andy before.

"Don't let it get to your head," Rainie said when she pulled away from Andy.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Andy said with a smile.

Rainie bumped her shoulder with his before heading into the kitchen.

Sharon tiptoed towards the bathroom. The warm, fuzzy feeling in her stomach quickly disappeared as soon as she saw her reflection in the mirror. There were dark circles under her eyes, her skin looked dull, and her lips were raw from constant biting. Anxiety. It loomed over her existence and minimized her presence in her own life. It was slowly but surely robbing her of joy, taking away the light in her eyes, erasing the smile from her lips, and silencing her laughter.

"How did you get like this?" she asked her reflection.

The version of herself in the mirror stared at her helplessly, her expression crestfallen and leaden.

"That's not me," she whispered. It couldn't be. She's always been vital, positive, and hopeful. Whatever changed her was sinking its teeth into her soul and eating her from the inside out. She wanted it to stop. She needed it to stop.

A knock on the door, followed by Andy's voice, startled her. "Sharon, are you in there?"

She opened the door to her fiancé, who'd been incredibly supportive in the recent months, letting her cope with her issues her way. They weren't even married yet, but he was already with her in sickness and in health.

Noticing her terrified expression and clammy skin, Andy cupped her cheeks. "Is everything okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

She had.

"Babe, talk to me. What's happening?" Andy's voice was a lifeline, pulling her out of the dark waters that were threatening to flood her.

"Andy, I think I need help."

-TBC-