The room was dark, she needed it to be that way. It had been a few days since the events and she still couldn't wrap her head around it, she had closed herself off from the world, hidden in her room. She had also closed her phone and given it to Bubbles since that day, as it started buzzing the moment everything went down.

'I do have to leave this room eventually. Can't hide in here forever.' she rolled over from one side to the other. On the right side of the bed there was an endless supply of empty cups and plates that she had used. This never happened. This wasn't her.

She could see the door squeaking and creeping open, and Bubbles' pigtails appeared in the frame.

'Um, Blossom? We had burgers for dinner, I'll leave one here for you, if you wanna eat.'

'Um, yeah, sure, thanks.'

Bubbles' had returned later that day, the 'Two schoolbusses' day. She was unscathed, and looked flustered when she was asked questions.

'What happened? Why were you in Tanzania?'

'He..took me to the savanah. Wanted to show me the animals.'

'Show you the animals??'

'Yeah, he said he doesn't want to fight me and he'd rather we do something enjoyable for both. He said he can easily beat me up so I should try not to get away.' Bubbled said, flustered.

'What??' everyone asked in shock.

'It was...nice.' she blushed. 'He also got me icecream...we had icecream. Strawberry-vanilla. '

It seemed so surreal to hear that from Bubbles after that day's events. Buttercup had gotten into another fight with Butch after the busses ordeal and both her eyes were black and nose broken. Blossom was still catatonic, limply holding Brick's jacket in her arms.

It was still in her room, she had put in under her bed, she didn't exactly know why. She reached for it blindly in the dark. It was soft and leathery, and she knew it to be red(fittingly so).She reached for the pockets, she had done it before, so it was no surprise. Gum, a set of keys, a packet of Oreos. She couldn't imagine him having a sweet tooth for some reason. Absent-mindedly she brought the jacket close to her face ,took a whiff and felt an earthy musky smell.

'It's the same perfume as the first time. This is what he wears daily.'...What the fuck am I doing?'

She threw the jacket across the room.

'I need to get out of here. Fast. I'm apparently going insane .'

Blossom crawled out of bed and managed to make it through the hallway. She could hear the sound of the TV in the living room. As she went down the stairs she could make out 'days later, the tragedy still has Townsville shaken to the core. One parent and two children dead...'

'Two children...?

She made it downstairdownstairs where she could see Bubbles watching TV by herself.

'Oh..you're out.' In a panic, she reached for the remote to close the tv.

'No, leave it. I want to know.'

'It's just a dumb talkshow, we can watch something else.'

'No, I want to hear them.'

Sitting at a table were three men and a woman, one of a man was in the middle of a fervent monologue.

'...it can be argued that she didn't have a choice, but is that the case? Are the lives of dozens of children less important than the possible kidnaping of just one invincible person? I don't think that's the case, Tom. And if you have that level of power in your hands you should have your priorities straight...'

There was also a poll at the bottom of the TV screen 'Who would you have saved? Mr Thompson or his eldest child. Vote now.'

Blossom could feel the warmth leaving her body, even though Bubbles had embraced her from behind.

'New hot gossip, tonight with Tommy McLaren. Blossom Utonium has caused havoc before, only of a different nature. Tune in to hear one ER nurse's spicy story!'

Blossom turned mechanically towards her sister. 'Is that the real body-count? One adult, two children?'

Bubbles answered, averting her gaze.

'Yes...'

'I'm so sorry, Blossom! It's all my fault! I should have fought him and made my way back to you in time!' she nearly shouted, crying.

'It's ok. He was right, you couldn't have bested him alone. I've seen how strong they are. It's not your fault, it's mine. I took the call and I was wrong.'

'No, it's that psycho's fault.' they heard a voice behind them.

'You did what you had to do.' They turned around and could see Buttercup sitting in the doorway. She came closer and sat next to them.

'Has anything else happened since that day?'

'Besides media sprouting bullshit and us forcibly shunning crowds away from our house, no.'

'I'm sorry I've been out of it...It must have been difficult.'

No, we got you. It must have been difficult for you, too.' Buttercup retorted.

'What can we do about it? What does the Professor say?'

'Well, he's been locked away in his lab for the past few days. I think he's trying to figure something out.'

'Good.' Blossom muttered. 'At least someone isn't totally confused.'

A few more days passed in a blur, when it finally dawned on Blossom that she hadn't been to college in two weeks.

'Fuck..it all seems so distant now, and trivial. How can I go back and pretend nothing like this has happened?'

Blossom took a peek behind the curtains and noticed a reporter attempting to hide behind a bush, and another oogling her from his car.

'No, I can't go back. Not now.'

She imagined their horrified reactions, their fearful smiles if she ever happened to make eye contact.

'I've essentially turned into a murderer... or some sort of a cruel God who chooses who gets to die and who gets spared.' she furrowed her brows, and massaged her temples as she felt a migraine setting in.

Suddenly she heard commotion outside of her window, and felt a small knock on her door.

'Come in, Bubbles. What is it?' she said, wearily.

'Uhm, Blossom, Alex is here to see you. '

'Alex as in...Alex my ex, Alex?' she said in bewilderment.

'Yeah...I think so. I let him in. Should I tell him to come up?' she asked timidly.

'NOOO! 'Blossom croaked, almost stumbling off her armchair.

'No, Bubbles, I-I'll go down myself.' she said, regaining composture. 'Just give me a minute.'

'Ok.' Bubbles said, closing the door.

'I should at least have some semblance of my dignity.' Blossom said, grabbing her very uncombed hair and stuffing in in a hasty ponytail. 'what could he possibly want from me?'

She went downstairs and was met with his handsome, yet marred face giving her a weary, yet understanding look.

'Hey, Blossom. ' he tentatively smiled.

'Hello.' she muttered. 'What brings you here?'

'I was wondering if we could talk for a bit.' he looked around, but Bubbles had already wandered off.

Blossom unwillingly crossed her arms and motioned at him to speak.

'I know we haven't been on best of terms. Most of it..no, all of it being my doing.'

Blossom's eyebrows raised.

'I..I wanted to see how you're holding up. You haven't been back to college since the..events.'

Blossom averted her gaze and replied:

'You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine.' she said, looking blankly through a crack in the curtains.

'I'll always be fine. I'm not the one in danger.' she sighed.

'I just wanted you to know.' he interrupted her. ' I don't think it's your fault. I thought you should know that. '

Blossom was taken aback and shook her head in disbelief.

'Even with me...you couldn't control it. And now? All these people who judge you would have done way worse.'

'So I guess I just wanted to say..you have a friend in me.' he came closer and took one of her hands in his.

Blossom could feel her eyes watering as his grip tightened.

'Thank you, Alex.'

As he was leaving, she couldn't help but feel a familiar pang of guilt:

'I hurt him so bad and he finally forgave me. This is everything I wanted all along, right? Why do I still feel so awful, then? I felt better knowing he hated me, I deserved it. I deserve all of this, don't I?'