Sorry, guys, this one's really short. I'm working on chapter six now, so that one should be longer. But my writers block is still plaguing me, so don't expect anything else too soon. I'm doing my best! All those awesome reviews have motivated me. :)

The doorbell rang, and Javier ran to answer it. Raven and Angela looked toward the door to see Jinx come running into the room. She flung her arms around Raven, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed quickly. "If only I'd remembered to set my alarm clock for nine last night! This is all my fault!" Raven patted her friend on the back, wishing now more than ever that she could speak. Angela nudged the two girls, and they broke apart. She handed Raven a notepad and a pencil.

Raven nodded to her mother as a thank-you, and then wrote, 'It's not your fault, Jinx. Don't go blaming yourself. It's no one's fault but his.'

Jinx gave her a watery smile.

"I don't know what I would have done if you weren't okay," Jinx said as another tear rolled down her cheek. "When I spoke to your father, he sounded so…so scary!"

"Wait a moment," Angela interjected. Jinx and Raven turned to look at her. "You spoke to Talmon?"

"Yeah," Jinx said. "I called him after I woke up and Raven wasn't there. I wanted to make sure she had gotten home safely."

"What did he say?" Angela asked.

"He sounded really mad," Jinx shuddered. "I asked him if you were home, and he said no. So then I asked if he knew where you were, and he said he did but he wasn't going to tell me where. So then I simply asked if you were all right and he…" Jinx trailed away as a fresh wave of tears came over her. Raven hugged her, clutching her in a strong, supportive embrace.

"Thanks, Rae," Jinx smiled weakly. "So when I asked if you were all right, he said that I'd better hope you were the opposite of okay. I was so scared!"

Raven pulled her friend into a hug again. Jinx cried into her shoulder for about a minute before pulling away.

"I'm sorry," She apologized again. "I should be the one comforting you, not the other way around."

"She's a very brave girl," Angela took her daughter's hand and squeezed it. Raven felt tears well up in her eyes again, and blinked furiously, trying to stop crying.

"Is there anyone you'd like me to call?" Jinx asked Raven. She shook her head and tried to smile.

Jinx also attempted a smile, but her expression remained grim. Then, as if caught by a sudden thought, she reached into the small bag she had brought with her, and pulled out Mr. Trunkie.

"You left him at my house," Jinx explained, handing the stuffed elephant to Raven.

Raven took the elephant from her and held it with one hand while she wrote, 'Thanks,' with the other. Jinx smiled.

"Do you have somewhere to stay?" Jinx asked, looking this time at Angela, but Mrs. Rodriguez had heard this and she stepped into the room.

"You two are welcome to stay here with us," she offered. "We have a guest room that the two of you may find comfortable."

"Thank you, Gloria," Angela said gratefully. "That would be a big help to us."

"Mi casa es su casa," Mrs. Rodriguez said with a small smile. She continued, switching back to English. "If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask."

"Thank you," Angela repeated, and Raven held up her notepad, on which the word 'Thanks' was written. A beep came from the kitchen, and Mrs. Rodriguez hurried out, most likely to check on whatever she was cooking.

"I'm afraid we'll be pushing their hospitality a bit too much," Angela sighed. "We can't go home if he's there, and you'll have to stay somewhere while I go to work."

'What do you mean?' Raven wrote, a frown of confusion on her face.

"Well, you obviously can't go to school like this," Angela said firmly, "and you'll need somewhere to stay."

'But Mom, I wanna go to school,' Raven wrote. 'Staying some place alone will just make me dwell on stuff like this. Going to school will keep me occupied. And me and Jinx have five classes together! Please let me go to school.'

"But Raven, school is tomorrow!" Her mother argued. "I don't think you'll be ready to go back."

'I will be, I promise!' Raven continued writing in a fast scribble.

"I'll think about it, Raven," Angela said this so firmly that Raven was sure that she would say no. She felt her already low spirits sink another notch.

This must have shown on her face, for Angela pulled her into a hug and said, "Since it means that much to you, I'll allow it, even though I'm going against my parental judgment."

After she was released from her mother's hug, Raven pointed to the spot where she had written 'thanks.'