Oh my goodness! You guys make me so happy. I love hearing what you guys think, so keep the reviews coming. This chapter is a Kanaya chapter, lots of things revealed here. I hope you enjoy this next chapter, and tell me what you think!

Sitting in the hospital room, Kanaya sat straight up right, book in hand as she flipped through the pages. She didn't notice when John sat next to her in a huff, and when he cleared his throat, she closed her book gently and put it in her bag next to her. She turned to him and smiled, saying, "You seem distressed. What might be the problem, John?"

"I'm worried about Eridan, and I'm mad at Dave," John said. "It's kind of a bummer."

"I admit this is a rather unfortunate turn of events for the Ampora family. While we wait for his results to come back, perhaps we could take a look at your problem with Dave. What's troubling you?"

John sighed heavily. "Just the way he and Vriska treated Eridan. I mean, yeah, he's a bit flamboyant and self-centered, but he's just a normal kid. The least they could do is offer him some hospitality! Especially Vriska! They're step-siblings, for God's sake! They shouldn't be at each other's throats like that." He groaned. "I guess I just wish they had been nicer."

She nodded in understanding. "I believe they found him a threat, and that is why they're very hostile towards him."

"Eridan? A threat? How?" John tilted his head in confusion.

"Well, new kids normally tend to take one of two paths: a rise to popularity or sinking into what someone would call 'loser-dom'. Eridan didn't seem to mind his path to his lower class state, but I believe your boyfriend and Vriska both wanted to make sure that he stayed there. Karkat kind of did the same thing to me."

"He did?"

"Yes, but not in the way you think. He actually wanted me to be popular, but I found myself more drawn to Feferi's group than his. He's a bit disappointed, but I, myself, am not. They're a very nice group." She paused a moment. "I believe Vriska doesn't like him because he upset her entire system. You remember how she was when he wasn't there before, right, John?"

"Yeah," he said.

"Well, now she's got a new step-father, and two new brothers. I'm sure she's not excited about the arrangement, and considering her options on which brother to torture, it's natural to go for Eridan. He's not as strong as Cronus, nor is he as threatening."

"What about Dave, though?"

"I believe Dave is very insecure," she said calmly. "I think he believes he can lose you, and perhaps he sees Eridan as a threat, though I don't believe he is one."

John pouted. "He should know better if that's the case. I'm going to go call him. Thanks, Kanaya."

"No problem, John," she said, picking up her book again and reading. Just as she was getting lost in her story, Eridan, accompanied by Cronus, Darren and Feferi, walked out and to the group. John was still outside on the phone with Dave.

"He's got a concussion, but it's nothing too awful," Darren reported. "He's a lot better than he could have been. Doctor said he's just going to be a little slow for a while, and headaches are sure to come. He's got stitches, and we're going to have to come back next week. It wasn't bad enough that they have to hold him here. He's not going to be up and about for a week or so."

Kanaya stood. "Perhaps I may be of assistance in taking care of him?"

"Kan, you don't hav-ve to do that," Eridan insisted. "I can handle a few-w headaches."

"But what about during the week? Someone has to make sure you don't hit anything. We don't want your concussion to get any worse," she said, walking over and inspecting his head.

"But Kan-"

"Not to mention it'd be horrendous if your stitches opened up." She turned to Darren. "Since there was no fainting, I assume this isn't too bad of an injury, Mr. Ampora."

"No, it's a minor concussion," Darren said.

"So the main injury is the gash in his skin?"

"Yes."

She nodded, stepping away from Eridan to face everyone. "Then I suggest we go back to the house and let Eridan rest. Does anyone need a ride home?"

Sollux raised his hand, as did John, who had entered the room right as she asked the question. Karkat raised his sarcastically, to which Kanaya just rolled her eyes and smiled at his bratty antics before saying, "Then Porrim and I will be happy to take you home. I just need to talk to Vriska a moment before we head out."

"Vriska's locked herself in her room," John said. "Dave's with her. He's been trying to get her to come out for the last hour. He said she's some weird combination of enraged and upset. Dirk's already left with Jake, Jane, Jade and the LaLondes, so would it be bad if we gave him a ride home, too?"

"Yes, it'd be bad! Do you think having Sollux and Dave in the same car at the point would be a fan-fucking-tastic idea at this point? God, you're more retarded than I thought, Egbert."

"Shut up, Karkat!"

"Boys," Kanaya said, her voice echoing and causing the commotion to stop. "I would be happy to take Dave home. Perhaps you two should spend the night together and talk things out." She looked at John, and he seemed to understand before he nodded and texted Dave. She looked to Sollux. "Speaking of you, you've been quiet, Sollux. What're you thinking?"

He glared at her, but when he saw she was actually concerned, he sighed. "I'll talk to you back at the Amporath place, alright?"

"Alright," she said, rolling her shoulders back and straightening herself out. She turned to see the groups quietly conversing, but then everyone eventually went to the two vehicles and headed back to the Ampora-Serket home.

Kanaya was quiet as Mr. Ampora drove. She had opted to switch to the other car, but Eridan had wanted her to stay with him and his friends. Listening quietly, Kanaya dealt with Feferi's worry, Nepeta's whining, Equius's groans of annoyance and Cronus telling them all to shut up. Eventually, she looked over to Eridan, who was sitting next to her and quiet.

"What's wrong?"

He shrugged. "I feel like I ruined the party w-with all of this."

She chuckled softly. "I thought you would have liked all the attention."

"Yeah, but not the attention of the people in the ER," Eridan said, smirking. Kanaya smiled and patted his hand, the two laughing together. Leaning back in her seat, Kanaya looked around the car. Feferi had gone silent, a glare going in Kanaya's direction. Trying to make conversation with Feferi was difficult from then on, and the car went in an uncomfortable silence except for Nepeta and Equius's hushed conversation in the back.

Eventually, everyone was back inside the house. No one had left, but Vriska and Dave were still absent. Melisa walked over and leaned down to look at Eridan's head, asking Darren what happened. Kanaya excused herself and went upstairs, but was stopped by Sollux.

"We can talk now," he said.

She nodded slowly and sat down on the stairs. "What is it that is bothering you, Sollux?"

"Do you ever have thith weird feeling like you like thomeone, but yet you don't at the thame time?"

"I can't say I ever have," she said. "Could you be talking about Eridan?"

"Yeah. I jutht broke up with AA, tho I'm not aiming to get a girlfriend or boyfriend or whatever fucking elthe, but I don't know. I'm having trouble putting it into wordth," Sollux said, pausing and groaning when he couldn't think of how to express himself.

"You don't express emotion often, do you, Sollux?"

"Not unleth it'th tharcathm or being a complete athhole," Sollux said honestly. "Though thothe aren't exactly emotionth."

"Perhaps I may be able to assist putting your emotions into words," she said. "You say you don't like Eridan, yet at the same time you do. I believe what you're doing is denying the fact that you could possibly like Eridan as more than a friend because you fear it may just be your subconscious trying use him as a rebound. Am I getting close?"

"Thpot on," Sollux said.

"I believe you should stop being afraid."

"Oh, thankth, all my fearth are cured! Wow, KN, thankth! I'm going to go purthue my one-true-love and then go thing about my feelingth!"

"Your rudeness and sarcasm will not help you."

"Thorry, thorry. Not my fault that I thometimeth tend to feel thingth due to that thtupid chemical reaction in my brain!"

She sighed. "You know, Sollux, it's not as complicated as you think."

He didn't respond.

"You act like you're incapable of love." She said it slowly, being sure that every word reached him as she twiddled her thumbs.

He ran his hands through his hair. "Tho?"

"You're worried you'll hurt him, aren't you?"

"Yeth."

She paused a moment, chewing her lower lip slightly before saying, "You know, Sollux, you're not a bad as you tend to think. That's the difference between you and Dave." She stood. "Think a while. We can grab coffee tomorrow after you think and get a good night's sleep. Perhaps all of this has just gotten your head in a whirl."

"Maybe," he said. "Thankth, KN."

"Not a problem," she said softly before padding up the stairs the rest of the way and knocking gently of Vriska's door. "Vriska, it's Kanaya. I'd like to talk with you."

Dave opened the door. "She won't want to talk to anyone. She won't even talk to me."

"Is she upset?"

"A bit."

"Well, I wish to speak with her, if you don't mind. I'll be but a moment."

"Alright, but don't close the door or I'll never get back in there," he said. "Someone has to make sure she actually comes back out."

"I don't believe that's necessary, but I know John is downstairs wanting to speak with you. I'll text you before I leave."

"Thanks," Dave said before they swapped places.

Kanaya looked around Vriska's room. It was white with posters for metal bands everywhere. Her bed was off in the corner, and there was a little closet next to it. The room was messy in total, clothes scattered and candy wrappers everywhere. Kanaya scrunched up her nose in disgust before walking over to Vriska, who was at her desk on her computer.

"Dave, for the hundredth time, go the fuck away."

"It's not Dave," Kanaya said. "I'm Kanaya. Karkat introduced us once, you said I smelled like baby powder, and I'm friends with your step-brother."

"I don't want to hear about Eridan."

"He's got a concussion," Kanaya continued, turning to sit on Vriska's bed after clearing it of crumbs and wrappers. "It's minor, but he also had to get stitches. You did quite a number on him."

"Yeah, so?"

"I came to ask why."

"Why what?"

"Why you thought injuring him would confirm your suspicions. Why you even had them in the first place, in fact. Why you didn't just ask him. And, of course, why you act like you don't care."

"I don't care."

"We both know that's not true, Vriska."

Vriska paused and turned around in her chair before pulling herself across her floor to face Kanaya. "You want to know? Fine."

"Please, by all means, speak."

"You were never here when he wasn't, but life was good! I had good friends, and I was cool. Sollux was dating Aradia, and Dave and John had their thing. I had a thing with Tavros."

"Tavros Nitram?"

"We're not going into detail on that," Vriska snapped. "Point is, everyone was happy. The minute the Amporas come into my house and my family and my home is the day Tavros broke up with me for Gamzee."

"You can't really blame them for that," Kanaya said.

"I'm not finished!" Vriska growled. "Then, I have to deal with two idiot boys in Aranea and my bathroom, and they're always complaining, and we're always complaining! Life used to be fucking peaceful and perfect and now it's turned to shit because of those damn Brits."

"What happened to your father?" Kanaya asked suddenly.

Vriska's head snapped up. "Why do you want to know?"

"Tell me."

Vriska sighed. "He got bit by a poisonous spider and died in the woods. He was discovered three days later by Aranea."

"How awful," Kanaya said.

"No shit."

Kanaya sighed. "You don't accept Darren, do you?"

"I'm not going to be 'Daddy's little girl' if that's what you mean."

"I don't believe your mother intended to replace your father. I believe she simply fell in love again. It can happen."

"Whatever," Vriska said. She pushed her chair bag and swiveled around to her desk. Kanaya got up and put her hand on Vriska's shoulder, murmuring, "Come downstairs with me and let's check on Eridan. If you want, we can talk again later when you're a little more emotionally stable."

"Later tonight online?"

"It's a plan," Kanaya said. Vriska stood up, and the two went downstairs to see Dave and John talking in the corner while everyone else was sitting in the living room, crowded together and laughing. Everything seemed to stop when they saw Vriska. She crossed over to Eridan while Kanaya sat down next to Equius, who asked what happened. She shushed him quietly, watching Vriska and Eridan talk in hushed tones before Eridan smiled and Vriska sat down with her friends. Kanaya smiled. Despite the trip to the ER, the party wasn't so bad after all. Everyone was gathered around and enjoying themselves, and even Dave and John had seemed to patch things up. Sollux ended up sitting with Kanaya and the rest of the group.

Yeah, the party didn't turn out bad at all.