Okay, so here's the next chapter! Sorry (not sorry) for the cliffhanger, I just had to stop somewhere! ;) I'm sorry for not changing points of view for you guys, though. I was planning on it, but got a little too caught up in mine. I will be bringing the actual voluntary characters in next chapters, so be ready!

Hiro's P.O.V.

I knew what they were doing.

Gogo was behind this, and I was sure going to get here afterwards. Now, I know the thunder and lightning weren't her fault; that was Mother Nature's, but still. She knew Erika was afraid of the dark. I could hear Honey and Gogo talking about it. They aren't really the softest talking people out there. Not by a long shot.

But Erika didn't know what was happening, so I had to calm her down, first. She was silent, which made it really hard for me to find her. I felt my way around the room, eventually brushing her arm with my hand.

"Erika?" I asked, lightly grabbing her arm so I knew she'd stay in place. "You okay?"

I didn't get a response.

"Erika." I pressed. "Please. Tell me you're okay."

I knew this was serious. I had had panic attacks before, right after mom and dad died. I couldn't stand anything. But I had to. Tadashi was the only thing that could bring me out of them, unless if I passed out first. I couldn't fight it, I couldn't move. I could barely breathe. So I ignored the pain searing through my body, and wrapped my arms around her shoulders, feeling her sharp breaths. She was practically gasping for air, and I held tight. It probably wasn't helping the breathing situation, but it helped her heart rate. I could feel her heartbeat at first, but as I grippe harder, it gradually slowed to a somewhat normal pace.

"I'm okay," whispered Erika, but her heart rate quickly picked back up again.

"Obviously not. Your heart is beating just a little faster than normal." I said, but she simply laughed.

"I really am okay, it's just . . ." she trailed off, and I didn't know what to think. I could barely see her face, let alone if she was gesturing or crying or laughing. She was simply quiet after that.

And that was fine with me. She was okay, and that was all that mattered.

She stood there for a while, her head resting on my shoulder. I was surprised that she didn't go and sit down on her bed, curling up in a ball, and cried herself to sleep. But she's not like me. She's NOTHING like me.

She's better.

Erika simply stood, not crying (to my knowledge), taking deep breaths.

Then, I remembered something my dad used to say to me, when I was really little. It always calmed me down, especially when I was scared of something stupid like ghosts or shadows or things like that. Typical childhood fears.

"I'll protect you," I whispered before I even knew I was saying anything. "You're safe. I'm right here."

Erika squeezed me tighter, and I could feel her tears falling onto my collarbone. They were warm, and since I had a sensitive neck, I wanted to rub them off. But Erika was crying, crying to me, and I couldn't ignore that.

I rubbed her back, leading her backwards to sit on the bed. She sat, immediately stretching out on the bed space. I sat beside her, poking her stomach. She laughed, sitting up. I knew because I heard the bed creak. I knew she was still scared; her heart rate hadn't gone down in the least. I'd dare say that it had started going faster.

Erika's P.O.V.

I couldn't believe this.

My luck had always been bad; from when I was little(er), when I didn't know the answer, but still got called on, to nowadays, where each one of my fears is used against me ALL. THE. TIME. Though I never thought it would bring me into this situation.

As I sat on the bed, I realized something. Nothing was in the dark unless you make it to be. It's up to your imagination. Nothing's really there.

I laughed as Hiro poked my stomach, because it felt weird. I never really touched anyone; except for hugs, which I couldn't really deny. They would always ignore my protests. But now, as it was dark out, and there were no windows in my room, I couldn't help it. As I laughed, my fear of things started to disappear. Before I knew it, I was laying on the bed, Hiro beside me, a protective arm around my shoulders. I had stopped laughing; I was simply planning on enjoying the moment.

Hiro was rubbing his thumb across my hand, and it eventually slowed to a stop. I figured he had fallen asleep, but as soon as I moved to check, he started to snore. I sighed, but I leaned back again, letting myself sit there for a while, thinking.

What are we going to do? I asked myself. Even if the machine works, and it actually brings Tadashi back from the dead, what will we do? They can't stay here forever. They have to go back at some point.

As I thought this, I shrugged. I'd ask Hiro and the rest of the gang when they all woke up. After all, they were asleep, weren't they?

I slowly felt my eyes droop, and right as I was about to close my eyes, a small light lit up my pocket.

You still haven't told me the time.

What time tonight?

Have you asked your mom yet?

I didn't have the energy to respond, and instead, I simply turned it off, slid it back into my pocket, and closed my eyes.