I'm sitting at the kitchen counter in the Main Room.

Alone in the dark.

In the middle of the night.

There is a mug of cold, unheated tea resting in front of me.

But I'm not touching it.

I sit there.

Lingering on into the night.

Clutching my head in my hands.

Staring deathily into the countertop.

Blinded by the shadows of night.

Silent...

Still...

And...

I do not notice her until the footsteps arrive behind me.

Nor do I notice--at first--the distant, bright light from the open stairwell through which she has entered...

Her foosteps are accompanied by a yawning voice.

"Nnngh...R-Raven?"

Terra's voice.

She is tyred.

Her hair is in dissarray.

She's dressed in pajamas and is in her bare feet.

"...," I am silent. I don't bat an eye in the blindness...

"... ... ...Raven?"

She shuffles up and stands over me.

She dips her golden head down.

Her eyes are brighter...awakened by concern...

"Raven...what are you doing here?"

"... ... ...," I take a deep...shuddering breath. I keep sitting there. I remain dormant. I shake...and I shiver...and I clutch my silken blue head of hair tighter. And--against my control--a tear creeps out of my eye and slides down my cheek.

Terra gasps at that. "Raven...a-are you crying?"

"Raven...Talk to me. What are you doing up here in the middle of the night?"

"... ... ... ...I...I-I d-don't know..."

"... ... ... ...," I sniffle. My head shakes in my own grasp. "...I...I-I couldn't sleep...I..."

Silence.

"... ... ...I can't sleep... ... ...just...c-can't...r-right n-n-now..."

Another tear rolls down.

I don't bother hiding it.

I just sit there...and leak...and sniffle...

And shiver within my own grasp.

Almost wishing almost hoping almost dying to crush this fragile skull between these pale palms.

"...," Terra shuffles about. She slides in and sits on the stool next to me. She props herself against the counter, leans over, and wraps an arm around me.

"... ... ...," I don't bother moving. I don't fight her off of me.

She holds me closely...and yet, there is a respectful distance.

She leans in...and I can feel her breath. Her voice. Warm and painfully soothing against my iced neck...

"Many of us have a hard time sleeping on occasion..."

I can detect a slight shaking in her voice as she now says: "Only...a few of us have a good reason for it..."

I clench my eyes shut at that. I bite my lip.

She pulls...

I lean against Terra.

"I'm sorry you're crying, Raven..."

I say nothing.

"For whatever it is..."

I remain their, frozen...

"...I'm sorry..."

Crying...