Emily was on the couch taking a nap. It took two aspirins to make the effect of making her sleep.
Mike had prepared tea for them, but when he returned to the living room he saw Emily was already –finally- asleep on the couch. He put the two mugs on the coffee table and sighed. His arrived to her girlfriend's house was a mess and it wasn't anything like he expected it to be. It was supposed to be a hell for him, giving the fact that he would be a stranger in the house but instead, the hell was far from what he had imagined.
Mike never thought in a situation like this one.
Also, he was tired. The war had been exhausting and the arrival to home with bad news made it impossible to rest.
He took a seat on the other couch of the room and looked around. Emily's parents had gone to the mortuary to fix the final issues of Serena's death, leaving Mike and Emily behind. Although the green ranger didn't matter to stay with Emily, he felt a bit uncomfortable in the silent house. It was all decorated with paintings and pictures of the girls (Serena and Emily), and Mike could tell it once felt like a loving home. But now the walls and cold atmosphere were far from homely.
When he turned to the clock hung on one of the walls, he noticed it was late. They should arrive soon. The town wasn't on a long distant from the city bit it wasn't the nearest place either.
A noise was heard outside and he assumed it must be his friends. He got up, checking if Emily was still asleep and went to the door.
"Guys! Thanks god you're here" He opened the door and invited them inside.
"Where's Emily?" Mia asked worried. She was already looking around for any sign of her best friend and turned to Mike "Is she fine?"
"She's taking a nap." Mike nodded. "Miraculously. It took me hours to convince her. Please don't wake her up."
Mia nodded but still asked where Emily was napping. She didn't hesitate to leave and went to the next room.
"How is she?" Jayden asked, his voice worried, taking a seat on one of the chairs of the table Mike was pointing.
The green ranger shrugged as though trying to be stronger but not so sure for whom. "Bad. She is really, really bad. I don't know what to do. Her parents aren't here and she has been crying- even in her dreams, and I feel useless right now…I…"
"It's okay, Mike. You're doing what you can." Kevin put his hand on his friend's shoulder, giving him support. "Have you eaten?"
The younger boy shook his head. "There was no time."
"What do you mean?" Jayden asked.
"Emily wanted to go after her sister. She said she'd rather be with her, and I mean 'be with her'. That scared me."
"I'm sure she didn't mean it, Mike. She is hurt. Just give her time."
"I'll prepare you dinner" Kevin interrupted. He got up and walked to the fridge. "Do you think Emily's family would mind?"
"No. They told me when you guys arrive we could do anything. Feel like home.... The last thing they're thinking right now is in their house."
"Come on, Mike" Kevin said with a brief smile. "You'll help me with this. It may distract you."
While the boys were chatting in the kitchen, Mia went to see her best friend. She saw Emily sleeping but could say she was having nightmares by the shaking hands and the mumble voice coming out her mouth.
The pink ranger fell to her knees and pulled away some hair from Emily's face.
"Come on, Em. You're stronger than this." She whispered and kissed her cheek. There was a blanket down her feet and put it on the yellow ranger realizing she could be cold.
When she was about to return with the boys not wanting to startle the yellow ranger, Emily called for her in a very soft voice. "Mia."
The pink ranger turned around and Emily started to cry.
It broke her heart; she sat with her on the couch and wrapped her arms around her.
"Yes, Emily? Do you need something?"
"Serena's dead."
"I know, Em." Mia tried to bring a smile on her face but she was busy dealing with the lump in her throat. "I'm so sorry…"
Emily sniffed and hugged Mia tightly, but suddenly she pulled away from her and stared at her frowning.
"Why are you here?"
"Is it obvious? Mike called us. He said you may need us." This time the smile appeared. "Also, I heard he was saying what you did."
Emily gestured, biting her lip. "Everything?"
"Everything." Mia affirmed in a sigh. "I didn't like the part where you said you'd rather die than being here."
"It's true" Emily replied.
"Emily, why?" Mia took Emily's hand and shook her head in disbelief. There was no way her Emily was saying those things. "You defeated Xandred. You won a battle. You did the hardest thing ever."
"We all did it Mia." Emily took her hands back, "but I miss my sister so much. You have no idea…."
"But you can't think that way Em. Do you think Serena would like the way you're talking? The wishes you have?"
The yellow ranger looked down, shaking her head slowly. "I guess no, but…"
"There's no buts Em. Think the pain you could cause to your parents, to us. We all love you. I love my best friend, and the thought of losing her could kill me too."
"No way Mia. You can't say that."
"And neither can you."
Emily sighed deeply and hugged Mia again. She was feeling a little better after her nap but was still burning inside. She started to sob on the pink ranger's shoulder when Jayden and Kevin walked in.
They sat on the couch, where Mike had been, and tried their best for not to cry with their little sister.
"We're here for you Emily." Kevin said as he was watching her cry. "Remember you have a team watching your back."
"And there's no way we're letting you go." Jayden added.