I would personally like to thank my bestie Izzy for single handedly convincing me to return to writing. This is an outlet I denied for so long, but feels so great to get back to. Welcome to my restart :)

The funeral is over. Sarah is dead.

Nina grasps the corner of her desk, staring at herself in her vanity mirror. How could it be that the one person who could have helped Nina left when she finally had some sense of direction? While she had not known her long, Nina became fond of the interesting old lady, looking forward to hearing her secrets, yet always being yanked back to reality with her warning to, "Beware the black bird". Somehow, Nina felt more alone than ever.

Nina glosses over her reflection. All this hustle and fuss over some Egyptian mystery she had yet to understand her real role in did not leave time for her to take care of herself. The subtle yet bulging bags under her eyes, her long brunette hair that had begun splitting at the ends, her nails desperately in need of a manicure. Not to mention the mountains of homework she has sprawled all over her bed is propelling her into a sinking, anxious feeling. Can't the world just stop, just for one moment, to allow her to breathe, maybe have a second to herself. Despite Nina's attempts to calm her brain from spiraling, she felt hot tears spring to her eyes. A pit in her stomach funneled up to her chest and Nina started to lose control of her breath. Appearing strong to Sibuna was one thing, seemingly comprehending and leading Sarah's charge was another, but for Nina, being alone meant not lying to herself anymore.

And so the tears fall.

Nina collapses to her chair and puts her hands over her eyes, tears escaping through her fingers and down her cheeks. The weight of the world feels heavy on her neck and shoulders. Nina had never been much of a crier, but she would be absolutely lying if she had never felt better after stress crying. Nina rubs her forehead in a sad attempt to self-medicate the oncoming headache she felt when she heard the doorknob behind her jingle. Nina jerks up quickly, knowing her moment of silence and isolation will no longer be observed. The intruder knocks on the door softly. Nina sniffles and attempts to wipe her tears away with her hand.

"Yes?", she calls, her voice feeling heavy and wobbly.

The door opens to reveal Fabian, smiley and chipper, with a platter of hot tea and one of Trudy's hottest, freshest brownies.

"Hey Nina! You didn't come down for dinner and I-".

Fabian finally looked up to see Nina's tear-stained face. His face fell, worry etched in every limb.

"Nina…", her name spoken so tenderly, delicately.

Nina chuckled at his obvious awkwardness, similar to her first day at Anubis, when he stood with a glass of water as she cried on the phone with her Gran. His geekiness and his awkwardness are working in tandem to make Nina's mood just a little bit brighter.

"I know. Isn't this a cheerful sight!", Nina laughed out, whipping her remaining tears away.

"Well, I can say I've certainly seen you happier", Fabian attempted to joke, but seeing his best friend in such a state was extremely jarring for him. Wanting to protect her privacy, Fabian closed her door and locked it. "Please tell me you've eaten something!" he pleaded, grasping his tray just a little bit harder.

Nina looked into his dark eyes. While, on the outside, Fabian kept his composure, his eyes told a myriad of other stories. His kindness was most present. Fabian was clearly scared of how to approach this situation- clearly not wanting to mess anything up. The second most present feeling, however, was worry. Worried that Nina was neglecting to eat again, worried that she was taking on too much and not spreading the wealth of duties, wondering why tears clouded her vision. His transparency is something Nina adored most about him.

She managed a closed-mouth smile, her comfort not quite meeting her eyes.

"Yes..Yeah I ate at Sarah's reception", her voice fading as she realized how long ago the service actually was. Fabian shared this same realization, his eyebrows raising.

"You mean four hours ago?", despite his worry, his teasing question brought the pair of friends to a real smile.

Nina chucked, looking down at herself, and looked back up at Fabian, moving her hair away from her face. "I must've gotten caught up with the whole Victor and Rufus scenario to notice". Finding Victor and Rufas at the funeral was quite disturbing and extremely shocking, but this bit of information only stacked onto the many towering problems on Nina's plate.

Fabian looked at the broken girl in front of him, knowing her mind was traveling a thousand miles a minute. Typical. Nina would get so caught up in drama and the world-altering search for the cup that caring for herself seemed to take a backseat. It pained him to see his best friend suffer so much heartbreak and responsibility when she is still getting acclimated to a new school environment, away from home, and with really two friends in the world. Fabian quietly walked over to Nina, set the tray on her vanity, and looked into her eyes. Fabian noticed her tiredness, the way her eyes do not have their typical green sparkle, and the way she looked like she was fighting to keep her head afloat.

Not losing eye contact, Fabian quietly asked, "What can I do for you?"

Nina quickly looked away, closing her eyes and smelling the sweet smell of the cinnamon tea. She plays with the tea stirrer which was left in the mug. While she wanted nothing more than to be alone, being alone with Fabian was a close second. She wants to tell him everything, spill her heart out, maybe cry some more, but sharing burdens was something Nina is not accustomed to doing. Bottling things up for too long was more her style. And so she will do it.

"Um… nothing Fabian. But thank you so much for-"

"Nina, I don't believe that for a second. And I know you don't either". Fabian looked so serious. Saying no seemed rude. Minutes, it felt, went by before Nina even looked at him, using the mirror to look at the tall man behind her. Tears threatened to spill again.

She smiled weakly, "Just hug me".

Nina shot up from her chair and landed safely into Fabian's open arms. Fabian slowly placed his arms around her back, his fingers becoming tangled within her curly locks. He slowly took one of his hands and stroked her hair, relishing in the way she relaxed into his embrace as he did so. He set his chin on top of her head, feeling comforted with her touch. It was moments like these which made his stomach flutter and his cheeks darken with a rosey blush. Fabian had only known Nina for a short time, but the very first time he set eyes on her, he knew she was going to be someone special. Fabian would never call himself a "master of love" by any means, especially since he has never been in love before, he was aware of the overall effect the new girl has had on him since their first encounter. She takes his breath away with every laugh, smile, and casual touch. He is sure that he could follow her to the ends of the Earth if she asked. He would fight every battle for her if he could. But, Fabian knows she would never ask, since she cannot possibly feel the same about him.

"Nina-"

"Shh- no talk, just hug". Nina gripped him harder, relaxing into the silence before she was rudely interrupted by Fabian's laughter.

Fabian couldn't help it, he let himself laugh as if Nina said the funniest joke of all time.

"I'm so sorry! That was just so unexpected!", Fabian managed through strong bits of laughter.

Nina crossed her arms in front of her chest, attempting to be serious, but noticing the way his laugh colored the room in brightness, Nina couldn't help but smirk.

"What can I say? Sometimes all a girl needs is a hug". She continued to smile at him as his laughter calmed and he tried to catch his breath.

"I'm so sorry, but I see a real smile. So I did my job". Fabian jokes, moving over to the vanity to grab her tea. "Please drink this though. You need some…peace"

Little did Fabian know, Nina had already felt the most peace enclosed in his arms. Following orders she knows she can't disobey, she takes a sip of tea, grimacing slightly. Fabian was quick to notice her displeasure.

"What is it? Is the tea cold now? Is it too sweet? Is it not sweet enough?" His rapid-fire questions made Nina smile, although she felt bad that her grimmance was noticeable anyways.

"No Fabian, it's okay! It did get a little cold, but I'm okay with it- I promise! I just… wasn't expecting it!".

Apparently her excuse did not stand well with Fabian, as he came up to her, pried the mug from her hands, despite her protests, and said, "Nope, let me make it better for you!"

"But Fabian really-"

Fabian's eyes had a mischievous spark about them, his body visibly tensing. "I have an idea!". He unlocks the door quickly and bolts out of it, as if he was participating in a sprint. Quicker than Nina could process what actually happened, Fabian emerged back in the doorway, panting slightly. "Oh, and get comfortable. I'll be right back in 5 minutes!". And he was back out the door again.

Nina couldn't help but close her agape mouth and just laugh silently to herself. Fabian was being incredibly unpredictable and sweet, and she was not disappointed. Although she had no idea what his plans entailed, she was going to participate- any distraction is better than none. She fluttered over to her vanity where she quickly rid herself of her old, tear-stained makeup. She brushed through her hair quickly, the knots already present were not going to go away soon, adding on seemed like a better deal than wasting time on getting them out right now. She shut the door in one big swop and changed out of her funeral garb and into comfortable loungewear. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed at her appearance. Nina might not have an idea what Fabian is up to, but she knew she was not mentally up to staying up all night or thinking strenuous thoughts. Content with her state, she made her way to her bed, shoving her books and her backpack off of her bed and onto the ground. It was at this moment Fabian decided to barge back in the room, his hands overflowing with… things.

Nina turned her head quickly and couldn't help but roll her eyes, a smile gracing her lips.

"What on Earth are you doing?"

Fabian quickly closed the door with his foot and smiled at Nina, looking like a small child who was hiding something. Nina took the opportunity to look at what he was holding. His laptop was underneath another tray, this time filled with strawberries, blueberries, and several of the cookies left over from dinner. A black extension cord is haphazardly slung across his left arm, falling over his elbow. And of course, now piping hot, tea is smack dab in the center of the tray.

"It's the Nina Martin remedy kit!" Fabian moved closer towards her bed, setting his things down on her comforter. Wordlessly, he searched for an outlet around her bed, extension cord in hand.

NIna stood perplexed for a few beats before she met Fabian and grabbed the cord from his hand. "Don't worry I got it!". Fabian moved back from her bed slightly as Nina ducked under her bed to where her outlet was. After successfully finding her destination, she threw the cord back on top of her bed and backed herself back into the open, where Fabian was standing, his hand extended to help her stand up. Gratefully, she took his hand.

"So", she inquired, "What exactly is the "Nina Martin remedy kit?"", using air quotations to further her questions.

"Sit with me and find out!" Fabian giddily made his way to the far side of the bed, his shoulder resting against the wall. He looked at Nina, mischief in his eyes, and patted the spot next to him. Nina obediently parked herself next to Fabian and grabbed the fruit tray, munching on a freshly washed berry. Fabian connected his computer to the cord and opened his laptop, the Netflix library open. Nina gasped as she looked at the screen.

Looking up at Fabian, she asked, "How do you know me so well?"

Fabian looked a little awkward, looking down at his laptop and scratching his head. "Amber kind of helped me… but I wasn't sure what you wanted to watch… so I figured I'd let you pick!"

Nina's chest felt warm, her face surely turning red. He really went above and beyond to find things to make her feel better. She did not deserve him… really at all. Acting on her feelings, she crashed into Fabian, as well as she was able, and embraced him in a hug. Fabian, unsure of how he felt, as Nina was quite literally on him, marveled in her touch and in her happiness. This felt right. And Fabian wasn't quite sure where to go next. As if Nina heard his thoughts, she backed away quickly and looked rather embarrassed.

"Sorry… I got a little too excited there".

"Nina, I really don't mind. I just want to see you be happy. Always". He gives her his most sincere smile. Suddenly the distance felt like miles. Fabian felt warmth radiating through his body. He locks eyes with Nina, the sharing of energy between the two, closing in on itself. Nina looks lost in his glance, as if she was trying to peer into Fabian's soul. Tension was building, and Fabian was unsure of how to resolve it. He's seen this in movies. The unbreaking glace, the tension, the casual leaning in towards each other. Could this be his moment? Suddenly, his anxiousness and inexperience got the best of him. He took a breath and turned back to his computer, resenting himself for causing Nina's visible frustrated glance.

"I-uh…w-what did you want to watch?", the anxiousness was ever present in his voice and in his shaking hands as he handed the computer to Nina.

Nina grabbed the laptop from Fabian, their hands briefly touching, the spark reigniting. This time, Nina chose to abandon the spark, focused on picking out the film. She browsed for maybe 10 seconds before she found the one.

"Here!", she turned the laptop to show Fabian her choice.

Fabian looked at the title curiously, "Bridget Jones' Diary?"

Nina nodded furiously, the excitement meeting her eyes.

Fabian chuckles at her reaction, "I've never heard of it…"

"WHAT", Nina looked as if Fabain had just slapped her across the face. "This is the greatest Rom Com of all time! And the sequels are just as good, IF NOT, better"

"Well then why don't we start so I can see what you're talking about!". He looked intrigued, even though Rom Coms weren't really his style. He leaned forward to press start when Nina shot out of bed. Confused, Fabian turned to follow her, but stopped when he noticed she was just turning off the lights. She quickly came back to her bed and sat next to Fabian, perhaps closer than she had sat initially.

Nina looked at Fabian, "Are you ready?", a smile spreading across her face.

Fabian nodded, "Let's do it!"

And so Nina pressed start and the screen turned blue as a blizzard fell onto Bridget.

The narration starts: "It all began on New Year's Day. On my 32nd year of being single"...

--

Fabian blinked several times, his eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room. The credits were rolling on his laptop. Fabian looked down and saw Nina asleep on his chest, his arm somehow found its way around her back. She looked so peaceful. No worry etched on her face, her breathing soft and even. How is it possible she could look so beautiful when she was asleep? He wanted to look at this angelic sight all night long. He smiled at her, the butterflies from earlier fluttering. He bent down to her and laid a gentle kiss on her forehead. Even if she doesn't feel the same for him, his feelings can show in fleeting moments in the night. Fabian looked out the window, the moon's rays peering in through the window and shining onto Nina's comforter.

It must be late

Fabian looked down to Nina's sleeping form again. He didn't want to disturb her, but surprising Nina by waking up next to him, seeing as they are not even dating, seemed like awkwardness he was not willing to take part of. He gently raised both of his hands, cradling her head and sliding her off of his shoulder. He carefully scooted down her bed, making as little movement as possible, and finally found his way to the edge of the bed. His feet touched the ground when he felt a sudden pull at his hand. Fabian turned quickly to see sleepy green eyes staring back at him. Nina looked sad and confused, but her words were clear.

"Stay with me. Please"

Morals pinged at Fabian's heart. He really should not stay with her. That is a boundary that seems too hard and too inappropriate. But her eyes and her strong grip on his hand pleaded with him. Fabian thought about how peaceful she looked when she was asleep. She felt so natural, so right, in his arms. Maybe, nothing will come of this. Perhaps, this is a harmless ask. Fabian smiled slightly.

"Yes Nina. Let me get back up there"

Nina smiled like Fabian just called her beautiful. This was all she wanted. Watching her favorite movie, eating her favorite foods, and being with her best friend. The night was not over just because the movie was. Even though she was not planning on falling asleep, the hour or so of sleep she had was the most peaceful she had in quite a while. His warm embrace felt like home to her. And when Fabian made it back to his former position, this time laying all the way down as opposed to resting on the back rest, Nina folded into him, his arm sliding around her.

"Thank you. For everything. I mean it" Nina mumbled into his chest.

"I would do it all again if it meant that I could make you happier". Fabian smiled into her hair, relishing how wonderful she smelt.

And sleep came to them both faster than they could process.

--

Amber tip-toed into the room, shutting the door softly behind her. Her midnight rendezvous with Mick lasted quite a lot longer than she realized. Even though it was way past 2 a.m., she still was determined to get some beauty sleep. She ran to her dresser and took off all of her expensive jewelry, turning on her desk lamp so she could at least see slightly. As she did so, she noticed movement in her roommate's bed. Turning to look over at Nina's side of the room, she smiled so brightly at the sight. Fabian was holding Nina, his open computer still on the end of the bed, the empty tray laying on the ground. Both looked so happy and content, as if they realized they were each other's remedy. Amber couldn't wait to start meddling and making Fabina a reality, because whether they knew it or not, they needed each other, and Amber was going to go above and beyond to prove that.