Although Christmas had been full of joy, and a refreshing end to the year for the Samurai, they left the farm on a sad note. While they all understood it would take a little more than presents, dinner, and a snowball fight to get their Emily back, they had all hoped for a little Christmas miracle. Since Emily's absence, Panorama City had grown quite a bit, and was becoming lively again. Everyone understood why Emily saw nothing but death. They all still had nightmares and they shared some of her guilt. But they were still able to see the beauty of the world they had saved, and they understood they had saved more lives than they had lost. Sometimes it wasn't easy, but they had each other to lean on when it got really dark.

Mike, understandably, was the most upset. He had to get home but he didn't want to leave Emily behind. The Samurai had come up in one van, but with Symbol Power they had made themselves separate cars for the drive home. Mike was in the back seat of Serena and James' car, pouting as he looked out the window.

"She always bounces back," Serena promised him. "Emily's never let anything keep her down. She's the strongest person I know."

"Same," Mike nodded his head but let out a depressing sigh, "I just wish there was something I could do. I really through I was getting through to her. She was so happy last night with all of us; I thought for sure that would be enough to convince her to at least come home."

"She will come home," James said. "I guarantee it. And if she doesn't, I'll pay for gas money so you two can visit every weekend. That's how sure I am she'll be coming home soon."

Mike shook his head, "That's not how a marriage works. I can't just see my wife every weekend."

"You won't," Serena looked over her shoulder and gave Mike a smile, "She'll be back. You just need to give it a little time."

"I don't have patience, guys. I really thought she'd be coming home with us."

"Memy?" Terran asked and looked around the car.

Mike pointed to the boy, "He agrees. She should be here…"

"Mom's taking care of her. My parents have always taken great care of Emily. Mom knows exactly what Emily's going through…"

"So do we."

"But she got through it," Serena said. "She moved on from it. Maybe that's what Emily needs. And mom's going to do anything and everything to see Emily get better."

"I just wanted her to be in this car," Mike turned back to look out the window and sighed again.

"Memy," Terran copied his uncle as he sighed and looked out the window sadly.

James took his eyes off the road for a second to glance at Serena and grab her attention, "Emily's got to come home. As annoying as her boundless energy and sunshine and rainbow attitude is, I'd rather Terran take after her than Misery Mike back there."

"She'll be back," Serena promised again. "Emily's coming home."

-Samurai-

"A babysitter?" Riley looked up at her adoptive parents like they were crazy and then shook her head. "Peter babysits me. Not a stranger."

"It's not a stranger," Kevin pinched the bridge of his nose. He and Mia were already home and now that they planned on having their wedding on Valentine's Day they had to look for the perfect place for the ceremony and the reception. Riley would be bored if they took her along, and with Mia's dream wedding at stake, they could be searching well into the night, after Riley's bedtime. "Your Uncle Jayden, Uncle Antonio, and Aunt Lauren are coming over to look after you."

"You like Auntie Lauren," Mia said.

Riley shook her head again and stomped her feet, "I don't like babysitters! Peter babysits me! He knows how to do it."

"Peter can't do it," Kevin was trying his best not to blurt out the truth. He knew Riley knew it. She had witnessed it. She didn't need to be reminded her brother was dead.

"You're adopting me and leaving me with strangers!"

"They aren't strangers," Mia assured Riley and knelt so she was at the young girl's level. "They're mine and Kevin's best friends. And they're going to take great care of you."

"They won't tuck me in right. Not like Peter."

"Can you show them?"

"No. Peter can do it. No one else."

"Riley," Kevin decided to kneel as well. He didn't understand why, but he knew it helped when trying to talk to kids. "Mia and I want to get married…"

"I don't want that."

"We love each other."

"Ew," Riley stuck out her tongue and looked at Mia, "Really? Him? You can do so much better."

"I love him," Mia said and gave Riley a kiss on the forehead, "And you two just gave me an idea."

"Look what you did," Kevin muttered to Riley and both looked to Mia as she stood up straight and smirked. She walked to the front hall to grab her jacket and slipped on her boots.

"I'll go look at places. I'll take pictures on mine phone, pick a few I like and I'll show them to you," Mia said to Kevin. "While I do that, you can babysit Riley."

"He pushed me down the stairs!" Riley pointed and accusing finger at Kevin, "What if he does it again?"

"The kid hates me," Kevin stood up and walked over to Mia, pulling her aside so Riley couldn't hear them talk, "Alright, she's my daughter and stuff, and she is growing on me, but a relationship takes time. You know that. I don't think I'm ready…"

"It'll only be for a few hours," Mia shook her head and opened the front door, "I love you both. Don't drive each other crazy."

With that, she walked out and closed the door. Kevin and Riley both stood and stared at the door for a moment, completely stunned. And then they looked to each other.

Suddenly, Riley let out a scream, darted off down the hall and into the bathroom. She slammed the door shut and Kevin heard it lock.

"Riley, get out of there," he told her and tried the doorknob, knowing it wouldn't turn.

"No! You can't push me down the stairs and you can't tell me what to do! I don't like you! You're mean!"

"I'm sorry I pushed you down the stairs," Kevin groaned and rested his head against the door, "It's not going to happen again."

"You made Mia cry! She's nice and you're a meanie!"

"Riley…"

Riley screamed to interrupt Kevin and drown him out, refusing to listen to a word he said. She put up with him because they were sharing a house, but even then she kept her distance from him, choosing to stick close to Mia.

Kevin couldn't leave Riley alone in the bathroom so he cheated a little. He pulled out his Samuraizer and used a Symbol to unlock the door. He opened it, and Riley couldn't believe her eyes when he walked in and picked her up.

So she played jelly baby in his arms.

"Seriously?" Kevin was strong enough to hold her, even when she was nothing but dead weight. He carried her into the kitchen and set her down on her chair. "What do you want for dinner? I can make anything…"

He turned away from her to walk to the pantry. When he looked back, she was gone. He heard the TV turn on and sighed. At least she wasn't locking herself in a room.

"This is not going to work, Mia," Kevin shook his head, "And there's no way we're doing this more than once."