By the time we got to Sixth Grade, Karkat's dad had married Kristy. I got to be flower girl in their wedding, and Karkat was Ring Bearer. He still didn't like her. He became angrier as time went on, and was always grouch. He was different than as a kid. He loved his friends, but got angry easier, and was insecure. He started wearing this sweater, and rarely wore anything else, even in summer. We were still pretty good friends though. We didn't have sleepovers nearly as often, but we had been having them since we were kids, so we were still aloud to have them. I got to the point where I just walked into Karkat's house with no knocking, and the family just accepted it.

One day, I went over, and I walked in, and heard a shout, then the sound of skin hitting skin. At first I thought I walking in on something very private, but then I saw Karkat run past the stairs from his parent's room to his. He was holding his cheek, and looked like he was crying. My heart pounded, and I silently went back out. I went back home, told my mom no one was there, and went up to my room. I managed to convince myself it wasn't what I thought, and never brought it up.

Karkat wasn't at school the next day, and I felt the pang of worry in my stomach. I collected his homework, acted like normal, like nothing was wrong, because nothing was wrong...right? Anyways, I brought him his homework, and he thanked me, and just as I turned to leave, he grabbed my hand and pulled me back. My heart fluttered, and my stomach developed butterflies. What?

He asked me to sit on the bed with him, and help him with his homework. I nodded, and explained it to him, helping him work through it. When it was done, he yawned, and laid down, and said he was going to sleep. I kissed his forehead and told him no more bad dreams, and he smiled slightly, and fell asleep. His mom walked in, and smiled at me, and walked me out.

"Thank you for bringing his homework. He needs to stay caught up. He should be back at school tomorrow, though!" She said. She watched me walk to my house, and made sure I got home safe, then went back inside.

I went up to my room, and saw my laptop on the bed. I opened it up, and saw Equius messaged me.

CT: D- nepeta

CT: D-i was wondering if you would like to accompany this weekend on this new trail my father and I found while horseback riding.

CT: D- nepeta?

CT: D- are you there?

AC: :33 yes, silly, I'm here. I was bringing Karkat is homework!

CT: D- I see.

AC: :33 and yes, my mom said it was purrfectly fine to go with you!

CT: D- e%cellent. See you tomorrow, then.

AC: :33 and... equius?

CT: D- yes?

AC: :33 please pick me up in a car this time... I still get anxiety, and being picked up horseback near the highway doesn't exactly help...

CT D- understood, nepeta.

AC: :33

I logged off, and went to my bag to pull out my notepad I use to write notes in, and my journal. I pulled out the notepad, but couldn't find the journal. I panicked, and realised I had left it at Karkat's house. I jumped up, grabbed the notebook, and ran over. I walked in, going up to his room, and knocked softly on the door, poking my head in.

"Hey..Karkat? I think I gave you the wrong notebook... " I said, walking to the side of his bed. He was still asleep. I saw it on his desk, and grabbed it, and replaced it with the right notebook. I was about to go, when I stopped, and left a note.

Karkat-

*ac giggles at her silly self, because she gave you the wrong notebook! She replaced this one with the wrong one, and hopes you feel better soon! Also, she furrgot to remind you, we have a quiz on this tomorrow. Study up, and feel better!*

-Nepeta~3

I giggled and snuck out, and as I did, I heard him whisper something in his sleep. I stopped for a moment, and listened.

"No... don't, stop, im sorry...please..." was what he was murmuring, a troubled look on his sleeping face. I slowly closed the door, and let myself out, no one noticing I was even there. It happens sometimes. On the short walk home, I thought about it. It could not have been a coincidence with what I saw yesterday...could it? No, silly me, it was just a nightmare! Those happen, I'm sure it was nothing...

I got into my room, and opened up my journal, and pulled out my ukulele. I played through the song I wrote for Guitar Night at the cafe down the street, then pulled up the tab for the song I was now learning, I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for a Cutie. My sister was the only one home, so I got to be as loud as I wanted. I was playing for a while, when Karkat suddenly appeared in my doorway.

"You even roleplay in your stupid ass notes? Fucking pathetic." He said with a small smirk. I grinned and got up and hugged him.

"Hey! You feeling better?"

"Eh, been better, been worse. I wanted to hang out with you. I haven't been here in ages, man. You still play your ukulele?"

"Yes! Actually, this is a newer one. The old one was like a practice one. This is the real deal. I named her Espi."

"...You named your goddamn Ukulele?"

"Well...no... all objects have their own personality, you see! And people have auras that tell me what their personality is like, and their names are colored, so I can see if their name matches their personality. You name is a bright red, but your aura is grey. Isn't It like that for you?"

"...No... I've never experienced anything like that. How long have you seen all...that?"

"My whole life."

"Uh..huh.. that's actually kinda cool." He sat on the edge of the bed next to me, and laid back so his head was in my lap. "What about our other friends?"

"Well, Sollux's name is bright yellow, and has a clashing personality, so it looks like its a red vs. blue type personality going on around him. Equius has a deep, royal blue name, and a similar colored aura. Usually, families have similar colored auras, but the only huge difference I see, is with Kristy. Hers is a vile milky yellow and green mixture that's so bright, and it kinda clashes with your dad's color." I told him, pawing at his hair and scrunching up my nose. He purred softly and smiled a little, but frowned at the name Kristy.

"Damn. Does that ever get in the way?"

"All the time. Though its pretty moderate, but stronger than say, third grade."

"that's really cool, Nepeta."

"Also, reading can be a bitch. That's why I stop, put my book down in silent reading, and hold my head, because it hurts my head so bad."

"Oh. I'm sorry.."

"No, it's okay!"

"You sure?"

"I'm sure!" I said. We sat in silence for a bit, me playing with his hair, him softly purring. I thought he had fallen asleep, when he sat up and sighed.

"Well, I better get to my house for dinner. See you at school tomorrow, Nepeta. No more bad dreams." He said, kissing my cheek and leaving. There were those butterflies again. Oh dear.

A/N There was supposed to be a few more than/less than signs in this chapter, but apparently, does not like that, so.

It's in the chatlog, the last message nep sends is the moirail thing, and the end of nepeta's not has a heart. Hop that cleared it up!