Enough was enough, though. She'd made a vow to support her, to fight for her even when she couldn't herself. But Luna couldn't keep doing this. Not without a support system of her own.

Normally, she'd find herself on stage, rocking out to her songs, jammin' with her band. And when that'd all be over, Chunk would take it all away with some bingo for the rest of the day, while they'd chug on coffee cups, spending all their gig money on everything in the menu.

"Luna, you okay?" Sam said tentatively. "You're acting... spaced out."

But now, suppose she just wanted to sit back and let be, with the girl that held her heart. Luna shook her head, drawing her cup up to sip on espresso. What no…? Spaced out? I'm Luna Loud, I live for the now. "Yeah, dude... all's well with me."

Not really.

She heard the keyboard click in their room last night and knew. Luan wanted to stay up 'til dawn when she should've rewarded herself at least a night of rest—that was her issue to deal with now. Sure, her circumstances weren't anybody's fault… but God, was she making it hard to believe that when she did things like that to herself.

She came here to distract herself. To take a day-off the stress, the worry, the constant. bellyaching. But did she really deserve that? There her lil' sis was, suffering, panicking, being driven to the brink of a major break. And here? She could take breaks anytime.

Sam could see dishonesty behind her words. Her gaze stayed fixed out the window, her face a neutral mask betraying no hint of emotion. But Sam noticed the way her jaw clenched, the way her middle finger tapped restlessly on the plastic cup. She was lying, she could tell. But she wasn't admitting anything. Not yet.

"No big news or anything? Something I did wrong?" Sam narrowed her eyes. A year dating Luna made her find out that there were two types of fidgeting Luna did; one if she was amped, while beatboxing, and one when she was lying—like right now. She could protest, but caffeine wasn't the excuse. "It's not everyday we just have coffee dates like this, you know."

"Excuse me for wanting to wind down, dude." Luna slapped the cup down, rolling her eyes. Is that what Sam really thought? Makes sense; her sense of winding down usually involved adrenaline in between the buns.

"There is something on my mind… but I don't wanna talk about it." Luna murmured. She averted her gaze far off behind Sam. She was over having to chase cars around her head like this.

Sam sipped on her drink, the cup clicking as she placed it back on the table. "I get that, but talking helps, you know?" Her lips twitched into a small smile. That's what she'd been telling Luan all this time. Noticing this, Sam grinned her mischievous grin. "Come on, don't make me pull out the eyes on ya!"

Luna was weak at that. Sad peepers? From her girlfriend especially? A hot rush tingled through her cheeks. Not in public! She'd fold instantly. "Okay, okay! Just don't pull the trick on me!" She raised a palm up in surrender, her brain turning to snap at the image of Sam's puppy dog eyes out of her laugh. "It's my sister-"

"Which one?"

"Luan." She shot Sam a knowing look, and she reciprocated. Sam knew just as much as Leni had. And good thing for her for being the emotional guru between them.

As the gravity of the situation reintroduced itself, Sam brought her arms to the table and leaned forward in interest. While Luna had a dozen siblings to rely on in case one was feeling blue, Simon only had Sam. If there was anyone better at big sister-ing here, it was her. "What's it this time?"

"Remember when we last called?" Luna leaned back, throwing one arm onto the backrest.

Sam nodded. "I heard her in the back. She sounded pushy."

Luna's eyes darkened with the memory. "Oh, she was." Her voice dropped. "I came in thinking, oh, it's another one of those days, and next thing you know, she was shredding her cert like it was trash!"

Sam nodded. The pattern was there. Her puppet, and now that? Luan didn't come across as aggressive in any way; heck, knowing Luna, she was way worse when pushed.

"And that's not the worst part," Luna's voice was bordering a yell. Her eyes darted away, lit with frustration; her jaw set. "I tried stopping her, and guess what? She had a panic attack!"

"A what?" Sam's eyebrows shot up, incredulity seeping into her voice. "A panic attack? That doesn't sound like Luan at all."

"You best believe me, Sam, she was full on flailing like an epileptic on narcotics!" With a huff of frustration, Luna stole another sip of espresso. The bitter aftertaste soothing her tongue for what was about to roll out of it. "Think I got a few bruises on my shin and my stomach." She brought a finger and poked her belly, wincing. Yep, still sore.

Sam cringed, almost as if the energy of Luna's pain transferred to her. She knew just as much as Luna knew about this whole situation, and she tried to sit it out like her girl insisted. Family dealt with family only, she had it covered, right?

Yeah… no.

"That sounds serious, Lunes," Sam leaned back on the chair, her arms dropping to her lap. "I don't wanna sound like I'm giving you unsolicited advice but—"

"No, no, go ahead, whatcha got?"

"This is probably when the 'rents should chime in." She said with a grimace, saying that pained her just as much as it did for Luna. Luna took this more seriously than anyone knew, and to surrender herself to admission, it was like putting her Mjolnir down. Like she failed her responsibility as an older sister. "You can't just overlook a panic attack. That'd take more than a talk to fix. Luan needs help."

"I know dude, but she won't accept it even if you dragged her arse to salvation!"

"That's why your parents should intervene." Sam shot back, her irritation flaring. "She can't say no if they're the ones insisting, can she?"

Luna scoffed, instantly thinking of all the ways they'd brush it off. As much as their parents loved them, and showed it every way they could; time in a business, and in a family of a dozen plus one was gold. Dad's already going haywire over the resto. Mom's caught up in scraping beef jerkies off Flip's gums. Would they even step aside or just tell them to fix it on their own like they've always done?

No, heck, they'd probably just call in Lisa to deal with it using her scientific magic.

Nah, if she went to Lisa first, the 'rents might as well do it. The chair creaked as Luna leaned her back fully against it. "That might work… I don't know." Luna drew out a sigh, her breath gruff. "Apart from that, what am I supposed to do? How else do I help her other than by snitchin'?"

She loved Luan to death, and seeing her like this killed her… but what else could they do when it seemed like… Luan just wasn't mentally in grid anymore?

Sam looked down before her face lit up, only subtly. "She knows that you're there for her when she needs you, right?"

Luna nods earnestly. "She should. I told her a bajillion times."

The light in her eyes dimmed into something akin to helplessness. "And she still won't talk, huh."

It was more of a re-statement than it was a question. Luna shook her head anyway.

"Huh." Sam purged her dry throat with her latte, running warm now. "Only thing you can really do now is… remind her of that time and time again, and hope that maybe… she'll come to you."

She already knew that. Luna frowned. It still sucked to be reminded of it though. To know that there was nothing that she could do.

She loved her sister to death, and she only wanted the best for her, but it was exhausting to just have to look at her drown. She had a life jacket to throw that Luan refused to wear. She could try to swim in the waters to get to her, but it'd turn to ice every time she dived.

"Suppose that'd be the only thing I can do now." Luna dropped her hands on the table somberly, a twinge of doubt in her voice. She lost her appetite to drink, instead feeling this strong yearning to reconnect, to save her sister. "You think she'll come to me eventually?"

Sam reached out and plastered her palm over her entwined hands. She wanted to lie, say cheesy, hopeful reminders disguising themselves as truths, but she couldn't do Luna dirty like that. She knew Luan and her bonded over not addressing the elephants in their room. "Maybe?"

Luna's shoulders sagged in disappointment. "You're s'posed to say yes, dang it."

And there it was. Only wanting the sweets, even if it hurt her in the long run. "I can't lie, you know that." Sam shot her a stern look.

"Good point…" Luna muttered, her memory still afloat to sensation in her shin, and her gut. Geeze, she could pack a punch. "Gooood point."

"Luan!"

Turns out, they didn't have to wait after dinner.

Leni heard a barrage of booming knocks on the door. "Open this door right now!" She winced at mom's shriek.

She flitted to the bed; Luan was shifting from her sleep. Leni pulled herself off the beanbag, and softly opened the door, finding her fuming parents standing behind. "She's sleepi—"

Mom pushed her aside, and dad followed suit, locking the door behind as Leni stumbled to the doors of the closet. Whoa, what the…?

Catching her footing, she helplessly watched as Luan was shaken awake by mom. "Huh… what?"

"Young lady, what is the meaning of this!?"

Leni tried to stay still, but dad caught her moving, and glared at her before gesturing at the door. She immediately rushed out, back pressed against the door.

Aaaand… the rest of them were in the hallway too. Great. More questions.

Lana was about to open her mouth, but Leni raised a palm up. "I gotta go." She grimaced. One more Luan-related drama, and she'd hurl. She stepped down the stairs, not without giving them one last, firm warning. "Let mom and dad deal with that."

"What did we just talk about, Luan!? She wiped her already aching eyelids for the millionth time. "You cussed in front of your teacher—in the middle of class! Have you forgotten what I warned you about!?"

Make the nightmare end. She silently begged, hugging her knees. If there was a God, then please end this. End me.

"M-mom…" Her throat was blocked with the chokehold of her actions. There was too much to explain, so little space to. "I…"

"H-hold on, honey, hold on…" Dad kneeled in between them, and Luan felt his heavy hand stroke her back. "Luan, can you look at me for a second?"

She sniffled, and peered at him, returning his concerned gaze with affliction. Lynn's mouth went agape, and he looked at mom. "Rita, she's heating up."

For a second, Rita cooled down and tentatively felt her bare arm. "And…pale. What, don't tell me you went out without a coat again?"

Luan curled herself up tighter, hiding her face from the world. She'd felt it since waking up. Fatigue… heavy head. No sign of cough or runny nose though. Just… coldness. Whatever it was.

"Stay here. I'm gonna get Lisa." She heard mom say, felt the bed shift weight as footsteps distanced themselves to the door.

The door clicked and the mattress dipped once more. This time, by the available space on her bed. Strong arms wrapped around her, and she was pulled into a firm embrace. "There, there… sweetie. Tell me what happened?"

It felt safe, and familiar in dad's hold. It always had. She missed the feeling, and relished it. But it wasn't enough to let go. "Lots of things." She mumbled out weakly.

"What kind of things?" He pressed his palm on her forehead, before pulling back with a wince. "You're burning up, honey. What did you do?"

The snow. A gasp slipped into her lips. They'd kill her if they found out. "I didn't do anything, dad, I swear!"

She was sputtering off the trails, beyond words and beyond emotion. Lynn pulled her to his chest. "It's okay, it's okay. Just don't speak." He soothed her; she felt so frail in his arms. This wasn't the girl that grew up to be fifteen. This was, age eight, yet again, on that night of her first flopped gig. "It's okay…"

Rita slipped back in, a conflicted mix between concern and frustration on her face. Lisa followed in tow, with her medical supplies and Todd. She checked her vitals, everything of the like, and Luan—her state was so bad, Lisa pointed out the way she stared blankly at the ceiling, in and out of sleep.