When the Stars Fall (Stardew Valley Fanfic)

State of Things

"No. The last person to see her that day was Abigail, but she'd told Emily and me as much."

Hearing Haley say that specifically, Ardyce didn't know what to think about all of that, given the fact she'd felt so much guilt about being the last person to see Maru and not being able to do anything to help find her, let alone the person who'd taken her away from her family, yet now she was finding out she might not have been after all, that a girl who—as Alex put it, had an unhealthy obsession with Maru's brother—kept that secret this whole time.

"Why? Why would she do that?"

Ardyce hoped they would find out, particularly with how Sebastian started tensing up after leaving the clinic. There was this gut feeling that maybe, just maybe Abigail had been the one to do something to Maru, yet for the life of her, she couldn't understand why someone would be jealous of even the sister of the guy they liked. Yet, she couldn't think of any other reason than Abigail being the one, and she hated it.

Pierre looked up. "Oh. Hi. Net's up, but Abigail won't be bothering you anymore Sebastian." The man cleared his throat. "Caroline made me sit down and have a good hard conversation about what was going on."

"Actually," Sam took a deep breath while Sebastian didn't seem to notice what Pierre said, which concerned Ardyce slightly. "We need to talk to Abigail. It's important."

"That..."

"It's about Maru, and the fact she told Haley and Emily she was the last person to see her that day," Ardyce said, missing the fact her and Sebastian's fingers weren't entwining, but having to discuss things with Abigail probably made that best.

"Oh. Kitchen. I'll have Caroline supervise."

"This way," Sam commented, heading back, but coming back to tug Sebastian's sleeve, sending a rather worried look Ardyce's way. They soon sat down and Caroline brought them tea, but she looked at Sebastian rather carefully.

Abigail soon came in, flopping down in the chair. Caroline looked at her daughter. "Abigail, did you tell Emily and Haley that you saw Maru the day she disappeared."

"I don't know what they're talking about," Abigail stated, firmly crossing her arms. "And what's with..."

"Abigail," Caroline said firmly. "If you know something about Sebastian's sister and the day she disappeared, you will be honest about it."

"If I say, does that mean..."

"No!" Caroline snapped. "Please tell me you didn't hold back on this information in hopes you could use it so you might get together with Sebastian?" Ardyce watched Sebastian turn his head, but he looked at Abigail in disbelief, although he still seemed quite out of it.

"I'd feel the same way if it was my sister and someone withheld something that could have helped."

"That's not fair!" Abigail pushed herself up. "I've known Sebastian a lot longer than she has." She pointed at Ardyce. "How come he..."

"Stop it," Sebastian choked out, shaking his head before burying his head on the table.

Sam looked at Abigail, seeming as if he didn't know what to say, but Caroline looked at her daughter. "Fair? What's fair about losing one's sister? Ardyce wasn't even here when you decided to not tell anybody about Maru. Why would you..."

"Because Sebastian was excited about seeing Maru, but he was never excited to see me! He doesn't even remember that I was there that day because he was so focused on sitting in the front area rather than down in his basement room, but there was actually a smile on his face and I'd never got that! So it's not as if anyone thought I might have seen something."

Ardyce looked at her, they all did including Sebastian. "Did you do something?"

"No! And I wasn't the last person to see Maru that day! It was Harvey!"

"Harvey is..." Ardyce tried remembering who that person was.

"That doctor of the local clinic," Sebastian muttered, still seeming out of it. "The local clinic we were just at. And the one who just gave me the replacement meds to hold me off until..." In the back of Ardyce's mind, she couldn't help but think that wasn't what she needed to remember about the man, but then Sebastian said, "Except it's the wrong meds."

Sam looked at Sebastian. "Hold on. What do you mean it's the wrong meds?"

"It's not doing what it's supposed to do, and I honestly don't feel that great," Sebastian muttered.

"Oh god." Caroline stood up. "I'm calling an ambulance."

"Wait. What medication?" Abigail looked at Sebastian while Sam glared at her, but then glanced back at Sebastian in worry.

"I don't understand."

Ardyce's eyes closed, mentally trying to remember what she needed to remember. She remembered the face but remembered Emily telling him he was cut off because he started talking about how Maru and Sebastian's relationship gave him bad vibes, yet regarding the clinic, she remembered how the clinic was connected to the same internet connection which was cut off for a few days, not having thought the lack of complaint from him strange at the time.

She understood all too well as Caroline called the emergency services that Harvey was the one most likely to have done something with Maru, but that he might very well have done something to Sebastian, yet what she didn't understand was why the method of dealing with Sebastian was unfolding right in front of them, while with Maru it had been ever so secret, even as the ambulance took Sebastian away.

Ardyce understood that the police were arresting the right person when they arrived this time, her anger at how they treated Sebastian only a few days ago not going away as she stood there with her arms crossed, noting how they arrived so soon after the young man they persecuted so blatantly was hauled away. "That's not how things should be. The police, doctors, they should all know better."

"Come on. Let's get to the hospital. I'm sure Sebastian will be fine. He's tough," Sam stated, while she nodded her head, overhearing Caroline tell Abigail that, no, she couldn't go and visit Sebastian.