The Valley

like a fire in the dark

Wilbur was back, and Tubbo was very happy about that. He wouldn't loose mobility, thankfully the burns didn't extend to his joints. He was eager to get back to playing guitar, to just get back to living, at least until they went to the loft and Wilbur was filled in on the whole situation.

With Wilbur back, Phil was at Techno's side more. Wilbur drove Ranboo to therapy and helped with Tommy's hand and gave ideas to Tubbo for his tech. Phil was always home for dinner, generally sleeping over at the loft, but during the day he was either shopping or sitting by Techno, hoping, praying that he would wake up.

Tubbo didn't get his hopes up. Eventually their luck would run out. And as much as he hated to even have the thought, he was glad it wasn't Ranboo or Tommy.

Tubbo was home alone one afternoon, screwing the tiny little moving pieces of the bot into place, when there was a knock on their door.

He was immediately scared, what if the Dream Team had found out where they were? He slowly, silently, walked to the door, looking through the peephole. No one that he knew of from the Dream Team was there. Instead, was the woman. Waiting there patiently, her hands crossed in front of her, wearing all black, glancing around.

Well hopefully Tubbo would have a nice funeral if he did die. He opened the door, his eyes narrowed.

"Why're you here?" Tubbo demanded, and the woman blinked, clearly surprised to see Tubbo.

"Oh, I thought Eret lived here..." She said quietly. Tubbo thought for a moment, wanting to be somewhat helpful.

"Well, my brother should be coming home soon, maybe he can help. He knows a lot of people." The woman nodded and Tubbo welcomed her in.

"Maybe he was a past tenant?" Tubbo suggested. Phil said that he was renting this place out from an old friend, maybe that was Eret? Tubbo didn't know.

They didn't wait for very long until Tommy, Ranboo and Wilbur came back.

"TUBBO- who the fuck is this?" Tommy asked, pointing at the woman sitting on their couch.

"Uhhh, I don't think she ever gave me her name? But she's looking for someone named Eret and I figured maybe Wil or Phil would know." Tubbo noticed the woman stiffen a bit at the name Phil, but he thought nothing of it.

Wilbur was the last to come through the door, and the woman looked up, her eyes going wide, her hands covering her mouth. Wilbur just looked confused as the woman fully ran towards him, hugging him tightly.

"Wilbur... I thought I'd lost you..." She sobbed.

"So she's crazy?" Tommy whispered. Tubbo was about to nod in agreement when Wilbur spoke.

"Mom?" She hugged him tighter.

"He told me he'd killed you and Phil, how're you alive?" She demanded, pulling away from him. Tubbo's eyes widened.

"You're Kristen?" Ranboo asked. Apparently he was the only one who could speak. Kristen nodded, turning over to Ranboo.

"You're the boy from the alley..." She whispered, "Yes, that's me. But Wil, how're you alive?"

"He didn't kill us, as far as I know. Dad's alive..." Kristen nodded, grabbing onto the back of the couch, just something to support herself.

"And Techno?"

"He's... stable." Kristen snorted, raising her eyes to the heavens.

"Well, at least he's the same..." She sighed.

"I feel like we're skipping over the main fact that is YOU JUST SHOWED UP ON OUR DOORSTEP!" Tommy yelled. Kristen chuckled.

"I feel like my story would be better told when Phil comes home..."