𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔 || 𝐢. 𝐥𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐲

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

"I APPRECIATE THE CONCERN, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAY," Chris told Isaac and April after they came back from the sheriff's department. They had to be interviewed about Allison's death, and the man had just told them to keep repeating that it happened too fast. They were all standing in the kitchen of the apartment, and the two teenagers were scared that he was about to break down at any moment. "I'll be all right. I've dealt with this before. I have a capacity and...an ability to compartmentalize my emotions."

"I don't," Isaac responded, letting the man know that he was not the only person who needed people to comfort him, even if Chris actually did not need anyone. April had not left the Lahey's boy's side since it happened, even when the police had interviewed them and insisted that they had to go separately. He was happy with it, though, not wanting to let her out of his sight.

So, they stayed. Isaac and April were in Chris's office while he made them some coffee, and the blonde boy was playing with one of Allison's old ring daggers as she was lying on the ground and staring at the ceiling. She was contemplating a lot of stuff and thinking about the fact that she had lost yet another person that meant so much to her. She tilted her head toward him after a moment and broke the silence. "Isaac, I'm scared."

"Of what?" he questioned, taking his eyes off of the blade to look down at her in concern. She sat up and turned toward him, curled up in a ball almost as their shoes touched.

"Of what's going to happen," she answered, taking a deep and shaky breath. She was terrified about a lot of things at that moment. "Of how we're going to defeat the Nogitsune, if we beat it. I'm scared that I'm gonna have to go into foster care now since Allison's gone—"

He sat up once he heard her say that and cut her off. "What? Why would you go into foster care? Do you think that Chris isn't going to have you now that Allison's dead?"

"I mean, why would he?" she asked, and she felt like the most selfish person in the world. Her friend just died, and she was worried about her living situation. It was a fair question, though. Why would Chris continue to house his daughter's friend even after his daughter was dead? She would just be a reminder of what he had lost. Besides, it's a lot of work taking care of a kid, and why put in the effort when the kid was not yours?