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Fifteen had just come home from work, expecting to see her wife and child almost immediately somewhere in the house, but she only saw her child alone in the living room.
She was confused, because they both rarely left Elias to his own devices.
"Hey, kiddo." She went up to him as he watched TV. "Where's your mom?"
"Uhh.. Mommy went to her room," He responded with his eyes still locked on the screen.
"Her room?" Fifteen ruffled his hair. "Thanks, kid."
They went to the room they shared with their wife, finding that it was pitch dark, and her eyes softened.
She knew what was happening.
"Babe?" She pushed open the door wider and stepped in.
Without a response from her wife, she went to the closet and opened it. There curled up in the corner was One.
"Babe." Fifteen sat down perpendicular to her. "What happened?"
One tucked her legs tighter into her chest and whispered. "I don't know."
"That's ok. How long have you been in here?"
"... I don't know."
"Do you want me to be quiet?"
One nodded slightly.
"Ok." Fifteen kept quiet and just sat with her wife.
After a while, One unfurled from her ball and tentatively scooched up next to her wife, then she leaned against her.
Fifteen smiled and wrapped her arm over One's shoulders.
"I'm sorry," One whispered.
"It's ok, honey."
One said nothing and just curled up into Fifteen's side. Fifteen stayed quiet as she rubbed One's shoulder comfortingly.
One spoke up again. "I saw something again."
"You did?"
She nodded. "It spooked me and I panicked..."
"So you hid in here."
"Yeah."
"...do you think you're ready to come back out?"
"I.. I think so."
"Are you sure?"
".. yes."
"Alright then." Fifteen stood up and held out her hand for her wife to grab.
One gave a wobbly smile and allowed herself to be pulled up, then, together, they walked out.