A/N: I watched Inside Out and fell in love with it. Mostly Sadness, but still... Anyway here are the consequences- enjoy the angst! Disclaimer: I don't own Inside Out.

The sight of Sadness standing there alone in front of her screen as Riley ran home made Joy realize something. She'd spent so many years pushing the little teardrop shaped emotion away from her girl that she'd never realized that it was Sadness's girl too.

Sadness had spent the last eleven years watching the other emotions play their roles and keep Riley safe and happy. Now that Joy thought about it, while Anger, Fear, and Disgust put their own two cents in sometimes they would also follow Joy's lead and keep Sadness away from everything.

Joy remembered just a few seconds ago when the other three emotions had exclaimed incredulously at Joy's suggestion that Sadness take control.

Sadness's insecurity about going anywhere near the controls seemed to place another weight on Joy's heart. She had made Sadness believe that she destroyed and messed up everything she touched. She had put herself, Joy, above all other emotions and isolated and rejected her opposite. She'd shoved Sadness into a tiny circle for orb's sake! She'd even left Sadness behind- abandoned and alone on the cliffside because she'd thought that Riley needed Joy... Because she thought Joy was the most important emotion.

Riley did need Joy- Joy was a critical emotion, but she needed Sadness just as much... Possibly more.

Even Joy couldn't happen until after Sadness.

Sadness turned around and Joy stepped forward before holding out Riley's core memories. Sadness gave Joy an astonished look... Was Joy really entrusting the core memories to her?

Joy gave Sadness a slight reassuring smile. Sadness hesitantly took them and the cheerful golden orbs turned to a sad blue. Sadness knew what she had to do. She needed to help Riley remember the good times and let them go so she could create new memories.

The memories glowed, Riley and her parents cried, and Joy smiled a slight bittersweet smile as Sadness finally belonged.