(Time) is a weird thing. You like thinking it's somewhat like water- it can rush by so fast it looks like (a rush of happiness, knowing everything is alright in the world because he's with you and you can kiss him and lay with him in your arms) white, it can crawl by leisurely, taking its time while you writhe in pain, submerged underneath an ocean, the pressure crushing your lungs. It's been two weeks, and you can feel the edges of your existence fading away silently as you're wiped away.

You've avoided everyone at any and all costs, people who could bring back ugly memories. You leave your room for only the most basic of needs- food, work, the bathroom. Dave's come by. You locked yourself in every time and blasted music so loudly the neighbors complained until he finally gave up and left. Kanaya's tried talking to you. You stare at the wall and let the white noise that's always buzzing in your ears drown out everything she tries to tell you. Rose is the only person who knows not to try, and she slinks around, throwing you looks you can't decipher from time to time.

You're probably depressed or something like that. ("Understatement of the century," Rose would tell you later on.)

Your job is tedious and hard work, but it's what gets you out of bed at all anymore. One of your co-workers seems to have a crush on you. He has a funny accent and a weird fascination with skulls and green jackets, but he's sweet, and you find him looking at some of the older architectural marvels in the building often. You've chatted a couple of times, but he's just a kid, really, not even twenty, just an intern freshman, bright eyed and fresh faced. Probably a virgin too. It seems like forever ago that you were one of those. It's a funny thing, (time).

(Time) has lost all meaning for you. You stare at your watch and don't understand what the numbers mean, what every tick is and why it's tock is so important. You've forgotten, underneath a thick shell of ice. Once upon a (time), there was a girl who loved a boy, had her heart broken, fixed, and broken again. And like hell is she letting anywhere near enough again to try and glue the pieces back together. She tried and ended up with sliced up fingers and splinters. Nope, not trying that again.

This goes on for some (time). And then Kanaya finally loses her patience. You wake up to a few muted clicks- you've become a light sleeper, prone to nightmares- and the door swings open, despite the fact you were sure you'd locked it. Your dear friend and roommate is glaring at you, an impressive set of wires clutched in her hands.

"That's enough."

Say what you want about Kanaya. Overprotective? Yes. A meddler? Yes. A coddler, a motherly worrywart? Yes. And maybe she tended to go off on tangents and worry too much about hypothetical situations, but the woman did not screw around when there was work to be done.

"Get up."

"But I don't have work for another few hours, come on, it's a Saturday..."

She rips the covers off, exposing your legs to the early morning chill. You shriek in shock and scramble for warmth, but she tosses them out of your reach. "No, I've had it with your one man pity party, Aradia. You are going to call in sick, and you're going to get dressed and coming with me."

"Kana-"

"Go shower." She turns around and walks out calmly, as if she hadn't just burst into some innocent woman's room and woken her up without a good reason.

By the time you're ready, Kanaya is waiting on the sofa, waiting for you to emerge from your room. You try to ask her what the hell is going on, or at least where you're going, but she shushes you. The pair of you take the elevator in silence, and she hums to herself as you get out to the curb. There's a taxi waiting for you two, and you again try to ask her something, but she glares at you until you shut up.

The city's just waking up, stretching its arms over its head, yawing and rubbing its bleary eyes. You can see stores opening up, people that have places to be at on the move, and you again wonder what Kanaya has in store. Then again, you don't really care about that so much as you do the fact that a few hours of sleep have been rudely ripped from you. It's one of the few things you enjoy anymore, and even that is plagued with nightmares. But at least there's Lunesta to help you sleep when they get really bad.

The ride's not that long, but you're somewhat lost in thought, so you don't think much of it until you step out of the cab. You're somewhere in Midtown, and Kanaya's striding towards a cafe. You barely have (time) to ask "What the hell is going on?" before you see them.

All of them.

"Wh- what-"

Kanaya's face is unreadable. "You need to face your problems. I thought I'd call a powwow, to try and work out your problems. Rose suggested it- "

"Is this some really fucked up version of Intervention? Okay, where are the cameras? Ahahaha, look, you made the slut cry! Is that what you want? Of course it is, you sick, sick-"

Sollux cuts you off. "Hey, AA."

The familiar nickname catches you off guard. He's standing there, still kind of slouchy, still heartbreakingly handsome with the imprint of a smirk on his face. And he has the nerve to be next to her, and she's gorgeous and hoity-toity, little rich bitch in Jimmy Choo heels, Prada bag, and you'd bet everything that that was Dior you smell. But she doesn't look at you with disgust like you want her to, any excuse so you can smash her pretty face in, or even pity. She looks at you like you're human. They all do.

You can forgive them. You hate her anyway. Or you can try to.

"Hey."

Equius looks extremely awkward, silent and hulking in the corner of the small shop. Nepeta is nursing a mug of green tea, and keeps patting Equius's arm every time you speak. Guilt churns in your abdomen, but Sollux keeps speaking, so you focus your attention on him again.

"So. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Obviously."

The room is uncomfortably silent. You don't blame them, the atmosphere is tense, crackling with the stench of old skeletons being pulled from the earth. Time has only worsened their condition, and now you're ignoring the elephant in the room against common sense, because it's a pretty small room and said metaphorical elephant has everyone pinned to the walls with its girth.

It's Vriska who shatters the silence, pulls out an imaginary needle and stabs the blow up elephant in the ass. "So Sollux isn't dead, you thought he was, and you're a hooker now?"

The entire room flinches visibly. Tavros lets out a shocked "Vriska!", and Nepeta chokes on her tea. Equius looks like he wouldn't mind stepping up and smacking Vriska across the face. Hell, so does everyone else. Feferi fidgets uncomfortably, and you're gritting your teeth.

"Thank you very much, Vriska, for summing up the whole situation..." Kanaya looks mortified, and you can practically hear her mentally decking her in the face. Rose has the look of an embarrassed mother. They're both probably repeating their delicately worded speeches, ones you're sure they were planning to say. In a way, though, you're almost grateful. It's all out now, and for a few seconds, the attention has shifted elsewhere.

"Yes, yes, no."

"But I heard-"

"Was, Vriska, was. Past tense." Kanaya pats her hand, and the focus is on you again. "I. Uh."

This time, it's Terezi who spares you. She's sitting by Karkat, head resting on his shoulder, his face wearing the familiar look of someone who'd rather be anywhere else but here. "We know, Aradia. The prosecution would like to ask you some questions, first."

"I- Wait, what?"

Karkat looks at you under a fringe of unkempt hair. "She's been like this since she started law school. It's driving everyone up the fucking walls. Just ignore it, you've got deeper shit to deal with than some freaky blind girl's fantasies."

Blind. You frown. That's your fault too.

"Karkat, rude! I'm only legally blind, dunkass, and I'll be the one asking the questions." Her head swivels in your direction. "Why'd you leave?"

How were you supposed to answer something like that? You were seventeen, scared, desperate, orphaned, almost definitely homeless, heartbroken- why wouldn't you?

"I don't know."

"Liar."

Terezi's peering at you through those glasses. You can't see her eyes- you're glad you don't have to see her straining to make out your face. Guilt floods your stomach, but for some morbid reason, you need to know. "How much can you see?"

Unexpectedly, her face cracks into a huge, shark like grin. "I can make out the general shape and color of things if I'm close enough. You're wearing dark red today, your hair is down, and you're wearing black stockings. I can't read regular text anymore, but I've gotten really good at Braille, and I can make my way around fine, but Senator Lemonsnout and my cane are here for guidance and security. Relax. I'm fine." She pets the golden retriever sitting at her feet, and you shift your eyes up to Vriska and Tavros, curled up together. Who'd have thought?

Tavros catches your eyes and nearly (figuratively) trips over himself in his rush to reassure you he's fine. "I've had surgeries to repair my spine, and the prosthetics are pretty great, I don't even need crutches most days anymore. I can walk, at least, which is, uh, pretty cool." He glances at the girl in his arms, and then hesitantly asks the question you really want answered. "We're okay, right?"

"I don't have a fucking left eye, Tavros."

The room winces.

" My arm is metal and plastic and wire and my depth perception is fucked." She swivels around to face you, and you see the glass eye stare into your soul. "You were driving. You crashed the car. Sure, you couldn't help it. But there's no reason to leave everything behind like a goddamn coward. You ran away. You thought that'd make everything better? How about explaining to your boyfriend that his girlfriend left him for dead?"

Ouch.

"How about his parents freaking out about you? How about him? Did you even think? Did you realize how selfish you were?"

"Vriska, that's enough." Sollux is grimacing, his lisp still there. "We're here to move on."

"Let me finish, for fucks' sake. You were immature and bratty and you not only fucked everyone over, you fucked yourself up, and supposedly half of New York, as well-"

"Vriska!"

"-and you have the nerve to run away when shit hits the fan? Literally run away? That's a dick move. You'd know, too-"

"Vriska, shut up!" Sollux and Equius shout at her simultaneously, and she glares at them. If looks could kill, they'd both be dead, one functioning eye or not.

"Well, exuuuuuuuuse me- I'm trying to make the little princess come to terms with something she's been avoiding for the last five years- reality. I don't want a fucking apology. I've moved on, Tavros has moved on, Terezi has, Sollux has- everyone has, but you. "

"I was moving on, in a way," you mutter, sneaking a furtive glance at Equius, still sitting in the corner, nearly comical next to the tiny girl sipping tea next to him. "But-"

"Then move on! You've got a legit job, you've got people who care, and we don't hate you. I don't, at least, and everyone knows I'm the biggest bitch of everyone here." She sweeps across the room, and there's a general murmur of assent.

"But I-"

"No buts. Make your peace with the world, build a bridge, and get the fuck over yourself. " She settled back into her seat, satisfied with having imparted her wisdom to the lesser fortunate.

"You've grown up."

"Thank you for noticing, princess. Believe it or not, even the biggest bitch matures somewhat over time." She smirks and curls up under Tavros' arm. "Your turn now."

The room quieted down again.

"I'm sorry."

Silence.

"I'm sorry for running away. And I'm sorry I lied about everything. I'm sorry I hurt you guys..."

A few people nod in agreement.

"Sollux?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I left."

"I'm sorry I made you worry."

"Terezi- I'm sorry for about your eyes."

"Pssssh. It's in the past now."

"Tavros- I'm sorry about your legs."

"I'm fine now! See, I can walk-"

"How about meeeeeeee?"

"Vriska. I'm sorry about your eye. And your arm."

"I'll forgive you eventually."

"Kanaya, Rose, I'm sorry for making you worry."

"We're here for you, just tell us if there's a problem, alright?"

"Jade, Dave, thanks for helping me out."

"No problem."

"Anytime!"

"Equius..."

Nepeta grimaces, and you see one child's hand tighten around a giant one, rough from years of hard work.

"I'm sorry. For lying. For everything I did."

He's unreadable, and you hate yourself for it. You've so far prided yourself on being able to read him, after months of being together.

It hurts. It hurts and nobody understands.

The entire rooms tenses, and a few start muttering excuses about how they have to go. Slowly, they trickle out, Kanaya and Rose throw you sympathetic looks (you have no doubt they're going to murmur to each other how they would have done things differently, and therefore, better) as they walk out, Terezi grins at you (accompanied by an irritated scoff on Karkat's part), Tavros smiles, and you smile back, before Vriska rolls her eyes and sashays out, arm in arm with the former loser, he her victim once.

Funny how love works.

Equius and Nepeta stand as the last people leave. They exchange a few short words, and she kisses his cheek quickly, and you hate yourself a little for being jealous, and a little more for being the reason he's so obviously hurt. Nepeta shoots you a piercing glare that you could swear actually burns a little. Forget if looks could kill, they can, as evidenced by the pain you feel in her look of betrayal.

"I trusted you with his heart, and you hurt him," the look says.

"I'll talk to you later, Aradia. I'll wait outside."

"Sure." If you say anymore, you might cry.

He nods, and then the only people left are Feferi, Equius, and you, not counting the fedora wearing gentleman owner of the shop. He glances around, sees the three of you, and courteously walks out, pipe in hand. Feferi smiles at you, a forgiving smile, and kisses Sollux gently before leaving you alone with him.

You hate yourself even more for not being able to hate her. She's obviously taken good care of Sollux in your absence, his only pain at the moment is you, and he breaks the awkward silence by speaking.

"Aradia."

"Sollux."

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Five years come and gone, and you'll never forget his touch, awkward from inexperience and adolescence. He still has his lisp, still tall, no longer awkward.

"No shit, Sherlock."

He pulls you in for a hug, and you cry for a few minutes. When you pry yourself from his shoulder, you can't stop him, even if you wanted to, from pressing his lips against your forehead, sweet and tender, a butterfly touch against your nose, and a kiss, almost painfully softly against your lips.

The kiss lasts a single instant, and when you open your eyes, you are calm.

"I love you, you know."

"I love you too. I'll always love you."

"But we've both moved on. You have him, and I have her."

"I'm okay with that. I'm very okay with that."

He holds you in silence for a few moments before he speaks again. "I'm sorry it didn't work out between us. We would have been happy together."

"We can be just as happy with them, if not more." You kiss him again, and there's no passion, but an extreme tenderness there. "You really love her, don't you?"

"As you love him."

"What if he doesn't forgive me?"

"He already has." He gives you one final peck on the cheek before he releases you. "Go fix things up with him, okay?"

"I will."

You pause for a second, looking at the ring on his left hand, before asking one last question. "When's the wedding?"

"August, but that's not important now. Go."

You pause as you stand, hesitating. "Then what are we? Friends?"

"Closer than that. Do you believe in fate? We could be soulmates. Platonic soulmates."

"That's the corniest thing you've ever said, Sollux, and I knew you in high school when you, and I quote, 'Captored' my heart."

"Yes or no?" He smirks, and you laugh in spite of yourself. Love or not, no matter what happened, if you could have him there for you, you'd be okay.

"Soulmates, then."

"Forever?"

You don't hesitate before responding in the affirmative. "Forever."

He's leaning against a wall, uncomfortably out of place, when you find him. "Equius?"

He murmurs something you can't quite catch. "Equius?"

"Aradia."

A hand snakes into your hair, and for a moment you stupidly wonder if he's going to bash your head against the bricks he's leaning on, but he simply pulls you close to his chest, where he holds you for a long time, his lips in your hair.

"I'm sorry. I should have told you."

"You did your best."

"I hurt you, though."

"Yes, you did. I talked to Nepeta for a long time, and we conversed about our situation."

"You guys are really close, huh?"

"She's like a younger sister, but much closer- as if we were born to be each other's soulmates, in the most platonic sense of the word. It's like that for both of us."

"I know the feeling. But then, why'd she let me come within twenty feet of you again, after what happened?"

"Because you make me happy, and she wants me to be happy."

"I didn't mean to hurt you. I never expected for things to get so serious."

"That's in the past now. But you need to promise me something, Aradia."

"Huh?"

"Don't lie to me. Don't forget to tell me things."

"I won't. It's done me no good so far, and I don't plan to continue doing so."

"Good. Because I have to confess something very serious."

"What?"

He gives you a look, serious with a spark of levity twinkling in the back of his expression. "I love you, very much so. And I'd like to be happy with you for a long time."

"Are you-"

"Nepeta's moving, and I can't afford the rent without her. But if I had someone with me... I mean, the rent's cheaper at my place then what you pay at Kanaya's, I asked her myself, and I-"

You kiss him before he can finish the sentence. It might not be a marriage proposal, but you've never been a traditional princess, anyway, and this is all of the fairy tale pomp and circumstance you need at the moment.

I'm sorry I haven't been able to update lately. Happy New Years to all, for those who are still waiting for it and those who already in 2012! Consider this a holiday gift, for those of you that celebrate anything around this time of year. The epilogue will be put up when I have time to finish it, and I hope you've enjoyed this particular adventure! Thank you for reading.