Tiffany had allowed her cousins to put her to bed, but she had gotten up the moment she realized that she was laying down. She didn’t…didn’t want to sleep. Not really. She was afraid of nightmares and really just didn’t want to be alone.

Carefully, quietly she crossed to the door and stuck her head out, freezing when she heard Mads and Mason talking. Talking about her.

She was quiet, listening and her stomach absolutely dropped when she really took the time to realize what they were saying.

The man was most likely dead…and really…it was all her fault. She didn’t do anything to save him, only worked on saving herself…and…Mads didn’t want her going out at all?

Tiffany’s face was blank as she heard that, and she wanted to run out and insist that Mads was wrong. That she should go out. That she had been out a lot and nothing bad had happened before this. Not really. Sure there had been the frogs…and the chicken. And the bad feeling people but…nobody had hurt her before this…and she had done her best to stay safe. She had met friends! Met other people who supported her, found people who could understand her but…her cousins…

They still didn’t trust her. Didn’t think she could handle herself and now that she had come to them when she needed them…

They decided that she was in even more danger and just didn’t think she could do anything.

Slowly, carefully she made her way back to the bed and sat on it, drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, burying her face.

So. Telling her cousins anything was a mistake. Trusting them for anything was a stupid thing to do because they would never trust her. Or at least. Mads would never trust her. Mads had been her favorite. And now she just wanted her ‘baby cousin’ to stay inside. It was….embarassing. She was fifteen. She was practically an adult. Or, close enough. She was in high school, going into Sophomore year! Three years left and she would be in university! A real adult. It wasn’t fair.

The tears were absolutely unwanted. Unnecessary. And she kept them as silent as possible, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. It was everything really. The horror of the evening, but honestly? Mostly it was the disappointment in herself for trying to trust family.

From now on, she would keep things to herself. Or tell Aria. Or maybe Angel. He seemed nice, and while he was overbearing he…didn’t seem like he would ever tell her to stay inside. Wouldn't tell her that she didn’t belong in this. Didn’t belong doing what she was clearly meant to do.

Sniffing, Tiffany rubbed her face on the blanket and then shifted to lay down again. She would stay here tonight. She would leave in the morning and she would do her best never to bother her cousins with her problems again. She would get stronger and make sure they knew she could handle herself. Because she could. And she would.

She had to.