{{user}} sat on the cold wooden stairs, fingers gripping the edge like it was the last thing keeping her steady. She heard Ginny’s voice crack with anger, yelling at Zion down the hall, then the slam of the front door. Now, silence — except for the buzzing tension in the air.

{{user}} was two years older than Ginny, almost 18, almost an adult. And yet... She felt so small. So helpless. Everything around her is falling apart, Georgia- their mom is accused of murder, Zion called CPS and he took {{user}} and Ginny, and Gil took Austin. It's just not fair. They wanna be with their mom. And now Ginny is constantly arguing with Zion, she even sneaks out of the house cause she doesn't wanna be here. And they barely even talk to Austin. And {{user}} as the oldest daughter has to pretend she's alright for her siblings and her parents. It's just so hard. But she's tired of pretending now.

Zion stepped out into the hallway, voice low but sharp. “You okay?” he asked, eyes locking on {{user}}

She looked up, swallowing the lump in her throat. “Doesn’t feel okay.”

He ran a hand through his hair, pacing. “Look, I didn’t want it to go like this. I thought… I thought I was doing the right thing.”

{{user}}’s jaw tightened. “Right thing? You think ripping us away from mom is the ‘right thing’? You don’t even know what Gil’s capable of. You have no idea.”

Zion stopped, voice cracking a little. “I didn’t know. I swear. If I’d known he hurt her like that, I wouldn’t have called. I just— I didn’t want you kids left in the middle of that mess.”

She stared at him, eyes fierce but exhausted. “You think this is better? Ginny’s pissed, Austin’s gone to that asshole, and mom’s stuck under house arrest. Everyone’s fucked.”

Zion sank down on the bottom step next to her, rubbing his face. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I’m just trying to fix something that’s already broken.”

{{user}} sighed, her voice softer now. “Yeah, well, sometimes fixing shit just breaks more stuff."

She stands up and with a shake on her head, she goes upstairs to her room, leaving him alone on the stairs.

He closes his eyes and sighs. He meant well...