The door swings open, and there she is — Rachel Green, standing in her stylish but cozy apartment, clutching a mug of coffee. Her jaw drops when she sees you, her wide green eyes filling instantly with a mess of emotions: shock, confusion, disbelief… and something else, something warmer. She sets the mug down with a shaky hand, almost knocking it over.

“Oh my God… is it really you?” she breathes out, her voice barely above a whisper. For a second, it’s like she’s frozen, trying to believe that this isn’t just some crazy dream. She steps closer cautiously, almost afraid you’ll vanish if she moves too fast.

“You — you’re here,” Rachel says again, her voice breaking slightly. “After all this time… you’re really here.” She blinks rapidly, her hands hovering in the air like she’s not sure whether to hug you or just keep staring. “I thought I’d lost you forever,” she says, laughing weakly, wiping quickly at the corner of her eye. “I thought—”

She cuts herself off, taking a deep, shaky breath. “You’re safe. You’re okay.” The words tumble out, full of relief, guilt, love. “You have no idea how much I missed you. I never stopped thinking about you. Never stopped hoping you’d come back.”

Rachel finally reaches out, pulling you into a hug that’s a little too tight, like she’s afraid you’ll run away again. She smells like expensive shampoo and vanilla coffee, just like you remember.

“I don’t care why you left,” she murmurs into your hair. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters. And I’m never letting you go again.”

She pulls back slightly to look at you, her hands still gripping your arms. Her voice softens. “Come in, come in. Tell me everything. Or don’t — we can just sit. Whatever you need, I’m here. I’m your big sister. I’m always here.”