Rose's PoV:
None of the other children knew yet. About Teal and the balcony.
So, I guess that's why they weren't as completely shocked as I was when we saw her sat down with one of the NASA employees.
Black was explaining what had happened, and someone came over to ask Lime a few questions, leaving us to just sit around chatting and all that. Chocolate ran over to Lime, but the rest didn't seem to mind the absence of adults.
"Rose, are you okay?" Peach asked, and from the tone of panic in her voice I could tell that this wasn't the first time she'd asked the question.
"Uh, Sorry. Mind was on other things" I muttered.
"It's okay to be upset" she declared, giving me a small smile.
It's okay to be upset? "Well you never act that way" I bluntly pointed out. She considered this for a second, before sighing.
"Sure, it's a little hypocritical. Guess it just means I understand why you don't want to express your emotions..."
Most of the others considered me slightly emotionless, as the adult crew did with my father. Sure, I didn't care much for any of them, but it didn't exactly mean I wanted to see them upset, either. I'm not cold-hearted, just rather apathetic.
"Still. You're doing better than me" I murmur, "you can talk to Emerald about it. And Scarlet understands you, too. But nobody really gets me, ya know?"
"I.... I'd like to think that I do-"
I shake my head quickly.
"You're hiding something, I can tell" she says softly, "it's okay if you don't wanna talk... but if you do, I'm always here. Remember that."
That's the thing... I would tell her about my problems, but it would hurt her if I did. It's not that I don't trust her... I'm trying to protect her. And the others. They can't find out about what happened. They don't deserve that.
I avert my gaze from Peach, looking for something else to change the subject, anything really. And that's when I saw her... and when she saw me.
A girl around my age, long blonde hair with a single strip of cyan, sat down on a chair under the watch if one of the NASA security guards.
Cyan spacesuit, no helmet.
She turned and saw me, staring into my face with her crystal blue eyes.
No... no this is impossible... you must be seeing things, you're going crazy....
But at the same time, I knew it was real.
"H-Hey g-guys?" I stuttered, pointing over at Teal, the child who should be dead right now.
"TEALLLL!" Scarlet exclaimed, and Teal raced towards her, wrapping her arms around Scarlet and trapping her in a tight hug. Despite wincing a bit, Scarlet smiled.
"I... I'm so sorry.... I should never have hurt you... and then I... I...." Teal explained through her sobs
"I missed you" Scarlet murmured into Teal's shoulder.
"Me too" she whispered, "and I'm never going to hurt anyone again..." Teal muttered something else after, although I couldn't quite hear it.
HOW IS SHE ALIVE?!
Teal's PoV:
The balcony was good for getting rid of dangerous things...
That's what was going through my head as I determinedly stood on the balcony, my gaze harshly locked on the railings. Sure, they were tall, but they weren't going to stop me.
I scrambled to the top after a small amount of struggling, balanced precariously on the edge for a second as I took a deep breath. If I'm dead... then I'll be a ghost too. And then I'll get to see my mother again... plus the most important reason I was doing this...
This way I will never hurt anyone again.
And from there I let myself fall. Down and down, lower and lower, increasingly fast until I saw the ground getting closer.....
And also a giant safety net.
Confusion filled me as I bounced off unharmed. None of the pain I was expecting, yet I was shaking from the adrenaline, unable to move as I was too shocked, trying to register the fact that I was still alive.
A couple of police were stood nearby, one pointed over and then they both raced over to me, began asking questions, all of which I completely blocked out. It was all too overwhelming.
The next few hours were a blur. I don't recall how I got there, but I definitely remembered standing in front of a large, towering building, one that was extremely familiar. NASA.
Employees then asked me questions, about what was happening up there and why people had been falling from the sky. I answered each and every one as much as I could without breaking down in tears, I told them about the crew getting murdered, the ejections... I never said who the imposters were, but they didn't press me for answers too much. They questioned whether my mother was among the murdered. I couldn't answer that one. That was the last question they asked.
They hadn't a clue as to what to do with me, so I just stayed there for... a day or two? I lost tract of time entirely. I refused to eat, barely slept, didn't talk to anyone after the questions. Some of the NASA employees were worried for me. I internally thanked them, although it didn't really make a difference to me if they cared or not.
One morning I was under the watch of one of the security guards. I still hadn't eaten and he was trying to get me to take a cookie. I just shook my head to him, and looked away. That was when I noticed.... the crew.... the whole crew stood by the main desk...
Suddenly, I bolted out of my chair, much to the surprise of the guard, who ordered for me to stop but I just kept running. Straight towards Scarlet, who was calling my name.
I trapped her in a tight hug, before hearing her gasp lightly in pain. Loosening my grip a little, I quickly try to explain myself. "I... I'm so sorry... I should have never hurt you... and then I... I..."
"I missed you" she murmured into my shoulder, which was now wet from her tears.
"Me too" I whisper back, letting her go, "and I'm never going to hurt anyone again..." I vow, quietly muttering the last part under my breath, "including myself"
"Teal?!" Lime exclaimed, dragging an equally confused Black over to the group of children.
"H-How...?" Black asked, and I guiltily cast my gaze to the ground. They knew...
Rose suddenly threw her arms around me, pulling me into a warm embrace. Uh.... Rose has never hugged anyone before, as far as I'm aware... and I never got on with her particularly well...
"The adults know. I know. But the rest don't" She hissed into my ear, before quickly letting go and stepping backwards. Now it made sense... she was just warning me to not say anything about it in front of the others.
Lime's PoV:
"Okay" Black declared, "we're leaving."
"F-For good?" I asked, and he walked over to my side.
"Space school, if they agree. The age limit for going on missions has been increased to 10"
I gulped rather loudly. "A-Are you sure? Because I d-don't think-"
"It's okay. They can do the school remotely. We have six years until Chocolate is old enough for a mission, we'll have six whole years to decide what to do."
"Alright" I finally agree, nodding a little. "We'll decide whatever's best for them."
"Wanna break the good news then?" Black whispers to me, a half-smile forming on his face. My eyes lit up.
"Okay, kids!" I exclaimed excitedly, "Let's go! To our new home!"
"Home!" They yelled, and Lapis marched to the front.
"Teal... she's going back to her old home with her dad. But we'll find a way to always still talk and play together. We're all in this together. Our weird and wonderful new family."
His speech was beautiful... but it didn't finish there.
"But we should all first thank Lime, who will now be babysitting us forever" he said, grinning up at me.
"YAY!" They cheered, and I'd never felt so special, so needed, so loved in all my life.
"CONGRATULATIONS FOR THE BABYSITTER!"
A/N: and the rollercoaster ride of emotions ends there, guys :'3
Bye-
Wait a second...
Actually, this isn't where it ends. Death isn't where it ends. Space School isn't where it ends. And Mira HQ definitely wasn't where it starts.
And I'm sure the fourth wall could be obliterated a little more...
So, if you want more? >:3
Check out "Death isn't where it ends", the book from the ghosts's PoVs, "The Babysitter: Truth Or Dare", and look out for "The Babysitter: Training", the soon-to-be existent prequel, and the upcoming sequel: "The Babysitter 2: Happy Halloween"
Edit: all of these books are now in existence >:3
Bye, and hope to see you there, comment friends! :3