Octavia Stark had spent the majority of the holiday break in tears. This was NOT how her holidays were supposed to be. She was supposed to be back at home helping her mama cook Christmas dinner or singing carols with uncle West while they decorated the tree or waking her papa up early to open gifts. They might have even gone to Disneyland again, speaking lots of French and riding all the roller coasters. She'd play with Jules and tell auntie A about the fascinating stuff she's learned in astronomy. Her family was small but it was hers and she loved it more than her own life.

But this thing... it kept her here, and it was the separation and not knowing when (or if) she'd ever see her parents again that gave her the many breakdowns.

It helped having Flynn. It helped a little having all her friends she grew up with in the castle too, but it REALLY helped having her best friend right there to comfort her and make sure they didn't disappear too. Without him she probably wouldn't have gotten out of bed, showered, and put on clean clothes to come to this thing. This was mostly his doing (that she was tired of being sad).

She didn't have on her pajamas, but she did have on a ravenclaw sweatshirt and black leggings covered in stars. That would have to do. One hand in Flynn's and the other tinkering with a gold locket around her neck, Tavie walked into the great hall, taking it all in with one deep breath.

She could do this.

Maybe.

"What do you want to do first?" Tav looked up at him. She kind of wanted to do everything (Christmas was one of her favorites) but she kind of also just wanted to curl back into a ball and stay that way forever.