Mae felt lost. She wasn't sure what to do anymore. Seven was taking this hard, and she was struggling with all the emotions it was creating. She tried talking and calming the teleporting mutant, and tried reassuring them that being together was a good thing. But the crying, and the emotional response was hard to process.

Mae got into bed next to Seven and rolled onto her good side. The cast made laying down frustrating, but she kept it to herself. This wasn't a time to be selfish, or be caught up in her own feelings. She kissed Seven against the hair and curled up, deciding she could handle not using the blankets for now.

"Get some sleep. I...I know it's not easy. But, I'm here. We're fine."

She wished her powers did more than silence. She wished they could generate the feeling of peace she knew she wanted them to feel. The feeling this would be okay, that the blood stains would vanish and the bad guys would not return. She wanted to reassure her own heart that it was just another day, just another memory to let go of.

She shut her eyes, but she refused to fall apart. If one of them had to be the strong one for now, it could be her.

Mae wasn't the only one feeling lost. Seven was usually so strong, confident, and unshaken, but after what happened today, that wasn't the case. They were trying to hold it together, but they just...melted against Mae. Seven's arm wrapped around Mae, running through her hair as she snuggled against her.

"I'll try, Babygirl," they murmured weakly. "Yeah...we're here, and we're fine. And we're gonna be okay," they said with a soft exhale.

Seven closed their eyes, holding Mae like she was their injured teddy bear. Eventually, they slipped into a deep sleep.

They were at home, alone while Mae was at work, watching TV or something in their room. There was a random knock, but no one was there, followed by footsteps. But there was nothing there. At least until the lamp on the nightstand started floating, then flew across the room at them, which they barely dodged. Something hard yet invisible collided with their jaw, followed by what had to be a kick to the ribcage. They found themselves on their back, as what had to be a foot repeatedly stomped on their midsection, their stomach, their face...and then the nightstand drawer opened and a switchblade floated out and flipped open.

"Seven? You home?" The knife sunk into Seven's chest as another came out of the drawer and flipped open, footsteps echoing in their ears as everything started to go black.

Seven gasped for air as they opened their eyes. Mae was still next to them, asleep. It was just a dream. Leaning in, Seven gently kissed her lips as they held her tightly.

"It's gonna be okay, Babygirl...we're gonna be okay. I love you," they whispered.

Seven was in a bad spot right now, but they were still strong. They'd come after Mae, but Mae was not a weakness. If anything, having Mae made them stronger. Now, they had a purpose, someone worth fighting for. And they were going to get through this.