My lungs felt like they were going to burst... I looked at Mackenzie who was racing forward at full speed... she was just recovering. She shouldn't be out here like this...

I winced a little at some rocks that had cut underneath my feet. I realized we were both running in our bare feet...

"Mackenzie!!" I called after her a few times but she didn't turn around.

"Please stop!!"

The both of us kept running... and eventually when she started to slow down towards the end of the property I was able to catch up with her. I wrapped my arms around her to prevent her from running again. I fell onto my backside while her body rested on top of mine. I hugged her closer to me while she cried.

"It's okay..." I told her, trying to gather my senses again... when I felt a little alive again I scolded her: "why were you running when you know you're still not well!?!" she then cried a little harder and I exhaled.

"Sorry..." I said while exhaling deeply.

She then turned around and wrapped her arms around my neck. I patted her back while we both sat on the ground. I held her until she felt tired from holding onto me so tightly. Her body slumped down in front of me so I held onto her hands while her lips trembled. After some time she looked up at me.

"I... I... had a feeling something was wrong... the... the older I got... the more it felt like mother was keeping a secret from me... I didn't know what but this is just..." I began to wipe new and stray tears away from her cheeks.

"I... don't even know who I am anymore..."

"You're still Mackenzie Ravenwolf... that will never change."

"I'm... I'm scared..."

"Kenz... you have family and friends around you who will be there to support you while you figure everything out...I promise."

I laid my hand on top of her head and she continued crying a little before I helped her back to the mansion. 

Gerald and Cassandra were gone, which made my blood boil.

So they just lit a match and then left?

Edna was there and I asked her to help Kenz to her room.

"Call the Doctor to check on her too, please..." Edna nodded and I told Kenz I would come see her again before she went to sleep.

And I did... when I was there, I waited for her to fall asleep. She held onto my hand tightly...

After she was completely out, I walked out of her room... and I was surprised to see Kai leaning against the wall across from me... I sighed while walking up to him.

Just as though he knew what I needed he opened his arms and I crashed into his embrace.

He circled the palm of his hand around the middle of my back while I held onto him tightly...

"Where is Nathan?" I asked and Kai sighed.

"He's probably drinking again in his apartment..."

"What?" I looked up at him confused...

"I sent James and Jackson to look after him..." I stepped away from Kai a little and he looked down at me.

"This is such..."

"A mess?" he said. When I looked up at him there was a calmness behind his expression. It was soothing... 

"Mackenzie will be fine, right?"

"Yes"

"And Nathan?" I asked.

"Everyone just needs their space and time to think... just like it was only a matter of time for the past to catch up to everyone... it's only a matter of time before things become a little less heavier than the previous day..." I nodded and the asked:

"What will happen with Cassandra?"

"She'll be staying at a hotel... I spoke with her about Mackenzie. She will remain here with us. As for Gerald... he'll be leaving on a business trip soon..."

"So they'll just leave without..."

"Gerald will see her before he leaves."

I was trying to process all that was happening... for some reason I had a feeling that Cassandra wouldn't back down so easily.

As for Gerald, I had no idea when he would be able to face Nathan properly without drawing conclusions on his own...

Then, there was a child in the mix. The one who didn't deserve any of it, and who would probably be passed around like a bean bag...

I looked up at Kai and asked him: "what will happen to Mackenzie in the future?" he deliberately paused for a moment and shook his head. I then leaned my head into his chest and he gently caressed the side of my arm.

"I think we all need to rest and reset for another day..."

The two of us walked upstairs together quietly.

When we were alone again we kissed each other briefly on the lips before saying goodnight...

***

At the beginning of the month of May the tensions in this family only rose...

Kenz didn't want to talk or meet with Cassandra. And when she met with Gerald, she was quiet for a week, barely speaking with any of us.

I heard news from Kai that Cassandra continued to refuse divorce talks with Gerald. When Gerald got a lawyer involved, she did as well... and I wasn't sure what would happen between those two in the near future.

When I did talk to Mackenzie, she told me that Gerald told her that she will always be his daughter no matter what... but things have changed and they will have to be strong for what will happen in the future.

I was surprised that Gerald even told her that no matter what happens, blood relations didn't always guarantee a family would stay together. But he would always be there for her.

"I will always be your father... he said..." after Kenz opened up a little more to me, I felt a little relieved. I didn't know what would happen in the future, but I was sure as long as she was reassured things would get better.

As long as we were here for her, she wouldn't doubt our support for her...

After another week Mackenzie was smiling again. I wasn't sure if they were forced rather than her truly being happy...

She spent time in the meditation room reading in the evenings and on her days off from school she took Apollo on longer walks and spent time in her room for study and to eat her meals. I was able to get her to paint with me multiple times, but afterwards, she would go back to her room...

A part of me didn't want to put my nose in anyone's business, but I couldn't stand Nathan distancing himself from Mackenzie even further.

"That's it!" I shouted, while smacking down my mug on the counter. I nearly spilt some tea so I moved my hand away. I had been lost in my thoughts for quite some time that I didn't notice Jackson walking into the room.

"Is everything alright?" I looked over at him standing in the entrance way.

"Where's Nathan? He won't answer my messages and avoids me at work."

"He's probably at his apartment."

"Give me his address."

"What? Why?"

"I need to visit him." Jackson hesitated a little so I walked up to him. He seemed a little flustered.

"He's... not really in a good place. I think he needs more time--"

"Jackson... if I don't see him right now I'm going to make you regret it."

"Wait, what? Why me?"

I leaned forward and reached into his pockets. Alarmed, he giggled, trying to push me away.

"Stop! Wait! What are you doing??!" I grabbed his phone and then stepped back exasperated.

"I'll just confiscate this..."

"Hazel... no... that's my lifeline"

"Well, until you tell me where Nathan lives, I'll take care of it..." I turned to walk away, but Jackson grabbed a hold me from behind, holding me tightly like a bear cub.

"Can't you just ask Kai?"

"He won't budge..."

"Then try another tactic."

I did, several times... but even after doing to most embarrassingly cringy things he refused. Though I thought I was close one time when I sat on his lap and hugged him, but he just got up and started walking around even thought I clung closely to him.

"Listen... let's just have a truce? You can get your phone back if you tell me."

"But you took it in the first place? How is that a fair deal?" I moved the phone around multiple times to avoid him from grabbing it, but he was persistent.

"Well then what do you want me to do?" he stopped moving... and there was a brief silence between us... suddenly I was worried... would he request something ridiculous? I slowly turned around and I saw that he had blushed.

"Anything?" I exhaled while putting my hands on my hips.

"Within reason so just tell me where he lives..." Jackson then smiled and crossed his arms, mirroring my image.

"Fine. I'll give you his address."

"How would I know if you're lying?"

"After you visit him, I'll let you know what I want."

"I won't run your errands like a wild chicken on the loose."

"You don't have to worry about anything like that..." I scoffed.

"Alright, fine!" I passed him back his phone and moments later my phone buzzed. I had the address in my hands now. Why didn't I think of this sooner? I waved my phone at him before brushing past him.

"Don't forget your promise!" I threw up a scout's honour with my fingers before leaving.

It was around the time he got off work today so this was perfect...