"I heard you made a few friends." Mr Awe stated smirking slightly, obviously proud of himself and what he has done for Tommy to make the accomplishment.

Tommy and Sam were in Sam's classroom, the older behind his desk typing away at some emails on his computer, while the child did some catch-up work for the time he'd spent at the nurse's during fifth period due to a panic attack over something he can't even remember.

"Who told you? I bet it was Ranboo... He's a bit of a pussy." Tommy said, laughing at the look on Sam's face at the name he had just compared his friend too.

"Tommy! Don't say those words!" The elder told him off appropriately as an eleven year old should not be swearing. "Plus it wasn't Ranboo, it was Mr Quackity."

"Mr Quackity?" Tommy asked confused, "what does he know?"

"Enough for him to notice how happy you've been in the past twenty-four hours since you met them." The teacher said with an all-knowing glance at Tommy, "these kids are good for you, Tommy."

Tommy scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Mr Awe. Mr Awe. Mr Awe. Look, I adore your excitment for me to start making friends so I'm not hanging around you all day, but I think we should take it slow, not jump right into being 'bestie baps' ay?"

Tommy was scared. He didn't want to give his all in yet because he was scared of being pushed away to the side, never to be spoke of again. Scared that they only acted like friends because they were asked too. Scared that if it came down to it, Tubbo and Ranboo would ditch him in a heart beat if it meant saving their own or each other's skins or reputations.

Sam hummed thoughtfully, sure he knew Tommy would be hesitant, probably frightened, to jump into a friendship, but he's getting this one handed right to him. People hand picked by Sam himself as he thought they would be the best people for him. Sam knew Tommy trusted him and that in his own time he would grow to love the boys Sam had "introduced" him to, but as of right now he just had to wait that out and hope for the best.

"Alright. Take your time, Tommy. I'm sure neither Tubbo nor Ranboo would care too much if you didn't call them best friends right off of the bat. They are good kids, Tommy. You're lucky they like you." Sam said turning to look at the blond with a soft smile that screamed reassurance.

"Alright." Tommy said, pausing slightly before adding on "if you say so."

Tommy wants to cry.

Like he genuinely just wants to lie in his uncomfortable ass bed and sob for hours on end.

Tomorrow is 'bring a baby picture to school' day and he honestly doesn't know if he has any. He can't remember having his photo taken, so as far as he knows there is literally no photos of him except for his mandatory school ones.

But instead of crying, he is standing outside of his father's office at seven-twenty-one PM, his right hand curled into a fist and hovering over the door. He is not scared to knock, he's simply just... making sure Phil has all his work done. Yeah.

The faint sound of cars driving along the road outside seemed to get louder as he stared at the door, his ears were buzzing with static and he had to blink his eyes a few times to be able to see.

Finally though, with one final run through of what he is going to say in his mind, he placed his fist to the door and rapped it twice.

There was a shuffle of papers, a curse, and then light, sluggish footsteps that sounded like the owner of them was ready to pass out at any second.

Tommy took a step back (he wasn't really sure why but it was most likely for privacy or you know.. fear.)

The door was pulled open and Tommy winced a little at the sight of the older man standing before him. He wore a long green jumper that looked like it hadn't been washed in a month or so, a pair of black track-suit bottoms and white socks that weren't so white. His shoes had most likely been abandoned somewhere and his hair was in desperate need of a cut. His eyes had dark, round-shaped bags under them, indicated the loss of sleep and there was a scar that ran across his left cheek and stopped just before his nose.

"What?" Phil asked curtly. He was confused. Why was his youngest at his office door when he was clearly very busy and trying to work? Kids these days, always thinking they're better than everyone else. Do they know that the world doesn't revolve around them?

"Uhm." Even though Tommy had ran through what he was going to say thousands of times over, he couldn't speak a word of it to save his life.

"Well?" Phil asked agitated, "I don't have all day. I am very busy. Make it quick." To emphasize his point, the elder looked down at his watch and back up to Tommy with an expecting stare.

"Well- So for school tomorrow we have to bring in baby pictures." Tommy started. He could hear the blood pounding in his ears and wondered if Phil could hear it too before brushing the thought away. That is not what he is here for.

"And?" Phil promted. He kept glancing back into his office impatiently, as if he was ready to turn around at any given moment.

"I was wondering if you had any?" Tommy wrung his hands together nervously as he asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Phil raised his eyebrows in surprise before leaving in the direction of his bedroom with a "wait here" to Tommy.

Well, that went... okay? It wasn't amazing but it went a little better than Tommy expected. And hey, he didn't end up bursting into tears just looking at his dad so that's a good thing!

After about two or three minutes, Phil came back with a red and white shoebox and handed it over to Tommy. Muttering something along the lines of "it's your mother's things" before leaving.

Tommy stood there for a minute, stunned. His dad just handed him a box full of his mum's things that he didn't even know existed and then left?

Rude. It's like he doesn't even care. (Wow, imagine that!!)

Slowing turning back to his room, Tommy peered down at the box curiously. It had little painted leaves and flowers on the sides that was probably the work of his mum before she left. There was also a sticker on the side that said "Cool Mumzz" with a sunglasses emoji. Nice.

Opening and closing his door behind him when he stepped into his room, Tommy made his way straight over to his bed and sat down. He sank straight into the blankets and took a breath before opening the box with gentle hands.

At the very top was a polaroid photo of the five of them as a family that Tommy couldn't even remember being taken.

The photograph looked to be taken at some sort of beach during the summer. In the photo, Tommy was standing beside Wilbur as Kristin loomed over the top of Tommy. Techno was beside Wilbur and Phil was beside Techno. Each of them were smiling brightly, giving the camera a big thumbs up.

Underneath the photo--where a blank white space would have been-- was the caption "Summer day out. One of four happy days. Second of July 2006." written in his mother's looped up handwriting and wow that was a long time ago. Nine years ago? Woah.

Wiping his eyes from a tear that was far too close to falling for his liking, he set the picture to the side and took out the next polaroid.

It was one of only him and Kristin, both smiling very brightly. Tommy had a ice-cream in his hands that was half over his face and half on the the cone and Kristin looked to be trying to wipe some of it off of his face, seeing as their is a napkin in her left hand.

Tommy distantly remembered that day. It was one of the days closer to the time Kristin.. left. She had taken him out to the park and there just happened to be an ice-cream van near-by so they bought some.

Ignoring the sobs that wanted to push their way out, Tommy put the polaroid ontop of the other and reached inside the box and pulled out what looked to be a drawing he made.

The drawing itself was terrible and looked like just a bunch of scribbles but in Kristin's nice and neat writing at the top it says "Kristin and Tommy." So that had Tommy guessing that it was something he drew of the two of them together, Kristin keeping it for sentimentality.

Looking through the box there were loads more drawings and even more photos of him and his mother (some polaroids, some printed.)

But at the bottom, Tommy found a note.

'Dear Tommy,' it read.

'By the time you read this, I'll be gone. I've not been very well recently and the treatment is too expensive to keep going.

Ignore what Phil says, ignore what Wilbur says, ignore what Techno says, you are an amazing and talented young boy. You always had a way to make me smile and feel like I belonged and I just want to thank you for that even if I can't say it to your face.

I adore you, Tommy. I wish I could spend more time with you but unfortunately life sucks and things like this happen.

I'll miss you, though.

Love,

Kristin

And Tommy finally burst into tears. Full-on sobs.

He just wanted his mother back.