An audible gasp came from behind us. It was Pickle.

I gasped and cowered behind Mic, who glared at him. "Now what?" she spat at him, shielding me with her arms to protect me.

"I was going to apologize, but now you're kissing her?! Why can't you see she's just not right?!"

"I'm not going to stand for this! When will you learn to forgive and forget?!"

He lunged for me, but Mic pushed him off. "What's wrong with you?!"

A mix of awe and terror shone in my eyes. Mic looked back. "Go, Taco," she whispered while fighting Pickle off. "Go to the house. Stay in there." She looked over to a part of the bush that'd let me escape without being seen.

So I ran again. Last time I looked back, anger sparked in Mic's eyes as she pinned Pickle down, screaming at him.

I couldn't take living in fear of Pickle. It's make up with him or leave. But I decided that I would apologize when he was calmer. He was dangerous at the moment.

When I got back to the hotel alone, OJ immediately asked if I was okay. He called Test Tube to check me over.

"She's okay. I'm so sorry for Pickle's irrational behavior. He isn't usually like this."

I casted a glance at her. "It's not your fault. I treated him that way and thought he'd forgive me like all the season 1 contestants did. How stupid of me."

Test Tube sighed and shook her head.

"Still, he shouldn't have- wait, where's Mic?"

My breathing hitched, and tears sprang to my eyes. When I spoke, it was quiet. "Fighting Pickle in the woods."

Test Tube looked at OJ, who shook his head. "We'll send someone over." He turned to me. "Get some rest. You need it."

I nodded and grabbed my keys before heading to our apartment.

It felt so empty without Mic's beautiful singing. I just wanted her comfort then. I went to the bathroom and just looked at myself in the mirror. My legs got shakey and I held onto the countertop to avoid falling. When I got a better look at myself, I realized I was a wreck. My eyeliner was dripping off of my eyes. I never worked well with makeup anyways. I realized I was holding onto Mic's hoodie. I couldn't take standing anymore. I broke down, sitting against the cupboards with my knees tucked into my chest. Head down, I cried for a while.

I didn't hear the keys at the door when Mic came back.

She opened the bathroom door, all messed up. I didn't know she was there until she closed the door and sat beside me, putting a comforting hand on my back before pulling me into a hug. I leaned into her, shaking uncontrollably.

"I'm so sorry, Mic," I cried into her chest.

"Why are you sorry?"

"For ever coming near you. All I am is trouble. Why did you ever start to love me?"

She was silent for a moment, but as I said those words I noticed her breath hitch and her hugging me tighter.

"Taco. I love you. A lot. You can't say that. I chose to love you because you are amazing. I don't care if I would have died protecting you. That's all I care about. You."

I smiled and cried. When I looked up at her to see her state, she wasn't badly hurt, thank God. I pulled her close and kissed her.

It lasted for a long time. When we pulled apart, Mic picked me up and walked to our bedroom. She put me into bed and told me to stay there. She walked out.

That gave me more time to think. I sighed and played our kiss back in my mind over and over. I wanted to squeal like Fan watching a new episode of III.

When Mic came back, she had a robe on and a plate in her hand. She sat it down to reveal a hot pocket. I smiled at her and began to eat while she put in a true crime doc. I finished it fast and put the plate on the side table, then snuggled up into the blankets. Mic cuddled beside me.

Finally, for the first time that day, I felt calm.