Paintbrush went limp in my arms.

"NO, PAINTY, WAIT!" I screamed.

So they were really gone. Just like that... poof. Gone.

People were crowded around me then, but their noise blurred out.

I sat in shock. Tears surged up to my eyes. Why did they have to go?

I got up and walked away. Test Tube started to follow me, but right then I just wanted to be alone.

After walking so far that I couldn't see the crying residents, I just stopped. My knees were too weak to carry me. I just fell to the ground and started to cry.

"Lightbulb! You're an entire season behind! I didn't think it was possible, but you've reached new levels of nonsensicality!"

"Oh come on Painty! Look, I found a crab! I'm gonna name him Baxter!"

Despite being fairly annoyed, Paintbrush smiled softly at my antics. They shook their head. "Now start filling the buckets!" they ordered.

"I gotcha, erm.. gi...-guy?" I guessed.

Paintbrush did that weird eyebrow thingy and turned to Test Tube, who was fixing her watch.

I felt a comforting hand on my back. I turned to see Test Tube, tears welled in her eyes. She was smiling at me, though. I hugged her, and she returned the hug.

I cried into her shoulder for a long time. It was so nice, but at the same time my heart was torn into Baxter-sized pieces.

When I pulled away, Test Tube's shirt was stained with my tears. "Oh, sorry T-Tube!" I said, wiping tears away from my eyes.

Test Tube sighed. "I know the relationship you had with them. I'm so sorry."

I shook my head. "They're happier now. They saved Fan. It's how they would have wanted to go out."

Test Tube placed her hand on mine, gripping in comfortingly. I didn't want to cry, but fighting the tears were pretty much useless. They still flowed like small rivers.

"I just... if I hadn't lit that fire, they would still be here. It's all my fault. I just had to see what would happen!" I threw my hands up dramatically. "Why?! Just... why?! Why did I have to go and be the immature, foolish, morally blind idiot that I've always been?! Why did I have to see what would happen?! Why am I such a bad person?! Why are you even comforting me right now?! I'm a murderer! I'm dangerous! I- I-"

"Lightbulb!" I thought Test Tube was crying, but it was hard to tell in the dark.

"It wasn't your fault. You had a hand, but it was my fault too, for not telling you what those dumb chemicals did. And it was partially OJ's fault too, I mean, it wasn't our choice to not put fire extinguishers in the apartments. Smile for me. Please?"

I smiled weakly. It was hard though.

I sighed. I knew it was gonna be a very difficult couple of weeks.