The lights are still out at Casper's place. She's too tired to move on her own, so we have no choice but to help her get inside. She stops long enough to grab a letter she left on the dining table. To her parents. If they'd woken up and seen it...

Halfway down the hall, Amanda emerges from the master bedroom, hand clamping over her mouth to keep from screaming. I guess seeing three shadowy figures in your house at four in the morning would be enough to freak someone out.

"God, Mom, it's me," Casper hisses.

Amanda rushes forward, looking torn between fear and fury. "You snuck out? Caitlin Lily Harms, how could you—" Her gaze snaps to us, but before she can let loose, Casper grabs her mom's hands.

"It's totally my fault. I went out for a walk and was too tired to come back home. Vinny and Adam drove all the way over here to pick me up. I'm sorry."

Her lie seems to placate Amanda, at least a little; her expression softens as her eyes begin to tear over. She pulls Casper into a tight hug, whimpering against her hair. Casper allows it, squirming away only after a moment or two.

"Let me say goodnight to these two and I'll go back to bed."

Amanda nods, only reluctantly letting go. We help Casper to her room and pull off her coat, her shoes, her socks. She doesn't seem to care about anything beyond that.

"I owe both of you an apology," she says, lying down. "Making you go through that... I don't know what I was thinking. It wasn't fair."

Adam and I stare at the floor.

"I love you both. You know that, right?" Her voice is choked, and it gets us to look up. "I chased away pretty much everyone else I cared about, and by some miracle, I was still able to find you. And by an even bigger miracle, you two have put up with my bullshit." She grins fleetingly. "I just...really love you."

We crawl onto the bed with her, gathering her up into our arms, hugging her, and reassuring her that, yes, we love her, too.

When we leave, Casper gives us a wink and a small wave.

"Behave. Don't do anything I would do."

#

Home at six a.m. never looked so good. I barely get out of my shoes before I collapse into bed, breathing deep into a pillow. I'm already almost asleep when I realize Adam is still up. Of course he is. He's getting undressed, getting into sleep-clothes and putting his dirty clothes in the laundry. Neat and tidy.

He catches me watching him and blushes, turning away. "What?"

"I like watching you." Oh. I must be way too tired. I shouldn't talk.

A hint of a smile plays across his face, though, as he flicks off the lights, and sinks onto the bed beside me with his guitar. I've heard him playing a handful of times, but until tonight, he's never let me hear him sing. I shift to make more room for him while he gets settled, hoping maybe I'll get to hear it again, without the sound of wind and water drowning out his voice.