A majority of the time, the only way to handle a problem is to face it head on. The further you run, the bigger it grows and the more tangled it becomes. Everyone's received this message, but how many of us actually take heed?

Danica found herself wishing for the millionth time that she had stayed. She should've stayed and dealt with her issues instead of running like a coward. But at the time, running away felt like her only option.

"Danny," Her mother called as she tapped on her bedroom door. "I made dinner. Come down and eat."

Danica gave a smile of thanks before uncurling herself from her seat next to the window. She tugged at the grey over sized NYU sweatshirt out of habit, and followed her Mother out of the room.

Gale hid the sadness that crept into her smile at the sight of her daughter's choice of attire. She'd come to realize that Danica clung to the sweatshirt as though it were a security blanket. She didn't have the heart to point out such at the moment, but she planned to in the near future.

"Devin and Chrisette are here," Gale informed, searching for something to say. It was odd to see her normally chatty child so quiet.

All Danica could manage was a soft, "Oh". She loved her older brother and her niece dearly, and knew they missed her, but she wasn't in the mood for so many people.

"Look who's here," Gale announced as they rounded the corner and entered the dinning room where everyone waited.

"Danny," Chrisette squealed before attaching herself to Danica's waist.

"Chris-" Devin stood and tried to pry the 10 year old away, but Danica waved him off.

"It's okay," She assured, and gave the girl a gentle squeeze. "Hi niecey."

"I missed you so much Danny," Chrisette babbled as she pulled Danica to a seat. "Are you all better now?"

"Chris," Devin warned, throwing an apologetic look Danica's way.

"I'm getting there," Danica replied with a nod, much to her family's relief.

+++++++

Cold.

That's how Ethan felt every time he returned to his seemingly empty apartment after work. He'd developed the routine of staying at the office as late as he possibly could, just to avoid having to experience the hallow feeling the washed over him the moment he stepped inside and switch the lights on. But then, Eloise would come charging in and shoo him away from his desk, leaving him with no other choice.

Loosening the knot in his grey tie, Ethan marched his way into the kitchen. He reached into the top cabinet next to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of Bourbon, his new found friend of the last 18 months. The only thing to keep him from dwelling on her, and what could've possibly gone wrong.

The phone rang, pausing Ethan in his search for a glass. He decided to entertain the possibility that it might be her calling, but he knew better. Her only method of contact had been post cards with a few short sentences scrawled on the back and no return address. Each one concluding with a simple, I love you.

The thought alone was enough to make Ethan slam the cabinet door shut and wrench the top off the bottle. He was mid swig when his mother's voice filled the apartment.

"Ethan," She called via the voice mail on his phone. "Ethan I know you're there. Put that goddamned bottle down and answer the phone."

Ethan quickly wiped his mouth and obeyed. "Hey mom."

"Hmph," Nora huffed. "I figured I should catch you before you nightly bender."

"Mom," Ethan groaned, taking a seat at the dark oak kitchen table. "You make it sound like I'm an alcoholic."

"Honey," Nora sighed, the edge filtering away from her tone. "You can't keep doing this to yourself."

"I just can't understand," He voiced, slumping back into his chair. "Why would she do something like this?"

"I know it's hard, but I'm sure she has her reasons." Nora reasoned. It pained her to see her only child so hurt, especially at the hands of someone who claimed to love him. "Have you tried her parents again?"

"All I got was the same crap about her being with family Louisiana." Ethan spat. "They won't even say why. It's like they've been sworn to secrecy."

Nora listened wordlessly, feeling her own frustration begin to flare.

"I'm her fiancé for God's sake! If there's anyone that deserves to know what's going on, it's me!" He exclaimed, his voice cracking at the end.

There was a pause as Nora listened to the sound of liquid swishing in a bottle, and knew he was self medicating again.

"Ethan," She replied, her tone turning sympathetic. "You'll get passed this. I promise."

"Promises, promises..." He muttered, taking another gulp from the bottle.

Nora shook her head. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

"Mmhmm," Ethan hummed, taking note that she side stepped her usual closing of ‘love you'. The phrase was the wrong fuse to light in Ethan, and everyone knew it. "Bye mom."

"Bye honey," Nora sighed as she ended the call. She then leaned over and reached into her nightstand drawer.

"Another bad night," Her husband wondered as he climbed into bed next to her.

"I'm sick of this Joe," She cried as she skimmed through her address book. "I can't even tell my son ‘I love you' without him going to pieces. I've had enough."

"Nora, what are you doing?" Joe questioned. "It's almost 11:30."

"I don't care," She dismissed. Once she found the name she was looking for, she quickly dialed the number next to it.

+++++++

"Oh Good Lord," Gale whispered as she stared at the lit up display on the phone.

"What," Harrison inquired sleepily from beside her. Gale simply placed a hand over her mouth and held the phone for him to read the screen.

Nora Carson.

"We need to tell them," Harrison reasoned.

Gale shook her head. "It's not our place."

"Damn it, Gale." He cried out and switched the bedside lamp on. "I understand you want to protect Danny after all that's happened. And I do too. But that boy deserves to at least know that she's back."

Gale knew that their secrecy about Danica's leaving was killing Ethan, but her first instinct as a mother was to protect her child.

"Imagine how much this is hurting him," Harrison advised, urging her to answer the call. "You wouldn't want them to do this to Danny. Listen, you don't have to tell them everything, just tell them she's home."

The image of Danica from dinner, clad in that worn grey sweatshirt flashed across her mind. It was all she needed to know she had to press the talk button.