Merida

First off...I am SO sorry I haven't posted anything since the fifteenth!  It's been chaotic.  And here is why:
Thursday, we ended up being moved back to our old shelving unit. 
I loved our little shelf dearly, but now I'm with Rose, Rayne, Blondie, and Lacey.  Which, actually, is a really tight squeeze.  Especially for time to go to sleep.  So much for privacy.. =\ 
Thursday, around eight, I realized I hadn't seen Merida or even heard her at all, since we'd been moved earlier. 
So I went over to Flynn, who was sitting with Jase in his lap, chatting with her, and knelt beside them. 
"Hey, I'm gonna go look for Merida, okay?  I'll be back." 
"I'll-" I broke him off. 
"No, you stay with the kiddos.  I'll probably be back late, given the current time.  Night, Jase, sweetie," I added, giving her a hug. 
"I really don't like you going by yourself," he gave me a concerned look, which I brushed aside. 
"I'll be fine, hon.  Night," I told him, reaching to give him a quick hug as well. 
I told Lexi and Hallie good night as well, and then went on my way.

It took me forever to find her.  She wasn't on the empty shelf beside us,  and she wasn't anywhere to be found on the dresser - the AG dolls were back on the dresser. 
Finally, I found her on top of the old bookshelf. 
"Merida!"  I squealed, excited to finally have found my friend. 
But she never answered me.  When I reached to give her an excited hug, I was hit with plastic. 
Oh no. 
No, no no, that can't be right! 
"Merida?"  I asked, pounding on the plastic. 
She gave me a horrified, yet desperate and sad, gaze, shaking her head. 
"Why are you in there?!"  I asked. 
She shook her head, pointing to her ears, so I assumed she couldn't hear me. 
I tried ripping the box apart, but it wouldn't budge.  I fought and fought with it, with Merida trying as hard as she could from the inside, but we eventually gave up, defeated. 
I spoke slowly, so Merida could read my lips.  "What did Tangled Fan do with Allie?" 
That struck her right in the heart.  She struggled for composure as she shrugged, shaking her head. 
"Why did she do this?" 
Poined to her faulty legs, which had recently been giving her a lot more problems lately. 
I sobbed, promising her I would get her out of that box.  She simply shook her head and formed the word 'no' on her lips.   Finally, she added, "Go home." 
I sobbed, backing away.  I went too far, and tripped over the edge of the bookshelf, and fell.  Luckily, there were some boxes that I landed on, and I was able to scramble down to the floor before I meandered back home, worried for both my friend and Allie, as well as saddened.  My heart felt like it was tearing to shreds. 
This only got worse as, when I was starting back to the shelving unit, I heard muffled cries. 
Punzie.  She was only a shelf down from us, and I had to go right past her in order to get to our shelf. 
"What's wrong?"  I asked her, blinking in the light from the alarm clock. 
"Addison..she's gone.  Tangled Fan's selling her on eBay and she tossed her in a box." She whimpered. 
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," I gasped, horrified once more. 
Why did Tangled Fan find it amusing to mess with our lives?!  Ruin them?  Ruin friendships? 
I suddenly felt a strong urge to be with my husband and girls.  I told her I was sorry once more, to which she nodded, biting her lip, and then I fled for my family. 
Everyone was asleep - no wonder, it was eleven, after all.   I made sure the girls were tucked in nice and warm, careful to not wake anyone, but then I went over to the other shelf, the empty one adjacent to ours, and sat up against the opposite side, because I didn't want to wake anyone up by crying. 

I sobbed, burying my face in my hands and curling into a ball.  Why?  Merida's legs HAD been gradually getting worse,  but why?!  And why was Addison being sold on eBay?  And how was I to tell Jase and Alexis? They had both been quite fond of Merida...how-
"Sweetheart?  What's wrong?"  I heard Flynn. 
Wait, hadn't he been asleep? 
I gasped, surprised at his sudden appearance, and looked up.  In a couple of strides, he was in front of me. 
"I-I didn't wake-" 
He held his hands out to me, and I took them, but made no move to stand. 
"No, you didn't...why're you over here, and why're you crying?  You look absolutely heartbroken..." he trailed off and sank to his knees, down to my level.  "Merida?"
I nodded, sobbing before I threw myself towards him, desperately needing to know he was there.  He sat, took me into his arms, and allowed me to cry into his shoulder.  Didn't ask any more questions, didn't say a word, just held me. 
Finally, I took a shuddery breath in and pulled my head up to look at him.  He brushed the hair from my face and let his hand linger on my cheek, until I finally spoke up. 
"She's...on the bookshelf.  In her box.  She can't hear me, but she read my lips and from what I could make out, Tangled Fan put her in there because of her legs.  She doesn't know what became of Allie.  And on my way back, I found Punzie, totally torn apart because Tangled Fan's selling Addison on eBay.  What's going to happen next?  Why did she do all this?  What if you get sold on eBay, or the girls, or..." 
He tightened his embrace, and sighed.  I could tell he was tired, and shocked, but he was still taking the time to talk this out with me.  "Oh, man...I can't believe that.  But don't worry too much about it, okay?  There's nothing you can do about it anyway.  But Tangled Fan told you that she'd never separate a couple, so she wouldn't sell us or the girls, I don't think."
"What if she sells us both as a pair, and the girls are left behind?"  I pointed out. 
"Well...like I said - don't worry, because you can't do anything about it."
"I have to try to get Merida out of there...we both tried for at least an hour, but the plastic wouldn't budge...Tangled Fan must have it taped shut pretty well...And-"
"You know she'll just put her back in the box.  I know you want to help her, but it's no use.  And maybe being in that box will help her with her legs.  You know yourself that she almost fell down Monday, because her legs gave out on her. I know it's really awful to say, but maybe it's for the best.  I don't want to think that and I know you don't, but maybe it is.  And please don't get mad at me for pointing that out," he added, quickly adding that last sentence. 
"I won't," I said. "You do have a point, I guess..but why does it have to be so hard?" 
"She's been around since you came here, and you two were really good friends," he said, pulling me a tad closer. 
I sniffled, nodding and rubbing at my nose.  Flynn pulled my chin up and tipped his head down, pulling me into a wonderful, gentle kiss.  But as soon as our lips met, I realized how late it must be, and pulled away. 
He gave me a questioning look, with his hand still on my chin, and I said, "You need to get to bed.  It's probably really late." 
"I'm staying up with you until you feel like going to bed, dear girl."  he told me.  "Quite frankly, I wouldn't be able to sleep if I wanted to.  I don't know about you, though." 
"Same..." I sighed, and he rubbed my back comfortingly. 
"It'll be okay, hon.  Don't worry." 
"How can I not, though?" 
"By not worrying.  Worrying will only make things worse."  he said, pulling me in to resume the kiss I'd broken off. 
I returned it, and then he tried to situate himself into a more comfortable spot, still holding onto me. 
Despite myself, I chuckled quietly.  "You know, I won't break down in tears or break into a zillion pieces if you let go of me long enough to situate yourself." 
"I know..." he said, finally leaning up against the side of the bookshelf beside me, unfurling his long legs, and pulling me back into his lap.  "But I just..I dunno." 
"Velcro Flynn?  Cause I'm feeling the same way.  I guess that these kinds of things let you re-evaluate how much you appreciate those in your life." 
"Yup," he said, and I leaned my head on his shoulder. 
"I'm sure gonna miss her, though. And what do I tell the kids?  Oh, Jase-" I pulled my head back up off of his shoulder as I thought about that. 
"We'll figure it out later."  he said, wrapping his arm around me even tighter. 
I sighed, emotionally drained, and plunked my head back onto his shoulder.  He put his other hand palm-up on my thigh and held it out, so I accepted it and held it tightly, allowing my  eyes to shut.