WHAT? I'm back? Damn, it's only been five years, right? XD


Sadness didn't know how long they'd both been down here since Fear had joined her as the Shadowman's prisoner. Time seemed a concept entirely non-existent in this place. It may have been hours, but it felt like days.

The only way she knew it wasn't the next morning was because she could sense that Riley was still ok. Shadowman and his army hadn't begun their attack on Headquarters yet. And observing Fear's presently content state while she held him, even as dismally weak as he was, she could confirm this; the strange link between him and their girl's oldest terror couldn't be denied.

Fear had managed to fall asleep in her lap. Good. The more he rested, the quicker he would get better. It did Sadness's heart so good, as it had been far too long since he was able to succumb to such peace.

Sadness harbored a painful suspicion of what Shadowman did to Fear. But she couldn't bring herself to prod too harshly, or he might suffer a relapse. Out of everyone in the mind, this entire ordeal was especially traumatic to Fear. She had to tread with the utmost delicacy. And right now, she wanted nothing more for him than to keep sleeping for as long as he could, but they were on borrowed time. The attack could happen at any minute, for all she knew.

Ever-so-gently, but hopefully just enough to get his attention, she ran a hand down his long face. "Fear," she murmured, her other hand remaining in his. "Fear."

Fear stirred. His relaxed dendrite rose like a flower bud responding to the sun, and his eyes fluttered open. "Sadness," he whispered, a smile of pure friendship-love and gratitude spreading. Sadness had never seen him look more both precious nor beautiful- his inner beauty as an emotion who cared so deeply about Riley and his friends.

"How do you feel?"

"A little better," Fear answered with a sigh. "Actually, a lot better, all things considered. Once I realized it was you, and not him…" A mild stutter escaped him when referencing their enemy.

He went silent for a few minutes. A heavy silence as his namesake visibly crept in to war with his composure. At last, he quietly began in a fairly steady tone, his eyes locked on her, "When he very first brought me here, and every time he would temporarily release his hold on me after that-"

"Fear, you don't have to talk about it if you're not ready," Sadness reassured him.

But Fear shook his head. "No, Sadness, I have to do this. Besides, I think I do feel up to it right now." He inhaled, exhaled, then continued, "You remember how he can mimic any voice, right? He would constantly impersonate you, sometimes even shift into your form. Mocking me, ruthlessly tormenting me…"

"Oh, Fear…"

"And everything he said to me- even though it was nothing I hadn't already been thinking for a long time now- was the truth. I am a failure."

"No! No, you're not!"

"Yes, I am," Fear argued, his throat seeming to vehemently hitch between a gulp and a sob. "I'm supposed to be in charge of Riley's safety, and I failed her so badly last year. I wasn't strong enough to keep her from running away! If you and Joy hadn't come back when you did, what might have happened- I can't stop thinking about it! Even worse than that, I tried to run away like the cowardly worm that I am! I tried abandoning my post, I thought of myself instead of Riley!"

No, no, no. This wasn't what Fear needed. He needed to heal!

He was openly weeping now. "I wasn't even strong enough to fight off Shadowman, as he never failed to remind me. I couldn't make him- us- no, myself stop hurting Riley! I tried, I swear I tried so hard! The things I've said and d-done… such t-t-terrible, horrible things… oh, God." A shudder jolted through him. He wrenched himself away from Sadness as if believing he had no right to be near her, undeserving of her kindness. "I was always aware of what was happening, but I couldn't control myself! It was like being trapped in the worst imaginable nightmare and unable to wake up! And if it weren't for me, he never would have escaped in the first place."

That morning Mom and Dad reminded Riley of Shadowman… Fear became overcome with the urge to drive, even though his go at the console wasn't really zealous, prompting a murky memory of him. But it had been just enough to cause the crack in the Subconscious.

And that coincided with Riley trying to work out all her feelings with Youth Group.

Oh yes, the mind was an incredibly complex place, more than any of them understood. They thought they came to appreciate that last year, but now… well, nothing was completely black-and-white, and Fear was certainly no exception. Somehow, Sadness had to make him see that.

"I can never make up for any of it, even if it wasn't too late," Fear said quietly, sitting with his back to Sadness, squeezing his knees. "And now that he's finished with me and is strong enough on his own… Headquarters… Riley… oh, this is so bad. I always thought Headquarters was impregnable, but it's like our youth counselor said- the oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear." He sobbed and sobbed.

Sadness was at a loss. How could she get through to him, convince him that it wasn't his fault?

She wrapped her arms around his lanky form. Hugged him long and tight.

Fear stiffened slightly. He stared at her in obvious confusion.

"Those were all Shadowman's lies," she told him earnestly, not letting go. "The real me doesn't hate you. I could never hate you, Fear, and neither do the others. You made a mistake that day, you suffered a momentary lapse of judgement. That happens to everybody. But you can't let your mistakes define you, because who you really are is anything but selfish and irresponsible. You know how dedicated you are to Riley. You would do anything for her. Shadowman preyed on you when you were in a bad place, he made what you believe about yourself grow out-of-control."

"I used to think there was nothing I wouldn't do for Riley, too," admitted Fear. "But when we were faced with a real crisis for the first time in our life, I proved I wasn't up to the task! When he abducted me, he told me that he was going to help me, make me stronger so that I'd never worry about letting Riley down again. Of course, I didn't believe him. And when I'd plead for him to let me go and to leave Riley alone, he always said I was an ungrateful worm." He buried his face in his hands, trembling. "What do I do? I don't want to be too weak for her, but I also can't live with myself being so strong that I hurt her. Either way, I end up-"

"Do you remember what we learned at Youth Group during Fear Week?"

Silence. Then in a barely audible voice: "That fear is a liar."

"Well, no," answered Sadness patiently. "That was only part of the conversation we had. And what she actually said was that fear can seem like a liar. Remember? Because you're is such a naturally powerful emotion, it can be easy for you to forget your own strength, despite your good intentions. And when Shadowman possessed you, he deliberately used that strength against you… against Riley. He turned you into something you're not."

She prayed she could make Fear understand, especially this next part, and desperately wished that they had access to the memories from that week's session to help. Her words would have to be enough, but would they be?

Calm, compassionate blue looked deep into scared, uncertain purple as she said, "But we also learned that the very subjects of our fear can take control of our fear, and that's when things get really toxic. That's when we're deceived."

Fear blinked, eyes widening to let the remainder of tears fall. Something like ripples on a pond spread across them. His mouth slightly opened, but nothing came out.

"Why don't I remember that?" he whispered at last.

"Well, maybe because you were too shaken by what our counselor said about you being potentially dangerous. That's all you could hear. You were already so down on yourself, and that just made it worse."

"I-" Fear looked incredibly torn between hope and despair.

"I once thought I was no good for Riley. But Joy helped me see that I was wrong. Let me help you, Fear," Sadness implored.

Fear's gaze shifted between Sadness and his knees.

"Remember that when things kept going wrong last year, it was you who usually kept it together. You tried to be the voice of reason. You came up with solutions to help Riley be happy." Sadness's hand, still in Fear's, gave an empathetic squeeze as he began to object. "They may not have worked, but at least you tried."

"Yeah, and when nothing worked, I also tried abandoning Riley!" Fear cried.

He broke into a terrible coughing fit, nearly sending his remaining particles scattering. Sadness couldn't help but cry out in alarm, holding him steady. "Don't you understand that? As if it wasn't enough she couldn't be happy or sad, but without me her entire safety would have been in jeopardy! No, Sadness, there is no excusing my selfish cowardice! I am such a hypocrite! Maybe if I hadn't been so quick to give up, I would've had the guts to stop Riley from running away."

Sadness said urgently, "But you can make things right now! It's all up to you, Fear. I told you earlier, only you can stop Shadowman!"

"M-me? Are you crazy?"

"It's true! Think back to what else we learned at Youth Group. Courage isn't the absence of fear! Fear and courage are directly related, just like sometimes I'm needed to help Joy do her job better. Except that courage isn't a separate emotion- it's part of you, Fear! You can still be afraid, but willing to take action and do what needs to be done, like standing up to what frightens you. Being brave doesn't have to mean recklessly running into danger, and being afraid doesn't have to mean freezing up or running away from danger. It's just like right before we got our first night-light years ago, when you encouraged Riley to run past Shadowman and to Mom and Dad, and you remember how scared she was to even peek out from under her quilt at first. That was all you, Fear! And there was that bully in the fourth grade, Matt Nelson- it was you who got Riley to finally get him to stop picking on her and Meg that day, not Anger. And isn't standing up to whatever scares us like standing up to a bully? Once you do, it loses its power over us. As the strongest emotion, you have the power to help Riley end this."

She continued, "This is the only way you can take back control from Shadowman. But first you have to stop letting all these lies rule you. They're badly affecting Riley. Guilt Island can only be destroyed when Shadowman is defeated. Fear, without you, none of us can do our jobs. Don't you realize that you're not only the strongest emotion, but the most important? If Riley isn't kept safe, then it doesn't matter how happy she is or how fair her life is."

"Sadness… I don't know what to- I mean, I never-" Fear looked like he was truly seeing the world, seeing himself, for the very first time. He closed his eyes. "But… what if I'm not enough?"

"Don't doubt what you can do. You've always had it in you. And you don't have to worry about being too much for her either, because we already learned that emotional moderation is important for Riley's development. I think as she grows, we'll all get better at it together. But once this is over, Shadowman will never be able to control you again. You're not alone, Fear. I'll help you. I believe in you."

Something incredible was suddenly happening to Fear. Right there in Sadness's arms, the hollowed-out gaps in his face, hands, and the rest of him slowly began to heal over, new energy particles converging and taking their rightful place. Along with his skin, each seam in his torn clothing became perfectly mended. His color grew brighter and brighter until it surpassed that of his regular self, surpassed even the intensity of a Core Memory, and banished the heart of the bitingly cold, suffocating darkness with its warm, dazzling presence.

As Sadness watched her friend's transformation in pure awe, Fear examined himself all over, his own countenance mirroring hers.

"Fear…"

"What is this? What's happening to me?" he whispered.

She gazed at him, beaming, tears welling. "You're ready."

"I- I feel different. I feel so…"

The energy engulfing him at last peaked, coalescing into a great purple flame that forced Sadness to shield her face. When she could look again, there was Fear- floating in mid-air, wearing a shimmering cloak. Nothing like the one "Lord Fear" had worn, but one that exuded bravery and determination.

"Fear!"

Fear took in his glowing hands, then the rest of him again, and he let loose with a laugh of hopeful astonishment. "I can't believe it!" he breathed.

His very voice was a soft echo.

"I can," replied Sadness.

Fear chuckled. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't terrified right now. But you're right. This is- this is my fight. It all started with me. I have to be the one to finish him… for good this time. For Riley! I won't let that creep harm her anymore!"

Smiling at her, he said, "Thanks, Sadness. For everything."

"Always. I'm so proud of you, Fear."

The link between Fear and Shadowman would likely allow Shadowman to sense that something had greatly changed and draw him out.

And no sooner had Sadness thought that than the twisted shadow himself materialized before them. Without borrowing Fear's body, the real him looked just like they remembered- a cross between Slenderman and Purple Guy from Five Nights at Freddy's.

"Well, well. What is this, little slave?"

Sadness couldn't be certain, but she thought she detected a hint of, well, fear under that sneering.

"Shadowman." Fear rose higher. He swallowed. Resolutely faced down his enemy. "Your reign of terror is over."