[ She will never know this house outside of this world in between worlds. She will never actually walk down the halls of it. It's surreal, climbing up the stairs and looking at the pictures and seeing the life that belonged to him before he ever made his way to Chicago.
How younger he looked.
How innocent he looked. How innocent and different they both looked, he and Elena with his parents.
His mom was beautiful. His dad had kind eyes.
They're thoughts that abruptly interrupt each other the closer she gets to the bathroom, and once she opens the door she grows very still. The sight of him is painful, and she doesn't -- there's nothing she can do.
His parents are still dead. Jenna is still dead. Anna and Vicki and Elena are still dead. ]
Hey.
[ It's said softly, almost imperceptibly, and she closes the door behind her, back leaning against it as she watches him for a moment, or maybe it's longer than a moment.