*Lily's POV*

So...Mark was waaaaaaay different from his brothers. Not only were his social interactions fairly odd; he also had a weird job. Apparently, the guy puts a camera up in his room, pulls up a game, and records himself...playing the game... That's what he does. Literally. And then he puts it on the internet and his income comes through a company called YouTube. I had heard of YouTube being used for info gathering for students but as a form of income and entertainment...the thought was completely foreign to me.

"And people will literally just sit there and watch you for, what, 10 minutes?" I asked as he showed me his little set up.

He nodded, smiling. "And sometimes for even longer! We even have videos that go on for 12 hours but those are charity livestreams. We sit down, play games, and raise funds for a charity!" He faltered and chuckled lightly. "I-I know how that sounds. It sounds like we're not doing anything for a long period of time, I've been told that." He looked back up. "But we bring people together to unite and to help out different charities in any way they can! We help people to believe that they could help contribute to a good cause, even if it is only a dollar or so!"

I blinked at him. He...he seemed to really believe what he was saying. Not many people...have that attribute. Especially with someone who seems to have a lot of power to work with...

As we exited the room, I told him, "Hey. Don't lose that train of thought."

"Hm?" he asked, looking to me.

"...You're not in it for something of personal gain and you have something you believe in...don't lose sight of it."

He blinked, seemingly confused.

I shrugged and walked away. I wasn't gonna explain to him, he could probably figure it out on his own.

I walked back out to see Google and Dark had returned but a particular someone had left the scene. "Where's Anti?" I inquired.

"H-He took off to t-try to find the peo-people targeting you," Google answered.

"As we're kind of 'stuck' in a sense, it'd be better to be able to send someone else out to investigate," Dark commented, closing his eyes.

I nodded. "I see..." I paused. "So, what do we do in the meantime? Just sit here like suckling pigs waiting to be slaughtered?"

Mark chuckled. "I'm glad that you seem to think that's what they'd do," Mark laughed. He shook his head. "Soon enough they get tired of sitting and wish to do other means of work so, very likely training and maybe even helping me with vi-"

"No Mark," the three boomed in union.

Mark's shoulders fell. "Come on! Please? It's been so long and I want to give my fans a-"

"Mark." Dark stared at the man boredly. Not with a glare, just...disappointment.

Mark sighed. "Fine..." Then, he perked up and looked to me. "Maybe we c-"

"Not interested in being in the lime light buddy," I waved almost immediately.

He pouted. "None of you guys are any fun..." He tried once more with Wilford. "Come on Wilford! Maybe a tiny interview? You loved it whenever we did that!"

I saw him hesitate lightly before saying, "Mark, really, it's been a while y'know...I don't think your fans would really-"

"OF COURSE THEY WANT TO SEE YOU!" Mark took Wilford by the arm, now dragging him down the hallway.

"W-Wait, I didn't even-!" Wilford tried.

They went into the recording room and a loud "BAM!" was heard as the door shut close.

"Aaaaaand, he's gone," Dark chuckled, shaking his head. "If only Wilford knew when to keep his trap shut..." He sighed and looked over to me. "Well, go get your stuff unpacked. Mark usually has spares upstairs so, feel free to look for one."

I nodded and went up the stairs.

Once more I chose a room closer to the exit. This time, the room was just white with the exception of the brown wardrobe and bedside table. Seems the guy doesn't really have time to put colors everywhere but it was fine.

I decided it was best just to leave most of my things in my bag seeing that I still didn't trust the area. Let's just say I feel that if we were able to be tracked earlier, I don't think we're much safer here. Despite what Google believes.

As I was fixing the room to my liking, I felt myself pause. '...Why...Why am I not trying to leave?' I mean, right now would be the perfect time as they are on the run, likely because of me. If I was gone, they couldn't go after me. They're in hiding and they wouldn't risk it...

'...' I looked to the window and approached it with my bag over my shoulder. I opened the window and looked out...but then...I paused again.'...Why am I hesitating?' I stuck a hand on the window sill...But I couldn't push myself to go through it. I pulled away. 'What's wrong with me???'

I tried to shake off the feeling as I went for the window before hearing a voice say, "I wouldn't do th-that if I were you."

I stopped and looked to the door to find Google there. His eyes weren't glowing...yet.

He stepped forward a bit. "I don't kn-know what you think you're doing. You're in no sh-shape to be out and about on your own right now. You're being cha-ased by an organization that hasn't even been revealed to us and yet, you want to leave." He shook his head disapprovingly, looking away. "Well...I don't care if y-you leave personally. I still have you on as a 'temp-temporary member.' But as far as I know, that opinion doesn't matter." He sighed and looked back up to me. "One of my functions is to ma-make sure my brothers are well. If that means that I need to make sure you stick around l-long enough for Wilford to get over his little 'phase' with you, then so be it...But if you were to l-leave now, he'd be more understanding of needing to stay back and just let you get away...Nevertheless...something tells me that you're unsure of your next actions, correct?" I flinched slightly at this statement. He nodded. "I thou-ought so. I would've expected you to be gone long ago."

"..." I looked down. "I...I don't know what is wrong with me. I should've been gone by now. I probably would've even left on the night of our recent mission with Wilford since I lost him so easily..."

"...Well, could I make a sugg-ggestion then?" I looked up to him. "...Stay. Stay at least till this whole thing blows over. If by the end of it you still feel a want to leave the-then go. I won't stop you and I'll remove anything that might lead us to you still...But if by the end of it you still want to stay...then you'll have your an-answer." He turned and exited the room. "Just think about it." He paused. "Oh yeah, if you do plan to go though, make sure to watch for the electric circuits I have on the roof. Makes sure no one can get in but could do a number on those trying to get out." He left.

I stared at the door for a while longer before turning and closing the window lightly. '...Maybe he's right. Maybe I should stay and...study them a bit longer. After all, they are interesting and if anything, I could probably gain a new skill...' That's right. I still have to master that Warfy stuff too...I nodded to myself as I placed down my bag and headed downstairs. 'I could stay for a while longer...'

As I went downstairs, I heard some intense collaborating happening in the recording room so I casually began to listen in on the two, tempted to hear what mess Wilford has gotten himself pulled into.

*****************************************************

*Wilford's POV*

Mark was babbling on and on about this huge project he had had in mind for a while. He wanted anything and everything 'Markiplier' related in there and was thinking about adding multiple characters from the past; including us. He said it would be slightly difficult but since we were there then it would make it easier.

"Ah, it's gonna be great!" he exclaimed, showing me all of the storyboards that the crew was creating, smiling brightly.

I chuckled and shook my head. "Ah Mark, always thinking of the next big thing." I got up. "Listen; although we are proud of what you do, we can't be risking these sort of things, you know? I mean, I'm pretty sure you want your team to-"

"But my team is cool with this sort of thing!" he countered. "They'll understand, I mean, you can't be a secret forever right?" He looked to me. "...Right?"

I sighed. "Mark...you know the answer to that." His smile dampened.

He looked down. "But...But I need your help-"

"Mark." I laid a hand on his shoulder. "Mark. You don't need us to do all of this alright? All of these things are your dreams, your ideas, your...your story! You don't need us to do these things. Look-" I made him look up to me. "You created the characters alright? You made the scripts, the lines, we just acted! We're made of the same blood nearly, you look exactly like us!" I chuckled. "At this point, you just need a costume to be like us!"

"...But-"

"I mean sure, it may be hard but have you been one to give up so easily?" He shook his head. "Exactly. So now, you just have to go and do it. Do it for your team. Do it for your audience."

He nodded. "R-Right...for my audience..." He sighed. "I just...I just wanted to hang out with you all again, y'know? And this was the only thing we ever could be connected on..."

"That's not tr-"

"You don't play video games, you don't watch movies, you don't even play normal board games! I just...I just want to hang out with you all...I want you to meet my friends...I want there to be...something..." He sighed, looking down.

I paused. I mean...he wasn't wrong...But there wasn't anything we could do. We weren't a normal family and he knew this. He's always known this...But...

I sighed and looked up. "Alright. Here's what we're going to do." He looked up hopefully. "We...We can help. BUT-" I interrupted him before he could attempt to shout in joy. "We are going to help you be like us. We're not going to be seen in cameras, we're not doing any meet and greet-for now." He nodded. "We'll work on your slurs, your posture, things of the sort. We'll have a grand ol' time, alright?"

He nodded again and hugged me. "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!"

I chuckled and shook my head, hugging him back. "You're welcome..." I patted his back and removed myself from him. "Come on, let's go back out there so we can tell everyone about your big idea, alright? I'm sure they'll be happy about it."

He nodded excitedly and headed out first. "Oh, hey Lily." He moved out of the way and I saw her tilt head at him, staring at him go.

I smiled and approached her. "Hey."

"...Why is he...smiling?" she asked, not looking at me.

"What do you mean?"

"You two...had an argument just now...usually people don't come away from that sort of thing smiling..."

I chuckled. "If you can even call that an argument, sure. But we fixed it."

"...You fixed it?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah."

"...Arguments don't get 'fixed.' I've seen it quite a number of times and through each argument the people in them don't walk away happy. Spouses, lovers, friends, foes, all of them...they don't 'fix' it."

"Then maybe you haven't seen them all. People aren't always the same y'know."

She stayed silent for a while, her thoughts seeming to be fixated elsewhere as she made her way to the living room. I wonder what she could've meant by that...