Billowy clouds drifted idly through the sky, their puffy white forms dotting the picturesque blue expanse like ships sailing high above. The sun's rays highlighted their edges, setting them aglow even as the breeze carried them along in their meanderings.

Far below, Kaitlyn headed to Chella's with a skip in her step. And why not? Things were looking up all around. Class was going well, she'd finally made a breakthrough in lab, and business was booming. Even her music practice was finally starting to pay off. She was no genius, but at least she could play passably now.

It's about time that I got on the right track. She hummed to herself softly as she walked, the rap of her sneakers keeping time with the melody. I didn't realize how much I needed a little win like this.

Her breakthrough in lab had been a big one. Looking back on it, the oversight seemed so obvious. How could she not have suspected her pipettes? But now that she knew the secret, she could finally move forward. This data opened up a whole host of new avenues that had been previously blocked off to her. Now, there was a chance to actually make real progress on her project.

And I can carry that progress over, too, she reasoned. Sure, I'll have to actually do the important assays to show my work and all that. But in my head, I'll know what works, what doesn't, what's optimal – all of that!

Whether or not that kind of thing would actually help her make progress in the game was uncertain. But that was ok. At this point, Kaitlyn found the puzzle itself worth solving as much as she could manage.

A dry leaf skittered across the sidewalk in front of her, swirling into the black asphalt beyond. Things really did feel like they were all sunshine and rainbows. Even her Bash Bros matches were starting to look pretty astonishing. It really felt like her efforts were finally beginning to bear fruit across the board.

Thank goodness. She grinned. I'm finally starting to feel like a real time-looper, here. Mastering all the skills that I can, learning how to take advantage of each loop… Sure, it took me a while to get there, but look where I am now!

There was still plenty of room to improve, of course. She was no Mozart on the piano, and as well as she was handling Software Engineering, she was still far from acing the class. Regardless, Kaitlyn allowed herself a little bit of celebration.

Now it's time to do some more cooking. A good way to round out the week.

Despite the trepidation she still felt at seeing Philip, she couldn't help but look forward to her shifts at the restaurant. Learning from Scarra and preparing food still topped the list of her favorite things to do. Not to mention occasionally eating said food.

Let's see… what day is it? Is this one of those days where I get a freebie?

With how long she'd been here, sometimes it felt like the time simply flowed together in an incomprehensible blur. She tended to orient herself around major events throughout the loop, but in between them? It was easy to simply overlook what day or month it was, especially with how busy she kept herself.

Checking her phone, Kaitlyn's steps slowed, then stopped. Her eyes couldn't help but linger on the glowing date displayed there. One she recognized.

It's… November 5th. Serena's birthday.

A stray breeze ruffled her hair as Kaitlyn sobered. Her pleasant mood seemed to freeze in an instant, threatening to crack at the slightest touch. She remained there for a long moment, closing her eyes and breathing deeply. Then, she continued walking.

It's ok. I'm not supposed to know it's her birthday. Rationalizations swam through her mind as she continued walking, a little more briskly now. And what would I have done anyway? Bring her a present? I would love to, of course, but that's just weird.

Still, the fact remained – it was her birthday, and no one was there to celebrate it with her. She hadn't convinced Philip to take time off in this loop. The thought that Serena's cheerful smile and genuine excitement simply had ceased to exist… It sent a fresh wave of guilt through her.

Kaitlyn shook her head vigorously. I can't do everything. I can't help everyone. I can't… I can't put myself through that again and again, even if it's for her. I'd never get over him that way.

The restaurant's back door swung open with a groan as Kaitlyn stepped into the kitchen. Further in, she spotted Scarra near the stove, the broad-shouldered chef already busy with preparations. He whirled about, sending bowls and utensils and pans clattering with every precise motion.

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"Hey, Scarra."

The burly chef grunted. "You're early. What, you got nowhere better to be?"

"Not really," Kaitlyn forced a smile to her face. "Why wouldn't I want to be here cooking?"

"Well, tough luck then." He finished slicing up another onion and tossed it in the bowl at his elbow. "Chella's gonna need you workin' overtime with other stuff. Dunno if you'll have time to cook so much today."

Her brow furrowed with confusion. That was new. "What do you mean?"

"Philip's out today, so you're gonna need to pick up his slack." Scarra called as he began sauteeing some vegetables. "Chella's gonna have her hands full servin'. You need to do just about everything else."

Kaitlyn froze.

The chef noticed her expression and snorted. "Yeah, that's what I said. The kid's never taken a day off in his life. Either he's dead or he's decided to try being a normal damn person for once. I'm holding out for the latter."

Kaitlyn barely heard the words. No way. No possible way. Did he…?

She heard the door to the dining room swing open as Chella stepped through. The woman's face brightened on seeing her. "Well, hello, honey! I hope you're ready for a challenge today – we've both got our work cut out for us!"

"Hey, Chella." The words felt like they came from some other person's mouth as she remained in place, too dazed to move. "I heard Philip is taking the day off?"

"I see you've already heard the big news." The woman tucked a stray wisp of dark hair behind her ear and chuckled. "It came as a surprise to me, too. I mean, goodness! He didn't say why, exactly. Just that he was spending time with family. I didn't want to pry, of course."

Family. That has to be it. There's no way it's anything else.

When she'd been involved, Philip had taken the morning off, coming back to the restaurant for a dinner shift. But there was no reason it had to be that way. Maybe his plans had changed.

Maybe he took the whole day off. Or maybe he took Serena to do something else. I really don't know. But either way… he actually did it.

As her thoughts whirled, Chella continued to speak. "I'm glad he's finally seen a bit of sense, of course. I just hope it's not anything too serious. Do you know what happened?"

Kaitlyn turned toward the woman, a smile forming as she did. "I don't know exactly. But I think it might be his sister's birthday."

Chella blinked. "Really? Oh, how wonderful! I'm so glad he took time off for her."

"Finally." Scarra snorted. "The kid's got his head on straight, but he's gotta learn to relax sometimes."

She suppressed her broadening grin, turning toward Chella. "So, uh, what else do you need me to do?"

After ironing out a battle plan with Scarra and Chella, it was decided that Kaitlyn would add bussing tables and a few other tasks to her laundry list of responsibilities. Just for today, of course. With that handled, Kaitlyn turned toward the small pile of dishes that already awaited her. She lost herself in the familiar rhythm of scraping, scrubbing, and rinsing, the almost meditative routine allowing her to think.

I can't believe it. Really, I can't believe it. A particularly crusty patch of pan yielded to her insistent scrubbing. That's a big change – not just big, it's MASSIVE! It's huge! Even Scarra and Chella are shocked!

The thought that Philip would, of his own initiative, actually go and take time off for Serena's sake… it was awesome. There was no other way to put it. It was something she'd never even dared to hope for.

And I'm sure Serena's even happier to spend some time with her big brother.

Memories of the pair and their beach trip drifted through her thoughts. For once, they didn't have the same bittersweet tint to them as usual. In fact, Kaitlyn found her heart filling with joy despite herself.

…Maybe I've been thinking about this all wrong, Kaitlyn realized. I've been focusing so much on losing Philip and Alex, losing my relationship with them. But that's only one side of the story, isn't it? Maybe… maybe I need to see it from a different perspective.

Up until now, she'd been focusing on how much she'd lost with the resets. But there was more than just that.

Even though I lost a lot, look at how much he's gained. He's changed for the better. Just like with Alex. And it's not just something that affects him – it affects Serena, too.

The permanent changes that came along with romance endings had been a lifeline – one that helped her stave off insanity after Alex's ending. And now, seeing the effects yet again… maybe that was something worth pursuing on its own.

It still hurts. I still hurt, she admitted to herself. But if getting the ending helped him, made things better for him… then maybe it was worth it.

Kaitlyn grimaced. It was one thing to say something like that, but to actually do it? That might be harder than she'd like. It wasn't so easy to simply wave away her disappointment and bitterness at the resets. But there was something there. Some bit of hope that she wasn't just being selfish by going for these endings. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't just about escaping anymore.

Kaitlyn straightened, pulling a few dishes from the sanitizing sink to dry. Maybe it didn't matter. Maybe none of it did. But it mattered to her. She remembered Philip's face during that beach trip. His rare smile, the genuine pleasure at seeing his little sister so happy.

They don't know they're in a loop. So every repeat is just as real to them as the last. But still…

"Oi, Kaitlyn!" Scarra called. "Bread's ready!"

"Yes, chef!" The burly chef's voice called her back to the present. Quickly washing her hands, she darted toward him.

If I can make the people around me a little bit happier, then I'm a fool not to try again.