My purpose is to protect them, but if there are few things about to protect them from, what's my purpose then?
But I feel I can't let my guard down, even for a moment.

And I guess I can communicate privately... telepathically, if you will... but, the changes mean they'll be more busy with the part of their life I feel I don't belong in.

Communicating physically is a challenge. There's someone else in their life who isn't on good terms with me, nor me with them, so I just avoid them.