[Verse 1] I followed the path where the light wouldn’t go Down past the names I was taught not to know Stone under my feet, old fear in the air Like something inside me had always lived there I heard a small voice with a blade in her mouth Saying, don’t come closer, don’t look around She sat in the dark with her knees to her chest Guarding the place I had tried to forget [Pre-Chorus ] And I knew her face Though her eyes were fire She looked just like me Before I learned to be quiet [Chorus ] I came back for you I know it took too long I left you in the dark Trying to prove I could be strong I’m not here to fix you I’m not here to make you small You did everything right You survived it all I came back for you I came back for you [Verse 2 ] “Who are you now With your softer voice? Where were you then When I had no choice? You locked me down here You buried my name You called me too much Then you ran from my rage How could you leave me With all of this fear? How could you grow up And disappear?” [Verse 3] I sat down beside her Didn’t reach for her hand I said, I won’t rush you I’m trying to understand I was scared of your anger Scared of your cry Scared if I felt you We both wouldn’t survive But I see you now And I’m sorry I ran You were never the problem You were doing what you can [Pre-Chorus 2 ] You kept the door guarded When nobody came You held all the fire When I buried the flame [Chorus ] I came back for you I know it took too long I left you in the dark Trying to prove I could be strong I’m not here to fix you I’m not here to make you small You did everything right You survived it all Thank you for standing When I couldn’t stand Thank you for holding What I couldn’t understand I came back for you I came back for you [Bridge] Then I looked around And the cave went wide There were girls in the corners I had hidden inside There was the wild one Barefoot and free Till the world showed her That freedom could bleed There was the soft one Made of open hands Till somebody taught her That love makes demands There was the angry one Teeth clenched tight The one I called dangerous For knowing what wasn’t right There was the sensitive one Crying rivers alone The one I kept shaming For feeling like home There was the quiet one Who learned not to need Who swallowed her hunger So no one would leave [Breakdown] “Are you here to silence us?” No, I’m here to hear you “Are you here to bury us?” No, I’m standing near you “Are you here to change us?” No, I won’t betray you “Are you here to save us?” No… I’m here to stay too [Final Chorus ] I came back for you I know it took too long I left you in the dark Trying to prove I could be strong I’m not here to fix you I’m not here to make you small You did everything right You survived it all All of you were holy All of you were mine The rage and the grieving The wild and the kind I won’t leave you under What they made you carry I won’t call you too much Just because you’re scary I came back for you I came back for you Every girl I buried I came back for you [Outro ] You don’t have to shrink now You don’t have to hide I’ll sit in the dark Till you know I’m on your side I came back for you And I’m not leaving this time
